The New-Zealander.

New Zealander, Volume 7, Issue 538, 11 June 1851, Page 2

The New-Zealander.

Be just and fear not: Let nil the ends thou aims't at, bo thy Country's., Thy Gob's, anil Truth'!..

WEDNESDAY. JUNE 11, 1851.

By the arrival of the raissjonaiy schooner Border Maid we are put in possession of Sydney papers to the 29th ultimo, being five days later than we had previously received As might have been anticipated, their principal contents 1 elate to the subject of the Ophir Gold Mines, adding statements chaiacterised rather by their gi eater number, than by any marked feature of difference from those which had previously reached us. The " Mining Intelligence" given by the Bathurst Free Press will be found in our other columns, and claims attention as having been collected by the journalist nearest the centre of interest, as well as from the d ; sposi' 'on to deal lio )esi.'y with facts in which it seems to have been cou- /J. It dwells on three points — the ceit 'r and as yet abundant existence of gold in the district ; the numbers who are crowding to seek a share of it ; and the difficulties and privations to which the gold-hunters expose themselves. On these several points there are corroborating testimonies from other sources in the papers before us. As respects the quantity of t!<e precious metal, we are told of large pieces having been found, one weighing twenty ounces, and another fortytwo ounces; while a Bathurst blacksmith is said to have found eleven pounds of gold in one hole. Such news is only too likely to excite numbers to rush to the mines, " each," as the Herald observes, " thinking that he is to be the lucky man whose lot is to find a large lump," and many, on this gambling chance, "giving up comfortable and what may have bepn permanent employment." The accounts from the interior show a prevalence of the " Yellow Fever" identical with that of the city ; labourers desert their fields, and shepherds their flocks, and fatheis their families, and even women their houses to join in the pursuit. Many of them stait with an almost insane disregard of the chcumjitances into which they are plunging, and foravhich they are wholly unprovided. The " Special Correspondent" of the Heraldfiays of the hundreds whom he saw on their way to the diggings, " not one tithe of them are equipped for prosecuting their intended pursuits, and many of them must inevitably perish from want and exposure, unless relieved by the generosity of others." Mr. Hargravfs, whose Californian experience as well as his identification with the commencement of the " Ophir" excitement, entitle his opinions to much consideration, has raised a warning voice in a letter to the Herald which we commend to attentive perusal. We suljoin the whole of it, excepting a paragraph which relates merely to the comparatively unimportant matter of the respective claims of himtclf and the Rev. W. B. Clarke to be legaided as the discoverer of the gold •.—. — To the Editors of the Sydney Morning Herald. Gentlemen, — Huving pnssed on my road from firtlhnrst from 800 to 1000 people who are off to the diggings, to say nothing of the inability ol a gieat poitmn of these people to endure the necessary labom to obtain gold, not ten per cent, of the whole have any tools to work with, or a single pound to support tbem selves duitug their journi'y to the mines. Gold digging is veiy luird «ork ; the season of the year is against carrying on operations in mining ; a tew hours' jam would put an entire stop to digging, as ike creek rises many feet in a single hour , consequently ihose paities who go there without tha means of su|>p»nmg themselves until the waters oubt-ide, will most bitleily repent the steps they are so unadvisedly taking. I regret exceedingly to hear many poor people have left their employment for the purpose of seeking their foi tune in the precarious occupation of gold digging. I \en ure to predict a very small per-centage will do good, and a very great amount of human misery must be the rtsult of this reckless digging mania. I admit moit unusual success has been the rebult of the pioneer mineis, but theieisno guarantee of its continuance. Indeed I very much question it ; theiefore, I beg of you to warn those who have employment in the more UMeful occupations of life, uot to leave it, as they will be better off thsn the yold seekers iv the endindependent of the immense risk, exposure, and privation, «he latter are subject 10. You will eXercise your influence as public Journalists to check the present excitement, which will, I trust, be the means of preventing much suffering amongst ihe people. Provisions are very hi(jh at ihe di(jgin<,'s, and I s-ee no chance of the unfortunate people getting emp.ov lent, and do verily believe the people of the County of Bathurit and Wellington, will, in less than tlmty da> b refuse mea for their rations only. Time will prove the correctness of the statements ot Yours, obediently, Edward Hammond Hargraves. Steamer Comet, May 27. Sir Charles Fitzßoy had taken a very decided step towards discouraging persons in the public service from resigning their offices at this emergency, by formally notifying in the Government Gazette that any " of whatever gia.de" who may do so, will be noted as ineligible to serve again, and will certainly not be re -appointed to any public situation while His Excellency continues to administer the Government of the colony. The principle thus laid down might advantageously be acted on by employers generally. With d view ot checking speculation the Banks had alteted their rates of discount as iollows :— For bills over months cur- 1

