New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Wednesday, September 23, 1846.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume II, Issue 120, 23 September 1846, Page 2

New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Wednesday, September 23, 1846.

The readers of the New Zealand Spectator will perceive that, by a resolution passed at the half-yearly meeting of the Subscribers, the duties of the Superintending Committee have ceased, and the responsibility of conducting this Journal will in future solely devolve on its present Editor. By the recent alteration, the Spectator may be said to have commenced a new stage of its existence, and we may be permitted on the present occasion to take a hasty retrospect of its previous career. The New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian was originally established by the settlers as an organ for the expression of their opinions at a period of unusual difficulty, and the responsibility of its management was intrusted by them to a Committee of five of the oldest settlers. The settlers were then contending against the bitter hostility of the Colonial Secretary, and his willing agent Captain Fitzroy. They have outlived the contest, their adversaries have been removed, and we may hope their place will know them no more. But throughout this trying period the .Committee have never shrunk from their duty, in fearlessly expressing the" sentiments of the~c6mmunity on the different questions that affected their welfare ; and this they did at much inconvenience to themselves, and at the risk of incurring much personal odium. They have the satisfaction of knowing, however, that their conduct has been approved of by their fellow-settlers, and their approbation has encouraged them in the discharge of the duties they had undertaken. To these difficulties others of a different nature have succeeded ; still the Committee have conscientiously discharged their duty without fear or favour, in expressing what appeared to them to be the opinion of the settlers on passing events, and the approbation of the course they have" pursued by the Subscribers of the Spectator, is a convincing proof that they have not altogether laboured in vain. Other, and we may hope more: peaceful and prosperous, times are kt; hand, when the as- . perities of local politics wjlf in a' great mea-

sure be removed.. The settlers have now had sufficient experience of their new Governor to feel confident that he will strenuously exSt himself to promote the real in terests of the colony, and the permanent welfare of both races of its inhabitants. We may hope that the time is not far distant when the columns of this Journal will be the record of public improvements, of increasingcommerce, of the rapid extension of the blessings of Christianity and civilization among the native race, and of general prosperity, rather than as hitherto, the arena for angry political discussion. But however this may be, the present Editor cannot but be fully sensible of the confidence reposed in him by the subscribers, and will by increased exertions endeavour to sustain the reputation the Spectator has already earned, of having on all occasions honestly and impartially advocated the best interests of the settlement, — of having been the Settlers' Paper.

The half-yearly meeting of the Subscribers of this paper was held at Barrett's Hotel on Monday evening last, William Hickson Esq., in the chair. A general discussion ensued on matters connected with the occasion of the meeting, when the following resolutions were passed with only one dissentient voice : It was moved by Dr. Featherston, second-ed-by-Mr. M'Donald— That the thanks of the Subscribers be giwn to the Committee for the manner in which they have ban ducted the paper during the last six months. Moved by Mr. M'Donald, seconded by Mr. J. H. Wallace— That the Subscribers, satisfied with the manner in which Mr. Stokes has conducted the Spectator during the time he has edited it. deem it unnecessary to appoint a Superintending Committfe. The thanks of the meeting were then voted to Mr. Hickson for his conduct in the chair.

