The New-Zealander.

New Zealander, Volume 8, Issue 605, 31 January 1852, Page 2

The New-Zealander.

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

AUCKLAND, SATURDAY, JAN. 31, 1852.

or any oilier , and when this was not done by them, nothing- more could be looked for from Captain Swift than that he shoukl as he did, make the best possible show with his own Flags ; foy it surely is not to be expected that a merchant vessel should be furnished with the Flags of all the nations at whoso ports she may happen to call. Captain Swift may, however, rest well contented with the issue of the matter. If, on the one hand, he has been assailed by illnatured and unjust aspersions from a single quarter ; on the other, he has the frank and cordial expressions of a grateful appreciation of his kind attentions from the Committee, and visitors to his vessel on Thursday, — expressions which are fully and warmly concurred in by our local public at larj^e. The following is a correct return of the contests at the Regatta. First Race. Prize Twelve Guineas. For Decked, Half-decked and Hatch Boats, not exceeding twenty-five tons ov under five tons. The Pilot (Captain Burgess), Undine (Captain Travers), and the Flirt (Captain Parrott), started for this race, which was won by the Pilot. For the Second Race, only two boats entered, and consequently there was no race. Third Race. Prize Ten Guineas. For four oared Gigs, pulled, by amateurs. The Kawau (Dr. Pollen), the Alphabet (Mr. Schultz), and the Sylph (Mr. G. Smith), started. The Kawau was the winning boat. Fourth Race. First Prize Fifteen Guineas, Second Prize Three Guineas. For Cargo Boats, or Boats working for hire, not under six tons. The Gipsy (Sanson), Polka (Copeland), George Sf Mary (Clarke), Bine Bonnet (Oalces), Mary Anne (Robinson), and the John Sf Rebecca (Bennett), started. This race was won by the Gipsy, the Polka coming in second; the George Sf Mary coming in third saved her stakes. Fifth Race. First Prize Ten Guineas, Second Prize Three Guineas, for Whaleboats to be be pulled by five oars. The Emerald (Captain PJames), the Arctic (Captain Swift), and the Anadir (Captain Swift), started. The Emerald was the winning boat, but it is justice to the other two boats to say that they mistook the course. The Sixth Race was for Canoes, to be manned by not more than twelve Natives, but there was no race. Seventh Race. Prize Five Pounds. For Sailing Boats of five tons and under. The Start (Robinson), Ariel (Mr. Brathwaite), Petrel (Lieut. Giant), the Rochet (Captain Travers), and the Rifleman (Lieut. Wynyard), started. The Start won ; the Ariel was second and saved her stakes. Eight Race. Prize Five Pounds. Foy Watermen's Boats pulling two oars. The Union (Wright), the Robert (Angelo), and the Snnfloioer^ started. The Robert won. Ninth Race. Canoes, manned by an unlimited number of Natives. This race was uncommonly well contested by two of the canoes. Tenth Race. Prize Five Guineas, for Fouroared Boats, twenty-five-feet keel. 'The Mermaid (Colonel Wynyard), Kawau (Dr. Pollen), and the Wave (Captain Daldy), started. The Mermaid was first, the Wave second. Eleventh Race. Prize Three Guineas, for Watermen's Boats, pulling sculls. The Union (Wright), Robert (Angelo), and the Sun Flower started. The Union was first and the Robert second.

* Yesterday an additional Race took place for a Subscription Purse of <£10, to be contested for by Whale-boats. Four Boats — two from our Auckland brig, the Mauhin, and two from tbe American barque, the Anadir, started. This was one of the most beautiful races i&ver seen on our waters. How closely it was contested may be judged of from the fact that the successful boat — the Blue Boat belonging to the Anadir only won by two seconds, and there were only seven seconds between three of the boats.