lency, and under four months, 8 per cent. The rate on bills of three months and under remained at 6 per cent The condition of the Sydney markets at the latest date may best be stated in the words of the Herald of the 28th ultimo, under the head of " Commercial Intelligence :" — Anything to equal the excitement that pervades every bianch of tiado we Lave never before experienced The working elates are, with few exceptions, *;one, j»i>inir, <>■ making arrangements to proreed immediately to the Diggings. A Some lar»e pieces of gold whic l ) have made (heir appearance have more than confirmed the exaggerated repot is hitherto circulated. In the midst of this commotion the tracing community aie acting with proper caution. Credits have been much curtailed by the merchants or reduced to cash transactions. The storekeepers in the country can scarcMy expect credit under these ciicumstances ; liberal credits at this juncture would bi ng rum on the colony. Under existing circumstances the most perfect confidence must prevail abroad and at home. Sales of Bnndy have been effected at 7a. 6J., 7s. 9d. and Bs, Mmell's Rum, H P. 30 0.p., has been placed at 4s. Gd. Cuke Gin at 14s. Pampanga Sugar h«8 been sold at 24- . (Jd., and other samp lea at £2 per ton advance on last week's rates. Teas bave been pUceil at 70s. fo 755. for skins, and Congou at 100s. to }l>ss. ; one holder has been cle.m-d ;it 70s for <.km and ldOs. for Congou. Flom has been placed at 27-. 6'd., 285., 29a., and 30*.. ; an advance ia quoted Wheat was taken in quantity at 12s. and 12s. 6d. Tobacco h»s been quitted, Kerr a at 55., 5s 6d., and G's. ; an advance is qu >ted. Cigars have been plueed at 455. for 3a, and 50s. 2a ; imponeia now hold for hi^h ratei. Port Wine is advancing j Hunt's single diamond at 4s. 9d. Coffee lias been placed in quantity at 11-a-d. C«tivas ts in demand Bottled Ale and Porter also ia request. Rice — sales at 40s. to 45i. Sjdney, iNJa^ 28. In connexion with the important subject of prices, we invite attention to an article from the Herald of the 29th ultimo, headed " The Sydney Markets," which will he found in our paper to-day. T\ie reader will observe that it confirms and further enforces the view which we presented in our last of the certainty that the present extravagantly high rates cannot rule for any considerably length of time, but must be succeeded by a glut and depression in the maiket; and that even now, "there is no single circumstance to warrant this feverish state of excitement." The excitement, we apprehend, must be traced not to any real necessity in the case, but to the means adopted by selfish speculators to produce and sustain it for their own purposes. The Sydney papets do not contain much else to call for notice, excepting a melancholy nanative of a dreadful and fatal storm in the district of Twofold Bay — (distant about 240 miles south of Sydney). In addition to other calamities, the whole of the Wairagabra stations had been swept away, and at least seventeen lives lost. Piopeity to the amount of several thousand pounds had been destroyed. "The whole flat of Warragabra was like one enormous ditch, two or three feet deep in mud. All the cattle, pigs, sheep, and horses had disappeared ; it looked as though the spot was in mourning."

