New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAITS GUARDIAN. Saturday, November 29, 1845.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume II, Issue 60, 29 November 1845, Page 2

New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAITS GUARDIAN. Saturday, November 29, 1845.

Owing to the peculiar circumstances of the colony, we have of late chiefly considered such topics affecting the interests of the aettlers as would be most likely to engage the immediate attention of our new Governor, and have deferred for a time directing the attention of our fellow settlers to an evil with which we are threatened, the magnitude of which it is impossible to overrate ; we allude to the permission to be given by the Governor of Van Dieraen's Land to convicts, the holders of conditional pardons, of having such pardons, which heretofore confined them to Van Diemen's Land, extended to the limits of the South Australian colonies and to New Zealand. The following is a copy of the official announcement : — Convict Department. — Comptroller-Gene-ral's office, 21st June, 1845. — Notice is 'hereby given to all holders of Conditional Pardons, who may be desirous of having such pardons extended to the limits of the Australian colonies and New^Zealand, that, upon making their applications for the said extension of indulgence to this office, they will be laid before the Lieute-nant-Governor, in order that those approved of by bis Excellency maybe immediately granted. M. Forster, Comptroller-General. It does not appear from this announcement whether Sir EardlyWil mot has adopted this measure on his own authority or by the direction, and with the sanction of the Home Government. If, as we suspect, he has ictted on his own authority, our local Government should lose no time in enacting and rigidly enforcing the most stringent regulations to put a timely stop to this evil. To shew that it is no imaginary evil, the phantom of an excited imagination, we refer our readers to a description of the conduct of some of these probationers at Melbourne, which we have extracted from a Port Phillip paper, and we ask them how they could endure the constant recurrence of such scenes in their own well ordered community? The bare idea is intolerable ! We will not allude to the increased expense necessary to be incurred by the local Government in keeping such reprobates in some degree of subjection — but in arguing the question on the higher grounds of morality, we assert that after the pledge of the British Government that con-

victs should not be introduced into New Zealand, we have a right to be protected from the effects of this evasion of the pledge, that we may not^be exposed to all the worst evils of a penal rolony. But it is not in our towns that this evil would be most felt, but in the country, along the coast, beyond the reach of the law, among the natives. And who can estimate its evil effects here ? If any one should deliberately introduce among them some deadly disease, come virulent widespreadingcontagion, numbering its victims liy thousands, what would belaid, what would be thought of such enormous wickedness? And yet this would only destroy the body. And sh.aU the Governor of a penal colony be permitted to throw down the barriers which have hitherto restrained these outcasts of society, and inundate New Zealand with iniquity and crime, infecting the land with amoral pestilence destroying boJtb. body and soul ? We are persuaded, that our new Governor could not contemplate the bare possibility of the numerous train of evils resulting from so frightful a state of things, without immediately attempting to provide a \ remedy. Instead of one Heki under snch j instructors, the land would be filled with combatants, springing up in every direction, like the warriors of Cadmus, eager for the fray, and bent on a war of extermination. If all that has been urged about the natives be not a mere pretence, a specious mockery, if the Government would really save a noble race from destruction, if they desire to promote the civilization and moral advancement of the natives, we call upon them to be wise in time, and to leave nothing undone to avert the plague with which we are threatened. All parties will surely unite in what so nearly concerns the welfare of all, and we expect to find the most strenuous exertions made by the missionaries of all denominations. We sincerely hope that they will promote by every means in their power this appeal for justice to the natives, and use every effort to prevent all that has yet been done for their improvement and civilization from being worse than useless. We are well content to let the ' question rest on these grounds, satisfied that it will receive more attention from such considerations than if it were urged on the score of justice to the settlers and a regard to their interests. We have unhappily experienced too many proofs that where their interests only are concerned, no matter how urgent, how just their claims, they have too frequently been postponed to a more convenient season.

Printed copies of the Petition by the Cook's Straits Settlers, for the recall of Captain Fitzroy, and for a total change in the policy pursued by the Local Government, have been received by the Government Brig Victoria, from Nelson. The petition itself is now in course of signature in this settlement, and we hope that no one will omit to record by his signature his hearty concurrence in its prayer. We may remind those, who may think the end already gained by the removal of Captain Fitzroy, that it is not so much the man as the system, which we desire to have changed ; and that we must not relax our endeavours, until this great end is obtained. We cannot do better than borrow on this point the arguments of our contemporary, the Nelson Examiner : — " Captain Fitzroy, it is true, is recalled ; one great evil, the root perhaps of a thousand evils, is thus torn up and thrown away. But it is to be remembered that though we are luckily certain of this fact, we are not quite so certain that the policy with which he hassoignominiously idenI tified his name is to be as effectually eradicated I and flung aside." " At all events, while there is a possibility of doubt about the matter, it behoves the settlers not to throw away any part of the resultsl ts they have been so long labouring for, from a feeling of supineness or indifference at the last moment. An expression of their opinion having been got ready and adopted by them, and no further trouble than the very trifling one of writing each man his name being now required to authenti- , cate and give effect to this expression, it would be very absurd to refuse this small exertion, and let the opportunity go by of recording once for all their thorough, condemnation of a policy so ruinous, and some remains of which m&y possibly yet be left to poison the principles and ruin the proceedings of a future and better Government." The Petition lies for signature at Mr. Lyon's store, Lambton Quay, and at the office of the New Zealand Spectator ; and printed copies of the Petition maybe had of Mr. Lyon, Messrs. Johnson & Moore, and Mr, Tame, Lambton Quay, nnd also at the office of the New Zealand Spectator.

