The New-Zealander.

New Zealander, Volume 5, Issue 416, 10 April 1850, Page 2

The New-Zealander.

Be just and fear not • Let all the ends thou aims't at, be thy Country's, Thy God's, and Truth's.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10, 1850.

The arrival of the Belgian ship Oceanic, from Sydney, has placed us in possession of English Intelligence to the 24th of Novemher. The Queen had fully regained her usual health, and with the Royal Family, was residing alternately at Windsor and Osborne. The Queen Dovvaoar, lingered on, but all hope of her recovery seemed abandoned. The bulletin of the 23rd of November merely reported her continuance " in the same state.'* Parliament had been further prorogued to the 16th of January, when it would probably meet for the despatch of business. Thursday, the 15th of November, being the day set apart for public thanksgiving on acccunt of the cessation of cholera, was observed with great solemnity in London. All ordinary business was suspended and the several places of worship numerously attended. The observance contrasted strongly with the proceedings of the previous 9th, — Lord Mayor's Day— when Alderman Thomas Farncomb's installation is said to have been celebrated with more than usual display and festivity. The population returns for the year, so far as they could be judged of, exhibited for the first time for a series of years, a diminution in numbers. This was attributed mainly to Cholera and Emigratiou, — the latter cause especially, so far as the fact could be inferred from the Registrar-General's quarterly return for October, which traced to it a diminution of the population of England to the extent of several thousands, as compared with the number of inhabitants at midsummer.

* The Queen had issued her Letter — now practically a triennial one — for a collection on behalf of the National (Church) Educational Society. The number of children attending its schools, which in 1814, was 40,484, had, at the last return, which was made in 1847, reached 810,874, and, it was estimated, now amounted to neaily a million and a half. One of our colonial contemporaries sums up the intelligence from Ireland in the following brief but expressive sentence, — " The usual amount of agitation, famine, pestilence, potatodisease, evictions, murders, and social miseiy, fill the Irish papers." The most important political movement was a meeting in Dublin of the Grand Lodge of the Orange Society, presided over by the Grand Master, the Earl of Enniskillen, and very numerously attended by representatives from the District Lodges in all parts of Ire- j land. The conduct of the Lord Lieutenant towards their party, and especially towards its leader Lord Roden, was understood to be the main subjeat of consideration, and expectations were entertained — not the less exciting because comparatively vague and undefined — that some revelations would be made which would strangely involve the Irish Government. The sittings of the Grand Lodge had no t closed at the latest date, and its decisions were kept profoundly secret. It was announced, however, that a select committee had been appointed to prepare a statement for publication, and the Dublin I veiling Herald (a journal in their confidence) declared — " There is no longer a doubt that there will be a faithful report presented of those curious transactions in which the Government was engaged with the Orangemen of Dublin ; but the details of these matters aie so complicated and various, that it demands much pains and thought to prepare a clear report of them." French political prospects seemed to be involved to a great extent in the individual and only partially disclosed policy of Louis Napoleon, who, with a skill and steadiness acknowledged by all, was moving on towards the grand object of his personal aggiandizement. He had so far succeeded in playing off one paity in the Republic against another, as to have the virtual rule almost enthely in his own hands. Rome was tranquil, and the Pope's return still anticipated. It was said that he would "sing mass.at St. Peter's on Christmas Day " Meanwhile a plot to assassinate him had been discovered in Switzerland ; the Spanish troops were removing from the Roman btates ; and the continued adherence of the French soldiers Avas, of course, dependent on " every turn of the political vane at Paris'" It was still confidently affirmed that the difference between Russia and Turkey had been adjusted ; but there were some doubters who asked for a fuller confirmation of the gratifying assertion. In Canada the " Annexation Question" had, as might be supposed, engrossing interest. Protests against the Montreal declaration in favour of separation from England, and exptessing warm attachment to the Mother Country had been issued. The Toronto Globe had published a declaration to this effect, signed by two thousand persons. The seat of Government had been transferred to Toronto, which was to "alternate with Quebec in the official favour." This movement is condemned as indicating either cowaidice or paltry personal spite on the part of Lord Elgin towards the people of Montreal. The American journals and their correspondents all write as if the annexation of Canada to the States must come to pass at no distant day.

