New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, April 24, 1847.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume III, Issue 181, 24 April 1847, Page 2

New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, April 24, 1847.

In the last numbers of the Ncr Zealander we observe a reference is made to the flourishing condition of the revenue of the Northern Division of the Island, which was still on the increase. In the interval of expectation, before the division' of the colony into two separate Governments is made, it may be useful to institute a comparison between the revenue of the two divisions of the island. We regret that for the want of necessary information we shall only be able to do |his imperfectly, still the data before us, though imperfect, will be sufficient for our present purpose. The revenue of Auckland and Russell for the quarter ending 30th September, 1846, (without including the proceeds of sales of Crown Lands amounting to £122 : 10 : 4d.) was £2,587 10 : 2d. ; for the quarter ending 30th December (exclusive also of sales of Crown

Lands £145 : 16 : 6d.) the amount was £4,181 :5 : Od. This is the amount of the ordinary revenue derived by Government from the Northern portion of the island, during these quarters respectively. The revenue of this district, for the quarter ending 30th September, 1846, was £2,408 : 1 : lid; of Nelson, during the same period was £449 : 11--: 7d., together amounting to £2,857 :13 : 6d. ; for the quarter ending 31st December, 1846, the revenue of this .district was £2,704 :19 : Bd. ; of Nelson £471 : 8 : 10d., making a total of £3,176 8 : 6d. The revenue derived from Customs only in the Northern Department was, in the September quarter. £2,250 : 4 : 9d., in the December quarter, £3,713 : 6 : lOd. The great difference in these two quarters was caused not only by the increasing amount of Customs collected at Auckland, but also by the difference in the amountscollected at Russell, amounting in the September quarter only to £11 : 17 : Od., arid' in the December quarter to £253 : 11 : 6d. The revenue derived from Customs only in this district in the September quarter was £1,952 :5 : Bd. ; at Nelson, £267 :6 : lid.; and at New Plymouth, £212 : 17 : Od. ; making a total of £2,432 :9 : 7d. ; for the December quarter the amount of Customs at Wellington, was £2,459 : 1 : 6d. ; and at Nelson, £437 :16 : lOd. ; making a total of £2,896: 1 8 : 4d. We have no means of ascertaining the amount of Customs collected at New Plymouth during the December quarter, but in the absence of official data, assuming the amount to be the same as the previous quarter (in all the other districts the returns show an increasing revenue), this would apparently leave a balance in favour of the Northern Division of about £600. We say apparently, for we think the following considerations will show that cczteris fiaribus the amount of the n venue produced by the trade of the settlements in Cook's Strait equals, if it does not exceed that produced in the Northern division of the island. By a regulation of the Home Government, it is directed that the contractors supplying spirits to the troops shall pay the duty at the Custom- House, instead of receiving the spirits in bond, and afterwards receive the amount of duty so paid from the Commissariat on presenting the proper certificates ; the effect of this regulation, which has been some time in operation at Auckland, but which has only been recently enforced here, would alone be nearly sufficient to account for the difference. A good deal has been said about the Government expenditure ; but we believe the balance will be found in favour of Auckland. The expenditure on account of troops in the Northern division is at least as great as in this district ; the head-quar-ters are also fixed #t Auckland ; the same may be said of the ships of war ; while it is notorious that the ordinary expenses of the civil department of the Government are half as much again at Auckland as in this district. In this cursory examination we do not include the amount spent on the roads, because that is an item which does not enter into the regular Government expenditure. The best criterion of the comparative prosperity and importance of the two divisions of this colony will be afforded after the contemplated changes have been made, when the Northern and Southern divisions are constituted separate governments, the advantage which at present preponderates in favour of Auckland, from its being the seat of Government, will in some degree be neutralized by this arrangement, while an an additional impulse will be given to enterprise by local institutions and self-govern-ment. If emigration from England is renewed, this forward movement will become still more vigorous, and any attempt to carry out the Otakou scheme will increase the imporance of the Southern division by establishing another settlement. The last quarter's revenue of this district amounted to £4011:4:10, of which the! Customs amounted to £3925 : 7 : 8, and if ' we suppose the revenue to increase during the present year in a similar progressive ra- ' tio to that of last year, the amount of the revenue of the Southern settlements for | 1847 will be double the amount of any for-

mer year, and be equal to. the whole of the revenue collected in New Zealand in any year during Captain Hobson's or Fitzroy'3 administration. In closing this cursory examination, we may express our confident anticipation, from a reference to these returns, that after the separation, the amount of revenue raised in the Southern division will fully equal, if it does not exceed the amount collected in the Northern division of the island, supposing that Auckland still remains the Capital. But if the Supreme Government is transferred to Wellington, the difference in favour of the Southern division will "be still greater.