Without entering upon so unprofitable a task as speculating upon the contingent consequences which may ultimately result to New Zealand from the discovery of gold mines in Australia, there are one or U\o matters of immediate urgency arising out of the subject to which we would call the practical attention of the public v The piices of the most indispensable articles of consumption have already risen here to a height which must prove distressing to persons of narrow means, even if we were sure that they would not experience any further advance. 13 ut we regret to say that, as regards the most important of them— Bread — we have no such security, but, on the contrary, much reason J to apprehend the reverse. As respects the greater number of commodities we, are unshaken in our opinion that a fall is certain, and not very distant ; but we are, however reluctantly, compelled to entertain the gravest doubts whether any supply of Flour which would leduce the loaf to even the augmented price of sixpence, which we have lately been paying for it, can be anticipated within any short period. It was owing to a comparative scarcity of Wheat in the neighbouring colonies that the increase from fourpence took place ; and now, instead of those colonies furnishing us with a continuance of the auxiliary supplies for which we have unhappily been dependent on them, the influx of additional population into New South Wales will keep open a more ready and remunerative market for all they can pour into it,— at least until the arrival of vessels expected at Sydney with cargoes of flour from Valparaiso some months hence. We are compelled then to turn with anxi ty to the stores in our own colony ; and here also the prospect is not encouraging It never was supposed that we had wheat enough for our own consumption ; indeed we have reason to believe that the operations of the Dangar Steam Flour Mill were from the first hindered by the improbability of a sufficient quantity of grain being procurable here to keep it in full work. The price of seed-wheat yesterday mounted up to ten shillings per bushel in the Auckland Market ; and we are informed that the quantity of imported flour held by our merchants would not suffice, at the most, for

more than a very few weeks' consumption. The prices of meal, rice, and the other articles which might be substituted for it are also largely increased ; and our potato crop, though abundant, has been so lessened by exportations to California and the ravages of the worm, that we can scarcely be sanguine enough to calculate upon its affording permanently more than a bare supply of even such food as that root affords, in a quantity adequate to meet the demands likely to result from othpr deficiencies. I We do not make these statements for the purpose of exciting diead of a famine, ; which we trust a merciful Providence will | avert from our land; but with a view of fixing attention on the propriety of the adoption by the Government of some measures which will ensure the retention in the colony of the food which is actually within zt. The I great importance of preventing the exportation of wheat especially may appear, in addition to other considerations, from the danger that if it weie allowed to be sent away the Natives might be tempted to sell the seed on which so much depends for next year by the high prices which exporters might find it worth while to offer them. A relaxation of the duties on imports of the necessaries of life would just now be a policy equally sound and humane j but the enactment of a heavy — a virtually prohibitory — duty on exports of them, seems called for by the plainest dictates of self •preservation. In this aspect it is that we think that the people should urge upon the Government a prompt and efficient interference in this emergency, — if indeed the Government should not itself anticipate the application by steps which would obviate the necessity for it. We know there is much to be said on both sides of the question of commercial restrictons, and many subtle reasonings of political economy by which such a step might be embarrassed ; but the provision of food for the people is an object too vital to permit frigid theories and abstract speculations to be weighed against it. We would therefore suggest that those who regard the aspect in which we have presented the case as the true one, should lose no time in laying befoie His Excellency the Lieutenant-Go-vernor such a representation of the case as may formally call his attention to the importance of throwing every practicable obstacle in the way of the exportation of articles of human food: — we say "formally," — for we have no doubt that his own mind has been before now feelingly and anxiously turned to the subject. A strong opinion also prevails that some means should legislatively be taken to prevent the emigration to the gold mines of .heads of families whose wives and children would by their departure be left in an unprovided and destitute state. We should hope that such instances of desertion would be very rare indeed; but when we remember the history of the Californian mania we cannot but apprehend that some such may occur ; and dealt with, and that in an energetic and efficient manner, they undoubtedly should be.

Public Bakfry. — A Public Meeting was held in the Hall of the Mechanics' Institute on Saturday evening, to consider the best means of procuring Bread at a more reasonable rate than the oppressively high price at which it is at present sold. The Hall was crowded by an audience evidently deeply • solicitous on the subject. Mr. T. S. FoRSAiTtt,/, occupied the Chair. Nofoimal arrangements^ had been made for conducting the proceedings, " but it was stated that a Miller in Town would undertake to supply Flour at £28 per ton for one month, and subsequently at an addition of only one half of any rise that may take place in the market price. It was further stated that—in the opinion of some practical men, with Flour at £30 per ton, Bread could be sold at 7d. the 2lb. loaf. Upon the faith of these statements the Meeting passed a Resolution declaring that it was desirable to form an Association for the attainment of the object ; and appointed a Committee to prepare rules for its establishment. That Committee have since met, and, as will be seen by our advertising columns, a Public Meeting is to be held at one o'clock this day for the reception of their Report.

