New Zealand Colonist. FRIDAY, AUGUST 5, 1842.

New Zealand Colonist and Port Nicholson Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 2, 5 August 1842, Page 2

New Zealand Colonist. FRIDAY, AUGUST 5, 1842.

By the Patriot, from Auckland, we learn that the Municipal Corporation Bill will come into almost immediate operation. The list of burgesses is to be completed by the 30th of the present month, and the election will follow’ on the 3d of October.

It is perhaps scarcely necessary to impress on those upon whom will devolve the responsible duty of selecting the persons who shall fill the office of Councillor for the ensuing year, how much will depend upon the .choices they may make. We believe that they are fully aware of the importance of the interests .involved in their decision, and that the period which has elapsed since the acceptance of this Bill was decided ■upon, has not been allowed to pass without much .useful preparation. On the whole, it may be even deemed fortunate that a sufficient time has been afforded for deliberation, and that the first crude and hasty views consequent upon the introduction of such a measure has been reconsidered and corrected. The excitement which attended the announcement of the passing of this act has subsided; the prejudices which appeared to exist have been dissipated ; party feeling has died away ; and though it may be too much to hope that any election can. take place without some manifestation of these feelings, the great body of the electors will enter upon the performance of their duties with no other motive than a desire to select those individuals out of the body of the colonists, who are best fitted, by knowledge, by habits, and by character, for the adequate discharge of the functions of their office. Most earnestly do we hope that this object will never he lost sight of; and that instead of a division into two or more parties, in .order to carry an exclusive list, those who really have the .power in their own hands will unite

•in supporting one list, which shall include till the fittest men, to whatever party they may be supposed to belong. There is frequently a great danger in these elections, that attention should be directed almost exclusively to the points of difference, which are often comparatively insignificant, and that the far more numerous and important to; pics, ujion which almost all persons agreeshould be quite left out of sight. In this place, up to the present time at least, there is, we’believe, only one object that persons elected to watch over any portion of the interests of the community can have to pursue, and that is the advancement of this Colony,. Some inay imagine that any obstacles to progress have been occasioned solely or .chiefly by the acts or defaults of the Government; and others, as is the case with ourselves, may consider that the failure of the Company to fulfil the reasonable expectations of those who have settled upon their territories, is the chief cause of any difficulties under which this settlement may now labour. But; there is no reason to doubt but that both parties would cordially combine, for the purpose of removing these difficulties; and that In spite of their disagreement as to the cause, they would unite in providing against the consequence of any past errors or negligence. Much may be done, both bv the Government and by the Company, to advance the interests of Port Nicholson, and any practical suggestions, temperately but firmly urged, would doubtless meet with prompt and acquiescent attention from the Governor and the Directors.

One other suggestion wc would make, and that is, the importance of beeping in view the practical nature of our position. Upon a review of the past public acts of the community, we have been struck with the essentially unpractical character of the greater number of them. We have no desire to revive old controversies, and shall not therefore .review these acts in detail; but we fed assured that any of our readers who will take the trouble of doing so will he surprised at the result. What is required, however, is, that having certain means at their disposal, and certain means at our disposal, and certain desirable ends to lie attained, we should so employ our powers as to obtain even from imperfect or reluctant instruments, the greatest amount of good which they are capable of yielding. It may he well to provide for .remote, contingencies, to guard against possible dangers, to secure distant friends, and to show ourselves prepared to resist injury and to resent wrong, however minute or undesigned; hut this should never lead us to sacrifice positive advantages, or even to postpone immediate and palpable good to contingent .and doubtful benefits. This caution is not so useless as it may at first appear, and we trust that the constituency of this place will. always bear it in mind.

Other opportunities will present themselves of recurring to this subject. But we have said enough to indicate our general views.

We find that some misapprehension has existed as to an article on the subject of the probable future state of the Native population of these Islands, which appeared among the extracts in our last paper. It has been supposed to have been written in this place, and to express our sentiments on the subject, instead of being an extract from an English publication. The article in question was taken from a recent number of the Atherueum, and it was inserted partly because it contained some novel suggestions which are not altogether unworthy of consideration, and partly also as an illustration of the errors into which clever men may fall, when writing with no other knowledge of the subject than such as they may derive from remote and often times fanciful analogies.

