New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Wednesday, December 9, 1846.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume III, Issue 142, 9 December 1846, Page 2

New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Wednesday, December 9, 1846.

Although we are strongly of opinion that the less said of last Thursday's meeting the better, still as the chairman has come forward to do battle in its favour and to jus-

. tify its proceedings, we feel bound, out of ' respect to the great majority of those who ' were present at it, not to allow his statements to pass unnoticed. We beg, however, that it must be distinctly understood, that in again alluding to this meeting, we do I so, not with the slightest desire to perpetu- ! ate any angry feelings or difference of j opinion which may have been created by the j absurd and impolitic course pursued by the i originators of it, but solely with the hope of j being able, in some measure, to counteract ! the mischievous tendency of such a meeting i — to prevent a recurrence of similar scenes, i -and to vindicate tho*e present at it from any j imputation of sanctioning the proceedings in question. We will now notice the main points of the chairman's letter, more espe- ! cially those impugning the accuracy of the few and hasty observations we made in our last number. Although we asserted that the meeting was thinly attended, on the authority of several who were present, and who assured us that the room was not half filled, we are willing to take the chairman's word, (who generally, from his position, is the best judge of the numbers) " that it was numerously attended" and if it will at all allay his ire, to apologise for this inaccuracy. But having made this concession, we must stoutly maintain the complete accuracy and entire truth of all our other statements. With regard to the respectability of the meeting, as we never in the slightest dogree questioned it, we are of course not called upon to defend ourselves from an accusation utterly unfounded, and which appears to have been invented by the chairman, for certain claptrap purposes of his own. Nay, we are decidedly of opinion that the chairman might have safely spared himself the trouble of vindicating the respectability of the meeting (even if a doubt had been cast upon it) for that, we conceive, was sufficiently manifested, by those present so strongly and unequivocally expressing their disapprobation oi the personalities vomited forth by one or two of the speakers, and also by several leaving the room, when those personal attacks commenced. As to our assertion, that it was generally believed that the parties calling the meeting were actuated by selfish and personal motives — were in fact impelled by private resentments — however sceptical the chairman may profess hi*nselfas to such being the case, we are satisfied to rest the assertion first, upon the admissions made by the parties themselves, that they intended to pay off old debts — to satisfy grudges of long standing — and secondly, also, upon the absence at the meeting of many, whose opinions upon the Company's Twentieth i Report, would otherwise have guaranteed tht ir attendance. Our reference to the absence of those, who usually have taken a part at public meetings, was rendered necessary by one of the speakers having attacked those parties for not being present, and by his having at the same time : attributed to them all kinds of discreditable mbtives. We explained, that their absence was solely occasioned by their unwillingness to be mixed up with personal squabbles — and by their determination not to be parties to proceedings calculated to throw discredit upon all future public meetings. They believe that public meetings, when properly conducted, may be of essential service in ob taining many objects of real importance to the colony — and in proportion to the strength of their conviction, is the regret they feel at the attempt to destroy their efficacy and making them the theatre of such scenes as were indulged in last Thursday. The chairman draws, or at least attempts to draw, certain refined and subtle distinctions in reference to what constitutes gross personal abuse. But, as we do not exactly understand his distinction, as most people have tolerably accurate perceptions of what really constitutes personal abuse, and as we do not pretend, whatever insinuations the chairman may throw out, to be adepts at it, we need not criticise his remarks upon this point, more eppecially, as he himself must admit, that the hissing with which certain personal remarks were received, proves most incontestably-tMt the meeting I considered them in the same light as we

did and still do — (viz., as gross personal abuse,) and fully justifies our assertion that the proceedings were not creditable to tbe parties concerned in them. We come now to the result of the meeting, and we express ourselves still of the opinion that it was a complete failure. If we regard the meeting as convened by the advertisement in this paper, what do we find ? The advertisement is withdrawn — a sort of apology is offered, in deference we presume to public opinion, for inserting it by its author — and no resolution whatever on the subject is even attempted, so that this meeting was clearly either a failure or a hoax. Some may incline to the former — some to the latter opinion, but all will admit that such a hoax was unjustifiable. But suppose that the meeting Was held (as the chairman asserts) in pursuance of the advertisement in the Independent, we still cannot see that a better case is made out for it. Most of the speakers made their observations in connexion with the Spectator's advertisement. And instead of certain resolutions being moved and passed, they were merely read, for the purpose of being considered at some future meeting. The meeting, in short, ended in smoke. Nay, if the truth must be told, it was so manifest to all, that an injudicious step had been taken, that those present gladly seized upon the expedient ingeniously suggested by one, who saw the false position in which the settlers had been placed by the parties calling it, of muking it merely a preliminary meeting. Having thus maintained the accuracy of the statements impugned by the chairman, we will briefly notice the objects proposed in the two advertisements, and thus shew, how absurd are the inferences drawn from our former remarks by the chairman, who, by the way, seems in his letter vastly more disposed to make personal attacks than to promote public objects. As the Company's Agents have unquestionably certain duties to discharge towards the settlers generally, we conceive, that if these duties are performed unsatisfactorily, the settlers have an undoubted right to petition for the recal of the agents, or to lay their complaints in whatever shape they may deem expedient before the Court of Directors. But more than this, as a great portion if not the whole of the expense of the Company's establishments in these settlements, are a charge upon the land fand, we maintain that the Company's agents ought to be held in a great measure responsible to the land purchasers, and if the latter deem these establishments useless — if they believe that the tendency of such offices is to stifle ths complaints of the settlers and to prevent their opinions from reaching the Directors, they are bound at least to protest against their land fund being burdened with any such charges. An irresponsible Government is detestable — but an irresponsible local executive of a joint stock company is infinitely worse and more mischievous. Such matters as these are fair subjects for discussion — but the parties who called last Thursday's meeting, only cared for them so far as they afforded them an opportunity of gratifying their private resentment. With respect to the Company's 20th Report, there can be but one opinion as to the desirableness of an expression of public opinion upon it. Nay, if the settlers believe that the views promulgated by the Company in the Report and in their recent correspondence with Mr. Gladstone, are not only absurd and impolitic, but would, if carried out, inevitably prove fatal to the very existence of tbe colony — if they are satisfied in their minds, that the course hitherto vigorously pursued by Captain Grey, is the only course consistent with their welfare and safety, then they are bound not to remain silent, but to repudiate the views contained in that Report, and publicly to condemn the policy now advocated by the Directors ; if again, they are indignant at the unjust and ungenerous attack made by the Directors upon Captain Grey — the only Governor who has shewn himself sincerely desirous of placing the prosperity of the colony upon a firm and lasting basis — the only Governor, who

