The New-Zealander. AUCKLAND, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13, 1853.

New Zealander, Volume 9, Issue 748, 15 June 1853, Page 2

The New-Zealander.

AUCKLAND, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13, 1853.

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

By Ihc Overland Mail, and more especially by the arrival of lI.M. Brig Fantome, we have received since our last a large number of journals from the Southern Provinces. The latest dales by the mail from Wellington aie to the 21st ult., but by private courtesy we have been obliged with the Independent of the 25th. We have also files from Nelson to the 23rd of April ; from Canterbury to the 14lh of May, and from Otago to the 16th of April. Taking up first the most recent paper from Wellington, our attention is arrested by a long letter from Mr. Edward Gibbon Wakefield, addressed to the Duke of Newcastle, great part of which is devoted to a fierce, fiery, and furious denunciation of the supposed intention of the Governor to hold the first meeting of the General Assembly in Auckland ; —to the whole of which, the writer of the leading article in that number of the Independent responds a hearty "Amen," —adding a few anathemas on his own account. Mr. Wakefield's manifesto commences indeed with an attack on the steps taken by the Government to carry out the Cheap Land Regulations, which is avowedly designed as a sequel to the narrative supplied to Sir John Pakinglon by Mr. Gibbon Wakefield's friend and co-workers, Mr. Sewcll — par nobile fratrum : it then deals, after a similar fashion, with the mode in which the Government have divided the colony into electoral districts and apportioned the respective numbers of representatives,— matters which it is very evident Mr. Gibbon Wakefield thinks he could have managed incomparably better if the Imperial Government had only had the wisdom and the grace to send him out as Governor in the ship with the New Constitution Act. But the main strength of his virtuous indignation is levelled against the idea of convening the General Assembly at Auckland. This he assails in a strain that must be considered violent and reckless, even as proceeding from his intemperate and unscrupulous pen. According to him, such a step would be "cruel injustice" and "really monstrous impolicy"; it would "enlist the strongest feelings of the people in opposition to the Governor"; it would " make the Constitution a mockery of free government"; nay, the effect of it would be that " the colony of New Zealand would suffer greatly by having obtained a free Constitution." He believes that if it be resolved on, the members from the other five Provinces "will not go to to Auckland at all: still less for the purpose of taking their seals in the House." (A rare compliment this, by thebv, lo the patriotism and public spirit of his friends in the South !) If it be enquired what are the objections to the proposition which justify such trenchent words as these, Mr. Gibbon Wakefield, —after adverting to the geographical position of Auckland,—which, it is at once admitted, would entitle Wellington to a preference, if there were not reasons of paramount cogency for a different decision—draws a picture of this city and district to which Mr. Fox. himself could scarcely add a colour or a shade. One sentence may suffice to shew its character. He tells the Duke of Newcastle, 1 ' The seat of Government is a bribe to the inhabitants of Aucklandj which would induce them to

