The New-Zealander. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1851.

New Zealander, Volume 7, Issue 505, 15 February 1851, Page 2

The New-Zealander. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1851.

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

By the arrival of the Sis/ers, which reached our port ypsterday, we have Wellington papers to the Bth inst., and other papers of recent date from the Southern Settlements. There i> also an English mail, which, however, not being even the latest which we have reason to suppose had reached the South, brings no intelligence of immediate urgency. The Wellington papers contain little direct reference to the Governoii-in>Chuf or his movements, actual or anticipated. Rumour, however, states that, owing to the arrangements arising out of the dissolution of the New Zealand Company and other causes, his Excellency is likely to remain in the South for some months to come, bir George was signalising his presence by ordering public works and improvements of various kinds. Not to advert to some which were only spoken of by report, an expenditure of upwards of tvvmty thousand pounds is said by the Spectator to have been actually determined on, in the erection of a Colonial Hospital and a Gaol, and in the resumption of the works of the Wairarapa Road. The Governor-in-Ciiief had issued (in the Government Gazette of the Bth ult.) a very important Proclamation respecting new Postal Arrangements in New Zealand, On the Ist of April next the current rate of postage (of four pence for every letter not exceeding half an ounce, eightpence for letters not exceeding one ounce, and eightpence more for every additional ounce or fraction of an ounce) is to be reduced one half, and a system of pre-payment by postage stamps is to be introduced. On deeds, law proceedings and law papers, and all periodical publications, a postage is to be charged of two pence for every four ounces in weight; and printed Prices Current and Commercial Lists not exceeding two ounces, are to be conveyed, like newspapers, free of postage. We shall publish in our next the whole of this Proclamation, which cannot but be regarded as a great boon to the Colony. Political strife had been running very high, even for Wellington. We stated in a former summary that the Settlers' Constitutional Association had resolved to frame the model of a Constitution for New Zealand, which, as the Independent expresses it, was to " enlighten Ministers and the Parliament " A Public Meeting to receive the Report of the Committee to which this notable piece of amateur statesmanship hai been committed, was held at ihe Britannia Saloon on the 29th ult. ; but, to the utter astonishment of the pseudo men of the people, who had been accustomed to carry everything in their own way at such gatherings, an opposition to the reception of the Report, at least until it should have been printed for general information, was raised with so much success, that, after some time passed in noisy and unseemly disputation, the Meeting was adjourned till the following Monday evening, in order that the Report might in the interval appear in the local journals. At the adjourned Meeting, however, the " Constitutionalists'" rallied, and the scheme which, its authors being the judges, is to effect incalculable good through all futurity for (to quote Mr. Pox's elegant phraseology) "poor Pillgarlic of New Zealand," was adopted by a large and loud majority of "sweet voices." We may examine the principal features of this scheme ! at some more leisure hour : there will be time enough before it receives Imperial sanction.

Nelson has also been " trying its 'prentice hand" at Constitution making. On the 27th of December, a Public Meeting was held to adopt recommendations to her Majesty's Ministers respecting the provisions which should be intioduced into a Bill for the Government of New Zealand. F. D. Bell, Es«[. was Chairman. As the Meeting lasted eleven hours, and is reported at the length of nineteen closely printed columns of the Examine (which suspended publication for a week in order to give the whole in a double number) it is scarcely necessary to say we have not yet had time to recreate ourselves by a perusal of the speeches Ten Resolutions which seem to be substantially in accordance with the Wellington plan were carried by a majority; but the minority got up a countermera.oiia.l; and it was stated that yet a

third document was about to issue on the part of those who fully acquiesce in Sir George Grey's proposed arrangements. A Public Meeting was held on the 24th ult. to consider the draft of his Excellency's " Provincial Councils Bill;" but the attendance was thin, and after various and dissonant expressions of opinion, the Meeting was adjourned to that day week — the 31st ult.