Our own view of the future condition of the New Zealanders differ materially from those of the writer of the, article in question, but we have not now leisure or space for their development. . One thing, however, is certain, that the fate which has attended other races brought into contact with the English race, destruction or degradation, cannot he avoided without strenous and persevering efforts, proportional to the nature of the case, and adapted to the varying occasions which may arise to require interference. No scheme, however sagacious, and apparently, complete, can be trusted to work itself. No plan can be devised capable of universal and permanent application. There must he continuous agency and supervision/and ample power to modify the details of any measure, so as. to adapt them, to all the modified relations to which they will he

applied. One great step has been made in this Colony practical recognition of the, title of the Natives to the soil. We say., the practical recognition, because, although in terms this right has been often, recognised in other places, this’:has -been a mere barren . and fruitless acknowledgment, mocking ,the aborigines with the forms of justice* in order that they might be more securely and easily deprived of this property. But it will be equally needful here to make them understand tliqt tliig,property, which the law has, if not conferred, at least recognised in an ample extent, and with a far wider meaning than any of which they had a previous conception, is not an absolute and unqualified ownership, but that it must be held subject .to the general interests of the Colony. We find, however, that we are going into a far wider field than we had designed when we commenced this article, and we must accordingly stop. We shall, have many opportunities of developing our views on this head.

We find that :our neighbours at Auckland, notwithstanding they boast of the superiority of their climate, are not quite exempt from the inclemencies of weather, to which we have been subject during the ‘last two months. ’The brig Patriot was detained three weeks, in .consequence of the illness of the crew, (with the exception of two men) from malaria, which the medical attendant attributed to the excessive humidity of the atmosphere.

The second “ Wellington Assembly” took place at Barrett’s Hotel, on Wednesday evening last. The dancing was kept .up with great spirit until the first beams of “ Phoebus” warned the fair disciples of Terpsichore that it was time for them to retire. Great credit for the arrangements is due to the stewards, ‘Dr.. Dorset, William Lyon, Esq., and W. B. Burgess,,Esq. The next Assembly will be held -on the first Monday of September, and we trust that the expectations of the stewards may not be disappointed in meeting with as numerous and pleasant set of persons as have .attended tlieir first “ re-unions.”

With reference to a paragraph in our last number, stating that fears were entertained for the safety of the brig Patriot, we are happy to inform our readers that our apprehensions were unfounded ; that vessel leaving arrived safe in port from Hobart Town via Auckland, having sailed on the 25th ultimo from the latter place! She had a quick passage, but was detained outside the Heads four days. We learn that the Government brig Victoria was 'to sail for this port two days after the Patriot; having on board the Right Reverend Dr. Selwyn, Lord. Bishop "of this Colony, and some clergymen of the Established Church of England. It is rumoured that several important changes will shortly take place amongst the civil officers of Government at Auckland. .

A barque had arrived at Auckland with emigrants a few Rays prior to .the sailing of the Patriot.

Captain Richmond, -one of the Commissioners of Land Claims, has received his promotion to a majority m the 96th regiment. We have been favoured with numbers of the Auckland Standard up to July 18. There appears -to be no very important news, and we merely insert such as seems to us to possess most local interest to our readers. Having received the papers at a late hour, we are unable to give more copious extracts; but additional information will appear in our next number. We have heard, but cannot vouch for the truth of the statement, that Mr. Edward Shortland has resigned his situation of Private Secretary to his Excellency the Governor. It has also been communicated to us that Willoughby Sliortland,' Esq. has followed his brother’s example, and that Major Richmond has been appointed in his stead, we say, “ Put not thy trust in princes.” We are authorised to state that it is not the intention -of His Excellency the Governor to extend the provisions of the Raupo Act to this place, until he shall have received an application from the.Town,Council, requesting its extension.

An action was brought inthe Supreme Court, Auckland, June last, by Dr. Martin, late editor of the Auckland Herald, against four of the shareholders in that paper to recover the amount of £641 13s. 4d., the balance due for two years’ salary. Verdict for the plaintiff to the full amount.

In the action brought by the Sheriff against the Colonial Secretary, for defamation of character, damages were laid at £SOOO. The jury, after a long consultation, could not agree, and were eventually discharged without coming to a verdict.

We perceive by an advertisement in the Auckland Standard, that, the first number of the “New Zealand Grammar,” consisting of two monthly numbers, by the Reverend It. Mansill, A.8.T.C.D., has made its appearance. From the well known talents of the Reverend author, we. have no hesitation in stating our opinion, that this work will, prove of most material importance to the European population, of this colony, and the moderate charge of two shilling's each part, containing forty-eight octavo pages, will place it, in the power of . even the poorest of our community to avail himself of the opportunity of obtaining easy communication with the native inhabitants of the island. . ‘