The New-Zealander. AUCKLAND, SATURDAY, AUGUST 6, 1853.

New Zealander, Volume 9, Issue 763, 6 August 1853, Page 3

The New-Zealander.

AUCKLAND, SATURDAY, AUGUST 6, 1853.

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

By the Heather Bell which reached our port from Sydney on Thursday, wc have English news to the Bth of May, brought to Melbourne by the General Screw Steam Company’s beautiful ship Argo, which made the passage in 05 days,—the most rapid on record. The contrast between this speed and the tardiness and uncertainly of the Australian Company’s lumbering vessels is equally remarkable and gratifying. The Argus observes “The fact of this splendid vessel’s having run the whole way from St. Vincent’s to Victoria without requiring to touch at any port for coal, contrasts in a very striking manner with the peddling and miserable doings to which wc have been accustomed on the part of another Company, now, wc trust, happily defunct.” Wc arc encouraged to hope that the communication with Europe will henceforth be placed on a more satisfactory fooling,- although until the Panama route be adopted, there can at best be only an approach to the celerity of intercourse which is really attainable.

Wc have not received our regular lile> of English journals, but wc have a few papers of later dates than had previously reached us. These enable us to add a little to the summaries of our Melbourne contemporaries which arc chiefly confined to statements of facts, but to which, however, we are indebted for a large portion of the intelligence copied into our other columns. Air. Gladstone had brought forward his Budget, in a speech which occupied five hours in the delivery, and the report of which filled sixteen columns of the Times. From the epitome which wc give elsewhere it will be seen that he proposed not only to continue the Income Tax without any alteration of its most obnoxious feature of assessing professional and industrial incomes equally with those derived from real property, but also to extend it to incomes between 101)/. and 150/., to levy it on Ireland, and to render it permanent for seven years,—when it is promised that it shall cease. The Legacy Duly was to be extended to Land and Ileal Property; and the Duty on Spirits was to be increased, in Scotland Is., and in Ireland Bd. per gallon. On the other hand the duty on Tea was to be immediately reduced from is. per lb. to Is. iOd., And to fall

gradually lo Is. in April 1858 : the duty on Soap was to he entirely remitted : Colonial Postage was to be reduced to an uniform rate of Gd.: the Stamp Duties and the Assessed Taxes were lo be lightened in various particulars,—the advertisement duty being reduced from Is. Gd. to Gd., and the duty on newspaper supplements containing only advertisements abolished altogether: and the duties on a number of minor articles of food either lowered or repealed. As might be supposed there were very conflicting opinions on the merits of this bold financial scheme. The extension of the Income Tax to Ireland was earnestly opposed, although it was proposed to accompany it with a remission of the large debt lo the Imperial exchequer incurred by the distressed districts during the seasons of famine. The remission of the duty on newspaper supplements was deemed by many worse than useless, as its only effect would be lo augment the already overgrown monopoly of the Times , that being the only journal which has advertisements enough lo fill a supplementary sheet. The budget was, notwithstanding, likely to obtain the sanction of the House. On its most testing point—the Income Tax —the battle had been fought with success by the Government. On the 29th of April,—after a debate which had been three limes adjourned the first of Mr. Gladstone's resolutions for re-imposing the lax until April 18G0 was carried against an amendment, moved by Sir E. bnlwcr Lytton, by a majority of 525 over 252. In the course of the discussion, a rash remark made by Mr. Duffy, editor of the Dublin Nation, gave rise lo an extraordinary excitement, an account of which will bo found in another column under the heading “Scene in the House.”

In the House of Lords, Ministers bad obtained a marked success on the Canada Clergy Reserves Bill, an amendment proposed by Lord Derby >vitl» die object of restricting the power of the Colonial Legislature to resume die stipends paid to die Churches of England and Scotland in Canada, having been defeated by a majority of 40 in a house of 149 members. But they sustained an unexpectedly severe reverse on the Jewish Disabilities Bill, the second reading of which was negatived by a majority of 49. As this debate excited great interest, we subjoin a graphic outline of it given by the London Correspondent of the Sydney Herald: “Decidedly die greatest check which the Government has yet sustained is that of Friday night, when the second reading o( the Jewish Disabilities Bill was negatived in the House of Lords by the large majority of 40—104 to do. The signal victory obtained by Government on the Clergy Reserves (Canada) Bill had raised (he hopes of the Ministerialists that the Jew Bill would he carried, and great was their disappointment at the result. The appearance of the House proved that some important event was expected. The galleries over the throne were filled with gaily attired ladies; lire Bishops mustered in great force, and the number of Beers on the opposition benches far exceeded those on the Ministerial side of the House. The Premier moved the second reading of Bill, and spoke at greater length than he usually does, feeling probably that tire urgency of the case demanded [hal he should dwell longer upon (he necessity for a bill which he imagined was in considerable peril. The Earl of Shaftesbury—a nobleman forward in every philanlrophic movement—led (he opposition to the measure, and, in (lie brief pause which ensued when lie sat down, there were loud cries for a division. I lie Earl of Albemarle, however, rose, and attracted a good deal of notice by a very light and graceful speech in favour of the Bill. Next followed a maiden speech from the young Earl of Darnley in opposition lo Ihe measure. Dr. Whatcley, Archbishop of Dublin, supported the Bill. His Grace, however, though a great logician, is no orator, and his manner and style arc very detrimental to his course of effective argument. Jhc eloquent Dr. Thirwall, Bishop of SI. Davids, spoke on the same side, whilst the Bishop ol Salisbury opposed the measure. The Earl of Harrowhy again- 1, and (lie Duke of Argyll and Lord Brougham in favour of the Bill, were (he remaining speakers. Instead of a late silting and a protracted discussion, all was over before ten o’clock. The result of the division came with surprise on (he supporters ol the measure in and out of Parliament, w ho calculated upon the passing of the Jew Bill by a small majority. Baron Rothschild's hopes arc thus once more deferred, and by this time he must surely feel sick at heart."

