New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, May 29, 1847.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume III, Issue 191, 29 May 1847, Page 2

New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, May 29, 1847.

His Excellency the Governor arrived yesterday in H. M. Steamer Inflexible from Auckland, having called at Wanganui on his way hither. His Excellency on the occasion of his present visit is accompanied by Mrs. Grey. The Inflexible left Auckland on the 20th inst., and arrived off Wunganui last Monday morning, when his Excellency left the Steamer and proceeded up the river in the boats of the Steamer with the grenadier company of the 65th Ttegt., under Captain Wolfe and Lieuts. Bernard and Trafford, and the small arms men from the Inflexible, making altogether a force of one hundred and eighty men : there were six boats altogether, two small boats containing his Excellency and suite, Capt. Hoseason, Col. Wake Held, and the Rev. R. Taylor, two large boats, each having a gun in its bows, and the two-paddle box boats, each armed also with a twelve pounder. On his way to the town the Governor landed at Putiki pa with the Rev. R. Taylor, who had proceeded from Wanganui overland to Auckland and had returned in the Inflexible. He was very warmly received by these natives, who fired their guns, waved their caps and gave other demonstrations of their satisfaction at his arrival, and claimed his protection. His Excellency afterwards proceeded to the town. The following day an expedition of gun boats under the command of Captain Hoseason proceeded up the river, accompanied by the detachment of the 65th under Capt. Wolfe which marched along its banks; several shots were exchanged with the rebels, but they cautiously avoided coming to close quarters, and the expedition returned in the evening without having succeeded in bringing them to an engagement. The rebels are said to be about seven hundred strong, and are acting under Mamoku and Ngapara, they have commenced building a large pa about four miles from the stockade on the same side of the river. They have obtained possession of upwards of one hundred head of cattle belonging to the settlers, which they are killing and appropriating to their own use. Some of the cattle which had been driven across the river had been saved from falling into their hands. They have commenced a regular system of plundering, and destroying the houses belonging to the settlers. On a recent occasion (previous to the arrival of the Inflexible) a party of them under Maketu were engaged in plundering Mr. Churton's house in the town, when a fire was opened upon them from the lower stockade, by which Maketu mnd another native, a relation of Mamoku, were killed, and three others were wounded. Maketu was shot through the

head and his body was found in a sitting position. This chief who possessed considerable influence among the Wangfa-iui natives was one of tbe leaders in the disturbances last year under Rangihaeata, and,' on making his submission, had been pardoned by Major Richmond on his late visit to Wanganui. He has seized the hrst opportunity of again taking up arms against the Government and has shewn what little faith was to be placed in his professions. Besides the principal stockade, two other smaller stockades have been erected, one of them was formerly the Hotel, which has been well barricaded and rendered musketproof. It was from this stockade that Maketu was shot. Dr. Reess house has also been stockaded and strengthened for the reception of the settlers and. their families. The company of the 65th regiment under Captain Wolfe, amounting to 190 men, have been left as a reinforcement to the garrison at Wanganui, but Captain Lave is still in command as senior officer, ~*ltt&r the judgment and decision displayed by him during the late disturbances, show that he is well qualified to discharge the arduous and important duties entrusted to him. Te Wherowhero, the chief of the Waikatos, with Te Kate his younger brother, Tamate Waka, John Hobbs, and some other chiefs of minor importance, are in the suite of the Governor. Te Wherowhero is a middleaged man, very much tatooed on the face, and with a slight stoop or bend. He is clad in a blue shirt, but his brother and Tamate Waka are each habited in a suit of blue cloth. They all wear blue cloth caps with gold bands. Te Wberowhero is a chief of the greatest authority in New Zealand, and his presence in this district, and his decided attachment to the Government, cannot fail to have a favourable effect on the minds of the Natives, in disposing them to peace and submission to British authority. He is said already to have written to the Ngatiraukawas, apprizing them with laconic conciseness of his visit to this district, and of the part he intends to take. The Calliope had reached Kapiti, where she remained until Thursday, when she sailed for Wanganui. The Inflexible left Wanganui on Thursday evening. The Governor Grey was still at Wanganui when the Inflexible left. The promptitude which his Excellency has shown in visiting Wanganui, and in bringing additional reinforcements entitles him to the gratitude of the settlers, and cannot fail to produce a deep impression on the minds of the rebels, and this impression will be still further increased by the Calliope's visit with ammunition and other supplies. It will convince them that the Governor is determined to exert his authority in putting down this' rebellion, and that with the means at his disposal he has the power to concentrate such a force there as will speedily crush their opposition, and punish them for the outrages which they have committed.