return members of the House of Representatives certain, if not pledged, to comply with every 1 wish of the Executive." Bear this, men of all parties and classes in our community ! There is much more of the same kind, but this specimen-sentence may shew you what Mr. Gibbon Wakefield ihiuks of your honor, your independence, and your fitness for the privileges and the duties of British freemen! A great authority too is this Mr. Gibbon Wakefield himself being the judge. He is very explicit in telling the Duke of Newcastle that he (Mr; Gibbon Wakefield) was " one of the principal founders of the colony;" item, that he was " one of the principal authors of the Constitution;" and,—to sum up various undetailed merits in one pregnant sentence of self-encomium—that the letter proceeds from "one so devoted as /have long been to promoting the prosperity and greatness of New Zealand." "So devoted to," ccc. It is needless to say how devoted, considering the extent to which the young colony may have profited—publicly, by the " Wakefield system" of high-priced land, and privately, by the model presented to its admiration and imitation in the immaculate personal example of Mr. Edward Gibbon Wakefield!— When will this magnificent benefactor of the colony visit us in Auckland ? It was said, sonic time since, that he intended to to make a progress through all the settlements of the country for which he has done so much : and we should be glad to have an opportunity of making him acquainted, on the spot, with the estimate formed in this City and Province of the exertions to which he has given completeness by his present efforts to " advance the prosperity and greatness of" this division of " New Zealand." The Independent, as we have intimated, re-echoes the ravings of Mr. Wakefield, adding a few original ravings of its own, such as that if the people of Auckland do not " try to prevent the revolutionary stale of things into which the colony would be plunged, if Sir George Grey would carry out his danng project" (of convening the General Assembly here)—* * they will, "by attempting to legislate for the wholecolony,"'' only incumeft hatred from the other provinces, as will be represented In every General Assembly for many a year to come," Now, all this would be infinitely amusing, if it were not melancholy to see yet another exhibition oi such unreasoning selfishness, and such arrogant straining to stilt Wellington up to a position to which it has no pretension that could abide the lest of a moment's impartial scrutiny. If we could hope that men who write in the strain we have illustrated by these quotations could be reached by fair argument, or were; accessible to the force of facts, we would refer them lo the memorial to the Governor on ihis subject from the elected members of the late Provincial Goiiiicil cf Ttcw Lisiei, us puolished in the Ncw-Zealander of the 28th nib; which, no doubt, ere now, has been received in Wellington. That document will remind hem —not only that Auckland was declared the seat cf Government by the authority of her Majesty the Queen, —and that a promise made by Sir George Grey that the General Legislature of the colony should meet alternately at Auckland and Wellington, ofitself points out Auckland as the place for the next meeting of the Legislature,—but also that there are independent and substantial reasons why the Ssssions of the General Assembly should be held in Auckland, the capital of the colony. They will find statistical statements— the accuracy of which they may gainsay if they can—demonstrating that, u in shipping, commerce, agriculture, revenue, population, and wealth, the single Government Province of Auckland nearly equals, in all respects, and surpasses in many, the aggregate of the numerous settlements planted in New Zealand by the New Zealand Company and the Canterbury lssociation," and that, as a just recognition of ils superiority, one-third of the whole number of members of the House of Representatives is to be contributed by this Province. If it were our present purpose to follow out the question in detail, we could scarcely do belter than once again reprint that conclusive document. But it is in the hands of the Governor ; and, his Excellency having pledged himself to give it " the fullest and most careful consideration," we can abide his decision with a calmness unruffled by Mr. Gibbon Wakefield's insolent bluster and abuse. Another number of the Independent (the 18th ult.) contains an enormously long correspondence, relating lo the "resignation," by Mr. Gibbon Wakefield's worthy brother Daniel, of the (extinct) office of AttorneyGeneral of New Munsler; which correspondence he (Mr. Daniel Wakefield) was about to forward to the Duke of Newcastle, as "setting forth," he says, "a complaint against His Excellency the Governor of this Colony, on account of a proceeding of His Excellency which is calculated to do me serious injury in the opinion of mv fellow-colonies if it should be approved of by Her Majesty's Government." Had we as much space at our disposal as at some other seasons, it would be worth while to examine this correspondence in some delail; but we cannot do so now. It seems evident that the Ev-Altorney-General of New Munsler to* committed himself by inconsistencies which can only be accounted for by supposing that he has of hue surrendered his own judgment (be ihe same more or less) to ln e guidance of that very unsafe director—» |S brother Gibbon. We shall make room, however, for Sir George Grey's letter, which presents the leading features of the case IB a brief compass, and with most effective point. From his Excellency Governor Grey to W' D. Wake field. . Auckland, May 2, 1855. My Dear Sir,—l have received youMeuer to my Private Secretary of Ihe Ist of Apr&jgj' giving an outline of the case of Dorset v B*■ > and your letter of the Oth of the same nionin, upon the same subject, and placing your ou at my disposal. . . In as far as I understand the subject, i «» entirely satisfied with Ihe soundness of J * legal opinions throughout these proceedingsam satisfied you were right in the first lD . sian ' in advising the issue of the Proclamation* legal, in maintaining ils legality in y°Jv2J5 of Ihe Ist of April, alter the judge had issum (he injunction, and in thinking that mere*?