has proved himself equally able and determined to grapple with and overcome the difficulties bequeathed by his predecessors, then, we say, the settlers one and all should unite, in denouncing their cowardly attack, and at the same time in strengthening his Excellency's hands by expressing their unqualified approval of his past proceedings. Moreover, if they are convinced by the past history of Proprietary Governments, that to confer s-uch favour upon the New Zealand Company, would prove disastrous to the prospects of the colony, they are imperatively called upon to remonstrate again 3 such a form of government being imposed upon them, and to reiterate their conviction that Representative Institutions can alone insure the permanent contentment and happiness of the colonists. Such being, we believe, the views entertained by the great body of the settlers, we cannot but regret, that the meeting convened for next Thursday should be merely an adjourned meeting — a continuation of the one held last week — for many will feel themselves precluded from attending. We have abstained from noticing the insolent tone adopted by the chairman in his letter towards ourselves, as our sole object is to prevent in future the intrusion of personal squabbles at public meetings.

The Julia arrived yesterday from Hobart Town, via Nelson, which she left the 3rd inst. By the kindness of Mr. Waitt we have been furnished with Hobart Town papers, containing 1 mportant English news received via India by the overland mail to the 7th August, from which we have made copious extracts^ The following ministerial arrangements have been made in addition to those previouslygiven in the Spectator. Under Secretary foi the Colonies Mr. B. Hawes; Lords of the Treasury — Admiral Dundas. Hon. F. Berkely, and Hon. W. Cooper ; Joint Secretaries of the Treasury— J. Berkely, and J. TufFnell ; Secretaries Board of Control — Right Hon. G. S. Byng, and T. Wyse ; Board of Ordnance — Surveyor, Colonel Fox ; Clerk, Hon. G Anson ; Secretary, Lord C. Paget ; Solicitor General, J. Jervis ; Judge Advocate, C. Buller.

It is currently reported that a detachment of 160 men will very shortly proceed to Wanganui under Oapt, Lave for the protection of that settlement. The following officers, it is said, will accompany the detachment — Captain Lave, Lieuts. Pedder, Balnevis, and Hay, Dr. Alleyne, and Ensign Barker. Lieut. Collinson of the Engineers, who has recently arrived in the Government brig, will proceed to Wanganui for the purpose of erecting a strong stockade for the accommodation of the troops, which will also serve as a de&nce to the settlers in the event of any attack by the natives.

New Barracks. — Tenders for a weatherboarded barrack intended to afford temporary accommodation to the troops, have been advertised for. It is understood that the new buildings will be erected on Mount Cook, the site originally fixed upon for barracks byCaptain Smith, of the Royal Artillery, in arranging the plan of Wellington ; and we are glad to record this confirmation of the judgment and experience of that officer in making the original selection. A Powder Magazine is also to be commenced immediately.

A neat tablet has been placed in Wellington churchy to the memory of Sergeant Ingram and the men of the 58th regt. who were killed while gallantly defending the camp on the Hutt from the attack of the rebels on the Bth May. The tablet has been erected at the expence of Lieut. Page and their surviving comrades.

A further reward of One Hundred Pounds has been offered for the apprehension oi Petomijwho is charged with the murder of Hobtnan. Half the money will be paid on his apprehension, and the other half upon his conviction of the offence. Fifty pounds of the above reward has been raised in a few days by public subscription among the settlers, the remainder will be paid by the - Government.

The unusual continuance of dry weather will be severely felt in the pastures which are already assuming a brown and parched appearance. The gardens are also suffering for want of rain, and from the ravages of a species of grub or caterpillar which has been very destructive, particularly to the crops of early potatoes. This is .the seventh week without rain. . '

Another severe shock of an earthquake was felt on Saturday evening about 7 minutes to 9. The number of shocks within the last few days has been unusually great, and they have been more than ordinarily severe.

Wk must apologise to our readers for being obliged, from the unusual scarcity of printing paper in the colony, to publish the Spec t-.tor on blotting paper. We are in daily expectation of receiving a fresh supply of paper by the next arrivals, when we hope to be relieved from the inconvenience of our present dilemma.

Fresh Meat. — The contract to supply H.M.S. Calliope with fresh beef, was taken on the sth inst, by Mr. Luxford at 5f d per lb. The former contract was supplied by Mr. Revans at 8d per lb.

Dr. Best started with 32 head of cattle yesterday for Manawatu, and a considerable number of other live stock is about to be dispatched for the same quarter. In consequence of troops being ordered to Wanganui, confidence of safety in that neighbpurhood is already in a great measure restored.