The New Zealander.

New Zealander, Volume 8, Issue 666, 1 September 1852, Page 2

The New Zealander.

Be just and fear not : Let all the ends thou aim'st at, be thy Country's, Thy God's, ami Tiuth's.

AUCKLAND, WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 1, 1852.

Ths fine new ship Joseph Fletcher arrived in our harbour yesterday,aftcr a rapid passage of ninety-nine days from England. Her mail could not be delivered until this morning, but by the courteous attention of the gentlemen in the Post Office we received such portions of our files as they could furnish us with last night. We are also indebted to private kindness for a few of the latest papers (the 20th and 22nd of May). While we must necessarily wait until our complete files come to hand in order to give a fuller summary of general news, we are happy to be able to lay before our readers this day the most recent intelligence respecting the proposed New Zealand Constitution, and especially a copy in extenso of the Bill itself as introduced by Sir John Pakington, — for the means of doing which we arc indebted to Captain Rough, whose safe return to the colony by the Joseph Fletcher we have pleasure in recording. It was on the 3rd of May that the measure was brought before the House of Commons. The following abstract of the observations made on that occasion will be read with much interest. It will be seen that the Bill met with the warm, and all but unqualified, approbation of many of the members whose opinion on a colonial question would carry most weight.

REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT POR NEW ZEALAND. Sir John Pakington moved for leave to bring in a Bill for granting a representative constitution to the colony of New Zealand. He had been inclined to allow the present state of things} in that colony to endure for another year, but the representations which had been made to him on the subject had induced him to resolve, at any sacrifice of labour and convenience, to introduce the Bill at once. After expressing his obligations to Lord Grey for the sketch of a measure left in the Colonial-office, Sir John proceeded to sketch the history of the colony since 1808, and to show its rapid increase in regard to population, exports, and revenue. He then laid before the House the outlines of the Bill. [We omit the outline here given in the paper from which we quote, as we publish the entire Bill to-day."] This entire system he described as but a commencement, and he regarded it as open to alteration by the colonists to suit their own requirements ; but constitutional changes would properly be submitted to the approbation of the Crown. The Bill was not to interfere with Lord Grey's municipal institutions founded on the Act of 1846. He then left it to the decision of the House whether this were, or were not, one of those necessary subjects to which alone Government had promised to confine its attention. Sir R. H. Inglis complained that no provision was made for the religious wants of the colonists, and recommended that a provision of land or revenue should be set apart for that purpose. He also suggested that the upper chamber should Tie nominated for life. Mr. Gladstone thought that Government had done no<tmore than its duty in bringing forward this Bill, and he hoped that no party feeling would prevent the immense boon of constitutional rights from being at once accorded to New Zealand. He might entertain differences of opinion on some points, but he would lend his utmost aid to Government in carrying this Bill, on which he must express his strong opinion that it was a boon well worth the grateful acceptance. On the constitution of the Central Legislature, he should (upon Conservative grounds) advocate an important alteration ; but the Bill, as a whole, did honour to the mover and to his colleagues. Mr. Hume objected that this Bill did not propose to reduce the expense of the colony to the mother country, or to take the former out of leading strings. The measure was not one of exigency, and need not now occupy the House. Sir W. Molesworth considered that any form of representative institutions was better than the existing system, but described this as one of the most liberal constitutions he had ever heard proposed for a colony. He did not approve of the nominee system, or of the superintendents being other than elective. But he thought the House ought to assist the Government in carrying the Bill. Mr. F. Scott briefly expressed his satisfaction with the Government measure. Mr Philip Howard j thought that the elective principle ought to be adopted in regard to the upper chamber. SirE. N. Buxton rejoiced that equal rights were to be given to the natives, and hoped that at no time would the Europeans be allowed to alter the franchise for the former. Mr Adderley warmly thanked the Government for the Bill, and contended, in answer to Mr Hume, that the question was one of urgency. Give the colonists their rights, he said, and they would soon deal with their expenditure. He objected to the nominee chamber, and to the subordinate position in which the provincial legislatures were to be placed. Lord John Russell thought Government entitled to great commendation for bringing in the Bill, to which he hoped there would be no great opposition. He was disposed to support the nominee chamber, and to look at the proposed constitution as an image of that of these kingdoms. The chief thing, however, was to establish representative institutions, which, if found objectionable in any of their details, might be subsequently amended. He promised to give every facility for the carrying of this measure. Mr. Aglionby was grateful for the Bill, but hoped that due care would be taken of the interests of the New Zealand Company. Colonel Thompson begged to offer to Sir J. Pakington a still warmer congratulation than any that had yet been addresed to him. Sir John Pakington acknowledged the kindness of the House, and explained what he had omitted to state in his introduction, namely, that it was his intention to reduce the next item moved, in respect of New Zealand, in the 'colonial estimaes, to £10,000, that the following year it would be £5000, and, after that, he trusted that the item would disappear from the estimates, and New Zealand be self-supporting, He offered some explanations ot the details of the measure, after which. Leave was given to bring in the Bill. We have not observed any further notice of the Bill in the Parliamentary proceedings until the 19th of May, when (according to the report in the Times of the 20th) the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in stating the intentions of the Government as to certain measures, observed, — " The Militia Bill must be passed, and it seemed to be the wish of the House to proceed with the New Zealand Bill. And if it were not thought necessary for the House to legislate upon the New Zealand Bill, it would be necessary to bring in another Bill maintaining the present state of things for another year. To-morrow