We return to our notes on the Irish* intelligence recently received, which 4he pressure of other matter interrupted in ouf'latst» £ As the opening of Parliament drew nigli, the opponents to the proposed abolition of the Irish Viceroyalty manifested fresh vigour; but their strength was mainly confined to the metropolis, where of course — if anywhere — the measure would inflict injury, by withdrawing the expenditure and eclat (be the same more or less) connected with the Court. The Corporation of Dublin had unanimously agreed to petition against it. At their meeting, one of the speakers laid great stress on the opinion of the late Sir ILobert Peel, who, it appears, had about a fortnight before his decease expressed himself to a deputation as having "the greatest doubts of the prudence of it." An immense and enthusiastic meeting on the subject was held in the Rotunda on the 27th of January. The Lord Mayor presided, and several noblemen and Members of Parliament of the most opposite politics took part in the proceedings, HesoluUons were adopted de-

daring llmt Hie abolition of the Vice-regal Office would be unjust and injurious ; protesting against the policy of " centralization" as fraught with the worst evils to social order and constitutional freedom ; and expressing a conviction tliat this measure, if carried, would speedily be followed by an attempt to transfer the liish Coin Is of Law and Equity to Westminster. Carried, we think it probable, however, the measure will be, notwithstanding the zeal and eloquence of its Irish opponents, — unless indeed the weight of the Duke of Wi Islington's opinion (which is known to be decidedly adverse to it) should turn the scale. We noticed in our last the solicitude of the Irish Prelates to avert a dissociation of their branch of the Established Church of the United Kingdom from the Anglican branch, in any meastues that may be taken against the Papal Aggression, as expiessed by them in an addiess to the Qukkn. Another movement to the same end was founded on the wording of the Address to the Crown by the English Prelates, which began,—" We the Ai oh bishops, &c, of the Chinch of England" instead of saying, " of the United Chinch of Kngland and Ireland." The Irish Bishops wrote to the Archbishop of Cantkruury, expressing their xegret at observing this, and reminding their Knglish brethren that they had thus assumed a title which "is unknown to the law of the land, and which impoiLs a viitual denial of the fifth article of Union between England and Ireland." They add, "We have painfully felt of late yeais, as well in legislative or ecclesiastical affairs as on many public occasions, a disposition has been manifested to regard the Irish Provinces of the United Church as if they did not form an integral poition of the one Church of the Nation." The Arciimsnop's reply was characteristically mild and soothing, lie acknowledges the propnety of the correction, and says, on behalf of himself and his uielhrcn, " We all consider the lush branch of the United Chinch to be so closely identified with our own, that if one member suffers the other cannot fail to suffer with it, and that, in all cases wheie co-operation is desiiable or practicable, we shall be leady to act with your Grace and the other Irish Prelates as an United body." It needed no great sagacity to foresee thai the position and possessions of the Irish Kstablishment would undergo much incidental, if not more direct, discussion in the politico-ecclesiastical debates to which the Pap-il Aggiession could not fail to give lise in Parliament ; and the Bishops, as prudent men, most probably had some view to lueparalion for tlur,, as well as to a participation in the general piolcction that might be anticipated from anti-Romish legislation. A " Declaration against the Enactment of Ileligious Disabilities" had appeared in the papers, with the Mgnatuies of thiity Members of Parliament, who avowed their " determination to oppose, by every constitutional means, any measure tending to interfere by legislative enactment with the discipline or doctrine of any portion of the Quken's subjects." There is here therefore at least the nucleus of an organized opposition to J,oul John's expected measure. The Cork Southern Rcpmtcr had made an announcement which produced some sensation: — ti We are in a position to state, on what we consider perfectly good authority, that the decrees of the Thurles Synod will not be confirmed by the Soveieign Pontikk, and will, consequently, not take effect." The Freeman's Journal, in rcfetring to the statement, said,' — " Our sources of intelligence would lead us to predicate exactly the leverse.". .As connected with the Queen's Colleges, we may note that a Decrctum, confirmed by the Popk so recently as the 2!) th of December, denounced a work entitled " Historical Analysis of Christian Civilisation," by Piofessor J)k Vjsiiicoim, of the Cork College, in the usual sweeping style of Papal proscription of books which the faithful are forbidden to read or keep. The Tablet luxuriates over this condemnation by *' the Poi>e, representing the supremacy of Almighty God,'' of a Professor whom " Her Majesty's Ministers, representing the Royal supiemacy, have appointed as a lit and proper person to be employed in leaching the Catholic youth of Coik." The " Congregated Tiadcs" of Limerick lia'l addres?ed Cardinal Wiseman, offering him, in the fulness of the national hospitality, an asylum in case he should be driven from England. 'His Eminfnce in reply said, — Ad to the kind ofTt ro which y u m-i ke of. shelter in Ml) poinhle cuse of luturc oppression, while I most sincerely thank you for the generous feelings thry diiplny, I heg to ussun: >ou that, in spile >>( ihe interested ixuitions luti'ly, nnd in pint anccuHhlully mude to waken religious bigotry the Iwurt oi the English people is too found to nll"w itx/lf to be our ricd uway to the ex Terries cotucmplntcd in your kind pioposul ; nnd no ulUMiti r proof of lliis < un bi> dcsiicd thun our experience of the people d coinluc t ' I dwell in t lie inulot of my people in pi'iicc,' und so, thutiU God, do all our ckiiry ; nor can we (ic»ne mou; piott'ction from our brethren than that of their uniUd und fervent pruyertt. Numerous conversions to Protestantism were repotted, especially from the west of Ireland. A correspondent of the Times states that the Society for Irish Church Missions had in West Gal way eighteen congiegations of couveils, and more than two thousand children ol Roman Catholic parents in its schools, He adds his anticipation that ' almost the

