The New-Zealander.

New Zealander, Volume 7, Issue 526, 30 April 1851, Page 2

The New-Zealander.

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

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30, 185 1.

Saturday, being the day appointed for the public swearing in of Lieutenant-Colonel Wynyard, C.8., as Lieutenant-Governor of the Province of New Ulster, the town from an early hour presented indications of an excitement which agreeably contrasted with the somewhat monotonous course of our accus tomed movements. The popularity of our new Lieutenant-Governor amongst all classes of the community, and with persons of every shade of political opinion, would of itself have been abundantly sufficient to invest the occasion with interest ; but to this were added the attractions of the ceremonial , and the charms of one of the most brilliant days we have ever witnessed even in the finest seasons of this fine climate. The result was a congregating of large numbers of the inhabitants of Auckland and the neighbourhood — (many having closed their shops, partly as a token of respect, and partly to afford themselves and those in their employment an opportunity of being present), — who, for some time before the hour appointed for the proceedings, began to assemble in the grounds of the old Government House. Rich and poor, young and old, male and female, European and Maori, met in a harmony of purpose and feeling which must have been very gratifying to the gallant Officer who was the centre of interest, and which afforded a cheering manifestation of the spirit of goodwill and confidence in which the people generally are disposed to receive bim as their Governor. Shortly after twelve o'clock the ceremony took place. A letter from the Governor-in-Chief was read, which had accompanied the Commission, and in which His Excellency bore warm testimony to the benefits the Colony had derived from the services of Colonel Wynyard in his military capacity, and his confidence that equal advantages would be conferred by him on this Province in his civil capacity. The Oath of Allegiance and the special Oath of Office, binding to a faithful performance of the duties of the Lieutenant-Governorship, were then administered by His Honor Chief Justice Martin. The Guard of Honour presented arms, the Band struck up' " God save the Queen," the guns from Fort Britomart loudly responded, and — best music of all in a tree country — the approving cheers of the large assembly rang through the air, while the new Lieutenant-Governor received the more private and personal congratulations

of the Members of the Executive Council: who were collected around him. The scene at the moment to which we refer was so striking that we cannot but wish that a pictorial sketch had been taken to represent it to our friends at home. The centre group consisting of His Excellency and the principal officers of Government, the circle of spectators, in which the clergy, the military, the gentry, the operatives, and some of the Natives (amongst whom we noticed the Maori hero Tamati Waka Nene), were picturesquely mingled, — with our noble harbour stretching in the distance under the illumination of such a sky as is rarely to be seen except in Italy or New Zealand, — presented a coup (Vceil of singular beauty and impressiveness, which would have furnished a noble subject for ihe painter's skill. A dejeuner, provided in a style of costly and tasteful hospitality, was then partaken of by a numerous party. The Band of the 58th Regiment continued to perform, with its usual excellence, pieces of well selected and enlivening music. An hour or two passed pleasantly in enjoying the promenade by many who were willing to prolong yet farther the gratification afforded by the occasion ; and gradually the company departed, animated as we are persuaded, by universal good wishes for His Excellency both personally and officially.

By the arrival of the Antares, which reached our port yesterday afternoon, we are placed in possession of Wellington papers to the 16th, and the Nelson Examiner to the sth inst. The principal news may be summed up in a brief space. A New Munster Government Gazette, issued on the 11th, contained a notification of the intention of the Govfrnor.-in-Chief to introduce, at the approaching Session of Council, the Waste Lands Bill, and the Ad Valorem Duties Bill, respecting which similar notice has been given here ; also " A Bill to amend the Marriage Ordinance of Session 8, No. 7, (already printed in the New Munster Government Gazette of the Bth December 1 849)" Mr. R. J. Godley had been appointed Commissioner of Crown Lands for the District of Canterbury ; and D. S. Durie, Esq., Resident Magistrate at Wanganui.. . .The amount of Notes of the Wellington Colonial Bank of Issue in circulation on the sth April was £4,555 ; the amount of Coin held by the Office on that day, £2,555. The Examiner, of April 5, has a short and unsatisfactory account of a Tea Meeting at Nelson, at which ihe Bishop of New Zealand presided, and at which it would seem that some ecclesiastical differences were broached. Our contemporary only states, "The subject ot Church Government was introduced by the Rev. F. H. BUTT, and the opinion of ih^ Bishop wa« »sked on the icheme lately submitted to the memberi fjr iignature. The B.shop was also aik. Ed, by the Ret. T. L. Tudor, to clear up a charge which had hern made against him relating to mitten of creed. The late period of the week must be om exeuie for not noticing (he proceeding* at greater leuftth in our preient number." At Nelson, " the failure of the crops in the neighbouring colonies was already affecting prices." Wheat was bringing ss. 6d. to 6s. per bushel, and met with a ready sale. . At Wellington, the prices on the 14th inst. were, First Flour, £18 per ton; Bread, sd. the 2 ft). loaf.