Karori. — Last week, among other topics, we alluded to the state of the toads, and the hard-

ship imposed on tht actual settlers in not having the power to levy rates for their improvement, to which all landholders in the respective districts should be obliged to contribute. We could not select a better illustration of the working of the present system than this district, where some of the most sober and industrious colonists are settled) and the road to which is in a very dilapidated state ; and when it is considered that a large quantity of timber is got out of the district, as well as the produce of several hundred acres of cleared land, it seems hard that a few pounds cannot be devoted to the road. A small portion of the money which is now ill bestowed upon useless officials would suffice to construct the roads in the neighbourhood of the town, and to keep them in repair. A new horse track to Karori is- being cut from Te-aro through Polhill's valley at the expence of a few proprietors. The first flour mill erected in this district will confer an inestimable advantage on the present residents, and greatly increase the number of settlers there, and where there is so much water power available we may hope that so desirable an improvement will shortly be undertaken.

Ship Building. — There is a great scarcity of small Vessels for the coast trade, all those at present here being fully employed. Cultivation is rapidly increasing, and our coasting trade is from this and other causes becoming more active every day. If a few vessels of from thirty to fifty tons were laid down, we are convinced they would immediately be sold. The natives would be found ready purchasers; two small vessels have been bought by those residing at the south, and are traders to this port ;' and recently Rauparaha bought the Three Brothers from Mr. Toms, of Queen Charlotte's Sound, for three hundred pounds.

We beg to remind the members of the Horticultural Society, that the next exhibition will take place on Tuesday, 2d inst. Members are also requested to pay their subscriptions before the close of the year, in order that the accounts may be made up before the anniversary meeting, which will takfe' place in January. , \

We publish this week the following abstract of oil, taken by the shore parties this season, and in our next number will publish in a tabular form the number of stations, and the amount of oil caught at each station :—: — OU, black 927 tons. ' ' „ sperm 3 „ , „ humpback 2 „18 galls. Whalebone 37 „ 3 cwt. Boats «.. 90 | Men 782

Last Monday, 38 bead of cattle, part of the cargo of the David Malcolm, were purchased by Capt. Robinson, and sent round the coast to his establishment on the Manawatu.

A few days ago the Fisherman, a small Gutter of fifteen tons, bmlt by J. Herbert, was launched from Pipitea. *

Robbery. — On Monday afternoon last application was made to the -Police Magistrate for a warrant to apprehend a Spaniard, known as Emanuel, tor stealing the sum of £83 from the dwelling house of Thompson, son of_Te Rauparaha, at Otaki, on the evening of the preceding Saturday. It appears, that Emanuel arrived at Otaki on Saturday morning with two horses, which he offered for sale to Thompson, who declined purchasing either of them ; Emanuel was invited into Thompson's house for shelter as it was raining at the time, and shortly afterwards he was left alone — Thompson proceeding to the Rev. H. Govett's residence to see a gentleman who had just arrived from Wellington. During Thompson's absence, a female relation of his had occasion to go to his house, when she found the door bolted from within. After some time had' elapsed the door was opened by the Spaniard;no other person was in the house at the time. -On Thompson's return home, about five o'clock in the afternoon, the Spaniard prepared to depart, notwithstanding Thompson's desire that he should remain till the following morning, but he urged as an excuse that he was anxious to see Mr. Govett, who wished to purchase one of the horses. On Monday morning early Thompson went to his box in which his sovereigns were deposited and found they had been stolen ; he had, it seems, left the key in the box. It has since been ascertained that both the horses were stolen. A constable has been dispatched after the brig Bee to Cloudy Bay, Emanuel having sailed in her for Sydney, and we sincerely hope he may succeed in capturing him and in recovering the money.

Spirits and tobacco under bond, this 28th November, 184:5 :—: — Brandy 890 gallons. Rum 263 do. Gin 327| do. Tobacco 15,367 pounds. Cigars 739| do. Snuff 80 do.

Taranaki. — We understand that the Carbon on her return from Nelson, will proceed from

New Plymouth to Manakau with a cargo of Flour, which will then be taken overland to Auckland ; the distance from Auckland to Manakou is seven miles over a (lead level, and by this means a long sea voyage, nearly half round the island, will be avoided. Captain King, the Police Magistrate at New Plymouth, has lately had a practical lesson of justice taught him by the natives of that district by which we hope he may profit. This gentleman, who is the largest cattle owner in that settlement, was continually complained of by the settlers from the damage caused by his cattle breaking into their inclosures and destroying their crops. No fence could keep them out, and any redress for the injury done by them was out of the question. But his bullocks lately broke into a plantation belonging to the natives, and destroyed their wheat, whereupon his worship sent one of his men oft horseback to* ascertain what damage had been done. The man. on his arrival threw the reim of his horse over one of the posts of the native fence, and on hi&return was surprisea to see a native ridiqg off with the horse ; we ar# informed' the natives refused to give the animal up without being first amply compensated for the injury tbey have sustained. We would suggest to his worship either to sell his cattle or resign his situation, as the settlers' find a cattle dealing Police Magistrate an inconvenient anomaly. ' .' * '_ ',

Died, at Clapton, near London, on the 20th April, 1815, George Blair Virtue, Esq., late of Wellington, New Zealand, and of Magdalen College, Oxford. ' (! ""