New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Wednesday, January 6, 1847.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume III, Issue 150, 6 January 1847, Page 2

New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Wednesday, January 6, 1847.

Through the kindness of Capt. Graham of H.M.S. Castor we have received a Hobart Town Courier of 23d Dec, containing English news to 19th September, brought by the Sir R. Peel, which arrived from England two days before the Castor sailed, after an unusually quick passage of ninety-two days. We do not find in the Courier the slightest allusion to New Zealand affairs, nor can we learn through any private channel any Eng- < lish news relating to Zealand. The mail was on board the Tropic, which had not, arrived at the time of the Castor's leaving Hobart Town ; still any news of - a public nature would have transpired through the English journals. We may therefore be led to conjecture that the news of the rebels plundering and driving the settlers from the Hutt may have reached England in sufficient time to prevent the experiment of a proprietary government from being carried into execution. To this would succeed the new* of the murder of the Gillespies, and the other outrages committed by the rebels, which would prevent any Minister from incurring the grave responsibility of withdrawing from British subjects so peculiarly situated, the protection of the British Government, and transferring its authority to a private Company. We may also reasonably infer from their silence as to New Zealand t affairs, that the Bill for regulating the Go- ' vernment of New Zealand had not been introduced into Parliament during the last session. Should this prove to be the case, we shall be gainers by the delay, as it will allow further time for reflection, and for the receipt of information which must materially J influence the decision of the Colonial Minister. He would learn, if this truth had not previously reached him, that the interests of the Company and the settlers were not identical, and that their past experience of the New Zealand Company's management did not lead the settlers to desire any extension of authority to that body. We must for a short period still remain in igno* ranee as to the future, but there is reason for hoping that the rumours which have lately been so confidently circulated of the establishment of a proprietary government may prove to have been premature.

The Castor arrived on Saturday evening from Hobart Town, after a quick passage of nine days. We are informed she was detained by contrary winds a day off Van Diemen's Land, and two days by calms and contrary winds in Cook's Strait, so that the actual distance between the two places was' run in six days. The Castor sailed very early ij yesterday morning for Auckland.

The Leven, which arrived from Otakou °h^| the 3 1st, reports that whales are very plefr^H tiful to the southward, and that sever^H American whalers were engaged fishing* v^M Foveaux Strait. Capt. Baily of the Farti-^M tude, a Hobart Town whaler, formerly corn^^H mander of the Wallaby, who is well knpv^H in Wellington, had a very narrow esca^H

from being drowned. Two boats from the Ftrtitud* fastened to a whale, when one of them commanded by Capt. Baily upset, and two of the crew were killed. Capt. Baily contrived to save himself by clinging to the boati,and was found the next morning by the mate of his vessel nearly insensible. He had forced his finger into the plug-hole of the boat, and his finger swelling had prevented him from loosing his hold, and thus probably saved his life. The Leven has br.qught'to. supply of excellent butter and cheese from Mr. Deans' station at Port Cooper.. .

The Windermere was expected to sail on Ist October for Hobart Town, with Sir T. *W. Denison, the new Governor of Van Diemen's Land.

A party of the police were mustered on Monday night at Te Aro, and proceeded under the command of Major Durie to Wairiki, where they arrived by daybreak the following morning, with the intention of apprehending Petomi. The pa was searched most thoroughly, but without success, and it is supposed he must have crossed to the other side the Strait.

In the announcement of the approaching Anniversary Fete in our last number, it was stated by mistake that the Greneral Committee would meet on the fourth instead of the eleventh of January. We are requested to draw attention to the circumstance, and to state that the General Committee will meet at Barrett's Hotel, next Monday evening.

In a debate in the House of Commons, Augt. 14th, on a petition from Van Diemen's Land in favour of a Representative Assembly, Lord John Russell in reply to some observations by Mr. Hume, said he had no hesitation in telling him that he thought, " generally speakiDg the Representative constitution ought to be introduced further into our colonies." He then observed with reference to the petition — " I beg to say one word with regard to the cojony from which this petition comes — Van Diemen's Land, with regard to which my hon. iriend says truly, that the plan of sending great numbers of convicts there, year by year, has failed. It has been said that is owing to a policy adopted when I succeeded the Secretary of State for that department ; my policy wat to leave off the then system of transportation to New South Wales. But I intend to go further, and adopt in great part, though not altogether, the policy recommended in the works of the Archbishop of Dublin. My opinion is, that transportation ought to be very much diminished : I therefore intended to introduce bills to take it away, in cases of larceny, and only leave is in some very grave cases, and where the punishment ; of death was commuted. If that had been done, the number sent to Van Diemen's Land in a year, instead of 4000, would have been but 500 or 600."

