The New-Zealander.

New Zealander, Volume 6, Issue 435, 15 June 1850, Page 2

The New-Zealander.

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

SATURDAY, JUNE 15, 1850.

It is known to such of our readers as take an interest in our New Zealand politico-reli-gious concerns, that the Church Missionary Society has for sometime been dissatisfied with certain of its clerical or other agents here, on account of their alleged purchase of lands with a sordid view, — which would be manifestly inconsistent with their high and holy vocation. Archdeacon Henry Williams, (and some others, whose names we do not publish, as we have only heard them in current conversation,) — but, at all events, Archdeacon 11. Williams has been dismissed by the Home Society. But we advisedly abstain for the present, from giving an opinion on this whole case. If we take it up — as we think we shall deem it our duty to do — we shall not deal with it in a currento calamo paragraph like this. To-day, we insert the following merely as the only authentic information yet published respecting an affair which (it needs no witch to predict) will be talked of, and probably acted on, in days to come. We cannot however, refrain from the expression of our regret that a tone so political and so personal towards the Government should have been permitted to mingle in his Reply. We know enough of the parties at home who will look into the case most closely, to know that this style of writing will not greatly prepossess them in the writer's favour, —although there are men so religiously conscious of their own infirmities, that they will be very slow to pass any stern judgment upon ebullitions of emotion under circumstances like those in which Archdeacon Williams finds himself. Russell, 31st May, 185). Reverend and dear Sir,— Astonished and grieve I at the unexpected teimination of your valuable labours among us, we cannot allow you to leave Paihia without the eipresiion of our deep sympathy with you, and our strong sense of the value of those exertions which in connexion with the Church Missionary Society, hare exercised so beneficial an intereit upon the country around us during the last twenty-seven (27) years. Neither would we omit to hold a grateful remembrance of the many disinterested services performed minister! lly for all classes of your countrymen, nor the retdineis with which your extensive influence with the natives has ever been exercised to assist the industrious settlers by the promotion of peace, order, and good will between them. That influence we feel assured will under all circumstances still be as ever used for the benefit of the government and country. It would have been a source of much gratification to be permitted to present you with some little memori il of our regard, but this pleasure we trust ii only deferred. In the meantime, our affectionate interest will accompany you to the iphi re of your future ministrations, with heartfelt prayer that the best blessings may attend you and your estimable family, and that when called to resign your charge upon earth, you may be enabled to say with St. Paul, " I have fought the good fight, I hare finished my course, I have kept the faith, henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousnesi, which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day." We bid you heartily farewell, and remain with the deepest sentiments of esteem. ' Reverend and dear Sir, Your obedient lervanti. [Here follow the gignatures.] To the Venerable Archdeacon H. Williams.

Paihia, May 31, 1850. My dear Brethren, — I feel it to be my duty, previous to my leaving this place, to give you briefly some explanations of my sudden flight after so long a residence m the Bay of Island* of twenty-seven (27) years—