In the late trial, the Queen on the prosecution of W. Wakefield v. D. Scott, the jury after having been locked up twenty-four hours, were discharged, being unable, to agree upon , their verdict. We must postpone the report of the trial to our next publication.

We alluded in our last number to the report of a regiment to be raised for the service of New Zealand ; we have since been informed that this force will be in the nature of a Veteran Battalion, and be composed, for the most part, of persons who have served in the army and received their discharge, but who are still fit for service. They will be sent out with their wives and families at the expence of Government, and receive a portion of land, which after a certain ndmber of years service will be confirmed to them by a grant from the Crown. This will be colonization of the best kind, for while it provides for the safety and protection of the colony, it establishes a numerous country population of the best description. We hope, if any of the commissions in this force should be placed at the disposal of his Excellency, the officers of the militia of this district who were actively engaged in the military operations last winter, will not be forgotten,

The following notice has been issued by his Honor Major Richmond : Whereas, it has been ascertained that sundry persons within the Southern district are possessed of arms, gunpowder, and warlike stores to an extent not authorised by the Or dmance in tit titled " Arms Ordinance," No* 18, Session 7 : And whereas, the possession of such arms and wailike stores is inconsistent with .the public safety : Notice is hereby given, that on application to his Honor the Superin endent, or any ol her Majesty's Justices of the Peace, a license will be granted for removing and carrying such arms and warlike stores to the public magazine in Wellington, there to be deposited (or safety : And ail parties are hereby cautioned from having in their possession a larger quantity than is required for actual protection, and that from and after this date the most strict enquiry and search will he made for such arms, gunpowder, and warlike Stores. By order of his Honor the Superintendent, S. E. Grimstone, Acting Secretary. Wtllington, April 20, 1847.

Intelligence has been received by the Gipsy of a robbery committed by the natives at Auridi on the Flying Fish, which put in there on her way from Auckland to Tahiti, for the purpose of obtaining a supply bf pigs and potatoes. The natives were not content to trade in the regular way, but rushed the vessel and took seven casks of tobacco, a quantity of blanket*, prints, and other trade, for which they gave in return a quantity of potatoes, and some pigs which the master of the vessel did not stay to receive. They also took from Mr. Alexander, who has established a trading store there, a large cask of tobacco, for which they have promised to give a quantity of pigs. The natives in this district have always been violent and. unruly and difficult to deal with ; and such proceedings will have the effect of discouraging traders from visiting their district.

Since our last number we ha\e had the opportunity of trying the coal recently brought from Massacre Bay, and can confidently pronounce it i.o be superior' to any former samples we have seen of it. The chief objection which formerly existed to its use in private families was the sulphurous smell emitted on combustion, and this objection, though not altogether obviated, is by no means so strong as with former samples. But if an order for coals were once given of sufficient amout to induce the works to be commenced on an enlarged scale, we believe that on sinking a shaft of very moderate depth below the surface, the stratum of coal would be found to be so superior as to ensure its being brought into general use. This is a question of some importance to this settlement ; the price of firewoou in Wellington, from its increasing scarcity, is rapidly

advancing ; eveiy month diminishes the quantity in the neighbourhood of the town and increases its cost ; if good coal could be obtained at a moderate price, it would speedily become an article of general consumption.

A pig about four years old, was killed this week in Wellington by a person of Duffield weighing 504^plbs.

-Wellington Savingsßank — Mr.Schultze, Mr. James Smith, Miv Spinks, and.Mr. Bethune, 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 24th April, 1847, and at the Union Bank of Australia, from twelve to one o'clock on Monday forenoon, the 26th April.