Different in character, but in some most important aspects still superior in interest, was the celebration of the Anniversary by the Sabbath School Union. For, we are sure, even the warmest supporters of Regattas, and those who most sanguinely anticipate benefits to our maritime town from the improvements in boat-architecture likely to result from them, will feel and acknowledge the magnitude of the consideration involved in the religious training of the rising generation of our young colony. We do not envy the head or the heart of the man who could witness without emotion the spectacle of between five and six hundred Sabbath School children collected, with their Teachers, on Thursday in one place — passing their holiday in exercises and recreations over which presided constantly the spirit of those Christian instructions by which, from week to week, they are trained in the knowledge of those vital truths which alone are capable of fitting them for the highest usefulness in society, as well as for personal happiness here and hereafter. The proceedings of this Anniversary were conducted according to the plan of which we gave an outline in our last. At ten o'clock in the morning, the scholars, teachers, and officers of the Presbyterian, the Wesleyan, the Independent, and the Primitive Methodist Sabbath Schools assembled in the Presbyterian Church, the portion of which spacious building not occupied by them was nearly filled by a number of deeply interested friends of religious education. Devotional exercises were conducted by the Ministers present, and an appropriate address was delivered by the Key. Thomas Buddie. The Schools then went in procession to the Government domain, where they were regaled with buns, milk, &c, and several hours were passed in recreations of such a character as that the occasional singing of a hymn by the little ones seemed in no way inconsistent, but rather in full harmony with them. About four o'clock this part of the day's proceedings was terminated by the return of the Schools to the place from which they had set out, where they segarated. In the evening a Soiree was held in the School Room adjoining the Weslcyan Chapel which was crowded in all its parts ; indeed many were unable to obtain ac-, commodation. After Tea, (which was provided and served in the most satisfactory manner) the Chair was taken by his Worship the Mayor, who delivered an Address on the General subject of Education, with special reference however to religious education as conducted in Sabbath Schools, and as promotivc of the real welfare of the colony, which was listened to with an attention and received with applause justly due to its comprehensiveness of view, soundness of principle, and fitness of expression. Addresses of more or less length were subsequently given by the liev. W. Lawry. Rev. T. Hamer, Rev. A. McDonald, Rev. J. Polglaise (Wcsleyan Missionary to Feejee),

Mr. limner (Woslcyan Schoolmaster proceeding to tlie Fecjce Mission), and Rev. J. H. Fletcher. The history, influence, difficulties, and encouragements of Sabbath Schools were forcibly dwelt upon by the several speakers, the Rev. Messrs. Inglis, Buddie, and Ward had also engaged to address the Meeting, but time did not admit. A vote of thanks to the General Superintendent of the arrangements and those who co-operated with him was passed by acclamation, and was richly merited ; for the order and arrangement of the proceedings had been pre-arranged in so judicious and business-like a manor-, and were acted out with so much intelligence and regularity that the whole passed oft' with a smoothness and completeness in the highest degree creditable to all concerned. Mr. T. S. Forsaith returned thanks for this vote. Thanks were then voted to the Mayor for his able conduct in the Chair, and, after the singing of another of the hymns (by the repeated introduction of which the proceedings of the evening was most pleasingly diversified) the Rev. J. Inglis closed the Meeting with prayer, and the large assembly broke up with, it may be hoped, the impression permanently left on very many minds that, to them, this was an Anniversary " day well spent."

