NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR, AND COOK'S STRAITS GUARDIAN. Saturday, June 7, 1845.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume I, Issue 35, 7 June 1845, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR, AND COOK'S STRAITS GUARDIAN. Saturday, June 7, 1845.

In reviewing Captain Fitzroy's career as Governor of this Colony, or in commenting on his public acts, that part of his conduct which gives us the greatest concern, which excites feelings of the deepest indignation, is his habitual and total disregard of the truth. It is melancholy to see a man descended from a noble stock, of a profession the soul of which is honour, — so delicate, — so sensitive, — that its members consider the slightest imputation on their veracity must be atoned for by blood, — it is melancholy, .we repeat, to see a gentleman, and arc olSeer, so far forget what is due to himself, and to society, — as habitually to disregard the truth. But when this individual is clothed with authority, and is the representative of Majesty (the fountain of honour) to the community over which he unworthily presides, when superadded to these considerations, he talks of his religious principles, and professes to be, " after the straitest sect a Pharisee," our indignation-knows no bounds. We have already, in reference to Captain Fitzroy's repeated violation of solemn promises, deliberately given to the settlers, been driven to this conclusion : — Ascertain what he has promised, and then you may rest assured that that he will not perform. It has been our painful duty to expose, on various occasions, the false statements made by him, even on his own confession. The resolutions unanimously adop--ted at a public meeting held at New Plymouth, and Mr. Nixon'? letter to the Governor, which

are published in this day's Spectator, equally convict -Captain Fitzroy of having deliberate^ made false statements. It is only necessary to refer our readers to these communications, to convince them of this fact. To hate those whom he has injured appears to be his Excellency's governing principle, and having injured the settlers in Cook's Straits beyond the power-, of endurance, beyond the hope of forgiveness, .he loses no opportunity of shewing his hate ; and while, by secret hostility and open neglect, — by using the natives as a political instrument to concentrate the Company's settlements' on Auckland, from which have resulted the present anarchy and confusion, — and by all the arts of detraction in which his Excellency is so great a proficient, — lie endeavours to break up these settlements; the only result is disgrace, and discomfiture to his unworthy machinations. His Excellency, who is a very Sancho Panza., in his fondness for "wise oJd saws, (though not so discreet a Governor, for he knew when to resign) must act, in the case of Wanganui, upon the adage, " give a dog a bad name and you may hang him," — when he states it to have become the resort of bad characters driven oat from Wellington and Taranaki. Mr. Nixon (who is a magistrate) positively asserts that for more than a whole year the gaol in that district has not been occupied by any prisoner, and tlie.only bad characters who have troubled the community have come, — not from Wellington or Taranaki,—^ut from Auckland. Surely his Excellency cannot expect that the settlers* at Wanganui ■will pay taxes, now that even the semblance of authority is removed from their district, and while he still delays to grant them a crown title to their lands according io the ..plan agreed upon a year tigaiwith his sanction/ by the*t3rown Commissioner, the Protector of Aborigines, and the New Zealand Company's Agent. When we consider ■ that these matters, on which it has been our painful duty to comment, are of every day occurrence, the conviction of his Excellency's insanity, long since forced upon us by his conduct, receives additional strengths and appears to be the most charitable conclusion | we can possibly arrive* af.

The Carbon arrived on "Wednesday with a cargo' the produce of Taranaki, which will be sold by Messrs. James Smith,. & Co., by public auction, on Monday next. We wish particularly to di-, rect the attention of our readers to the circumstance, as the owners of the vessel intend to make her a regular trader between the two settlements if they meet with' sufficient encouragement. In our purchases of flour «nd other produce from the adjoining colonies the money i 3 drained out of New Zealand, but in encouraging the coasting trade, we essentially promote our own interests, as the settlers at Taranaki send their-produce here, and in exchange will purchase all their supplies at Wellington, and in meeting with a. ready sale, have increased means at their disposal to -extend their cultivation. Both the flour and the pork are of fir-st -rate • quality, the pork has been salted down at the establishment of Mr. E. Dorset, who intends to direct his attention particularly to this branch of trade, and to adopt, a particular brand so that his pork shall not be mistaken for the produce of any other station. The owners of the Carbon hope to perfornrthe voyage from New Plymouth to Wellington andback regularly every month.

Militia. — We refer our readers to the notice inserted in this day's paper by his Honor the Superintendent, to those persons who are liable to serve in the militia, from which it appears, that the next daft, under the Ordinance, will take place on the 23d inst. We understand that any person who is drawn will be allowed to provide a substitute, who will have to serve" 28 days, and act in all respects, as the principal; this will not exempt the said substitute when called but himself. o

At the Wednesday evening exercise of the Regulars and Militia at Te-aro the usual evolutions were performed. The Militia have greatly improved in their practice, and have become a highly.efficient and well organized corps. Yesterday afternoon the Militia were exercised in firing at a mark with ball. The Cavalry corps which were also exercised is rapidly improving under the persevering exertions of Captain .Baker; the horses are getting accustomed to the manceveures, and there is no doubt that in a short time this branch will become very effi-

A correspondents the country writes us that there is at present a great scarcity, of sieves for sifting and winnowing grain, and suggests to any person who will attempt to supply them that Mako and Titoki will answer well for splints, and Hinau for rims.

We have received Nelson papers to 3.1 &t May,

we have drawn so largely on the Blue Book that we have no space for any extracts this week.

One hundred of the militia have been called out at Nelson. The following gentlemen have been appointed officers: — D. Sinclair, Esq., Police Magistrate, Captain in command ; Messrs. Fox and Greenwood, Captains; Messrs. Marshall and Bell, Lieutenants ; Messrs. Thorpe and Campbell, Ensigns ; K. Newcombe, late of the 95th, Adjutant ; H. Seymour, Quarter master.

We reprint, from the Government Gazette, the following notice respecting the landing or transhipment, in bond, of foreign caught oil for exportation. From it we understand that foreign caught oil (in any quantity) may be landed and shipped to England in bond, and we believe that this interpretation is held by the Customhouse here. As this is a subject of great importance, we shall take an early opportunity of returning to it. Colonial Secretary's Office, Auckland, March3o, lB44. The instructions of Her Majesty's Government respecting duties paj able in Great Britain on oil of foreign fishing, imported from this colony, having been misapprehended, — It is hereby made known, that the undermentioned duties will be then payable, whether the articles be imported in foreign or British bottoms, namely, — On oil, train, and blubber, the produce of fish, or creatures living in the sea, of foreign fishing, six pounds per tun only, On spermaceti of foreign fishing, fifteen pounds per tun only. It is further made known, that - oil* bone, or other produce of creatures living in the sea, may be landed, or trans-shipped, in bond, for exportation, in New Zealand, withoutpayment of any duty. — By command, '(Signed) Andhew Sinclair, Colonial Secretary.