meal objections ought not to be made use of for the pi"'P ose of endeavouring lo induce the j, H l<re to dissolve the Injunction. But in your letter of Hie Ist April, you advanced, not technical but substantial reasons why the Injunction should be set aside, and showed that the ions of the Proclamation being carried out; and T cannot understand why you should subsequently have been a party to a proposal which had for its object to prevent the whole country from receiving the benefit of that Proclamation. I quite agree with you that, after what has taken place, the Government had belter for the present have other legal assistance at Wellington; and I will at once give the necessary directions on this point; but as your appointment m Attorney-General of New Minister expired 'some time since with the existence of that Province, ttis unnecessary for me formally to accept your resignation of an ofiice which has ceased to exist. I feel very sorry that all this has taken place; I am qu' te satisfied that you acted with the best possible intentions, although the Government nii ff hl have been much embarrassed ; and I canno? help thinking that you might have been better advised ; but I feel very much obliged to you for the valuable and friendly assistance which I have so often and so long received from YOB and which has ceased in a manner wholly unexpected to myself, and which I cannot but very sincerely regret. Believe me, Very faithfully your's. G. Grey. D. Wakefield, Esq., The Terrace, Wellington. The Injunction restraining Mr. Dillon Bell from selling Land under the Proclamation of March 4, continued to be matter of litigation in the Supreme Court, Judge Stephen sitting as Chancellor. An application was made on the part of the defendant (Mr. Cell) for a Rule to dissolve the Injunction, and after arguments protracted over several days,---the Reports of which are "horribly stuffed with epithets of /«/<%" — the Judge came to a sort of interim decision on the 18th ult., the substance oi which is thus staled by the Independent: On Tuesday, (yesterday) the Judge gave his decision on the motion to dissolve, as an Interlocutory proceeding,and Refused the Hide applied for by th:.' Defendant, giving leave to the Plaintiff to amend his Bill, without prejudice to the injunction, by adding the name of the AttorneyGeneral, as a parly, to the Defence. The effect is that the Injunction ramains in force sine die, and the Defendant will have the opportunity, with the aid of the Attorney-General, if that officer should see til, of putting a full and sufficient answer upon the record, and of meeting the allegation of the plaintiff as to the illegality of the Proclamation, which he has not yet done. The case may then come on to be argued fully, upon Hie merits, involving all the legal and constitutional questions ; and, in that shape, may be disposed of by decree at a final bearing . Meanwhile, as we anticipated, the Government measure was to be carried steadily forward. The Gazette notified the fuel as follows: " Civil Secretary's Ofiice. "Wellington, 17th*May, 4853. "Notice is hereby given. That the Crown Lands Ofiiec, Wellington, will be open, at 10 o'clock, a.m., on Wednesday, the 18th inst. for the reception of applications for the purchase or selection of Land, in accordance with the General Land Regulations contained in the Proclamation of the 4th of March, 1855. "By His Excellency's command, "Alfred Domett, "Civil Secretary." It will be remembered that a Petition—the most numerously signed ever presented from die Settlement of Wellington—was addressed to the Governor last year, praying for the continuance of the arrangements made under the New Zealand Company's Land Claimants Ordinance, which, in some important respects, were contravened by the New Zealand Company's Settlements Act of Parliament; and that similar Petitions were presented from other Settlements in the South. These Petitions were sent home by His Excellency, and now an official letter from Mr. Domett to the Petitioners announces Sir John Pakington s reply. It is a full approval of the course taken by the Governor, with the additional statement "that Sir John Pakingt n bad already become so satisfied from other evidence of the general inclination of the colonists, that tie bad felt himself justified in already giving directions to His Excellency to place the Lund affairs of the different Settlements on such a fooling as his Excellency might find advisable." The Spectator remarks on this,—" Comment would be superfluous. After this answer of the Colonial Minister, all questions connected with the Injunction, although it still remains undissolved, are virtually set at rest, and Mr. Stephen must begin i> feel the false position in which through bis indiscretion be has placed himself." The numbers of Voters registered in the Province of Wellington were as follows: Wellington, 548: Do. Country District, li>G: South District, 279: Wairarapa and Hawkes Bay District, 43: Total, 1005. The Independent refers to the contest for theSuperintendency of Auckland only briefly, —scarce intimating an opinion, and evidencing in the tittle it does say a want of acquaintance with the generally admitted facts. But the Spec/atar takes a clearer view of the case, and, as its remarks may interest our readers, we subjoin them : The approaching election of the Superintendent appears to have excited a very animated discussion. It appears that Mr. Bartley, a member of the legal profession, and a settler of moderate sentiments, had acceded to a requisition to allow himself to be nominated as a candidate for the office, whereupon Mr, Drown of the Southern Cross, without waiting for any invitation, also offered himself as a candidate. The majority of the electors seem to have contemplated with apprehension the bare possibility of such a contingency as the election of Mr. Drown, who is chiefly remarkable for his hitler personal and unscrupulous hostility to the Governor, and to have united in imiling Lieutenant-Colonel Wynyard, the late Lieutenant-Governor, to become a candidate by a requisition signed by upwards of five hundred electors, and there appears to be very little doubt entertained of his election. Mr. Brown here upon grows furious, and though formerly lavish of his praises of the military Lieutenant-Governor, pretends to discover unnumbered evils in a military Suecrin-

tendent, even though lie should be (he object of his former eulogiums, raves about military despotism, the overthrow of the Constitution, and resorts to all kinds of inuendoes and factious expedients to damage his opponent. But these petty artifices are thoroughly sifted and exposed by the New Zealander and its correspondents, and he of the Southern Cross is done so thoroughly brown that he needs all the support his friends can give him. In the Wellington markets, First Flour was i.40 per ton: Bread Bd, per 2 lb. loaf: Potatoes 4.7 per ton. We have no space to-day for a summary of the contents of the papers from the other Provinces. There is nothing in them, bowever, of any pressing importance;