where I have shared wilh you the troubles and calms of that long period. You are too well acquainted with the character of the despatches of Governor Grey to the Secretary of State, and their general bearing upon the Mission, to j tender it needful to say anything upon that subject, more than that I did not hesitate to meet the imputations cast upon me, and to offer every explanation in my power, which waa declined by his Excellency; and that I further pledged myself that, failing to scatter those imputations to the winds, I would of my own free will relinquish my duties in New Z-aand. This challenge as to the merits of the question also was declined by his Excellency. I had been led to conclude that the whole question at iisue had been settled, but on the 25th instant I received two lettees from England— one from a mem-, ber of the committee of the Church Missionary Society, the second from the Secretary of the Church Missionary Society, dated December 21, 1849. In the first appears the following sentence : " In the mean time Lord Grey sent down to the Society a letter from Governor Grey, which quotes a letter of joun to the Colouial Secretary in New Zealand, in which you are said to have at one time estimated the land, to which you laid claim, at thirty thousand acres. Under these ciicumstances the committee felt themselves embarrassed." The following is the final rcialution of the Parent Committee of the Church Missionary Society:— " 6th. — That these Resolutions be communicated to the Bishop of Netv Realand, and that Earl Grey and the Governor of New Zealand be informed of the dissolution of the connexion between Archdeacon H« Williami, and the Church Missionary Society. " (Sigued) H. Stuaith, " Sec. C. M. S." With regard to the first extract— l disclaim all knowledge of the letter in question, said to have been written by me " to the Colonial Secretary in New Zealand." I must abstain from designating in fit tetms such a communication from His Excellency to the Secretary of State ; I leave that to others. Upon the two extracts it will be seen that the whole is a political movement. It is with extreme j egret I leave the Bay, where I had hoped to end tny days amongst persons known so long. Vet it is the Christian's duty to act as circumstances may require, always bearing in mind the words of Scripture, 1 Peter, 4, 12— " Beloved; think it not stiange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you, but rejoice," &c. v I trust my interest in the welfare of the Bay will not cease, from which my present removal will not disconnect me. And my desire will ever be that you all may abundantly prosper with all temporal and spiritual ' prosperity, and that the peace of God, which passetu all understanding shall Keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Signed) H. Williams. To the Members of my Congregation, Kororarika and Paihia.

From Nelson we learn that the Session of the Supreme Court was held on the 10th of last month, having been postponed in consequence of the non- arrival of Judge Chapman — a nonarrival attributable to the temporary inefficiency of the Government Brig, arising from the stress of weather which she had previously experienced. The cases to be tried partook of that character of trivial and unimportant concern by which happily our New Zealand Assizes are — with rare exceptions — distinguished. The Giand Jury, however, made a Presentment, complaining, in strong, but not disrespectful terms, of the " extreme inconvenience which the Settlement continues to suffer from the uncertainty of the time when the Assizes are held." They urge, we think justly, the injury which prisoners (who may possibly be entirely innocent of the crimes laid to their charge) must sustain from a detention in gaol for so long a period after their commitment by the magistrates. It is alleged, we suppose truly, chat parties, against whom crimes could be proved were not prosecuted, just on the ground that their previous imprison - ment had been a sufficient puuishment. The gist of the representation is in this sentence, in which, formally addressing the Judge, it is said — " The Grand Jury present their opinion that it is highly reprehensible on the part of the Authorities, whose duty it is to provide your Honoar with the means of coming to Nelson to open your Court, to detain prisoners, against whom on the day of trial no charge is to be found advanced." Judge Chapman's reply includes references to more than one point of interest, on account of which we introduce it as we find in the Nelson Examiner of the 18th ultimo. " His Honor observed in reply, that he was fully aware of the evils complained of in the presentment, and had on more than one occasion called the attention of the government to the circumstance. He would now again, in forwarding the presentment, repeat the representation he had formerly made ; and he hoped, as there now seemed to be a prospect of establishing steam communication between the different settlements, that such irregularity would not in future occur."

There is apparently a general misapprehension of the nature of the operations of the Colonial Bank of Issue which has been recently called into existence under the sanction and approbation of the Home Government. Upon reference to No. 305 of the Southern Cross, published on the 3 1st ultimo, there will be found a rather lengthy article entitled « Grey's Bubble Banking Company." Without entering seriatim into the objections detailed, or questions raised therein, relative to the expediency of the formation of such an Institution as a Colonial Bank of Issue in a colony situated as New Zealand is, or the re^« sources from which the Local Government might be enabled to conduct Banking operations, it still seems desirable to disabuse the Public mind of the mistake into which it has fallen, viz, : that it is in the power of the

