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New Zealander, Volume 9, Issue 780, 5 October 1853, Page 2

The detention of the ships’ papers and mail of the Joseph Fletcher at New Plymouth, to which we referred in our last, has naturally been the subject of much comment, which has become increasingly strong in its tone as the inconvenience and injury resulting from the delay have been more fully developed in individual cases as well as in relation to the community at large. In the absence of an authenticated statement on the part of the Post-Master andSub-Collector of Customs at New Plymouth,—on whom the responsibility necessarily rests, —we are unwilling to pronounce any dogmatical judgment of censure, but we feel bound to say that, unless some explanation which we have not yet heard even suggested on his behalf, can be substantiated, that Officer stands charged with—perhaps not an absolute violation of the strict, and literal iuterpre-

tation of the Regulations under which h* is placed—but, to say the least, with nn exercise of authority which, in the special circumstances of this case, manifested ntorp precision than discretion, more self-will tha regard for the interests of the Auckland public. Nothing as yet appears to inculpate Captain Foster in the estimation of any Lr sonable man. With his ship rolling- ina insecure roadstead, amidst weather temped luous almost beyond precedent on oii« coasts, and with his chief officer sick «* shore, it could scarcely be expected that b would risk his vessel, her cdrgo, and iha lives of his crew and passengers, by ■ the ship at such a juncture. I Q signalling for the mail and papers to beS out, and then landing the pilot with Insimc lions to demand them, beseems to havedotip all that, situated as he was, lay properly his power. That they might have warded, had the Post-Master seen fit to * so, admits of no question, for passeagert who had been on shore were able to return and Mr. Vickers, the agent, was able to visit the ship. It would, we think, have been no extraordinary stretch, of either dm! or courtesy if the Postmaster had himself in so urgent a case gone out to deliver the mails onboard. As we have said, we are quite prepared to give the fullest.aad fairest alien lion to his side of the mailer so soon as it comes before us,—which probably maybe whenever the detained mails and passengers shall arrive here; but the case isclearlyone of which the proper Authorities should take cognizance, -if with no other object, at least with the important one of providing against its recurrence at any future time,