A "Government Gazette was published on Monday, containing invitations for Tenders for Ironmongery, Provisions, Saddlery, Timber, Stationery, and Miscellaneous Articles, the particulars of which will be found in our other columns, together with the Monthly Return of the Colonial Bank of Issue. The Southern Cross having yesterday indulged in a sneer on the publication of the preceding number of the Gazelle " as usual, in convenient time to be transferred to the pages of the New-Zealander of the following morning," we may take leave to ask our contemporary why he did not give bis readers of yesterday some information as to the contents of Thursday's Gazette, seeing that these invitations for tenders are interesting to so many, and that be had the Gazette in his hands before two o'clock on the day before his publication. If be is himself wilfully negligent, or indolent, or "a slow coach," from natural dulness, lie might at least refrainfrom assailing us because we generally keep our readers abreast with the current intelligence of the day. But, perhaps, bis mind was wholly absorbed in the endeavour to vindicate Mr. Brown from the charge of " irreligion and infidelity,"—of which attempt at vindication, by the by, we may have somewhat more to say.

Land Sale. - A Sale of Crown Lands look place yesterday, which possessed some special interest as including several lots for which there bad been more than one applicant on the first day of the operation of the Cheap Land Proclamation of the 4th March, and which, therefore, were ordered by the Governor to be put up at Auction. The allotments first offered were not of this class, however. They were seven in number, situated at East Tamaki, in the Hundred of Howick. Two were sold at the upset prices of 101/. 17s. 4d., and 408/. I7s. lOd. respectively. There was no bidder for any of the remaining five. Then came the " Surveyed Lois for which there was more than one application on the 10th of May last." Of these there were eleven at Waiuku, and one at Opaheke, the whole of which were put up at the reduced price of ten shillings per acre, but were purchased—in some instances after animated competition at a considerable advance on that sum. The aggregate upset price of these allotments was 704/. 18s. od. : the aggregate sum for which they were sold amounted to 1449/. The purchasers at the Sale were Messrs. Whilaker, Wilson, England, 1). Nathan, Connell and Ridings, Griffith, Codlin, 1). Graham, and F. Ferguson.

The Special Meeting of Justices of the Peace of the Districts of Auckland (City and Suburbs), the Pensioners Settlements, and the Northern and Southern Divisions, will be held at the Auckland Police Office this morning at ten o'clock, for the purpose of " bearing and determining all objections to the List of Claims to the right of voting within the Districts aforesaid, and of forming the Roll for the ensuing year of Persons qualified to vote under the provisions of the New Zealand Constitution Act." We understand that only two notices of objections have been lodged—both proceeding, if we are rightly informed, from one of Mr. Brown's friends. It is part of the business of the Meeting, however, to " correct any mistake or supply any omission which shall be proved to have been made in respect of the name or the place of abode of any person who shall be included therein (in the List), or in respect of the local description of his .property." Persons in whose registration any mistake has been made in these particulars would therefore do well to be in attendance in order that the errors may be rectified.

The Rev. Mr. Bruce, whose appointment to the pastoral care of the Presbyterian Church in Auckland we lately announced, arrived by the Simlah on Friday last, and commenced his ministrations on Sunday morning, when he preached an able atid impressive Sermon on Philippians iv. 15, "I can do all things through Christ which strenglhcneth me." We cordially welcome Mr. Bruce to Auckland, and trust that bis location amongst us may prove a blessing, not only to the people of his immediate charge, bul to our community generally.

'-' Home Manufactures." —Under this heading we observe that Messrs. Connell and Ridings advertise a sale this day of Mould Candles, manufactured in Auckland. We are glad to welcome every effort to obviate the necessity of sending money out of the Colony for articles which we could procure from our own resources, especially when, like candles, they are articles of general and unavoidable consumption ; and judging from a trial we have seen made, we confidently anticipate that this "home manufacture" will be found to merit the announcement of the auctioneers that it is of a " very superior description."