(Thursday, the 20th) he proposed to go on with the Militia Bill, and he hoped that if they got through the clauses by ten o'clock, his right lion, friend (Sir J. Pakington) would be able to proceed with the New Zealand Bill. If he were unable to bring this Bill forward on Thursday night, it would be taken on Friday." Thus the matter stood. The reports of a day or two later would most probably have given us fuller and important in- < formation respecting the course likely to be pursued with respect to the Bill; but we must be content to wait. "We transfer from the Times of May 20 an article which earnestly opposes some of the principal arrangements embodied in it.; but, judging from the amount of influential support promised on the introduction of the measure, we can scarcely suppose that any formidable resistance would be made in Parliament, if the Government were resolved to press it forward. Before our next issue we shall probably be in possession of the opinion of other English journalists, — some of which, we venture to predict, will prove more in accordance with the evident feeling of the House than the stern censures of the limes. Mr. Gladstone's "Colonial Bishops" (or Church Constitution) Bill had fallen to the ground. In a long speech, on the 19th of May, Sir J. Pakington strongly opposed it, and moved, (as an amendment to a motion for resuming the debate on its second reading) that the house proceed to the other orders of the day. After some discussion this amendment was agreed to without a division. It was expected that Parliament would be prorogued on the 25th of June, and that the dissolution would take place on the following day. The Queen had given a magnificent State Ball at Buckingham Palace on the 19th of May. The attendance was unusually numerous, the invitations having exceeded 2000. The "coming man" whose advent as Bishop of Christchurch (Canterbury) was so mysteriously announced some time since, has proved to be the Rev. John Philip Gell, M.A., Curate of St. Mary's, Bryanstone Square, and formerly Warden of Christ College, Tasmania. His appointment to the bishopric had been duly published. France seemed tranquil, and Paris was gay. The President had been amusing the Parisian pleasure-lovers by splendid fetes.

