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New Zealander, Volume 9, Issue 761, 30 July 1853, Page 3

Had we judged merely from the appearance of the file of journals which we have received .since our last by the arrival of 11.M.5. Calliope, we should have deemed ourselves suddenly enriched by an influx of news both English and Colonial. Their number was great, and at a glance we could perceive that it included London, Edinburgh, Sydney, Melbourne, and Hobart Town, as well as Wellington, Nelson, and Lyttelton paper?. Bui on closer examination we found that the English journals were nearly all of October last., and those from Australia, though not quite as venerable in their antiquity, yet considerably anterior in dale to some which had previously reached us. Surely there is nothing more loudly calling for reform than our system—(if system that n >ay be called which seems ruled only by rapricoorchuncc)— ; of postal communication ! Apr.pi.'s to this point, we notice in one of the numbers of the Lyttelton Times now come fo hand, a complaint that for four months *U) Auckland newspaper had not reachedCanforhury, and then about 100 arrived at once ! * .Previous to this arrival,” says our Lyttelton contemporary, “ our direct advices from England were later than from Auckland !”

We have by the mail only one Wellington paperof our own files,--the Independent of the 9lh inst. By private kindness, however, we have oblainted the loan of a file of the Spectator containing the numbers from the date which reached us by the Overland Mail up to the 9th.

' The election of Superintendent of the Province of Wellington look place on the 2nd inst. J)r. Featherston was proposed by Mr. Filzherbert, and seconded by Mr. W. Lyon ; and— there being no other candidate —was of course declared duly elected. The Spectator of the 25th illt. has the following statement which bears the aspect of being based on more than mere rumour. “It is now generally known that it is the intention of His Excellency the Governor shortly to proceed to England, on leave of absence for a period of twelve months. 11 is Excellency sails, we believe, tins day in the Government Brig on a visit (o Nelson and the Canterbury Settlement, after which it is understood he will leave the colony as soon as (he pressure of public business will conveniently allow him.” We learn that His Excellency had already returned to Wellington (from the visit here referred to,) previous to sailing of the Calliope: and that he was expected in a short lime to set out for Auckland.

The following narrative is given by the Spectator of an interview with the Governor, in which the magnificent Mr. Gibbon Wakefield was the leading member of the Deputation -

On Wednesday a deputation, consisting of Messrs. E. G. Wakefield, G. Scott, Bend!, and Potts waited on his Excellency the Governor with a memorial from the Hull, on the subject of compensation to the wroking classes. The following is (be current, and, we understand, a correct outline of what look place on the occasion. The subject having been introduced by (he deputation, and the memorial having been presented, Mr. Wakefield was reminded that, however strong the claims of Ihe inhabitants of (he Valley of (he Hull might he to compensation, that compensation should he made not out of (he Land Kevenueof Ihe colony, hut by Hie Company who had been liberally compensated by the Government, and was, therefore, hound to make good Ihe claims of the colonists on (hem for compensation, as had in effect been done by the Company to their land purchasers, and some surprise was expressed that Mr. Wakefield, ifhe admitted the justice of these claims, had not, as an influential director of that body, brought (hem before the New Zealand Company. Mr. Wakefield pleaded an incapacitating illness from 4840 to 1850, which made him “ dead” to the with whom also he said he had quarrelled, and was, therefore, not in a position to interfere in its affairs. But his Excellency showed, by a reference to published documents, that on several occasions since the dale when Mr. W. alleged he was •* dead” to the Company’s affairs, he had, nevertheless, taken an active part in its meetings, including, on one occasion, the division of a large sum of money as “ compensation” to himself and other directors. Mr. W., it is said, stated he had not heard of the hardships the working men had suffered, until his arrival in the colony , hut he was reminded that when the subject of their harships had been brought forward by Capt. Bous, in a speech which caused considerable sensation at the time, in Ihe debate in the House of Commons in 1845, published by the New Zealand Company, Ihe subject was treated very lightly by (he directors. The general impression appears lobe that Mr. Wakefield cut a very inconsiderable figure on Ihe occasion.

We gather from a later number of the Spectator that Mr. E. G. Wakefield, at a meeting at the Hall, denounced this account of the interview as false; but the Spectator stoutly maintains that it was—all it professed to be—“ a correct outline,” whereas Mr. Wakefield’s version of what had passed on the occasion was “ evidently coloured to suit his own purposes.” The price of Elour at Wellington was 50/. per ton ; Bread Bd. the 21b. loaf.

We have the Nelson Examiner to the 2olh of June.

