The New-Zealander.

New Zealander, Volume 7, Issue 571, 4 October 1851, Page 2

The New-Zealander.

Be just and fenr not : Let nil the ends thou aims't at, be thy Country's, Thy God's, and Truth's.

AUCKLAND, SATURDAY, OCT. 4, 1851.

We believe it may now safely be affirmed that the public attention is so far awakened to the importance of the Municipal Corporation measure, that the vast majority of the Burgesses are resolved to exercise their privilege of voting at the approaching election of Common Councillors. There could never have been much doubt that this would be the case, for even those most hostile to the measure must have seen that, as they could not prevent the power which the Charter will confer from coming into operation, the course obviously suggested by prudence was to obtain as much influence in the direction of it as they couldWhen therefore we heard intimations of a purpose to have nothing to do with it, unless indeed it were to facilitate the swamping of the measure by composing the Council of men so inefficient, or otherwise unfit, as to render the whole scheme abortive if not ridiculous, we set them down to <>n excitement of hostility which, on reflection, would be sure to yield either to a fuller acquaintance with the beneficial character and capabilities of the measure, or, failing lhat, to the dictates of common sense, or the instincts of self-preservation. Even the quiet easy going persons, who have habitually abstained from inter-meddling in political movements, can scarcely fail to be roused to thought and action in a matter which will so closely affect their own interests-, and, on the whole, it may be anticipated that the number of Burgesses who will keep entirely aloof Irom the local politics of the next few weeks, will be comparatively speaking, very small. It would be a matter of regret if it were otherwise, for the occasion is one which has not merely a temporary urgency, but a most influential bearing on the welfare of the community in futuie years. Citizens, as such, have duties as obligatory in their own way as those arising out of their other social relations, and they cannot blamelessly set them aside through indolence, or caprice, or under the cover of a religious reluctance to mix themselves up with worldly politics. This latter feeling — excellent in its own place as a guard against the spirit and practices by which the contentions oft political partisans are too frequently marked — becomes unjustifiable and mischievous when i withholds a citizen from " acting the citizen 1 ' in a becoming manner j so far as he thus yields to it, he is fitter to be a monk or an anchorite than a member of active society. Probably the consideration which, more than any other, has led to the general disposition to take advantage of the privileges offered by the Charter is that to which we lately called attention, — namely, the value of the instrumentality which it will bring into existence for laying effectively before the Government and the Imperial Legislature the wants and wishes of the people, especially with regard to he Municipal Institutions which the Charter itself organizes. We have hinted at the small practical results which have followed from political Meetings and Memorials, owing to the belief that these proceeded from a small, though busy and subtle, party, and were not the wellconsidered expression of a deliberately formed public judgment. A deeply damaging blow has within the last few weeks been inflicted on any influence which they might have possessed by the disclosures in a series of letters in the Southern Cross, which reveal the extent to which foreign interference was engaged in getting them up. For instance, it now turns out that even the memorable communication forwarded