The Overland Mail arrived on Saturday, bringing Wellington papers to the 24th of July. Those who anticipated any intelligence of interest were doomed to entire disappointment, as we have rarely received files more utterly devoid of news of the least importance. There had been no English arrival, and the bare fact of the Change of Ministry had only reached Wellington at second or third hand by way of Launceston. Of local news there was none whatever, — not even a new point of controversy between the papers, which were re-discussing the question whether the bulk of the voters, under the Provincial Councils Ordinance, would or would not — and should or should not — send in their claims for registration before the last day appointed for the reception of them, — the lOtli of August. The following a ye the only items of intelligence that seem at all worth transferring : — The Gazette announced the appointment of four new Magistrates for the Province of New Munster, — Mr. Francis Scott Pillans, Hugh Robison, and George Lloyd of the District of Otago, and Mr. Henry Churton, of the District of Wanganui. In the intelligence recently received, the Spectator says "we regret to notice the death of Major Sir Edmund S. Thomas, Bart., late of the 69th Reg., half-brother to His Excellency Sir George Grey, and eldest brother of the Auditor- General of the Southern Province, who by the demise of his brother succeeds to the title, and is now Sir Godfrey Thomas." we have received by this mail the first two numbers of the Taranahi Herald, (for the 4th and llth of August). We wish every success to this addition to our Colonial Press, and, as the best mode of introducing it to the notice of our readers, we give a place here to the Prospectus which has ushered it before the public eye : — The Settlers of New Plymouth have so fre« quently expressed the wish to have a Newspaper, that argument to prove the utility of a Journal to the interests and -well -being of the Colony is superfluous. Arrangements have been completed to meet the ■wishes of the Colonists. The principles and the manner in which it is pi'oposed to conduct a Newspaper, under the title of the Taranahi Herald will be briefly explained. It is intended that the Taranahi Herald shall be emphatically a Paper for the Settlers ; — to promote their pi'osperity and improvement, moral and physical, agricultural and commercial ; — to develope the resources of the district, and its advantages as a colonizing field. These will be the primary objects ever present to the minds of its Conductors. Occasions may arise for animadversions on the conduct of the Government, or its measures, or on individuals in their Public capacities ; and in such cases there will be no unworthy shrinking from the performance of a Journalist's duty ; but such opportunities will rather be avoided than welcomed ; the Herald will be the advocate of Taranaki, and not the assailant of any party in the colony. If attacks upon public men or bodies are eschewed, more especially will everything bearing the marks of private or personal hostility be repudiated. To collect and disseminate local information and suggestions ; to he the medium of discussing questions more immediately interesting to the inhabitants of this part of New Zealand, to be the organ of their claims upon the attention of the Government here, as well as the Public and the Government in England ; and on the other hand to present a concise view of the progress of events abroad, will be the constant endeavour of the Herald's conductors. How far this scheme can be carried out and the degree of support it will receive, time alone must show; but the experiment will be earnestly and honestly tried. Taranaki had every prospect of a contested election for the Provincial Council. Tho Herald contains addresses to the Electors of the Taranaki District from Messrs. J. T. Wicksteed, Henry Scotland, and J. C. Richmond ; also an address to the Electors of New Plymouth from Mr. Charles Brown. The nomination and

polling- were to lake place the same days with our own, — Monday and yesterday (the 30th and 31st of August). The number of votes for the town are 105 ; for the district, 175. The Eclair had arrived from Auckland )on the 10th. On the same day the Lucy James sailed for Wellington, whence she was to proceed to Melbourne. The prices last quoted at New Plymouth were, wheat ss. to 6s. per bushel ; flour £17 for fine, and £15 for seconds, per ton ; and bread 4£d. the 21b. loaf. ' Respecting" the agricultural prospects of the district, the Herald observes, — It is notorious that the crops of wheat in Taranaki have failed for three years successively. Various have been the causes assigned for the discouraging; fact ; but to all the conjectures hitherto offered, serious objections have been raised ; and there appears to be no one prevalent opinion on the subject. There is a general impression that the next harvest will be better and the crops remunerative ; and this is founded on the assumption that the wet winters and springs, and the "catching" weather at harvest have been the cause of blight and failure in the wheat, and that three years of moisture being past, more genial warmth may prevail in the coming season.