Otago had its own Public Meeting, on the 3rd of December to consider the modifications in the Provincial Councils Bill which would meet the views of the settlers there. It was agreed to withdraw the application for a Municipal Charter, and to suggest certain arrangements for their own Settlement, in connexion, with the general scheme of the Bill, — the great, if not sole, object of which seems to be tr> secure that economy in the expenditure of their funds which our prudent Scotch friends insist on with a tenacity worthy of the " auld countrie." The Otago News is defunct, its last number having been issued on the 21st of December. In a parting Address, tho Proprietor ascribes its cessation partly to his own infirm state oE health, and partly to the pecuniary loss which his preference of " an open settlement over a sectarian," and his comments on the New Zealand Company had entailed upon him.

We have, on the other hand, to welcome a new and promising addition to the Colonial Press in the Lytlclton Times, the first number of which (January 11) is now before us. Beyond the expression of this cordial welcome we have not space to notice itself to-day, but must hasten on to a summary of the Canterbury news contained in it. The presence of tbe Governor-in-Chief at the time when the first ships arrived was found very opportune. The passengers experienced considerable inconvenience from the uncertain, and it would seem arbitrary manner in which the impoit duties were levied ; but an application to the Governor rectified this, and elicited a strong expression of His Excellency's desire to promote the interests of the new colonists. .... Whether with a view to gratify them, or to show his own magnanimity in conferring distinction on a political opponent, or for some more recondite reason, His Excullency had seen fit to appoint Mr. J. R. Godley to be Resident Magistrate at Lyttelton. He had also made arrangements for the organization of a police force. The erection of houses had heen immediately commenced, and "every kind of habitation, from the iron store to the turf cabin or evrn blanket tent began to spring up." But labour was scarce, and wages high Carpenters got as much as a shilling an hour ; but this was " pailly owing to the fact that all the labour brought out in the ships was not yet in the market, the people being occupied in making their own houses." A family hotel was to be built immediately !Soni3 were " discontented with Ly Melton," but all were " in raptures with the plains." At a Meeting of Land Purchasers, attended by Mr. Godley on behalf of the Association, it was agreed that a selection of land should be made at once, and that " Ohristchurch" should be the capital of the settlement. At another meeting, arrangements were made for the election of a Council to act on behalf of the colonists collectively. bishop Stlwyn was present, and addressed the meeting at some length. He said he had yet received no official intimation of the proposal to create a separate diocese of the whole of the Middle and Southern Islands ; but he had written to Lord Lyttelton to propose that the new diocese of the Bishop of Lyttelton should extend over all the Middle and Southern Islands south of a parallel of latitude drawn through the most northerly point of the Canterbury district: that a second diocese should extend over the New Zealand Company's settlements in Cook's traits, leaving his own diocese over the Government Colony in the North. Respecting some immediate arrangements he would consult with Dr. Jackson, whom he hoped to find at Lyttelton when he should return, which would be in about three weeks. His lordship also laid on the table the Minutes of the late Synod of Bishops at Sydney, and expressed a hope that the diocese of Lyttelton would aid in carrying their objects into effect. As the prices in the market of the- new settlement may have some interest, we extract the note of them entire : I Lyttelton Markets, Retail Prices, Jan. 11.— First fl >ur, 255. per cwt. ; Bread, per 21b. loaf, 7d. ; Beef, 5J per lb. ; Mutton, sd. per lb. ; Pork, sd. per lo.; Fowls, per pair 3s ; Ducks, per pair, 45. ; Freth Batter, Is. 6d. per lb. ; Salt Butter, Is. 3d. per lb. ; Potatoes. £b per ton ; Eggs, 2s, per doz ; Cheese, (NtW Zealand), Is, 4d. per lb. ; Mdize, ss. (id. per bushel ; Ale, 2s. Bd. per gallon ; Hum and Bacon, 7d. per lb ; Firewood, per cord, £l, Sawn Timber, 16s. tolBi. pet 100 feet.

The latest intelligence from India which has reached us, does not contain much to demand attention. The passes of Kohat were again shut by the Affreedees, and it was thought some serious demonstration would be necessary to bring them under control The Sikh prisoners of Allahabad were giving the British Authorities perpetual uneasiness ; there were continued reports of plots for their liberation, in which some of our own Native noa-commissioned. officers were said to be zm-