The Sydney papers state, with an expression of regret which will be generally participated in, the death of Captain Stanley, of H. M. Ship Rattlesnake, who died on board that vessel in J^ydney Harbour on the 13th of March. We transfer to our columns an interesting biographical sketch of this able and laborious officer, whose premature death is a savere loss to the naval service. . . The Sydney Herald states that the great objects of the expedition entrusted to him having been most satisfactorily accomplished, H. M. S. Rattlesnake, Commander Yule, will sail from Sydney for England via Cape Horn, early in May, merely calling at such places as may afford means of adding to the scientific interest of the voyage. The Legislative Council of New South Wales had been further formally prorogued to the 30th of April ; but it was understood that the 28th of May would be the day of its meeting for the despatch of business. .. .The election for a member to represent Cumberland (" the metropolitan County of New South Wales ") had terminated in the return of Mr. James Byrnes, by a majority of 248 over his opponent, Dr. Douglas. The Rev. Dr. Lang had arrived by the Clifton, from the Downs the 16th of November, with a large number of companions, amongst whom were four ministers, and twenty-two students of divinity. " The Presbyterian Pope of New South Wales," (as some of the English journalists designate the Doctor), had issued, while the Clijton lay off Gravesend, a " Parting Word for Lord Grey,* in which he assures his Lordship of his " bitterest disappointment and deepest disgust ;" charges him with "incivility and obstruction;" with keeping '•', familiars, who like the mutes in the Sultan's palace at Constantinople, regularly strangle

qonest men, andj every honest measure connected with the colonies ;" — and, after much plain speaking of the same sort, threatens the nohle Lord with " both dismissal and impeachment" for his own share, — and as respects the colonies, that the people of New South Wales will resort to " measures of self-preservation," the nature of which is made sufficiently obvious even to a Colonial Office apprehension, by the significant question " Does your lordship suppose that there are not men of higher mark in Australia than the Irish incapables of Dublin and BalMngurnj ? " — the broadly expressed suggestion that the squatters of Australia might " buy off" in a few weeks any British troops sent against them, — and the warning that a " President of the United States of Australia," is " getting ready, and will shortly be out, and astonish the world." The Spectator says of this manifesto, " Although rough in its language, and sectarian in some of its views, its main statements make a formidable bill of impeachment — alarming because those statements cannot be pronounced false." Since his arrival the Reverend Doctor has been writing letters to the colonists through the columns of the Argus. Meanwhile, it had been proposed to present him with a purse of sovereigns at Melbourne, and a public dinner was spoken of to welcome him at Sydney. We regret to observe that the steamer Pharnix was wrecked on her passage from Clarence River to Sydney, though happily without loss of life. An account of this calamity will be found in our Shipping Intelligence. The Emma was to sail for this poit immediately after the Oneanie, and may therefore now be hourly expected.

The Introductory Lecture to the Series about to be given under the superintendence of the Managing Committee of the Auckland Mechanics' Institute, was delivered in the Hall on Monday evening, by W. Swainson, Esq. (Attorney-General), before His Excellency ISir George Grey, and the members and friends of the Institute, — a number of ladies being present. The learned Lecturer having adverted to the fact that, nearly eight years ago, he peiformed a similar service on behalf of the then infant Institution, and having succinctly sketched the objects which those engaged in its present re -organization hope to accomplish, proceeded to dwell with much force of argument and felicity of illustration, upon the inefficiency of merely intellectual education for the real improvement of mankind, and the vital necessity of moral and religious culture in connexion with any system of instruction in elementary knowledge, in order to educate the man, so as to elevate his character and to regenerate society. "' To impart the power to read" — said Mr. Swainson, with equal truth and eloquence — " is to give access to a garden richly stocked indeed with wholesome, useful, and delightful fruits, but no less rankly stocked with fruits still more attractive to the eye, and more palatable to the natural taste — but containing the juices of a deadly poison. Even the veiy men who, thirty years ago, were most eager to throw open the poitals of this garden, now themselves admit that it can be safely entered only with a Guide." After these preliminary observations, he enlarged in some detail upon the modes in which the Auckland Institute may best attain the end of its formation, and lay the foundation of future and extended benefit to the Colony. We refrain, however, from attempting, to-day, even an outline of the Lecture, as we hope to have the pleasure of laying a verbatim report of it before our readers on Satuiday, when wejshall publish a Supplement, to enable us to do so without trespassing upon the space which may be required in our columns for other matter. The Mechanics' Institute may now be considered as fairly in operation, its Lecture Session having been thus propitiously commenced ; its Library being open for reference and the circulation of books ; and various classes in connexion with it being either formed or in progress of establishment. The advantages which it even now offers are not inconsiderable, and we trust that many will be induced to add their names to its already extended and extending list of members. We need scarcely say that in proportion to the support which it receives from the public must be the probability of its successfully attaining the positioß, and achieving the beneficial results to which the Attorney-General so impressively pointed in his excellent lecture.