By the Inflexible we have received New Zealanders to the 15th May, from which we have made a few extracts. Some convictions had taken place under the Arms Ordinance ; and a conviction under the Native Land Purchase Ordinance, for cutting and carrying away timber on native land without a license, but the fine, on an appeal by Mr. Robinson to the Governor, was subsequently remitted. We perceive by an announcement in the New Zealander that the Southern Cross newspaper will be again published in the course of a few weeks. The intelligence of Mr. Gilfillan's murder reached Auckland previous to the 15th, and a brief account of the facts appeared in the New Zealander. His Excellency was not fully aware that the Natives were in open rebellion against the Government until his arrival off Wans*anui, when a Native who came down to the beach, and made signs to the Steamer, on being brought on board, informed him of the events which had taken place subsequent to the date of his last despatches.

Massacre Bat Coal. — We are informed that the further trial made by the Inflexible of the Massacre Bay coal on her last passage to Auckland, has proved so satisfactory

that Captain Hoseason has again reported most favourably of them to-Captain Graham, and that in consequence an order fora large amount for the use of the Inflexible will shortly be given. This is all that was required to bring these coals into general use, and now that their value is practically established on the best authority, we have no doubt that the works at the pit will be carried on with great spirit, and that in the course of a few months the coal from Massacre Bay will be introduced into general consumption in this district.

Dollars at a Discount. — We call the attention of the commercial classes of this district to a subject peculiarly affecting their interests and which, unless timely precautions are adopted, may be the occasion of considerable inconvenience, and perhaps of pecuniary loss. We allude to the number of American dollars, and French five franc pieces now in circulation, which almost threaten the exclusion of the current coin of the realm. These coins, at present, are received in Wellington at the value of four shillings sterling. They have for some time past been lefused altogether at the Bank in this place, and this rejection has constantly thrown them into geneial circulation among the trading classes. At a meeting at Auckland of the principal merchants and storekeepers it was resolved that after the sixth of April they would only consent to receive dollars at the value of three shillings and sixpence sterling, and other coins in the Fame proportion. Now if these coins- continue to circulate here at the current value of four shillings sterling, a premium of twelve and a half per cent is offered to the merchants at Auckland to export their dollars to Wellington in exchange for British coin, of which they will not be slow to avail themselves, and an injury will thus be in-^ flicted on the community by a depreciated currency, similar in its consequence, but inferior in extent, to Captain Fitzroy's debentures. We republish the notice circulated at Auckland, and having called the attention of the community to the evil with which they are threatened, have discharged our duty. The remed^ is in their own hands : — " Notice. — In consequence of its appearing to the undersigned that the increase of Foreign money into this colony has, of late, greatly exceeded its legitimate introduction, through foreign commerce, and as its present current value is far above its intrinsic wo;th, and exceeeds hy about twelve and a half per cent its value in the neighbouring colonies — thus rendering it useless as a means of remittance : The undersigned have this day mutually agreed that from and after this sixth day of April, they will not take any more Foreign money, except at the same value as it bears in the sister colonies — namely, three shillings and sixpence sterling for dollars, and in the same proportion for other coins of greater or less value. J. I. Montefiore, J. Logan Campbell, R.&D. Graham, Gibson & Mitchell, Roderick M'Kenzie, Wellesley Hughes, George Russell, ,Henry Keesing, James George, YV'illiam Gome, Gundry & M'Donald, W. S. Grahame, David Nathan, Williamson & Crummer, Edward Hardy, Thos. S. Forsaith, Thos. C. Hallamore, J. & N. Simms, John M'Dougall, John Alexander Smith, H. R. Cretney, J. Woodhouse, James Macky. "Auckland, April 6, 1847."

Wkl'lington Savings Bank. — Rev. R. Cole, Mr. J. C. Crawford, Capt. E. Daniell, and Mr. Moore, 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 29th May, 1847, and at the Union Bank of Australia, from twelve to one o'clock on Monday forenoon, the 31st May.