By an extract in the Australian from the Melbourne Jtrgus, we learn that " the Melbourne Immigration Society have , resolved upon trying New Zealand as an emigration field, the accounts from that colony giving reason for the belief that labour there is superabundant ;" and that a Mr. Stothert has been appointed to act as agent for the society, and may be shortly expected here on a crimping expedition in the barque Auyuslus. Mr. Stothert, on his arrival in this port, will find that he has been sent on a bootless errand, and we hare little difficulty in predicting that his expedition will prove a complete failure. Labourers now receive in this settlement from 3s. 6d. to 4s. a-day, and mechanics in proportion, and all classes are generally employed. The public works in progress, and the private demand for labou) , have caused this advance in wages, which will be fully sustained ; indeed at harvest time we suspect there will be a scarcity of labour ; and it would argue a more correct knowledge of the present position and prospects of this settlement, if the Melbourne folks talked of exporting lo Wellington some of their fat stock, than of abstracting our labour. We also find in the Sydney Mi-rr,i>ig Herald of August 28, the following statement refening to this settlement: "Of course, in the unsettled state of affairs, business, except that connected with the supply of the troops, was at a stand s»till, and the greatest misery prevailed." In charity we must suppose statements such as th( se proceed from ignorance ; but how deplorable such ignorance "in a" journal professing to disseminate accurate information ! In spite of the interruption to cultivation caused by Rangihaeata's rebellion, the amount of land in cultivation in this settlement will be quite equal this year to the amount of the previous yoar, while the total amount of land in cultivation in the settlements in Cook's Strait will considerably exceed that of last year. . Trade is rapidly improving, as the quarterly returns of the revenue and the frequent arrivals incontestably prove ; and we have no doubt that at the close of 1846, the contrast bt tween the position and prospects of the colony to that of the previous year, will be as complete and as gratifying as is the difference between our present Governdr and the w unfortunate imbecile, his predecessor, whose grievous mistakes and mismanagementjie has been sent to rectify.

It appears that the trial of the rebels captured at Wainui has been indefinitely postponed, and they have been sent on board the Calliope again. We fear this vacillation on the part of the officer in command will be productive of very bad effects. With the natives it is necessary that whatever is to be doae should be done quickly — but so many delaya.haye occurred*hat the effect of

the example to be derived from their punishment is lost.

For the information of our readers out of the colony, it may be necessary to state that the prisoner Rangiatea, now in goal in pursuance of the sentence of the Court Martial, is a totally different person from Rangihaeata the leader of the rebels. The similarity in the names without this explanation might possibly lead to contusion.

Thb Government Brig will sail this afternoon for Auckland.

H.M.S. CalliojL c returned to port last night from Porirua.

Sevkral of the men who were formerly in the militia have volunteered into the armed police.

A party of the 65ih regt., under Capt. O'Connell, and a party of the 58th regt., under Lieut. Pedder, returned to Wellington on Monday. We believe it is intended to withdraw a portion of the troops stationed at Porirua and the post at Pauatahanui, and the camp at Parramatta Point, will be in the charge chiefly of detachments of the 65 th regt.

We regret we were not able to obtain the report of the trial, Fkzherbert v. Fyfe, in time for insertion in our present number.

We have received several complaints of tte extreme inconvenience of the present CourtHouse, and hope that among the improvements of the coming year, a new and commodious building will be elected for the administration of justice. The business of the Court this sittings has been unusually heavy, and many of the trials have been long and important, and the inconveniences have been severely felt. There is no accommodation whatever for the Grand Jury, or for witnesses waiting to be examined ; the Jurybox is small and confined, and there is no accommodation for Juries who may wish to retire to consider their verdict. The present building, which is only rented by Government, may have answered as a make-shift during the earlier years of the settlement, but we are entitL-d to expect that, in any future improvements, a point so materially connected with the well-being of the settlement will not be overlooked, and that the first public money that can be conveniently spared will be devoted to building a new Court-Plouse.

Star op China. — We are glad to perceive by our advertising columns, that our old favourite trading schooner Star of China has again resumed running as a constant trader betwixt this port and Sydney. We are aware that great irrconvenieuce has hitherto been felt by merchants and shippers in consequence of no regular communication between the two ports ; and we earnestly hope that all parries interested will duly appreciate the importance of giving her sufficient encouragement to secure her continuance in the trade.

