ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

New Zealand Colonist and Port Nicholson Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 33, 22 November 1842, Page 2

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Editor of the New Zealand Colonist. Sir, —A good deal has been said, of late, about Maori houses; and there seems to be a great stir to demolish them, and to erect much more costly ones: I think, before more capital is swallowed up in this unprofitable way, the working man should have his say in the matter. It was the boast of a learned .gentleman, not long since, that the land which he had bought had been the means of bringing out two hundred emigrants. May I ask, How many of those he has employed ? How much of this large quantity of land he has cultivated ? Is he the only one ? No ! nearly all those who bought land have become pettifogging storekeepers. They have neither directed capital nor|labor to its proper use. They must surely be aware that this law will only interfere with the poor of this place, for the exclusive benefit of the rich. It is very, easy for persons to say, you must have a'wooden house, and a brick or stone chimney ; but I would ask, Where are the newly arrived emigrants, the partially-employed laborer, or the mechanic in full employ, with the changeable state of the weather, to procure the means ? I have not the least doubt, that there is not a poor man in Wellington that would not gladly have a wooden, brick, or stone house, if he could but afford it; but to tell him he must have it, whether he can afford it or not, will go farther than his knowledge of worldly affairs; and better, because he cannot afford it, he is to be fined twenty pounds. As I fully concur with the Gazette , that it is not safe to have houses of so combustible a nature in a town, it will be admitted the poor man is not to blame, but the owners of splendid mansions have themselves to thank for all the ills that befall them. If they, instead of crowding together in the town, were to go oh their country sections, and improve them, and not sink their capital uselessly, hud, in a new colony, where capital is so much need, improvidently, they would not have now. to lament the loss of so much property.

Now, roads have been held up to be the great drawback to their proceeding to cultivate; but it is a complete bugbear; their sections are now not worth hundreds, whereas, if they were cleared, they would be worth thousands; and, therefore, would be better worth making roads to them. The working man has several reasons to think that this procedure is unjust, inasmuch as the parties complaining are themselves the cause. If they had proceeded to agriculture, there would not be so many Maori houses in the town, and the laborer would have been employed at work to which he had been accustomed. Itwould also have been the means of permanently benefitting the place, employing capital profitably, and absorbing beneficially. Make the country, and the country will make the town. It may be sightly to look at vdry costly buildings; but where capital can be more usefully employed, it is a shame to study show to such, an extent, to injure the Colony. I would advise the landed proprietors not to tamper too much with the rights of the working men; “ for the worm will turn when trod uponbut to turn their serious consideration for the well-being of the Colony, and there would be no need for application to be made for any such law as the present. I am, Sir, Respectfully yours, A WORKING MAN. Petoni, Nov. 17, 1842.

