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New Zealander, Volume 9, Issue 745, 4 June 1853, Page 3

Tt will bo scon by our report of the pro' ceedings in the Supremo Court on Wednesday, tiiat a man named Cooper, (we believe a seaman belonging to an American whale ship at the Bay of Islands), who had been accused of murderously stabbing his Captain, Abner Tucker, was discharged by Proclamation, as although the depositions had been forwarded, the witnesses did not appear, and no recognizances] had been received here. We understand that on Thursday, however, Cooper was again arrested for the same offence, under a warrant from the Resident Magistrate in Auckland, founded upon the deposition of a witness from the Bay who happened to be in this town, and who sw ore to his knowledge of the principal facts. We have been informed also that the recognizances bad been sent by the Resident Magistrate of the Bay of Islands, and reached Auckland on Monday ; but instead of being delivered at the Court they were put into the Post Office, and by some oversight were not delivered until the afternoon of Wednesday, after the sitting of the Court had terminated. There seems to have been no little mis-manage-rnentor negligence in the affair, as—considering that the crime was committed three or four months ago, there certainly appears no sufficient reason why the Resident Magistrate at the Bay should not have long since put the matter in the*proper train for legal trial; and, again, there seems no sufficient justification for tne non-delivery of the communication from Mr. Cfcndou which—had it been duly received on its arrival, would have made the course of the Supreme Court comparatively simple. As the matter stands, we suppose the prisoner must now remain in confinement until the September Criminal Session.

The Spencer arrived in our harbour yesterday morning, from Melbourne. Her mail has brought us only a heap of old Hobart Town papers, but by private courtesy we have a few Melbourne journals, the latest date being the I7th ult. The leading topic of political intelligence was the publication of the despatches from the Secretary of Slate, (of which some anticipations had previously appeared), conceding to the Colonial Legislatures of New South Wales and Victoria the control of the public lands and of the revenue arising out of them, and the power to establish representative institutions, similar to those of Canada, —and, we may add, of New Zealand, for the new Legislatures arc to consist of an Elective Assembly, and a Legislative Council nominated by the Crown, On the vital question of Transportation to Van Diemen’s Land, there is a distinct assurance that it shall he u discontinued altogether at as early a period as shall be consistent with the completion of the arrangements which arc indispensable for bringing to a close a system so long in operation.” It is but justice to the late Ministry to slate that these liberal measures were theirs, the despatch granting them being signed by Sir John Pakinglon,—accompanied, however, by a short despatch from the Duke of Newcastle, declaring the concurrence of Her Majesty’s present advisers. The long-expected Australian Company’s steamer, Adelaide , had at length arrived, but beyond the bare fact of her having reached Melbourne, we have no information respecting her. The latest prices at Melbourne will be found in another column. We may notice here, however, that al an auction sale on the sth nit., New Zealand rope realized an average rale of 100/. per ton. Flour was from 24/. to 20/. per lon. The papers record the usual large amount of crime, and of suffering from destitution. A Public Meeting was to be held on the 17th ultimo, “in order,” says the Argus, “to grapple with the misery which is finding its way amidst the very current of our prosperity.” There was intelligence from Sydney to the 10th of May inclusive. On that day the Legislative Council met for the despatch of business. The exhausted market at, Sydney was likely to be soon largely replenished. The correspondent of the Argus stales, —“The enormous influx of merchandize which took place on Saturday and Sunday by the arrival of eight vessels from England, has occasioned a temporary depression of prices in many leading articles. Although the quantities arrived do not, in my opinion, warrant the depreciation, still the ships arrived form so small a portion of the fleet that is out, and, if they are a fair sample, they are so fully freighted, that I imagine imported merchandise will gradually retrograde to a reasonable rale.” “Flour,” says the same writer, “ is very slow of sale at 275. per cwt. 1 have no doubt of a decline, though the millers are trying hard to keep it up.”