Turning from Parliamentary proceedings, Uie mailer apparently exciting most popular interest was the arrival of Mrs. Beecher Stowe, author of the now world-renowned exposure of slavery in the Linked Stales (Jude Tom's Cabin. The accounts of this lady’s reception in Liverpool, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Dundee, and Edinburgh (the only places of note she had yet visited) remind ns of the reports of Kossuth's first reception in England, perhaps fully equalling that in the display of public enthusiasm, and having lhc“additional guarantee of solidity and permanence that, in ibis instance, we see not a mere manifestation on behalf of political freedom, or an outburst of excited reeling, but a demonstration based on the deepest principles of pbianlbropby and religion. Mrs. Stowe was accompanied by her husband Professor Stowe, and her brother, the Rev. Mr. Beecher. She was to visit London, Dublin, and other principal cities in England and Ireland ; and alterwards, it was expected, would return to Scotland to remain in the Highlands until September or October with a view to the reestablishment of hoi 1 healih.

The prospect of an amicable adjustment of the threatening affairs of Turkey scented to improve. The Times bad, all through, maintained that the mission of Prince Menscltikoff was confined to the subject of the Holy Places, and bad for its object merely putting tbe rival claims of tbe Greek and Latin Churches in tbe sanctuaries of Palestine upon a definite and’ permanent fooling. If ibis were so, the following—which is ihe latest intelligence—must be deemed salisfactorv, so far as the apprehensions of an European war front this “ casus belli” are concerned :

“A despatch from Constantinople, dat tithe 2oth April, says that thel question of the Holy Places is settled, and the great concessions have been made to Russia. M. de l.aconr, the French Minister, is said to have displayed a very conciliatory spirit in the negotiations. Ihe negotiations now [lending are lelalive to the questions of the Greek Patriarch. All the armaments have been suspended, Ihe exchange on London has risen. Ihe blockade of the Albanian coast has been raised, and the fleet employed on that service has returned to < ouslanlin ople.” The Intelligence from Frutsci: is scanty. The following item will, however, be read with interest : —•

The Moniteur announces that her Majesty the Empress, who has been enceinte lor hio months, and who has been unwell for the last few days, miscarried on the evening of the 291h April. Her Majesty's health is, however, as satisfactory as can be expected under the circumstances. It was said that she sustained serious injury from the fatigue of standing five hours during the ceremony of presenting Archbishop Morlot with the red hat of a cardinal. Wednesday’s letters slate that the Empress is considerably belter in health, hut that she still, on (he recomendalion of Dr. Dubois, keeps her bed. Oun Sydney files are lo the 21st ultimo.. There was not much news. The topics engaging most attention from the Legislative Council were the defences of Port Jackson, the Estimates, and the best mode of dealing with the confessedly bad Cor; oration of the City,—whether by adopting a bill introduced by Mr. Tlmrlow, for “reforming” it, still preserving the principle of municipal elections, —or sweeping it away altogether and substituting instead a paid Commission, -or referring the matter again lo a Select Committee, that is, virtually shelving it for anoolhcr session. A large public meeting was held on the I Hill nit., at which the Bishops of New Zealand and Newcastle made long and interesting statements respecting the progress and prospects ol the Melanesian Mission. A nunibe of the young Islanders from St. John’s College were present. The statement that Major-General Sir Robert Nickle had been compelled by ill health to resign the command of the forces in Australia was contradicted by the arrival of that gallant officer, with Lady Nickle, by the Arg\ The markets continued over-supplied with goods of various descriptions, owing to the difficulty of communication with the interior, and the diminished demand from Port Phillip. Flour was 18/. for fine and 17/. for seconds per ton; American flour, 20s. lo 40s. per bushel, according lo quality. The price of wheat was quite nominal; a lot from New Zealand was sold at 7s. Gd. per bushel. New Zealand oats seemed lo be highly prized, being quoted at Bs. to I Os., while the quotation for New South Wales oats was onlv Bs. to Bs. Gd.

Mr. Leslie Foster, the new colonial secretary for Victoria, was a passenger by the Argo. It was understood that be brought out the acceptance by the Home Government of Mr. La Trobe's resignation of the Lieut-enant-Governorship of Victoria. The name Of bis Successor had not transpired, and rumour of course was busy in settling the appointment. Sir George Grey, Sir William Denison, and Mr. Montague (Colonial Secretary of New South Wales), were all mentioned.

The following quotation from the Argus, of the 12lh nil. may give some idea of the view taken by impartial observers at a distance of the proceedings of Mr. Brown's friends at the nomination of Superintendent for our Province.

“ We are favoured with copies of (he Auckland newspapers of the 24lhand 2;Jlh nil., which contain a full account of (ho nomination of Colonel Wynyard, and of Mr. William Brown, editor of the Soul hern Crons, candidates Cor the office of Superintendent of the Province of Auckland. The crowd was very disorderly, and would not give a hearing to the friends of Colonel Wynyard. If the account before us is correct, the scene must have been a tolerably good represenlion of a savage corrobory, without any of the harmony sometimes elicited in the course of that fascinating exhibition. It is rather an awkward result of (he contact of a civilised with a barbarous race, when the former copy from the Jailer, and excel them in their most disorderly and uncourteous customs.” The same journal bad copied from the Auckland Government Gazcltec , Captain Drury’s report on the Manakau Harbour, and called attention lo the great importance of the service rendered by the Pandora as shown in that document. The Argus concludes. the position of Auckland the best for a port of any probably in this hemisphere, and must effectually henceforth prevent the world from speaking disrespectfully of “ Hobson’s choice."