The New-Zealander. AUCKLAND, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 1853.

New Zealander, Volume 9, Issue 734, 27 April 1853, Page 2

The New-Zealander.

AUCKLAND, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 1853.

He Just nnd fear not: Let all the ends thou aim'st at, be thy Country's, Thy God's, and Truth's.

We are indebted to private courtesy for several Wellington papers, by which we are enabled to anticipate the principal intelligence to arrive by the next Overland Mail. They do not quite complete our files, but we have the Spectator to the 50th of last month, The leading topic is Sir George Grey's Cheap Land Regulations; and the chief point in connection with this subject is the execution of Mr. SewclPs threat that he would lake legal steps to oppose the operation of His Excellency's Proclamation. An application was accordingly made to the Supreme Court, in the name of Mr. W. Dorset, (who, it appears consented to be made the ostensible mover in the scheme,) praying for an injunction against Mr. Francis Dillon Bell, Commissioner of Crown Lands, to restrain him from proccedin o, under the Land Regulations. As the case was to be heard on the very day of the dale of latest paper, (the 30 ult.,) we have no published report either of the argument or the issue. It is said, however,—and, we believe, on good authority—that Mr. Justice Stephen pronounced an opinion in favour of the application; and that, although the

injunction had not actually been issued up to the time to which our information reached, vol it was probable that it would be granted within a few days. Thus a technical triumph would be obtained by the enemies of a reduction in the price of land, and they would have accomplished the object of placing Mr. Dillon Bell personally under a restraining injunction. But they would have little to boast of in reality and practical effect, as we have no doubt that the proceedings under (he Proclamation will slid be carried forward as firmly as if the interruption had never been attempted. It is not conceivable that the Governor resolved upon his course in so important a matter as this, without the fullest deliberation, and the most conclusive knowledge of the grounds on which he was acting. We shall be curious to see the reasons which induced Mr. Stephen to add to his Ologo notoriety the fame likely to encircle his judicial character from this notable decision (supposing him to have made it.) Certain it is that all Sir John I'akinglou's despatches to His Excellency were not before the Court, and equally certain therefore we may safely assume it to be, that Mr. Stephen could not have been informed as to the extent of the powers conveyed to the Governor through those Despatches. Mr. Sewell—the gentleman always in a hurry—was fortunate in finding on the Bench of [he Supreme Court at Wellington so congenial a spirit as the Judge who, on a memorable occasion at. Dunedin, because, as he declared, he *« could not wait for the slow and tardy process of the law,"- had (according to the report of the proceedings in the Police Court at the lime.) shook his fist in a Mr. Mansford's face, called him "a lying scoundrel," and threatened to "beat" his brains out, and break everv bone in his body." The great boon of Cheap Land will, we confidently anticipate b s notwithstanding, continued to the ounlry. The Regulations, we cannot question, will be sustained and acted out. Accordingly we find in the Auckland Governm'.nl Gazelle just issued the official notifications of the arrangements for this purpose. That this is so, however, will in no degree mitigate the stern censure merited by those who, from the sordid motive of a desire to keap up the price of land at Canterbury, would, if they could, deprive the real s'tilers, the working classes, and the numbers of industrious, but as yet not wealthy, agriculturists who have truly made New Zealand their "adopted country," of the great benefits which this measure is calculated to confer upon them and their children. The hcartlcssuess of the attempt is as revolting as its selfishness is despicable.

