The New Zealander.

New Zealander, Volume 8, Issue 662, 18 August 1852, Page 2

The New Zealander.

Be just and fear not : Let all tiie ends thou aim'st at, foe thy Country's, 1 hy God's, and Truth's.

AUCKLAND, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 18, 1852.

The Sydney news by the Daniel Webster is to the 31st ultimo, — only a day or two later than that -which reached us by the Moa. There are a few pointy however, meriting notice.

An interesting Despatch from Earl Grey had been laid on the Council Table. It notified Her Majesty's assent to a number of the measures passed in 1850, but also the non-confirmation several Acts, -with his Lordship's reasons for declining- to recommend them. One of these had reference to the disqualification of Police Officers from being elected members of the Legislative Council. Lord Grey approved of the exclusion, but denied the power of the then existing Legislature to enact it, — suggesting, however, the mode in which the object might be legally secured. Another disaualified Ministers of Religion: this, his Lordship demurred to on principle, as well as in its details. A third was the Sydney Corporation Act, which was designed to accomplish objects which had advocates here last year when our Auckland Municipal Charter was undergoing discussion, viz. that the wholo body of Common Councillors should be elected by the whole body of electors, and that the Mayor and Aldermen should be similarly elected without the intervention of the Council. Lord Grey thought that such a plan, so far from improving the material of the City Corporation, would have a contrary effect. The entire Despatch will be found in another column. Gold had been discovered in some new localities, which promised to be very pro-

ductive ; and Mr Hargraves, by direction of the Government, had left Sydney on the 30th u!t.,on a prospecting- tour toexplore the -whole line of road to Mount Alexander. But crime seemed to be on the increase in the gold districts. Two murders had been perpetrated at the Turon, and at the Bathurst Quarter Sessions a man had been found guilty of rape, the victim being a little girl of 13 or 14 years of age, and a number of charges of robbery stood for trial. The " Great Nugget Vein Gold Mining Company of Australia" was going forward prosperously. The Empire of the 30th ult. states, The shares inthis Company are now all taken, with the exception of the certificates reserved lor England. Applications for more than 3700 were, yesterday, declined, The capital now at the disposal of the Directors being nearly £70,000, it is obvious that the means are at hand to give this enterprise the trial of all that machinery and skill cau effect. The Bathurst Free Press gives a discouraging report of the prospects of the crops. Agricultural operations had been so neglected that " unless a sudden change takes place, little more than half the amount of last year's sowing will be put in during tho present seasou." There was intelligence from Van Diemen's Land to the 21st ult. Heavy falls of rain had been followed by terrific floods, which had destroyed much property, and, as there was every reason to fear, several lives. Two cases of revolting- crime had occurred : a convict servant girl, only sixteen years of age, had murdered the infant of Mr. Fraser, formerly a publican in Hobart Town ; and a man named liargraves had been murdered at King's Island, and the body half consumed by fire. There was no political or other news, except that a specimen of gold-bearing* quartz had been found at JJruni Island. We have seen a letter from a wellinformed and trustworthy source, which represents Van Diemen's Land as generally in a prosperous state. Large numbers of the gold-seekers who had emigrated from the colony to- Port Phillip were returning, either disappointed in the object of their pursuit, or sick of the toils and privations of the dig^ing-s. The Waratah had on. her last trip brought back no less than three hundred and fifty persons, and the Screw Steamer two hundred more. There is little doubt that at no distant day we shall have something like this to record respecting many of those who are now rushing from our own neighbourhood, but who will — having satisfied themselves by a trial of the seductive gold-fields which look so tempting at a distance — be glad to find their way back to the less glittering, but more peaceful and steadily remunerative industry of New Zealand.