Governor to issue the Notes of the above named Bank, at his own caprice, and to any extent he may think proper, or in other words -♦to pursue the same course that was adopted by a former Governor in the issue of " Debentures," " and thdt too whether the Bank is able to redeem them or not." With leference to the issue of Notes, the Manager is bound by an oath, according to the form prescribed in the 4th clause of the Paper Currency Ordinance " not " to issue or reissue any of the Bank Notes of the " Colonial Bank of Issue" except in exchange for " cash." The 11th clause requires that " No Note of the same bank shall be issued or re -issued except in exchange for cash," and to prevent the Governor from causing an issue of Notes without specie having been tendered to the Manager, it is provided in the 35th clause of the Ordinance, that no Governor shall have any power to make " rules and regulations repugnant to the provisions hereof." The precautions taken to secure the liquida- , tion of the notes on presentation at the offices of the Bank, are contained — lstly, in clause 4, in the oath of office " I will constantly retain and keep •within my control and custody for the use and accommodation of the public, not less than onefourth part of the cash so received in exchange, (i. c., on the issue of notes) and that I will not part with the control or custody of such residue of the cash, except under the authority of a warrant to me for that purpose, directed under the hand of the Governor for the time being." 2ndly, in clause 10, — " Every note of the said Bank shall be expressed to be payable in pounds sterling, and in cash,' 1 3rdly, in clause 16. — "The bearer of any such note or notes shall be entitled on demand at any of the offices of the said Bank of Issue, during the hours of business, to receive payment in cash for such notes, and the manager of every such office is hereby required to pay the same accordingly. The Lords Commissioners of the Treasury recommended that the Manager should be required to retain one-third instead of one-fouith of the cash paid into his hands, and in cases of an unusual demand for specie, the Commissariat department have received directions to render any assistance that might be required of them. The object of the establishment of a Colonial Bank of Issue in New Zealand, is not therefore to create a fictitious capital to meet the present emergencies of the colony, but to form a fund to be raised from the interest accruing from the funded portion of the specie received in exchange for the notes, for defraying the expences incurred in conducting the business of the said Bank, and the suiplus, if any, is to be paid to the Colonial Treasurer, for the public uses of the colony, and the support of the government. — Communicated.

Approaching Festivities. —Preparations are in progress, we understand, to throw an air of gaiety beyond the common over the gloom of our mid-winter, —if mid-winter we can associate even in name with such a lovely and exhilirating season as we are favoured with this year. The Master, Officers and Brethren of the Auckland Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons, have fixed the 24th of June as the day for their Ball at the Masonic Hotel, —a ball Which those Who mingled in the throng of last year on the similar occasion, anticipate will be attractive beyond the usual scale of colonial attractiveness in these matters. Lieut Colonel Wynyard and Mrs. Wynyard, have also issued invitations for a Fancy Dress Ball, to be held on the 16th of July, and which we are informed has already set many on the gui vive of preparation and lively expectation.

B-esdent Magistrate's Court. —lmportant Case. —A case of more than ordinary interest in various respects was brought under consideration in this Court on Tuesday last. Mr. John Irelanu, shop-keeper, Shortland-crescent, was charged with a violation of the Ordinance Sess. 6, No. 1, which prohibits the selling of fire-arms or "warlike stores" to the aboriginal Natives. He had sold, it appeared, a box of percussion car; s to a Native on the 7th of May, and again, on the following day, a double - barrelled gun, and a box ot percussion caps. The penalty imposed by the Ordinance in such a case legally reaches to the infliction of a fine of £500, should it be deemed expedient to go as far as the law will sanction. In this instance, the defendant —while he frankly and fully admitted his having done the acts with which he was charged — yet pleaded his ignorance of the law against which he was transgressing. The Resident Magistrate, taking the matter in its whole bearings, into careful consideration, gave as his decision, that, although, if the Defendant had not confessed his guilt, the penalty must have been great, yet in consideration of his contrition, the fines should be mitigated to £20 for the first offence, and £50 for the second : —of course, with costs. An application, we are informed, has been made to the Authorities to have this sentence mitigated. Of the uprightness, and even of the kindness of the Resident Magistrate's adjudication there can be no second opinion. But the case is (so far as we have been able to collect public opinion in the town) one in which it will be a very acceptable proceeding, if a large infusion

of mercy should be thrown in, to " season" what no one desires to be jitslice in the administration of the Law. We record with deep regret the loss of our fellow-townsman, Mr. Wiiitmore, shoemaker in Shoitland- crescent, who was unfortunately drowned, on Wednesday last, having been struck by the boom of the little vessel in which he had embarked, and then sinking to rise no more.