To the Editor of the 'New {Zealand Coloriist. Sir, —Seeing, in the columns of your contemporary paper, the subject matter of a leading article, reflecting on the character and competency of the pilots of this Port, it may be well, since they are dragged before the public, to inquire as to the allegations contained in such article, and the circumstances under which it has called forth the remarks contained therein; and which appear certainly of an invidious complexion, levied at those on whom an onerous duty is imposed; and totally at variance with the laudatory remarks in the same journal, on the same subject, some six months ago. (Versatility must bespeak cleverness or clearness of intellect, unless shrouded by slight aberrations). Now, Mr. Editor, as : to facts : The Pilot was not on board the “ Elizabeth” at the time of her getting ashore, and which, under . circumstances, is a liability which may happen to the most skilful and experienced Pilot. With regard to the second allegation, as to the Pilot not boarding the “ Clown” before she came in sight of the Town; the fact was, the Pilot was on board outside Port Nicholson Head, and brought the vessel safe in, when the Captain requested to be left at a single anchor, and would look after the ship himself, and let the other anchor go when it became necessary.- Having neglected to do so, possibly the vessel did touch; and frequently has the ciy been among the merchants of this place, complaining of the way in which vessels were moored, in not being stationed nearer to the shore; and the Pilot particularly feels it his duty, in this Harbour, to give vessels as wide a berth as possible. Although the Captain demurred, at first, to settle with the Pilots, he was so far convinced, ultimately, that the blame rested with himself, he not only paid the charges, but gave a certificate. As to the whale-boats being inefficient for this Harbour, on some occasions, there can be no doubt; and I am sure the shipping and mercantile interest of this Port would hail with pleasure the application of such a vessel as the “ Brothers” to the use of the Pilots. As to the amount of trade being inadequate for the support Of an enlarged establishment, it is for the Collector to show, from the receipts hitherto received, whether he would be justified in such'a measure. With regard to the other remarks, I might comment further upon, but for the present must desist; and on some future occasion, I shall beg leave to trouble your columns again on this subject. I have the honor'to be, Sir, Your obedient, humble Servant, J. MCCARTHY. November 21, 1842. o————— Egypt.—Alexandria, April 26. —Since the 22nd inst., when I wrote you by the Liverpool , nothing of importance has transpired, which is fortunate, as the French steamer only arriving last evening, and the mail closing again tonight, has left me very little time. The Pacha is still in the Delta, and nothing is positively known of his projected return to Alexandria. The Nile steamer had gone back to Constantinople, from whence a report has reached us, said to emanate from highly respectable authority, that Samy Pacha’s mission related to a demand made by England, for permission to march 25,000 men through this country to India, for service in Afghanistan. Several months ago the report was current here, that* 4 such a demand had been made by Colonel Barnett to the Pacha, and by the latter referred to Constantinople; but the probabilities were so much against it, that no one here believed it. The quarter through which the report has now reached me, entitles it to mention, without pretending to vouch fof its accuracy. The public , health continues' good, and we are free from alarms of plague. There is no commercial news beyond a sale of beans, doubtless most flattering to the minister at the price he still upholds of p. 36. There have been three trifling failures during the last few days, but of no great extent. The Alexandria correspondent of the Semaphore de Marseilles writes, under date 26th ultimo, that 21,000 stand of arms had been landed there by an English steamer, and that the boxes in which they were contained had been immediately forwarded to Suez. Our own correspondent states, that the Russian merchants of Alexandria enjoy the privilege of exporting produce on payment of a duty of 3 per cent., while all other merchants (English included) were compelled to pay 12 per cent.

Alexandria, May s.—The Pacha arrived here on the morning of the Ist inst., and his return to this seat of government is looked upon, although unconnected with any events of political importance, to be at all events a presage of great commercial activity. It was well understood before his arrival, that he would not long be here before the Augean

gram stores were thoroughly cleaned out, and for this the public has not had long to wait; the Pacha had hardly arrived, ere the palace was thronged with merchants. Offers of all kinds were made, and high prices offered for produce not yet in existence —the produce (some of it yet to be sown) of'the Pacha’s cliifliks, but all were steadily refused, the Pacha announcing it to be his firm intention to sell all\ his-produce that came to hand by public auction 1 sales, on the old system of 1835. After three dqys thus passed, it was suddenly announced that two merchants had taken the greater part of the grain existing in the government stores, being 105,000 ardebs beans, and 60,000 ardebs wheat; • the former, at 36, and the latter at 65, being the very prices at which the minister has all along offered to sell, and the merchants have naturally, enough refused to buy, being so much above the rates offered by the markets for consumption. So the Pacha’s price is the price; and this is a coup d’etat by which Boghos Bey has immortalized himself.

Malta, May 15.—Some serious misunderstandings have taken place between the Pacha of Tripoli (in Barbary) and Col. Warrington, the British cohsul thereat, rendering it necessary for the tatter to apply for the protection of a ship-of-the-line. On the 28th the Devastation was despatched thither with a supply of coals for the Locust, which has been employed in conveying the consul along the coast, distributing appeals to the native Arab chiefs, with a view l to. stop the inhuman traffic in slaves, in which it is said he has been successful, so far as promises can be relied upon, though strongly opposed by the Ottoman, or Sultan’s officers at Tripoli. On the 28th the Devastation returned to Malta, with the consul’s application for a ship of war. She was sent back again on the 2nd instant, and returned to Malta on the 4th, with a reiterated request from the consul. On the Bth the Vesuvius was despatched to Tunis and Tripoli, from which ports she returned on the 14th, bringing accounts of fresh insults having been offered, indirectly, to the British consul. On the 12th, the Howe (bearing the flag or Rear-Admiral Sir F. Masson), with the Thunderer and Savage in company, took their departure from Malta for Tripoli, and will no doubt speedily bring the Pacha to his bearings.