Auckland and its Neighbourhood. Demy Bvo., p.p. 51. Williamson & Wilson. This is a reprint, in a' collected, convenient, and handsome form, of a series of " Chapters," which, through the kindness of the Author, first appeared in the columns of the ISew Zealander, and which, by the universally admitted fidelity of thoir representations of the Auckland district and its people, even more than by the grace and elegance of their style, commanded a large amount of attention and approbation. It would be only an absurd fastidiousness were we to suffer the circumstance of their having been originally published in our own journal to prevent our doing that justice to the work which we should cheerfully render it had it reached us from any other quarter. An intelligent, faithful, and comprehensive view of " Auckland and its Neighbourhood" has long been felt as a desideratum, the supply of which was of great importance to the interests of the Settlement. Mr. Fox has observed truly — (for we never doubted that Mr. Fox was just as willing to tell truth as the reverse, provided it suited his purpose equally well) — that New Zealand has sustained much injury " from the ignorance of the many who knew nothing, and the misapprehensions of the few who knew a little" about it ; to which we would add, as especially respects the Auckland Settlement,— from the unblushing misrepresentations of caricaturists and libellers, amongst whom Mr. Fox himself holds an unenviably notorious place. It has been our painful but necessary duty to arraign that gentleman's book at the tribunal of public opinion, and to adduce proofs of the reckless disregard of justice and common literary honesty by which it is pervaded, sufficient to convince the most incredulous who is not absolutely impervious to the force of evidence. The pamphlet now before us may fearlessly challenge criticism .of that or any other fair description ; and therefore, (as, we remarked on the publication of its earlier portion), although it does not profess to be a reply to Mr. Fox, and indeed was in part written before his " Six Colonies" saw the light, it is in reality a Complete confutation of many of his charges, truth being always from its own nature destructive of the falsehood to which it is.opposed. Our readers will remember the line which the Author has pursued. He first treats of the selection of Auckland by Governor Hobson as the site of the capital of New Zealand, adducing a variety of cogent reasons in justification of that choice. In doing so, it was unavoidable that he should speak of the merits of the locality, not merely in itself but, as compared with other places in the colony for which a' right of preference might be claimed ; but while he sets forth the superior advantages combined here, he touches with as much lightness and delicacy as his case admits, on the inferiority of other situations ; manifesting in all his references to the Southern Settlements a spirit of candour and impartiality which we confess we feel some pride in contrasting with the disingenuous and illnatured style in which the agents and literary hirelings of the New Zealand Company have written and spoken on this question. He frankly admits, and even makes prominent, the capabilities of Wellington, Nelson, Taranaki, &c, but he shows, with the clearness of demonstration, that in no one of these localities does an equal combination of natural advantages exist. The Second Chapter brings before the reader a vivid panorama of the Town,

Harbour, and Suburbs of Auckland, the graphic descriptions of which will go far to convey the same kind of impression of reality that a good painting would afford. .'A | moving Panorama it is too, showing, for instance, the " boats and canoes lightly skimming here and there on the azure surface" of the Waitemata, and the Natives of Taraia's tribe arriving in their " fleet of forty sail of well-manned war canoes" and encamping on the beach to open, their produce fair, in representations of life-like distinctness. "f The Third Chapter is very valuable -on scientific as well as more general grounds. It trepts of the Climate as compared with Continental Climates ; the prevalent, and (a more striking category) the rcdw-preva-lent Diseases ; and the Seasons, with the temperature, "natural productions, &c.,,,0f the several months. The observations made by Dr. Thomson, of the 58th Regt , which are embodied in this Chapter, add considerably to its comprehensiveness and instruct ivencss. The Fourth Chapter—" Auckland: Social and Domestic" — is the most amusing of the series, daguerreotyping our good folk with a fidelity which, on the whole, cannot be gainsaid,— although it is quite possible that some of us may think the picture might have been ' ' a leeiW more flattering. For instance, we ourselves are not entirely willing to be included by implication amongst the colonial journalists with whom " the strongest language is but the common form," and whose performance is " pitched throughout on a high key — without an y piano parts." We often endeavour to discourse our music quite pianissimo—* to " roar as gently as a sucking dove ;" but the reward of our mildness is to be told that we are tame and spiritless; — and there are cases (for instance that of our.Common Council for the present year) in which strength of expression is necessary, not only to meet the justice of the case, but to penetrate the obdurate tympana of those to whom we address ourselves. We once heard the Captain of a ship defend, his practice of cursing and swearing on the f round that his crew would not believe that c was in earnest if he did not swear at them ,— a specious excusefor a verybadhabit; but really there are pachydermatous bodies, (the Corporation to wit), on whose hides a gentle castigation falls not merely powerless but absolutely unfelt. The general correctness of the delineation of "Auckland, Social and domestic?' is unimpeachable ; and if the writer's description of the pleasures of receiving " a box from England" should lead to an increased numbe.r. of imports of that 1 class, we shall all be most ready to acknowledge, :rcith gratitude, that he has written to good purpose. ' ' , The • concluding Chapter—" Night \and Morning — the Past and Present of'JNew Zealand"— occupies a higher ground, and occupies it well. • The contrast between the dense • darkness, sanguinary cruelty, and frightful cannibalism of the country only a few years ago, and-' its present comparatively advanced, slate of Christian civilization is powerfully exhibited, and affords^ matter, worthy the deep consideration of philosoplier-and— the statesman, as Bellas a triumphant argument in support of the great principle that the best colonization is that which is the handmaid of Christianity. We have dwelt upon this pamphlet at a length which, though it may. appear disproportioned to its size, is not disproportioned to its importance. It is really the first view of this Settlement, — given in suck a form, — "which Settlers could desire to have circulated at home 'as a representation •that — without being exaggerated in any particular so as to lay its statements open to successful contradiction or cavil — exhibits the actual condition, the capabilities, and the prospects of the District in an aspect likely to secure the attention of intending emigrants and others interested in the colony. We believe it was originally projected with reference to its distribution at home ; and we are convinced that its extensive circulation there would dissipate much ignorance and mistake, and tend to obtain — all we ask for or desire — a just and fair estimate of this Settlement as a field of immigration. The sailing of the Cresswell | will afford a convenient opportunity for sending copies of . it tQ friends in England which, we have no doubt, many will embrace. And, we will add, its attentive perusal even here, may not be without effect in reminding those who are inclined to despond respecting the future of this Settlement that we have resources in the development of which they and their children may find a quiet and secure competence, which they would do well to ponder over, and to balance against any inducements which' the neighbouring colonies — even though they have gold-fields already discovered, within their borders— can present.

