The New-Zealander.

New Zealander, Volume 7, Issue 552, 30 July 1851, Page 2

The New-Zealander.

Be just and fertr not : Let all the ends tiiou aim&'t at, be thy Country's* Thy God's, and Truth's.

AUCKLAND, WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 1851.

The Duties of Customs Ordinance, which was looked for with a natural solicitude by i our merchants and traders, arrived here on Friday evening", was proclaimed on Saturday, and came into operation on Monday. It had passed the Legislative Council, at "Wellington, on the 3rd instant^ and was immediately forwarded by a special messenger. It will be found in extenso in our other columns. It is difficult to pronounce at once any positive opinion on the merits or demerits of the new scale of Duties, taken as a whole. In order to do this with any confidence, we should collect more fully, and compare more closely than wo have hitherto been able to do, the estimate formed by importers of all classes, as to its operation on their own lines of business respectively. At the same time, the fact that merchants having goods in bond hastened so eagerly to frco them under the former regulations, that a sum exceeding .£l5OO was received at the Custom House on Saturday, so far as it goes would seem to argue that the new imposts arc deemed heavier. On the other hand, however, a considerable part of this sum was paid on spirits, the duty on which has avowedly and deliberately been raised a shilling per gallon. "\Ye have heard

winch they contended when the question of a temporary restriction on the exportation of food was lately taken up affirmatively by a Public Meeting. Unless they would be palpably and almost ridiculously inconsistent, they must view the free admission of Flour and Wheat as a blessed boon to the country — including-, of course, the producers as well as the consumers.

We have been obliged with the loan of the Sydney Herald for the 14th and 15th of this month, received by the Sarah from Newcastle to Kawau. Some shreds of English news to the 1 6th of the March had reached Sydney by way of the Cape and Adelaide. The only matter of any importance is that the Ministry had been again made to feel painfully their weakness, having, on the 12th of March, been defeated on a motion by Loid Duncan to place the land reTenues of the Ciown under the controul of Parliament. Mr. Hume, Sir B. Hall, and Sir I-J. Willoughby supported the motion, which, on a division, was carried against the Government by a majority of one, the numbers being 120 to 119. Italy and Austria seemed on the brink of some new revolutionary outbreaks. Extracts referring to their condition will be found in another column. We give in another column extracts showing the progress of the Kafir war, which we regret to find continues to distract and desolate the country, although the insurgents had suffered sharply in some engagements with the troops. The intelligence from the Australian Gold districts still shows an abundant supply of the precious metal. On the 12th instant, a large quantity was received in Sydney, one person having brought down nearly fifty pounds weight. At the Turon about twelve hundred persons were woiking, and, it was said, with remunerating lesults in a large proportion of cases. ' Sanguine expectations were entertained at Goulburn that Gold would be found to a great extent in that district. At a Meeting of the " Reward Committee" on the Bth instant, Mr. Lockiurt, the Boundary Commissioner, produced a map of localites in which he had found gold, and confidently predicted that the Abercrombie diggings will far exceed those of Ophir. He advised gold-seek-ers, however, to reserve their energies until summer. . .A great number bound to the diggings had arrived in Sydney for ihe 13th instant, from VanDiemen's Land and South Australia... At Brisbane, £1000 had been subscribed as a reward for the discovery of gold in the Moreton Bay district.

Discovery of Stolen Property. — It will doubtless be in the recollection of our local readers that, several months since, the shop of Mr. Keightley, watchmaker, in Queen-street, was burglariously entered, and watches and other property of considerab'e value taken away. We are gratified to learn that a large portion of the articles has, within a few days, been recovered. A labourer named Dempsey, in the employment of Mr. J. T. Boylan, while w.arking it* Fr-eeman's Bayy fSHunalely found, and honestly restored them to Mr. Keightley. Amongst the articles were a watch belonging to Lady Grey, one belonging to A. Kennedy, Esq., and four other watches, together with some watch-cases, a silver chain, and a number of rings. We are informed that Mr. Keightley rewarded Dempsly by a donation of Two Pounds.

Land Sale. — A Sale of Crown Lands took place on Monday. Only a small proportion of the lots ofleied in the Proclamation found purchasers. The amount realized by the Sale was about £255.