Holland and Naples.— The Augsburg Gazette states, on the authority of a letter from Paris, that, the French Government has undertaken the mediation of the pecuniary questions which have arisen between Holland and Naples, and that a squadron is to be sent from. Toulon into the Mediterranean, to watch any movements that may be made in that sea by Dutch ships of war. The Leipsic Gazette of the 18th instant, mentions a report of the Pope having otiered his mediation in this dispute.

Algiers. —Accounts have been received to the 14th instant inclusively, but they add nothing to the information already communicated of the movements of the French army. The Moniteur Algerien of the 14th, merely gives a summary of the despatches relative to the affair between the troops of Abd-el-Kader, and the division under General Bedeau on the 29th ult. General Bugeaud Was still at Mostaganen on the 13th instant, but he was preparing to set out for the Cheliff.

Prussia. —The Frankfort Gazette of the 17th inst., publishes the following refusal given to the consistory of the Israelites, who presented a petition to the King, of Prussia, praying that their body might not receive an organization as a private corporation, nor be subjected to special obligations, as a compensation for being relieved from military service. The following is the text of his Majesty’s reply to the petition : —“ According to the petition addressed to the king on the 4th of March, his Majesty has perceived that the plan of a law relating to the Israelites has caused them serious alarm. His Majesty has, in consequence, commissioned me to declare to you, that his intention is to adopt measures which will relieve Israelites from the restrictions imposed on them; and will secure their relations with Christian communities, by giving to their private interests more independence and authority through the formation of corporations. Means will be thus afforded them to give their faculties a greater development, both in their own interest and that of the Christian population; but the King thinks it necessary to attach all those advantages to conditions based on the essence of a Christian state, according to which, it is not permitted to grant the Israelites any power over the Christians, or any privileges which would be calculated to cause a prejudice to the Christian communities. The preservation of the rights;enjoyed by the Christians must consequently counterbalance, the suppression of these restrictions. These two objects can only exist united, and cannot be separated. In dispensing the Israelites from the obligation of of military service they will not be deprived of any advantage, as they may always enter the service voluntarily. At all events, the Israelites may calmly await the result of the deliberations commanded on the subject, and they may depend that no amelioration will be refused them compatible with the more general and more elevated interests of society. —De Rochow.”

Hamburgh. —The Austrian Observer of the 16th instant., contains ah order from the Emperor of Austria, for the opening of subscriptions in all the provinces of the empire, in favour of Hamburgh.

A letter from Hamburgh in a Frankfort paper, States, that M. Solomon Heine, r the banker, in addition to his munificent donation of 150,’000f. to the fund for the relief of the persons who had been reduced to poverty by the late fire, ordered a thousand rations of soup to be distributed daily at his expense.

Three mercantile firms have been unable to meet their engagements, but one only of them is of much importance—that of G. H. Feldtman, in the corn trade; the other is the house of L. Lazarus; and the third Rieser and Liebscliutz. Discount is as high as from 4to 6 per cent., and second-rate houses have difficulty in obtaining accommodation even at those rates. Out of twenty-two insurance companies, nineteen are exclusively for -marine and river risks. The three who take fire risks are the Patriotic, the fifth Insurance Company, and the second Sea Insurance Company. The first, of these has already exhibited a state of its affairs, showing that they will be able to meet all. demands, and similar results are looked for in regard to the other two. This ill-fated, but far-famed, city was, according to Malte-Brun, founded by Charlemagne, and has often been subject to dreadful calamities, arising from inundations, fire, and the destructive effects of war. In 1510 it was

declared to be an imperial city, and, after London and Amsterdam, the most commercial one in Europe ; in the same year the river Elbe overflowed it, and the damage sustained amounted to 5,000,000 of marks. In 1771, although a dyke had been built along the river, the water broke through the barrier, and covered the whole neighbourhood, and the greater portion of the city; the destruction of merchandise, and other description of property, amounted to n6ar 8,000,000 of marks. In 1790 the Elbe rose in one night upwards of twenty feet. This sudden inundation caused the loss of numbers of lives, and the damage to property was incalculable. In 1810, this unfortunate city was doomed, from its peculiar local situation, to suffer from the scourge of war, which then pervaded the Continent, and was made the capital of a,department—“ The Mouths of the Elbe.” With a population of 128,000 it was suddenly changed into a fortified town. The military works occasioned a loss of property to the amount of 3,000,000/. sterling; and, in addition to the wants of the various armies by .which it was often surrounded, rendered demands to be made on the bank of the industrious citizens to the amount ef 10,000,000 of marks.