PUBLIC MEETING.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume II, Issue 64, 27 December 1845, Page 3

PUBLIC MEETING.

A public Meeting was held on Tuesday* last, at the Aurora Saloon, pursuant to the advertisement which appeared in last Satuf.day's* Spectator, for the purpose of considering an address to be presented to Capt. Grey on his arrival at Wellington. C. Clifford", Esq., was called to the chair. W. Hickson, Esq., said, The occasion of this meeting was one on which he^ thought no difference of opinion could possibly exist amongst them, because it was not for the jmrpose of serving, any party, butf simply to devise measures to give to his Excellency jGoyernorJjr,eY, jml h|s arrival in this settlejment^ that hearty 1 welcome to which he was justly entitled, as the representative of the Crown, and also from ,the well-merited reputation he has acquired from his highly successful government of South Australia. " Considering the jirosent' deplorable and critical stale to Which the colony has been brought by the long-continued misgovernment of his predecessor, his Excellency's task, it must be admitted, is a most arduous one; and he is consequently entitled not only to a fair trial, but to every assistance that' they and the colonists generally, could render him to accomplish that task successfully. He then moved the first resolution — That the following, address be presented to Capt. Grey, on his arrival in Port Nicholson. Mr. Hkkson then read the draft of an address. A. Hort, Esq., in seconding the resolution said, 'that the address was free from adulation, and was a mark of courtesy which Her Majesty's. representative had a right to expect on his arrival here ; from his past conduct and from the good he had effected in asisteVcolony) he had no doubt his Excellency «vould succeed in effecting a bond jgf, union among the different settlements, allaying the.evils that existed. The settlers could not expect that Captain Grey could do everything at once, but if they would co-operate with hfrai prosperity would attend his efforts. "J. Wide, Esq., proposed an amendment; which was seconded by Mr. Har<Jing> to the effectThat a Committee be appointed to prepare an address to Capt. Grey ; and that the Committee, form a deputation to. \yait upon his Excellency, and present the same on his arrival in Port Nicholson. Mr. Carpenter, and Mr. Roots^spoke in favour of "Mr, Wade's amendment." A. M'l3onald, Esq. objected to the proposed address, on the following grounds — that the meeting, in passing the address, would be in some measure stultifying themselves, since they had not received any intimation yet of his Excellency's intention to visit this place. Then again, Captain Grey might be exercising his functions at Auckland, adverse to the interests of the settlers in the Straits, and it would seem strange indeed if the inhabitants here congratulated his Excellency one moment, and then had occasion to oppose him the next. Indeed it was already reported that the Government had repudiated the Debentures. Let the Governor first arrive, and then it v/ill be time enough to prepare an adddress, when something more was known of his Excellency. A second amendmentwas moved by Major Baker, and seconded by A. M'Donald, Esq., banker, to the effect that — That ft is expedient to defer the consideration of an address to Capt. Grey until the .arrival of hit Bfccelleney in- this «etfcleifteiiLuxi£L *-»».- - The' last 'amendment being put to the Meeting by the Chairman, was declared to be carried, A -vote of thanks was then passed to the Chairman, for his able conduct in the chair, when the meeting separated.

Died, on Saturday last, the 20th December, after a short illness, Harold John Leod M'Leod, Esq., younger, of M'Leod. His remains were interred in the public cemetery on Tuesday, the 23d inst. The body was followed to the grave by the majority of the respectable settlers of Wellington, including the lodges of Freemasons and Odd Fellows, to both of which orders the deceased belonged.

Br die Amelia, which arrive^ on the 21st instant, we have received Nelson papers to the 6th December. They are filled chiefly with tho 18th report of the New Zealand Cmpany and the correspondence between the Company' and the€tajigrnment on the subject of the New Proviso* of Victoria, which appeared in our

.columns of the #n\ttoveml>e"r, We h«ye'ifekde thefollowing extracts'oflocal news;--? ■ ,' Claringbold and Collier were committed on Tuesday last to take their trial at the next sitting of the Supreme Court for running away with the lugger Hydrus. These men were apprehended at Auckland, where the lugger was taken, and brought down in the Government brig. Rutter, the super-cargo, who was also at Auckland, decamped on hearing of [he arrest of his associates, but it is hoped he Also may be apprehended before leaving the colony.