That worthy ex-Director of the New Zealand Company and zealous champion of the Canterbury Association —Mr. Edward Gibbon Wakefield —was in Wellington, contributing his utmost aid to the movement against Cheap Land. On his first landing at Canterbury this gentleman had addressed the colonists on the evils to be apprehended at this crisis of .New Zealand affairs from any want of frien lly co-operation between the Governmo it and the people; and avouched his wilingness to aid to the utmost in giving effect to "his most earnest prayer 7 ' that the past may be "set entirely aside in favour of confiding and harmonious action between the Governor and the popular party in the task of bringing the New Constitution into useful an 1 creditable operation.'' But he came to Wellington, and a short residence amongst the luminaries of the "Constitutional Association" sufficed to give him new light on the subject. The result was a long letter to the same settlers through Mr. Tancred, which (as the readers of the Southern Cross have already had an opportunity of seeing) was charged to ov< rflowing with abuse—■ abuse of the Cheap Laud Regulations, and abuse of the Governor for having promulgated them. On Mr. Wakefield's arrival at Wellington, an address, civilly welcoming him, was numerously signed; but as this was published in the same number of the Independent with the letter to Mr. Tancred —both being placed by a manoeuvre more ingenious than creditable in such ju\ta-posi-tion as to establish an apparent connection between them—a considerable portion of those who had signed the address immediately forwarded to the' lndependent a communication repudiating the inference that they intended to "back Mr. Wakefield in his political opinions." and declaring that th w "subscribed the document merely to welcome a gentleman whose name had been so intimately connected with the formation of the colony." They add, ''Mr. Wakefield's letter to Mr. Tancred not having been then published, we were ignorant of his intentions, and therefore beg to disclaim any sympathy with the spirit of that letter." This Protest had between fifty and sixty names appended to it, and the Spectator says, "We understand that the number of signatures, with a little exertion, would have been still more numerous, as, with the exception of the Faction, with whom Mr. Wakefield seems to have been most in communication, very few of those signing the address to Mr. Wakefield agree with the opinions expressed in his letter to Mr. Tancred." Turning for the present from these themes to one far more agreeable, we extract from the Spectator of the 23rd lilt., the following paragraph : "Steam.—We are very glad (o he able lo slate that there is every prospect of the speedy establishment of Steam Communication between the different settlements of New Zealand. We understand that Messrs. Bcthune and Hunter have received advices from Messrs. Willis and Co. to the effect, that two steamers have been purchased by them for this purpose, which may he. expected in June or July next, and that a gentleman, who will act as (heir agent for the management of Steam Communication, is a passenger in the Cashmere to Auckland, and is charged with making the necessary arrangements for carrying out their plans. The colonists are greatly indebted to the enterprising firm of .Messrs. Wiliis and Co., for affording them so great a benefit as the establishment of Steam Communication between (he different settlements, and we hope lhal the advantages in (he commercial point of view to Messrs Willis and Co. will prove as great as. those which the colony will receive from their public spirited undertaking."

The price of First Flour at Welling? was 30/. per ton : Bread Cd. the 21h s . K Potatoes 11. per ton. ' : There was no English news at Welling*) so recent as our own. But the 2 brought to Otago by the Tasmania and th S Royal A Ibert had been received, bringing intelligence which had not reached us. Th* only matter of anygeneral interest, however j! the report of a Meeting of the New ZealaJ Company on the 21st of October, at which the following resolution was adopted:-. ''That a committee of shareholders be a n pointed to examine (he accounts and transaction! of the Company, and report thereon; thai i n order to carry out the above object, all accounts 1 papers, and writings belonging to the company ! be produced, if required, before the committee I and that it be at, liberty to examine any officers of the company in relation to the inquiry; that the committee be authorized to call in to its aid such assistance in the fulfilment of its duties as it may deem necessary; and that the expense of the same, under sanction of the committee be defrayed by the company." 5 Mr. Aglionby, General Briggs, and Mr. Buckle were the principal speakers, and : ue Canterbury Association's bad faith in repudiating its debt to the Company th e leading topic. We have not room to-day for the whole, but the following passage from Mr. Buckle's speech is worth quoting, if it were only for the light it throws on the purity and disinterestedness of Mr. Edward Gibbon Wakefield : "The Canterbury Association were the debtors of the New Zealand Company. They had repudiated their debt. He thought the directors were justified in using that word in the report, and the Canterbury Association had repudiated their debt on certain grounds which were adverted to in the report, but of which the meeting must know a little more. They said the directors of the New Zealand Company had misappropriated a part of the public money (they called it so) —at any rate, a part of the money borrowed for the public, to purposes inconsistent with the Act of Parliament, and had applied that money to their own private purposes, and they made that the ground for not paying this company the money that they bonowed from it. If there were misappropriation, it raised a proper question between him and the directors; but what had it to do with the money he lent? (Hear, hear.) The meeting would be more surprised when they heard that Mr. Edward Gibbon Wakefield, who was known as the prime mover of the Canterbury settlement who was the prime mover of the machinery, had received himself a portion of that money, he believed he might say 1,0007. Mr. E. G. Wakefield had received I,ooo*. of the money of the New Zealand Company. He gave intimation of that; and such a public person as Lord Lyttelton, such a person as Mr. Cavendish, seriously made it a ground for repudiation. That such gentlemen should repudiate and state such a ground for repudiation,, was a subject for astonishment."