Tue Streets or the West Ward.— -We are gratified to notice that the long and greatly needed work of making practicable foot-paths in Wyndham- street and from the Roman Catholic Chapel to West Queen-street is at length in progress, — • although, from the lateness of the season, necessarily more slowly and at a greater cost, than if our obstructive Common Council had either done it themselves, or stood aside and permitted others to do it, during the summer. We have, however, to point attention to a case of a very different kind,— that of Victoria-street. A bridge over the Queen-street drain leading into this street was sometime since constructed,— not immediately by the Government or under direct official superintendence, but by private contract, the Government undertaking to pay half the expense. About the same time, the hard labour men were employed to cut down the hill, and it was hoped that a good cart road to Hobson-street and its neighbourhood would be obtained. But how is it now ? The road has not been metalled and is one continued slough. Still worse, after the bridge had been completed, instead of the earth at the sides of the entrance to it being supported by proper abutments, it was left in a state in which quantities fell down into the drain, flooding the Gaol. This again was met not by any such common-sense means as continuing the stone drain from the Gaol and efficiently supporting the sides of the bank, but by the notable expedient of cutting down the portion of road-way immediately adjoining the Bridge to a width — or rather to a narrowness— of about five feet, leaving a preoipice on each side which forms as perilous a trap as could be devised if the object were to endanger life and limb. It is difficult to fix the responsibility of this whole case in any one quarter, there having being a sort of ill-understood joint- stock management of it between the Government and the contractor with

I gjCMMW— *■***»— i——— 'ffl^^^^^^^m^^^^^ the subscribers ; .but our present object is not ao much to cast blame upon cither, as to call the attention of the authorities to the great and urgent necessity of talcing instant means to guard against the imminent danger to which passengers, especially at night, are exposed by the stale oi the approach from Queen-sti'eet to the abortive Bridge ...We must say a passing word on this as another of the thickly crowding grounda for condemning our worse that worthless Corporation. There cannot be a doubt that, had the Common Council thought fit to do their duty, the contributions raised for local objects like this would Lave been cheerfully placed at their disposal, so as to render still less necessary any immediate Taxation ; and the work might have been carried forward by them as it could not be by private and inexperienced parties possessing no mtthority to act in such matters. But at every turn we mee.tsome evidence against the Common Council; .no special pleading can save them from deep responsibility— not for what they could not have' accomplished, as some, for their own purposes, endeavour to put the case— but for what they might have accomplished, or, to say the very least, for what they might have tried to do to the utmost that the means at their disposal permitted. Each new attempt to extenuate their conduct only shows more clearly how hopeless is the task. Mechanics' Institute.— On Monday evening a Lecture on "Anatomy and Physiology" was delivered in the Hall of the Institute by Dr. Dalliston. The Lecturer gave a lucid and popular ■view of the bony, muscular, and nervous systems, illustrating l.is descriptions by a number ol engravings and drawings. We regret to have again to report a much smaller attendance than might be expected or desired on such occasions.

Ale, porter, and beer of all sorts in wood, s. per gallon ... ... ... ... 0 Ale, porter, and beer, of all sorts in bottle, per gallon 0 Coffee, chocolate, and cocoa per ft, ... 0 Currants, raisins, and other dried fruits, per Ib. ... ... 0 Spirits, or strong waters, of tlie strength of proof by Sykes hydrometer, and so on in proportion for any greater or less strength, per gallon, viz. : — JBrandy ... ... 6 Gin 6 Whiskey... ... 4 Perfumed spirits of whatever strength, in bottles, per gallon ... 4 All other spirits, per gallon 4 All spirits, liqueurs, cordials, brandied fruits, or strong waters, respectively sweetened or mixed with any article so that the degree of strength thereof cannot be ascertained by Sykes hydrometer, at the rate of per gallon ... 6 Refined sugar, per cwt. ... ... ... 3 Unrefined sugar, ditto ... 2 Molasses, ditto 1 Tea per ft. 0 Manufactured Tobacco per ft. Is. 6d. until the 31st December, 1853, and thereafter per ib . ... 1 Unmanufactured.Tobacco, per. ft. Is. until r the 31st December, 1853, and thereafter 0 Cigars and SnufF per 1b .... ... ... 2 Wine, not containing more than 25 per cent, of alcohol of a specific gravity of 825, at the temperature of 60 degrees of Fahrenheit's thermometer, in wood or in bottle, per gallon 1 Drawback, upon the exportation of refined sugar made in the colony, per cwt. 3 llenned Sugar, known as Bastard Sugar, d. 1 2 Of 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 6 8 1£ 0 8 0 0 1* per cwt. ... 2 4

The Customs Duties Bill for New South Wales had passed through Committee. After a great number of discuss ons and amendments on particular items, the following Tariff was finally agreed upon :—: —