By the Star of China we have received Sydney papers to the sth inst. The PostOffice Packet for May had not arrived, so that their papers contHin no English news of later date than was received last week. The Sydney Morning Herald states, that it is intended by the British Government to divide the dioces-e of Australia, or that part of it which is included in the colony of New South Wales, into three, according to a plan submitted to the Government by the present Bishop of Australia, creating two new bish oprics ; one for Mcl" ourne, of which the district of Port Phillip would be the see ; and one for the northern district of the t colony, comprising- the whole territory to s the northward of the river Hawkesbury; leaving the district from the Hawkesbury to the Murray as the see of the Bishop of Australia. The Bishop, after premising that a stipend of two thousand a-year had been secured to him, in the most solemn manner, subject to any deduction on account of monies received from the Bishop's glebe, which had been up to that period unproductive, in order to accomplish objects which he believed to be essential to the welfare of the Church, voluntarily proposed to give up one half of his income, and to devote £600 per annum -as. part of a stipend for the Bishop of Melbourne, and the remaining £400 for the. northern see. Mr. Secretary Gladstone, in his despatch to the Governor, stating that the Queen had been pleased to sanction the creation of two new dioceses, requests his Excellency to convey to the Bishop the strong sense entertained by the ministers of the eminent purity and disinte • restedness of his Lordship's munificent offer, and of the wisdom of the plan with reference to the interests of the church over which ne presides. The income of the ice pf Aua-

tralia is to be £1,500, and the salaries of the southern and northern bishoprics £866 each ; £500 from the amount set apart for public worship, and £366 from the Colonial Bishops Committee ; and £2,000 is to be appropriated, when convenient, for an episcopal residence in each diocese.

An unusual scarcity of printing paper appears to exist at Sydney. The Sydney Morning Herald is the only newspaper adequately supplied, the proprietors of the other papers are reduced to all sorts of shifts. The Australian has for some time been printed on two sheets pasted together, and has latterly been printed on pink paper. Other news papers are printed on grocers' tea paper, and the smaller journals on cartridge paper. The Port Phillip Patriot has been compelled to reduce its size one-half, from the deficiency of paper. The Sydney Herald recommends the establishment of a paper mi^, for which there-appears to be a very good opening, from the demand in Sydney and the adjoining 1 colonies. We some time since recommended the establishment of a paper mill in this colony, and are of opinion that a cheaper and better paper would be manufactured from the New Zealand flax than from rugs: the manufacture of paper is not an expensive process requiring a large amount of capital, while, as is proved from the present scarcity, the market is sufficiently extensive to make the investment a profitable one.

Thb brig Bee arrived on Monday from Peraki and Akaroa, and anchored at the heads; she came into harbour yesterday afternoon. She will renaain in this port for one or two days, for the purpose of filling up with water, when she will resume her voyage to Sydney. She has on board seventy tuns of oil, and the officers and seamen belonging to the French whaler La Colonne, which was wrecked at Peraki.

The Committee of owners of Land Orders met lust evening at Barrett's Hotel, for the purpose of considering in detail the memorial io the. Directors of ihe New Zealand Company. After two hours' partial discussion, the Committee adjourned their sittings to this evening (W ednesday) at seven o'clock; we hope that persons interested in the objects of the meeting will not fail in their attendance.

Wellington Savings Bank. — Mr. Spinks, Mr. Robert Stokes, Mr. R. R. Strang, and Mr. W. Lyon, the Managers in rotation, will attend to receive deposits ht Mr. Ross's office, from seven to eight o'clock on Saturday evening, the 26th Sept., and at the Union Bank of Australia, from twelve to one o'clock on Monday forenoon, the 28th September.

Sydney Markets. — Wlieat, frotto 6s. 9il. to 7s. per bushel. Flour, £17 per ton for fine, and £15 for seconds. Maize, 4s. 9(1. per bushel. Engh.th barley, scarce and in demand; Cape barley, none. Butter, scirce and in demand. Cheese, sd. to 61. per Ib. Bacon and hams, 5| I. to 6d. pef Ib. Eggs, Is. pei doz. Fat sheep, Bs. (o 10s. each. Tallow, from £31 io £32 per ton. Hides, from 7s. to 9s. each.