The New-Zealander.

New Zealander, Volume 6, Issue 469, 12 October 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.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER. 12, 1850.

Rumour has so many tongues, ani frequently such lying tongues, that we have long learned to distrust its statements, especially with respect to public men and public measures. A rumour however has been prevalent for some days past which v\e cannot overlook, whether we regard the importance of the matter to which it relates, or the quarters in which it has obtained more or less credence. Our readers in this town will anticipate that we refer to the generally circulated and extensively believed report that, in accordance with a recommendation of His Excellency the Governor-in-Chief, the seat and centre of the New Zealand Government is likely to be transferred from Auckland to Wellington. We are really in no position either to authenticate or to contradict this rumour. It does not appear to be the policy of our Local Government to avail itself— as much'a3 it neema expe-

dient to the most eminent statesmen of Europe and America to avail themselves — of what Sir Robert Peel calls " the usual channels of communication with the public." If therefore we avow some incredulity as to this rumour, it is from no definite information, bui from our participation in the notion that — as we sometimes hear of news " too good to be true" — this seems too bad to be true. We set aside altogether just now the question of the comparative merits of Auckland and Wellington as the seat of Government. That has been argued over and over again, and decided in favour of Auckland by the overwhelming majority of those who had no personal or sordid interest to induce them to prefer Wellington, Should the rumour to which we allude prove true, we suppose the question must inevitably turn up again, and under circumstances more exciting than accompanied its discussion at any former time. The moral (for we cannot but view it as a moral question) the moral aspect of the case would be — that lands have been purchased and houses built, and property invested in various other ways in this vicinity, and individuals and families have ■come here on the faith that Auckland had been fully and finally f xed on as the "•eat of Government. There undoubtedly was an /mpHed contract to this effect. A breach of the faith on which that contract was understood to be based would be so bad as to justify us in thinking it improbable. It will be per- 1 ceived, however, that we speak throughout of ] contingencies and rumours. Hut when such , rumours are extensively circulated — rumouis so vitally affecting this capital of New Zealand — we think out local public have a right to be informed on a matter which may so materially bear on their interests and the interests of their children. We should hope that the suggestion of this view of the case may lead to the communication in one way or another of at least the practically important pait of what is officially known respecting it. Another point on which rumour has been busy is the introduction or non-introduction of Representative Institutions in the Colony, or in this Province. We have turned with care to the debate on the final ad >ption of the Australian Colonies Bill by the i louse of Commons on the 1 3th of May. in which some references to the matter occur. We take from the complete report in the Times the passages bearing on the point, — which, as will be seen, are enveloped in a sufficiently close shroud of official mystification. Mr. Under Secretary I „ Hawes said, With respect to New Zealand, and on the subject of ; providing a constitution lor that co ouv, he wished to state that some time ago the Governor lud expressed an opinion unfavourable* to such a measure, on the ground that the European popu ation, as compared with tlie native, wa° then too sm;ill ; but in his rec n communications he announced that the colony had of Lite made such rapid progiess that he nought thegrmt of representative institutions nerd no longer be delaj\d; and he (Mr, ll.nves) was enabled to add, th.it probably papc-rs would be laid br fore the House during the present session winch would justify the Government in proposing, early in the next session, a bill for the pur pose of giving a constitution to New Zealand. With that infoi mation before Hum, he hoped that his hon. and learned friend the member for Cockerinouth would not think it necessary to press the clause of which he had given notice. Mr. Aglionby, however, did press his clause. We subjoin the small and resultless discussion which took place respecting it. The impossibility of gathering any distinct information from the Premier's statement will be observed. The " certain points in the New Zealand Constitution" which are to be amended next year, are for the present known only to those who propose to amend them. Mr. Agmonby then rose to move n clause providing for representative institutions and the means of self government within in the inlands of New Zeiland. lie expressed his thanks to the UuJer Secretary of the Colonies for "he statement he h.vd made as to the intentions of the Government. He (Mr. Aglionby) might aik, however whether it was their intention to revive the constitution of New Zeal md or to remodel it ? and also, whether the Government had recen'ly received any despatches from tha colony? He had great confidence in the promise made on behalf ol the Government, that they would give their attention to tho subject, and i( they contemplated the introduction of a measure in the next sesiion of Parliament, he would not press the motions Lord J Russel observed, that the Government had vary recently received d (.patches 'rom the Governor ol' New Zealand, which said th-it at present the state of the colony was most satisfactory, and that he did not see any reason for continuing the suspension of the free institutions sanctioned by Parliament. At the same time there were certain p lints in respect of which the Government were desirous to amend the New Zealand constitution. There would be no time during the pre- I sent session to legislate on that question, as those points required most careful consideration, but in the course of the next year he hoped to submit to the Housrt a measure on the subject. The motion was the ■ withdrawn.

The Barbara Gordon having at length arrived, we are in possession of our usual English files to the 1 5th of Mny, forming heaps of papers, the whole of which, — although we have industriously worked at them, — we really have not yet been able even to look through rapidly. They will furnish abundant material for future use; but of course they do not give us any new public intelligence of importance, — as we had alieady received and published considerably later news. We arc enabled, however, hy the kindness of Mr. W. Bain, and Captain Church of the Helen S. Page (which has reached our port and is welcome here), to present a summary of European news coming down to the 15th of Jwc,

We give this summary just as we find it in the Polynesian, as we could not well condense it, and, of course, had no means of expanding, or (if that were necessary) correcting it.

Considerable space is devoted iv several of the journals to reports of the Anniversaries of Religious and Benevolent Institutions popularly known as " The May Meeting?." The character of those Meetings — (viewed, of course, as a reflex of the character of the Associations whose principles they represent and embody) — has now assumed an importance that commands the attention of the statesmen, the philosophers, the political economists, and, probably not least, of the sharp-sighted mercantile and manufacturing classes, who see how largely and rapidly these benevolent enterprises are extending the sphere of their most successful business operations — as well as of the " Quakers and Saints" to whom in days within our own memory it was flippantly asserted in some influential quarters that their interest was confined. We moie than question whether Mr T B. Macaui.ay would now repeat his sneer at "the biay of Exeter Hall," — even if the good sense and Christian feeling of the people of Edinburgh had not settled the point that, at all events, he should not do so as their representative in Parliament. The Report, of the various societies seem on the whole encouraging to the friends of numan progress and improvement — although they are not without di aw backs and indications of difficulties. So soon as we have time to compare and condense the accounts now in our hands, we will endeavour to present at 1 ast a " bird's eye view" of what the " May Meetings" have revealed as to the past, and promised as to the future.

The Projected) Wharf. — We un 'erstand that Captain Daldy lias obtained the contract for the timber advertised for in order to the construction of this valuable and long-wished for undertaking, and Mr. Harp for the iron work necessary for the purpose. It is repoited to us that it is to be a continuation of Queen Street, for about 1300 feet. The work we are told is to commence in a month, and material enough must be supplied to keep fifty workmen engaged at it. We have received numerous complaints of the delay in the landing of the mail from Sydney by the Emma, and yet louder complaints respecting the delay before the mail of the Barbuia Gordon — so anxiously expected — - was in the hands of the public. We have found the gentlemen connected with the Post Office here so uniformly attentive that we cannot attach blame to them ; and had not our valued Harbour Master, Captain Rough, been engaged in preparations for his departure for Europe, and, we suppnse out of charge, the grievance would not be likely to have occurred. Still it is a grievance which cannot but be felt strongly here when our arrivals from home are so uncertain ; and it is one which we trust the parties responsible in the matter, will not com-, pel us to notice again.