A Government Gazelle was issm d on Saturday last. Its only contents are a formal Proclamation by Lieutenant-Governor Wynyard that he has taken the prescribed oaths, and assumed the administration of the Government of the Province of New Ulster :— the appointment of Captain Cockcraft, of the 58th Regiment, as His Excellency's Private Secretary .—. — and the appointment (by the Govfrnor-in-Chief) of Lieutenant John A. Hickson, of the New Zealand Enrolled Pensioners, to a Justice of the Peace for New Ulster. Within the few days preceding three Government Gazettes were issued. The following is a summary of their principal contents in addition to the notifications respecting the new Liftjtenant-Governor already laid before our readers. It is notified that at the ensuing Session of the General Legislative Council, a Bill will be introduced to substitute fixed duties of Customs, in 1 eu of certain ad valorem duties at present levied : — also a Bill to regulate the occupation of Waste Lands of the Crown in the Province of New Munster. The latter will probably be an extension to the South of the piovisions of the excellent Ordinance already in operation in New Ulster, and as such can scarcely fail to be very acceptable there as well as here. The former, we need not say, is a very important measure. Its princ'ple must secure the concurrence of respectable traders generally; but so much of its character will obviously depend upon its details, that it is subject of just complaint that a more particular statement respecting it has not been afforded. In a matter so intimately connected with their interests, sutely the commercial community of the North might reasonably have expected some information, before the actual enactment of a new scale of duties. The alterations may prove to be unexceptionably fair and judicious ; but in a practical question like this, practical men should have at least an opportunity of expressing their opinions ; and it is carrying lej gislation on such a point with rather too high

a hand, only to permit them to know regulations so immediately bearing upon their business transactions, — when they come before them as fixed enactments, to which, nolentcs volenles, they must submit. The Colonial Treasurer certifies that the amount of Notes of the Auckland Colonial Bank of Issue in circulation on the sth in-t., was £3,136; and the amount of Coin held by the Office on that day, £2,354. By the Balance Sheet of the Auckland Savings Bank it appears that the amount deposited during the year 1850 was £1,377 1 8s. 10d.: — the amount withdrawn by Depositors, £1,301 17s. lOd. .— the balance in favour of the Bank on the 31st of December, £141 17s. 2d. The Sale of Crown Lands in New Ulster otherwise than by Public Auction, from the Ist of January to the 31st of March, 1851, produced £1,035 19s. Bd. . .The Auction Sale on the 31st of January produced £10. The Value of Exports, the produce of New Zealand, from the Port of Auckland, from the 6th January to the sth April, 1851, was £12,303 17s. The articles most largely exported were, Potatoes to the value of £3,28$ 10s. ; Copper Ore, £'2,420; Sawn Timber, £2,073 ; and Sperm Oil, £1,200 The next Return shows the number of Live Stock, and the quantities of the principal kinds of Provisions imported into Auckland during the same period. The value of the whole is stated as £5,978 15s The Goyernor-in-Chief directs the publication of the following extract from a letter received from the Resident Magistrate, New Plymouth, relative to the loss of the schooner John Whileley. It affords a very interesting illustration of the advancement in civilization and moral principle of the Natives of that district, who on this occasion conducted themselves in a manner which might well put to the blush the heartless and rapacious wreckers. on some of the coasts at home. " I also consider it my duty to bring under the notice of His Excellency the Governor -inChief the exemplary conduct of the Natives resident in the neighbourhood when the vessel was stranded. Hearing the reports of muskets during the night, they were on the beach at daylight, and fortunately went off and rescued the crew ftom the wreck, which went to pieces before eight o'clock. The exertions of the Natives, both men and women, were also successful in saving a considerable portion of the cargo, which was handed over to the owners. Rawiri and Tahana were conspicuous in their endeavours to save property. " The Puketapu natives have always been the most unruly and ttoublesome set in the district ; and having now behaved in so praiseworthy a manner, it affords a good opportunity of showing them that we appreciate it."