The papers received by the John Wesley contain several items of IniSH intelligence, which — though interesting — not being of urgent novelty, we postponed summing up, that we might give them somewhat more full attention that the demands on our space permitted on Wednesday. The accounts of the harvest were, on the Whole, gratifying. From parts of the South and West no reports had arrived for some days previous to our last dates, from which it was sagaciously inferred that all was going on well, as had there been any grounds of complaint, " undoubtedly complaints would have been heard." - The potato crop was generally abundant and sound, except partially in Waterford, and more discouragingly in a few districts in Ulster, where the blight was worse than at any time since the fatal year 1846. In the neighbourhood of Lame an examination made in the middle of September showed a average of 33, and in some cases, of even G8 per cent, of diseased potatoes. These, however, were the exceptions ; the rule seems to have been encouraging. But, man does not live by bread alone : he requires intellectual as well as physical sustenance ; and the supply of this, in the way of Education, was exciting special attention — which too often in Ireland means special disputation. The controversy respecting the National School system, which, for a few years past, had, comparatively speaking, subsided, had recently been received with re-invigorated intensity. This was mainly owing to the publication of a letter from the (Roman Catholic) Primate Cullen to Alderman Boylan of Drogheda, in reply to certain questions from the Corporation of that town. The Archbishop makes some admirable observations on the vital importance of combining religious training with secular instruction ; but it is soon apparent that when he speaks of religion, he means religion according to the doctrinal standards of his oiun Church. "We believe/ he says, "that there is but one true faith, without which it is impossible to please God ; one true Church, out of which there is no salvation. Any teaching that is hostile to these doctrines, or tends to weaken them in the minds of youth, we must consider as unsuited for Catholics, and worthy of our reprobation." "Protestants," he is pleased to remark, " do not attach much importance to any particular doctrines ; they may vary their opinions every week or month ; they may believe a little more or a little less, still remaining good Protestants :" but, " what is the doctrine of Catholics \ We believe that if any one wilfully denies, or even calls into doubt, one single article of our faith, he ceases to be a member of the true Church, and must be regarded as out of the way of Salvation." Hence — while Archbishop Cullen sanctions some National Schools in his own diocese, because " the managers, teachers, and children are all Catholics— the spirit of the schools is Catholic" — he denounces the system of " mixed education" generally, as "dangerous to Catholic faith." He objects that " Protestant, Presbyterian, and Catholic teachers are united in them (the National Schools), and thus a mixture is compounded that is anything rather than Catholic." It is known that Dr. Beresford (Primate of the Established Church in Ireland) is also unfriendly to the system ; and the curious fact is thus presented that both the Primates are opposed to it, — while Dr. Whately, Archbishop of Dublin, and Dr. Murray, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin, are not only strenuously in favour of it, but members of the National Board of Education. The other Prelates , of both Churches, are equally divided in judgment on the question. Almost simultaneously with the publication of Dr. Cullen's letter, however, evidence appeared that the masses of the people were availing themselves extensively of the means of education provided by the Government; as — notwithstanding the diminution of the population by sickness, poverty, and emigration — there was an increase of thirty thousand in the numbers attending the National Schools. The Reports of the Queen's Colleges for the preceding year had also just been issued, and showed that, in spite of the proscription of those Institutions by the priesthood, the laity were resolved to avail themselves of the advantages held out to the middle classes by their establishment. In the Cork College, the matriculated students for the year numbered 118, of whom 65 were Roman Catholics, being, according to Sir Robert Kanes Report, " an increase in the Roman Catholic clement of about four per cent, on preceding years." The Reports from the Colleges at Galway and Belfast, also showed that the plan was growing in popularity. Great excitement had been produced amongst the Boards of Poor Law Guardians in various parts of the country by a Treasury Order requiring the indebted u nions forthwith to levy a rate for the payment by instalment of the sums advanced by Government for the relief of Irish distress during the years of famine. Several of the Boards

had remonstrated against a demand the enforcement of which would crush their Unions into irremediable bankruptcy. Many places were represented as already sinking under the weight of rates little short of the "confiscation point;'* and some of the Guardians openly declared that if this demand were insisted on, they were determined to clear their lands, leave them waste, and flee from the country. The landlords indignantly disclaimed any disposition to " repudiate" their just debts ; but they contended that much of the money which they are now called on to refund was recklessly squandered by Government officials, on worse than "useless works, which have only " inflicted immense damage ;" and moreover was expended,— as Lord Lucan expressed it, "without the sanction and against the will of the persons whose lands were spoiled." At all events, it was urged that a present enforcement of the claim would " desolate the land, send out of the country the few who still remain in it, and make it literally a waste and howling wilderness." With some exaggeration, these statements probably have only two solid a substratum of truth. A corrected return of the Irish Census had been issued as a Parliamentary paper. The numbers in 1841 were 8,166,124 : in 1851, only 9,515,724 ; being a decrease in the population of twenty per cent, in ten years. At the latest dates the tide of emigration continued to flow "wide, deep, and strong as ever ; and some of the papers, especially in the South, dwelt in a tone of great despondency on the baneful consequences to all classes which must be apprehended from this wholesale flight of " the bone and sinew" of the country. The Royal Commission for inquiring into the state, discipline, studies, and revenues of the University of Dublin, had commenced its investigations. Professor Hancock was appointed its Secretary. Several accidents were recorded in the papers. One attended with especially melancholy results was at Ballyclare in the county of Antrim, where, during the delivery of a Lecture in aid of Public Schools, the floor gave way. Three persons were killed on the spot ; three more died shortly after; and about forty were seriously injured... Mr. Hopkins, Sub-Manager of the National Bank of Ireland in Dublin, was killed by being precipitated on a rock when jumping into the water to bathe.... Five persons had been drowned on the Mayo coast by their boat striking on a rock ; and a similar catastrophe had nearly befallen three members of Parliament, Messrs. Scully, Keogh, and O'Flaherty, on Lough Corrib ; their boat struck on a rock and immediately filled, but happily another boat came up in time to rescue the party.