Exports. —We understand the timber and potatoes sent to Tahiti in the Star of China realised good prices. The former brought 28a. to 30s. per 100 feet, and the latter £12 a ton.

Through the kindness of W. Fitzherberr, Esq., we have received the Nelson Examiner of Dec. 20th, containing English news received by the Nelson which arrived ■ there ftom England on the 15th alt* The -following! are extracts :—: — * 'The brig Nelson, so long expected frpm England, arrived here on Monday evening last, after a iour months' passage, having left Ebgr land on<the loth of August. Our papeps-are-to the 13th, and are full of matter interesting to this colony. The news- of the destruction of Kororarika reached England in the second' week in July, andj as might' have been snp- j posed, caused a very considerable sensation; The JEnmore, > advertised. to- sail in August, was immediately taken off, as persons were too much i alarmed, to ship goods to the colony. Another vess J, the Mary Catherine, 400 tons, has been laid on for New Zealand, tb sail in September, and we hear from private letters that she would' certainly lie despatched daring that month. < <

Important — if TRtfE.-^ln the Mptning Chronicle report of Sir Robert Peel's speech in the debate of July 23d, there is the 'follow? ing remarkable passage. We have in vain looked through the other- papers that have reached us for some confirmation of it or allusion to it, and are therefore inclined to think it 'must have been a' mistake of the reporter, for it is hardly probable So important a declaration would have parsed without comment. — " With regard to Auckland^ I ha[ve told the house that I' was prepared to give an assnrance that the seat of government should be transferred from thence, and my noble friend has given instructions in precise conformity." ' " r The following is an extract from a private lette 1 , dated London, August 11, 1845 1— " I little expected, when I wrote the enclosed, that ffie J ifehon would have^iJefTriTao long over her time. Much has happened regarding the affairs of, the colony since then, but I .have only time to glance at them now. There has been another debate in the Commons of two nights' duration, and several' skirmishes. The confirmation of the reports of the destruction ofKororarika and the threatened attack on Auckland have created an interne sensation here ; but the final result is, I am, happy to say,-that the Government and the Company have come to an amicahle arrangement. The latter are to have unconditional titles to all the lands sold in' their present settlements (except \\£anganui, which is to be reserved for special decision) ; Otago and Wairarapa ire included in the above. They are to have the exclusive right of pre-emption to the lands within what are commonly called their limits. Corporations, with very extensive and extended powers of local taxation, &c, are to be formed forthwith, having also the power to elect representatives to the Legislative Council. And, to crown the whole, the Government will come down with an advance, in the shape of a loan for seven years, of £10,0,000 to £150,0p0, secured upon the land, to enable the Company to pay their debts and make advances to the colonists that stand in need thereof. This is a rough outline of the new terms come to 'between the Government and, the Company. Sir R. Peel announced the friendly turn the negociations had taken to the House of Commons on Friday night (the Bth). but of course did not enter into particulars; but he made no objectiorivto -,thje whole of the correspondence on the subject being published! There are to be 2,ooo 'troops stationed in New Zealand, and 40 sappers and miners. The naval force will' be greatly increased, militia embodied, and' the native?, I hope, will now be kept in proper order. * • Despatches for the Governor have arrived by the Nelson. , .

Royal Artillery for?' New Zealand. — Orders have been received at Woolwich, in consequence of the recent intelligence from New Zealand, that the whole of Captain Tr.rner's company (6th battalion) are to- embark immediately for that quarter of the world, and the Castle Eden is daily expected from Deptford to convey them to their destination. Previous to the arrival of the last unpleasant intelligence from New Zealand it was intended that a part of Capt. Turner's company should have proceeded to Weedon, to do duty there for some time, but their services are now ?equired on a foreign station. The head-quar-ters of the 11th Regiment of Foot, tinder the j command of Lieutenont-Colonel Bloomfield, | embark at' the same time in the Castle Uden, ifor a passage to Van Diemeri's Land.