New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, April 17, 1847.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume III, Issue 179, 17 April 1847, Page 2

New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, April 17, 1847.

We deviate on the present occasion from the rule we have hitherto prescribed to ourselves, to notice the communication of a " Friend to Faction"^ published in another paper. In doing this, we have no intention to renew a controversy which we consider closed by the unanswered and unanswerable letter of " an Enemy to Faction," published in the Spectator, whose arguments remain untouch^ ed, by the personalities.the misrepresentations and perversions of his opponents, but simply desire to expose the mis-statements and personalities directed by " a Friend to Faction" against ourselves. To prevent any mistake, we have reprinted the portion of his letter to which we allude.* His first charge, (it is unnecessary for us to do moi'e on the present occasion than to deny his unfounded assertion of any change in our opinions) — his first charge, we repeat is, that we have "refused to insert any further communications on the subject of the Wairau payment, unless they be in accordance with the views" we have "recently adopted." This we deny most emphatically, and believe it to be knowingly ajid wilfully untrue. When a charge is made, the onus probandi rests with the party making it ; we defy him, therefore, to bring forward a single instance of our having refused, as he says, to insert any further communications on the Wairau payment, unless in accordance with our views. But we will go farther, and refer him to the columns of this Journal, where he will find that in six of the last numbers, from the commencement of the controversy by " Justitia," to our last publication, a communication from one or other of the Faction has been inserted, containing a farrago of absurdities, mis-state-ments, and personalities hardly to be elsewhere exceeded in the same compass. But to .bring our charge home, that this unfounded accusation is made with a full consciousness by the party making it of its being untrue, we will cite him as a witness in his own cause. In his letter he says — " If A. O. has already dragged him from his hiding-place," &c, thereby quoting a

*The following is the passage above referred to : — To the Editor of the Independent. Sir,— The Editor of the Spectator (whose mental capacity would appear to be in an inverse ratio to his malignity) having with that tact which so eminently qualifies him tor conducting a journal to perdition, refused to insert any further communications on the subject of the Wairau payment, \inless they be in accordance with the views he has recently adopted; and one who j signs himself An Enemy to Faction (encouraged by the assurance thus given that his opponents should be silenced) having come forward to assist him in his efforts to conceal the breach of faith committed towards those, who, six months ago, handed over to him the Spectator on the express and sole condition of its advocating the principles upon which it was originally established, I must ask you to allow me an opportunity in your journal of making a few comments upon the letter of "An Enemy to Faction," and, although I feel assured that, even if I had no claims upon you, your knowledge of the duties of those wielding the public press, would ever make you ready to insert my observations, however lengthy, I shall make them as brief as the examination of the letter in question will permit.

letter by one of the Faction, published in the number immediately subsequent to that containing the letter of ' an Enemy to Faction/ and thus proving the falsehood of his own accusation. Buttbough we have, as we believe, satisfactorily refuted this charge, we are at the same time bound to assert the right of the Editor of a public Journal to exercise a proper discretion in accepting or rejecting the communications sent to him. All that can be expected or desired, is a fair opportunity for the expression of opinion on any controverted subject, and whatever a " Friend to Faction" may think, a dispassionate mind will be disposed to admit that this privilege has been stretched to its utmost limit, if it has not been abused, by our opponents on the present occasion. The next charge (of breach of faith to our Subscribers) involves a longer explanation and a personal reference to ourselves ; and though we feel some reluctance in obtruding on the Public any allusioa to our own affairs, it is rendered necessary by the iteration, by a "Friend to Faction," of the mis-state-ments of an " Old Subscriber." These writers seem to think that if their mis-state-ments are unnoticed or treated with silent contempt they may assume them to be admitted. But a brief sketch of the connection of its present Proprietor with the Spectator will suffice to dispel these misrepresentations. We were on a sick bed when, without our knowledge and in some degree against our wish, we were elected one of a committee of five persons appointed by the Subscribers to conduct the ls cv Zealand Spectator. The Paper was established to advocate the interests of the Settlers, and to " go forth as the avowed and recognised representative" of their opinions. To insure some control over the Committee by the Subscribers they were re-elected every six months, and that this control was exercised is proved by the fact that on each occasion there was a change in that body, either by some of its members retiring or by the addition of fresh members — until, at length, at the last meeting of Subscribers, (the management of the Paper having in the interval practically devolved on its ppresetn t Proprietor, who had continued from its first number one of the Superintending Committee,) a resolution was passed to the effect " that the Subscribers, satisfied with the manner in which the Spectator had been conducted by the present Editor, deem it unnecessary to appoint a Superintending Committee." This brief sketch will suffice to shew the nature of " the implied compact" of an " Old Subscriber," of the " express and sole condition" of a "Friend to Faction.'' The only intention of a Superintending Committee was "to exercise that control over the opinions expressed in the Paper, which would secure its continuing to represent the opinions of the Subscribers" — and this control after further experience was deemed by the Subscribers superfluous. The sole condition which we recognize, the only compact which exists, is that which generally obtains between a Public Journal and its Supporters, namely, that it shall honestly advocate their interests and represent their opinions. To establish his charge it would be necessary for our opponent to show that we have on this occasion misrepresented the sentiments of the community, and that the Settlers are not satisfied with the late arrangements made by his Excellency, but he has already admitted himself to be wrong on this point, having suffered judgment to go by default. We need take no further notice of this effusion, than to express our belief (from the similarity of style and other internal evidence which it affords) that it is the production of the author of the letter signed " Jus* titia." The same confident dogmatic style } the same turgid violence, which has all the contortions of the Sybil without her inspiration, is to be found in both letters. In his blind rage he has foolishly assailed an individual, with such an intensity of rancour that his violence cannot fail to recoil on himself. We leave this " Friend to Faction to answer as he best may the charge brought against him in this day's Spectator.

Resident Magistrate* Court. — Several convictions under the Cattle Trespass Ordinance have lately taken place before the Resident Magistrate, on the information of the Police, of persons who have suffered their goats and other animals to wander at large in the public streets. An instance also occurred this week of the application of a native to this Gourt for the purpose of recovering a small debt due to him, being the first instance since the establishment of the court. In all cases where natives are concerned the jurisdiction of the court extends as high as one hundred pounds.

Sailor's Funeral. — On Wednesday afternoon the funeral of a seaman belonging to H.M.S. Calliope, who had died at the Hospital, took place. The body was borne to the cemetery 'on the shoulders of his mess!mates, followed by a party of sailors, and a detachment of the 99th regt., and by the first lieutenant and other officers belonging to the vessel.

Wellington Savings Bank. — Captain W. B. Rhodes, Mr. S. Revans, and Mr. H. Ross, the Managers in rotation, will attend to receive deposits at Messrs. Johnson & Moore's store, from seven to eight o'clock on Saturday evening, the 17th April, 1847, and at the Union Bank of Australia, from twelve to one o'clock on Monday forenoon, the 19th April. \