Preparations for the elections were going forward, but the days for holding them had not yet been announced. Indeed, the meetings of Justices for the formation of the Electoral Poll were not to bo held until the first and second weeks in July. The total number of Claims to vole for the several Electoral Districts in the Province was 7GI.

The Crown Lands Office w’as open for the sale of land under the Regulations in the Governor’s Cheap Land Proclamation of the 4th of March.

The Com party formed for working the Dun Mountain Copper Mine, had issued a formal Prospectus. They had received from Mr. W. L. Wrey, Mineral Surveyor, a highly favourable report, both as to the richness of the lode, and the practicability of easily conveying the ore to the place of shipment, together with encouraging communications from Mr. T. L. Morgan of the Burwood Smelling Works near Newcastle, and Dr. Davey, Government Assayisl at Adelaide, to whom specimens of the ore had been sent for examination. They style themselves ‘•The Cook’s Strait Mining Company, Nelson, New Zealand.” The proposed Capital is 50,000/. in 1/. shares, of which 5000 arc to be reserved until the Ist of December next, for allotment to applicants in the colony. Explorations were still in progress in the coal fields at Pakawau and Molupipi, will) results leading to a “ hope” that those fields can be worked with profit. In the Resident Magistrates’ Court, Mr. Tucker, a second cabin passenger by the Royal Albert, brought an action against the Captain (Norris), to recover 20/. damages for not supplying provisions, Ac. to claimant according to the dietary scale specified in his contract with Messrs. Willis and Co., the charterers of the ship. The Court gave Judgment for the Plaintiff for the full amount claimed, with costs. ... A similar case arose on an information lodged by a Mr. Logie against the master of the brig Yarmouth , for having obtained a clearance from Melbourne to Wellington without the requisite provisions and stores on board, and also for having failed to make the arrangements (bra passenger’s deck, Ac., required by the 17th section of the Passenger’s Act. The charges having been proved, the Captain was lined 20/. for the first offence, and 10/. for the second.

A declaration had been published—(signed by Messrs. Monro, Greenwood, C. Elliot, Stafford, Saxton and a number of other settlers}— contradicting in vciystrong terms, so far as the Nelson Land Office is concerned, the charge of corruption and partiality brought by Mr. Gibbon Wakefield against the Land Offices of the Colony.

There was an active demand for all kinds of produce for shipment to Victoria; but the

Examiner comments with just severity on the want of good faith on the part of “ a number of persons” who after having agreed to dispose of their articles at the then market price, broke their engagements when the unexpected demand caused prices to advance, taking advantage of the merely verbal nature of their previous engagements. The prices at Nelson on theSolh nil. were, Wheat Os. (id. to I Os. per bushel; Flour, 2f5/. per ton ; Potatoes 47. 10s. to a/. The ship Maori from London arrived on the Bth of Juno, bringing, says the Examiner, ■‘a large cargo of general merchandise, and one hundred and five passengers, the greater part of whom, we understand, are for this place, and comprise many of the relatives of Nelson settlers, who were sent for by their friends under the Government Regulations, and being principally mechanics, an 1 persons of the labouring class, will prove a valuable addition to the Settlement in these limes of scarcilvof labour.”

The Examiner adds the following intelligence, which possesses interest for all the Settlements

“ By (he Maori we have received intelligence that a Steamer of between fiOO and 400 tons burden, (o be called (be “ Nelson,” was to be sent out to (his settlement by Messrs. Willisand Co. the latter end of the present month, or (he heginningof July. She is to run between (he different settlements of New Zealand, but is to make Nelson her central port. The Maori has brought out 200 tons of coals, to be ready for (he use of the Steamer when she arrives.

Our file of the Lyttelton Times is brought down to the 4tli of June. There was scat rely any news of general importance. Electioneering was in progress, but nothing very novel or sirikingappearod in connection with it. What can have become of Mr. Sewell, the gentleman who came out in such a hurry to set to rights whatever was going wrong at Canterbury? So far as we have observed, his name is not even once mentioned in these papers. The Government Auditor’s Report of the Canterbury Association’s accounts had just reached Lyttelton, and the Committee on Church Matters were in communication with the Agent and legal adviser of the Association in relation to them ; “it is unnecessary therefore,” adds th a Lyttelton Times , “at. present to make any further remarks on them.”

A Saturday Market had been eslablised at Christchurch, which was likely to be well attended and useful. Amongst the prices quoted arc the following: Wheat 10s. to 12s. per bushel; Potatoes 5/. to 0/. per ton ; Carrots Al. per ton ; Sheep, 235. per head ; Stock (recently arrived by the William Proivse from Newcastle) at from 11/. to 14/. per head. Little had yet been done in barley and oats, buyers refusing to give the prices asked.