to the Home Government as an ulteiance of the voice of five hundred and twenty inhabitants demanding the tecal of Governor Grey, — that document which was to have startled Downing Street, opened the eyes of the tritish Parliament, and overwhelmed Sir George Grfy in irretrievable ruin— was in reality the production of a gentleman who — however distinguished for learning, logic, or wit he may be — was, as his own signature imports, an alien a sojourner, without stake in ihe land which we and our fellow- colonists have adopted as the permanent home of ourselves and our children, —an amateur redresser of New Zealand wrongs philanthropically championing a cause in which he had little or no personal concern. It is too evident too need proof that a Memorial coming from a Council which will, in the widest sense of the term be representative, must have a weight immeasurably greater, than that of any number of Memorials or letters gotten up in this fashion ; and this consideration, we say, induces many who think the Charter defective in various particulars, to avail themselves, notwithstanding, of such benefits as it does confer, looking forward to the employment of those remedial means which its own construction provides for obtaining its lectification and expansion. It is time that the Burgesses should turn practical attention to the selection of their representatives ; we say practical, as distinguished from what is speculative and meiely conversational. It would present a spectacle all the more gratifying because it is rarely seen, if the various parties in the several Wards could so agree on particular candidates as to exclude the jealousies and heartburnings which are scarcely seperable from contested elections. To secure this, however, there should be a mutual willingness to yield, and no effort to exercise undue influence, whether class or individual. This again would require free and friendly communication between those who may be supposed capable of expressing, if not of guiding, the opinions of the circles in which they immediately move. We are unwilling even to seem to dictate the actual steps by which this might be brought about. It may be best judged of in the differ" ent Wards by the Burgesses of each respectively, who must be best informed as to the circumstances of their own localities. Any means that may be resolved upon to bring candidates forward need not be postponed (as some have supposed they must) until after the completion of the official Burgess Roll, which, cannot be finally accomplished until near the end of this month. It is already known sufficiently for practical objects who are qualified; and the revisions of the Lists (which we believe have been very carefully prepared under the Resident Magistrates' direction), to take place at the Meeting of Magistrates on the 15th instant, or at the subsequent Meeting for the hearing of objections, cannot materially affect the issue. The boundaries are as plainly before the Burgesses themselves as they can be before the Justices, and there is abundant information on the point in the provision that every male person, (not specially disqualified as an Alien, Insane, a Convict, or supported by Public Alms), who on the first of August was in the occupation of ;my tenement within the Borough, is a Burgess, entitled to vote, and — (such is the almost unlimited liberality of the Charter) — qualified to be a Common Councillor, — then an Alderman — and then the Mayor, should his fellow Councillors, chosen by the same wide and fiee suffrage, see fit so to appoint him.

The brig Sarah arrived at Kawati from Newcastle on Tuesday ; but she has brought no Mail, and, so f-»r as we can learn, no letters containing public news of a later date than that which has already been laid before our readers. The next arrival from Sydney will be looked for with some interest, as we shall probably receive by it the results of the elections for the new Legislative Council.

The Late Robert Lynd, Esq. — The very numerous and respectable train of civilian as well as military mourners who, (notwithstanding the severity of the weather), accompanied the remains of our late lamented BarrackMaster to the place of interment on Saturday last, afforded testimony to the high estimation in which he was held by the community at large. The Committee of the Mechanic's Institute, however, have felt that some more special notice was due from them to the memory of a gentleman who, not only gave the Institute the sanction of his name as one of its VicePresidents, but practically manifested a lively inteiest in its advancement by attending its business meetings, giving donations of books to its Library, and, in every way open to him, manifesting a solicitude to aid its progress. Accordingly, at a meeting of the Committee on Wednesday evening, the following Resolution was unanimously agreed to :—": — " That this Committee,— while they individually participate in the general regret at the death of Robert Lynd, Esq., — feel called upon collectively to record their especial sense of the loss which this Institute, of which he was one of the Vice-Presidents, has sustained. The regularity with which he attended the Committee Meetings, so long as the state of his health permitted 5 the extensive and varied scientific and literary information, as well as the acquaintance with the constitution and proceedings of similar Institutions in other colonies, which he manifested; and the warm and uniform interest with which he exerted himself to promote the permanent welfare of this Institute, entitle him to he long and gratefully remembered by its friends, and lender his death a loss which they cannot but deeply lament."

New Zealand Coal. — We have been infotmed that Coal of a promising appearance bas been found cropping out at Parengarenga Monganiu, and that Captain Butlpr, ol that poit, is making arrangements to test its

quality, and linn the discmery to account. Should the hopes entertained of it be lealized theie will be great advantage connected with this coal from the facilties of water conveyance about the locality.

ConoNER y s Inqulst. — An Inquest was held yesteiday afternoon, at the Masonic Hotel, befoie Dr. Davies, Coroner, on ihe bod) 7 of Silas Moooy a private in the 58th Regt It appeared from the evidence thai he had been drinking at the Masonic Hotel on Thursday afternoon, and was taken to his quaiteis and put to bed about hnlf past five o'clock. At half past eight he was found lying; on the floor, just breathing ; and in a few minutes after, he died. Dr. Thomson stated that he had been called on at nine o'clock, when he found the man dead ; — he had made a post mortem examination of the body, and found that death had been produced by apoplexy ; his stomach was distended with spirits and watoi, and his brain smelt of spirits. He conside.ed the apoplexy to have been brought on by di inking. The Jury, after a short consultation, returned as their Verdict, — Died of Apoplexy, produced by intemperance.

A Government Gazette was published on Thursday. Its contents will be found in another page, but they do not possess much public interest