whole population of the county will he fore long be Protestant." Returning to secular topics, we observe with pleasure that Ireland was likely to occupy a good position in the ({real Kxlnbition. The space allotted lor liish products was 9,245 feet of the floor and counter space, and 14,220 feet of wall or vertical space. The number of exhibitors from the several cfistiicts was to be, Dublin, 210; Belfast and The I'iovince of Ulster, GO; Cork, 22 ; Limerick, 12; Waleifoid, 4; and Wexford 15. Many of the articles, both in raw materials and manufactures, wcie expected to excite i much admiration. The effort to secure a Transatlantic packet station at some suitable port in Ireland was gaining renewed strength. In compliance wilh a lequisition from a great number of the leading men in Dublin the Lord Mayor had called a Public Meeting, to petition Pailiamenl on the subject, which was to be held on the 31st of January. It was not intended to press the claims of any particular port, but simply to assert the bioad and self-evident principle, that " lieland, being the most westerly country in Europe, and being now accessible from all parts of the world eastward of Cape Clear, through improved facilities of intercourse, being itself also traversed by lines of railway from its capital to the principal Atlantic harbours, is the bluntest and suicst route to America." it was believed that the Commissioners appointed to investigate the subject were unfriendly to the establishment of the station, ostensibly on nccount of the assumed disinclination of passengers to travel overland across Ireland, — the want of dockage for ocean steamers in the western ports,- — and the want of establishments for the repair of machinery. The Northern Whig contends, however, that the real motives of opposition are the aversion of the old maitinets of the Post-Office to take any trouble in departing from the accustomed louiine, and the hostility of the parties who bold the contiact for transatlantic mail caiiiage. Amongst the details of plans of improvement illustrative of the progiess which we referred to on Saturday, we notice an effort to extend the cultivation of Flax in the South, so as to realize mote fully such advantages as are derived from it in Ulster. An important meeting on the subject had been held at Fermoy, where a Distiict Flax Association was formed. ..The manu'acturc of Sugar fiom beet-root also engaged attention. It was believed that in Ireland this trade could be carlied on even moie profitably than in France and Belgium, and the Chancellor of the F,xcimqxjkr had intimated to parties who corresponded with him on the pioject, that the Government were anxious to encourage the production of indigenous sugar... lt was further anticipated that Cheese would be made a more prominent and profitable product of Irish industry than heietofoie. One wealthy and enterprising Englishman had disposed of his farm in Derbyshire, and purchased land in the county of Weslmeath with the intention of (riving the manufacture of cheese there "a downright good trial." A fatal calamity had taken place at Belfast, by the falling of a very extensive building in course of erection by Messrs. Boyd and Stkin as a flax-preparing mill. Thirteen workmen were buried in the ruins. A new daily paper was about to be started in Dublin, to be called the Daily Express. It was to advocate " moderate Conservative principles." Let us hope that the time is at length coming when public affairs may be discussed " moderately" iv Iteland. If their discussion could only be kept free from the intermixture of politico-religious animosities, we should not despair of seeing it at hand.