Extract from private letter, dated Hobart Town. 23 December, 1846 :— " This island has been favoured with a fruitful season, pasturage is unusually abundant, the crops of grain are heavy with few exceptions, and the green crops are very promising. The price of wheat has fallen ; it is now worth t about 3s. 6d. per bushel in Hobart Town. At Launceston a large contract has been taken for flour, and to pay the contractor, the price of -wheat must not exceed 2s. 9d. per bushel, at which price I heard him assert he had bought, and was expecting to buy at 2s. sd. The accounts from New South Wales state that the harvest there has been abundant, therefore that market is closed for this season. The account of the Wool Sales has rather damped the prospects of the settlers, in that article, but the merchants seem disposed to buy freely at good prices, anticipating a reaction in the English market. I have heard no prices mentioned ; the principal sales will be effected in the course of a few weeks ; there are at present several vessels loading for London. " The five New Zealanders were removed last week to Maria .Island, a probation station ; I am unable to say whether subject to the usual discipline ; but I should rather suppose not. There is s very general feeling against the late proceedings in New Zealand ; b.ut I think it arises from jealousy, and many foundations of argument (facts as they term them) are utterly destitute of truth ; but some of the more respectable portions of the press have had the boldness to avow different sentiments. "The present Administrator of Government (J. C. La Txobe) is the head of a Commission of Enquiry into the existing ,#tate of Convict discipline, with the view to the adoption of some more efficient method of punishment and, reformation, the present system having notoriously failed of producing any one beneficial Effect ; in fact, it is acknowledged to be by for the wdrit hitherto tried."

Friday last, being, New Years -Day. the members of the Britannia Cricket Club met on Te Aro Fat for the purpose of celebrating the day, by playing a match between two elevens selected from the club. The day was remarkably fine, and a considerable number of persons attended to view the game. • There was sorod good play exhibited on both sides, and the batting of Mess. Deighton, Winteringham* Waring, and Clout, was very successful as will be seen on reference to the score below. We would urge the propriety of commencing the game, on the next occasion, earlier in the day. Great complaint was justly made of the non-attendance of several members at the specified time (viz., ll o'clock.)

• Wellington Savings Bank. — Mr. H. Ross, Mr. James Smith, Mr. W. Spinlcs, and Mr. C. Sharp, the Managers in rotation, will attend to receive deposits at Mr. Ross's office, from seven to eight o'clock on Saturday evening, the 9th January, 1 847, and at the Union Bank of Australia, from twelve to one o'clock on Monday forenoon, the 11th January. A general meeting will be held of the Managers and others interested in this Institution next Monday evening, at Barrett's Hotel, to receive the first annual report of the Superintending Committee.

Ist. Innings. 2nd. Innings. Mr. Catchpo.'l, b. Wai 1 - j ng 4 Bd. Cator. . . . 26 Mr. Moore, b. Ashmore 4 Bd. Waring.. 1 Mr. Giimstone, stump- (Randell) c, ed Cator 0 Cator 0 Lieut. Yelverton, R. A. c. Lardner... • 2 Bd. Aslunore 7 Lieut. Fosbroke, R. M. b. Ashmore 3 Not out 4 Wintringham,b. Wniing 24 Ct. Deigbton 49 Clout, stumped Cator.. 20 Ct. Laxdner.. 9 Yates, 99th regiment, c. Deighton .» •• 0 Bd. Cator.... 4 Benge, b. Ashmore 1 Ct. Young . . 2 Randell, not 0ut...... 5 Bd. Ashmore 0 Sergt. Dodds,b. Waring 2 Bd, Waring.. 4 63 105 Byes 10 Byes 6 Wide Balls 2 No 8a11.... 1 73 314 Total 187 Ist. Innings. 2nd. Innings. Mr. Cator, b. Clout S Bd. Clout 0 (Lardner) b. Major Bakpr, b. Clout 0 Catchpool.. 13 Lieut. Kane, R. N , b. (Young) run Clout 0 out 8 Mr. Deighton, b. Catchpo,ol 24 Bd. 11 Ct. WinteringMr. Lardnrr, c. Moore 0 ham - 8 Dr. Galbraith, b. Catchpool 3 Bd. Catchpool 0 Mr. Patten, (Lardner) b. Catchpool 0 Run out ...» 3 Waring R. A., b. Catchpool 8 Bd. Yates.... 39 Ashmore, c. Rundell.. 1 Leg b. wicket 0 Corp. Porter, 58th regt. c. Catchpool 3 Run out » . . » 8 Hopton, not out 1 Not 0ut...... 3 48 93 Byes 8 48 101 Total 149