We have received, for the fiist time for several months, something like a complete file of Honolulu papers, coming down to the Ist of March. The intelligence, taken collectively, exhibits evidence of a gratifying advance in the prosperity of the interesting little Hawaiian Kingdom. There was indeed, as we mentioned a week or two since, a considerable dulness in commercial transactions, owing to* the great depression of trade in California, where the principal market for the produce of the Sandwich Islands is now found. " With few exceptions," says the Polynesian, " the market here is well stocked with goods, and for the large and numerous cargoes soon expected, we fear but slow sales will be made, and at very low rates. Money is now scarce heie, and in considerable demand for business purposes ; but few are ready to lend, and ouly on the best security." Both the general progress of the Islands is strikingly shown by the Statistical Tables of the last year, which had just been published. But the Imports and Exports had very largely increased as compared with those of 1849. In that year, the gross value of Imports had been 729,739 dollats ; in 1850, it reached 1,053,058 dollars. The Imports from California and the British Colonies were those in which there had been the greatest advance, exhibiting, under both these headings, more than a doubling in value, — that is, from California, 305,"913 dollars in 1850, as compared with 131,505 dollars in 1849, and from our colonies, 114,782 dollars in 1850, as compared with 52,821 dollars in 1849. The Exports had not only advanced in the aggregate, but had especially improved in what may properly be called the staples of the Islands, viz. sugar, molasses, syrup, salt, and Irish and sweet potatoes. Vegetables of less importance, and fruits, had however, also gieatly increased, and arrowroot had again taken its place amongst the exports ; "of these articles the production can be almost unlimited." Syrup was rising into great importance, being found more profitable than sugar. During the first half of the year (1850) " the demand for coffee and sugar was so great that had the quantity on hand been millions of pounds it would have found a ready sale, at prices highly remunerative.'* The Polynesian anticipates, And such, we apprehend, will continue to be the case in future years. At the preient moment prices are greatly depressed, and the market at San Francisco ii overstocked with these articles ; but this very fact will withhold shipments from other countries, aud the present stock will be reduced and command a psy~

ill" price. When that moment arrives, and it i* sure to%<>me, these inlands arc the ii'^reit point fiom whence the demand c<w be supplied, and with the «peed «f stpam navigation, our staples can lie transported thither, at the very moment they will pay b st Oreirnn i» fast filim-,' up, and California will, without a doub', steadily increabe in popuUti n for many years to come, though not so rapidly an during the past two years. Consumption of the staple products of the islands wi 1 keep pace with the increase of population, and thmr arnclpg wh eh nre peculi-r to the tropics will always be in demand to Ihe full extent of our ability to supply. The export of vegetables may not increase, or *v r n come up to that of the paH year, but frui's, coftye, sugar, syrup, and molasses, we have not a doubt, will be required in a consiantly incrosinsc ratio, ami will command a price that will well remuneiate tie producers here. Another significant indication of progress is found in the rapid increase in the number of merchant vessels visiting the Islands ; the number within three years having multiplied five-fold. In 1848, it was ninety, in 1849, one hundred and eighty, and in 1850, four hundred and sixty-nine. The supplies furnished to these vessels amounted in 1549 to eighty-one thousand, three hundred and forty dollars-, in 1850, to one hundred and forty thousand dollars. The Pol nesiav observes, « Almost the whole of these supplies were raised from the soil, and consequently their value was so much added to the ability of the people to purchase the imports of the merchants, and to increase their own comfort." Sugar, however, is the product from which, ahove any other, the realization of wealth is anticipated. The success which has attended the cultivation of the soil in California, and the agricultural habits of a considerable portion of the overland emigration, render it probable that such things as Cahforman ground will yield will soon be grown there in neaily sufficient quantity for the requirements of its own population. But theie can be no domestic production of sugar there to supeisede the supply which the Sandwich Islands have every natural capability for affording in the rishest abundance. Such is the luxuriance with which the cane grows in these Islands that a single stick, measured by a cot respondent of the Poynesian&t Hilo, was twelve feet six inches in length, and eight inches in circumference at the base. Energetic efforts weie going forward to extend this promising branch of agriculture. The Messrs. Pierce, of Kawai, had just imported a superior sugarmill to be worked by water power, and all the other material necessary for a very large plantation ; and ground in vanous directions was being broken up for the cultivation of this important staple. " This," says the Polynesian, " is the true source of wealth and prosperity for the kingdom." The establishment of steam communication with San Francisco engaged much attention, and was likely soon io be accomplished The project was, to keep up a monthly line of steamers of medium size, capable of carrying from two to three hunched tons of freight, and being fast sailers— capable of making the run from San Fiancihco in eight days, and returning in twelve. A considerable passenger traffic was augured from the fact that during the year 1850 about eight hundred persons ' arrived at Honolulu from California. The prevalent opinion was that the project might involve some loss for the first few months, but that, once established, the line would create business for itself, and prove amply remunerative. It was complained that, notwithstanding the Treaty between the United States and the Hawaiian Kingdom, long bince ratified, vessels under the Hawiian flag were still subjected at San Francisco to the payment of a discriminating duty of ten per cent. The duty had been paid under protest, and an appeal against it was about to be addressed to the American Government. The. question of a City Charter for Honolulu ■was in agitation. The great objection to it seemed to Le its expense. It would involve a cost of from thirty thousand to fifty thousand dollars per annum, and the people were not quite sure that a Corporation would be worth so much money, even though it would make Honolulu " present a more citified appearance." An " Athenaeum " had been established, which was to include a Reading Room, — supplied with the periodicals of various countries, and open without charge to the masters of vessels visiting the port, and the delivery of Lectures, — the first of winch (on the Fine Arts) had already been given by Mr. Sawkins.