The New-Zealander.

New Zealander, Volume 5, Issue 419, 20 April 1850, Page 2

The New-Zealander.

Bo just and fear not : Let all the ends thou airas't at, be thy Country's, Thy God's, and Truth's.

SATURDAY, APRIL 20, 1850.

The departure of the missionary Brig John Wesley on her annual tour to the various stations occupied by the Wesleyan Missionary Society in the Southern Pacific, seems to us an incident worthy of more notice than a mere announcemont in our columns of Shipping Intelligence. There are doubtless those who are so entirely immersed in selfish and sordid considerations that the moial beauty connected with the history and objects of this vessel will have small

charms for them, or perhaps will not be seen by them at all ; even to such, however, the commercial importance of the outlay of money in the purchase from our townsmen of the quantities of stores of every kind required for the Mission families through the islands may commend itself as not undeserving of attention. A higher and better view, however, is presented when we look at this ship — confessedly the most complete and rapid in these seas — purchased by the beuevolence of Britain for purely Christian and philanthropic purposes, and maintained by that benevolence under arrangements which absolutely exclude every taint of personal or worldly pollution. Throughout these seas vessels are continually sailing impelled by motives on the part of their owners or charterers in which (however just and honourable in a business aspect their intentions and schemes may be) self avowedly predominates. But wherever the John Wesley is seen, men see a ship purchased and supported, for purely philanthropic ends. Is she not worth looking at in this aspect 1 ? Intercolonial trade is a good thing in its own place ; speculation to California in the way of prudent exportation of our native produce is good too ; but here there is no admixture of merely worldly feeling. The John Wesley is " walking the sea" simply and exclusively as a messenger of mercy to mankind. We are informed that the route of the John Wesley during the visitation of the Stations on which she has just proceeded, will, so as far as circumstances which cannot now be foreseen will permit, be as follows : — sailing first to the deeply interesting group of the Friendly Islands, she will visit Tongataboo ; then Lifuka, where King George will look for her arrival will feelings more of a religious than even a political character, earnest as he is in the Christian civilization of his subjects : — she will then go from island to island of the Habaii group, particularly to Port Refuge (Vavau), Keppel's Island, the Volcanic Island Neuafoaho, which our naturalists would, we believe, find richly deserving more attention than they have hitherto bestowed upon it ; Wallis's Island (Uvea), and the little rocky island (small, but destined probably to be yet better known to geographers) Ata, or Pylstart Island. The Brig will then proceed to the Wesleyan Stations in the Feejee District — a district which occupies about forty thousand square miles of ocean, and contains at a low calculation about three hundred thousand inhabitants. She will then call first at Lakemba, which is the oldest mission station in the group ; then sail westward to Vewa ; on to Nandi ; thence to Bua ; and on her course take up the Missionaries to be conveyed to their Annual Meeting for Church purposes, which will probably be held this year at Lakemba. The Reverend Walter La wry has sailed in the John Wesley in order to visit these stations, which, we believe, the reverend gentlemen's " Instructions" from the Parent Committee require him to do at least once in three years. During his absence, his " lack of service" — so far as pulpit ministrations and pastoral duties are concerned — will be supplied (we have no doubt adequately) by the Rev. Mr. Rabone, who has been, for several years, a zealous and universally esteemed Missionary in the Southern Pacific.

We take the opportunity of again inviting the attention of our readers, to the Meeting on the subject of the introduction of the Waikato Coal to Auckland and its vicinity, which, according to the announcement in our advertising columns, will be held on Monday, at the Royal Exchange Hotel, the proprietor of %vhich has liberally given it gratuitously for this public purpose. The object contemplated in the whole matter is so self-evidently good, and the efforts of the Committee who have hitherto been engaged in forwarding it, have been so manifestly ingenuous and disinterested, that we cannot anticipate on the part of the public any other than a frank and hearty response in the case. Undoubtedly in a matter of such general and permanent importance, there will be differences of opinion, which may be more or less strongly expressed ; but the aim of all parties being the public good — and the introduction of coal, the product of our own colony, and its introduction at a rate considerably cheaper than it could be imported from New South Wales, being so clearly a great public benefit, — we trust we may anticipate nothing but a harmonious working together of all who may take part in the Meeting on Monday. In addition to the suggestions which, as we intimated in our last, the Committee will lay before the Meeeting, we think it likely — and we are sure it would be very desirable— that a Deputation should be appointed on the part of the Meeting to wait on the Governor-in-Chief, with a view of ascertaining his Excellency's sentiments and soliciting his influential co-operation in the promotion of the object. We perhaps do not violate any confidence when we say that His Excellency has already expressed so much cordiality of disposition and willingness to aid the Committee, that it may be safely assumed that the Government will interpose no avoidable obstacle in the way of the enterprise.

We have been requested to correct an error in the last Government Gazette by which the

Crown Lands in the District of the Howick Wardens is said to amounted only to one thousand and fifty five acres, while it really amounted to ten thousand and fifty-five acres. The typhographical blunder would of course be evident to every intelligent reader, although it might, at the same time, furnish a matter of passiug cavil to any party malignantly on the watch to find — pro fas ant refes — fault with the Government 1