New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Wednesday, April 5, 1848

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 280, 5 April 1848, Page 2

New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Wednesday, April 5, 1848

Through the kindness of Colonel Wakefield we have had the opportunity of perusing the last blue book published on New Zealand affairs, the contents of which are more than usually interesting. It contains Capt. Grey's despatches relating to the disturbances at Wanganui, with the reports received from the officers in command ut that station, the proceedings of the court irartial appointed to try the murderers of Mr. Gilfillan's family, and other official documents connected with the outbreak ; his Excellency's despatches relating to the disputed claims of the purchasers at the north under Captain Fitzroy's proclamations and crown grants, with the judgments of the Chief Justice Martin and Mr. Justice Chapman in M'lntosh's case ; those explaining in detail the arrangements entered into for the purchase of the Porirua and Wairau districts, and his proceedings at Tciranaki connected with the settlement of the land claims ; and a protest by the Bishop of New Zealand against the principle laid down by Lord Grey, in his despatch accompanying the charter and royal instructions, as to the future disposal of the lands of the natives, with a long despatch by Lord Grey in answer thereto. But the portion of the blue book which will be found at the present juncture of the greatest general interest, are the extracts from Captain Grey's confidential despatches stating some of the principal objections against the successful working of the New Charter, particularly in the Northern Province, from the numerical superiority of the native?, and the present unsettled state of the claims to land arising out of the purchases under Captain Fitzroy's proclamations, with Lord Grey's despatch in reply, allowing the force of these objections, and stating the intention of the Government to suspend for five years the operation of the Charter, and to apply to Parliament for a bill to reconstitute the Legislative Council with additional powers, among others to constitute Provincial Legislative Councils with the power of introducing representative members to be elected by the settlers. We have printed Lord Grey's first despatch suspending the operation of the Charter, and his subsequent despatch dated ten days later, in which the provisions to be introduced in the Act of Parliament are sketched out ; in our next number we intend to publish the extracts from his Excellency's despatches which led to this alteration ; for the present we shall content ourselves with remarking that the substitution of Provincial Assemblies in which the non-official members are elected by the body of settlers, for the cumbrous and complex machinery proposed by the New Constitution may be considered a very great practical improvement. Our remaining extract is Captain Grey's despatch relating to the Wanganui affair, with Colonel M'Cleverty's letter to his Excellency, and the Governor's letter to Captain Graham, the inclosures referred to in the despatch.

We have also re-printed an article from the Times on the Wanganui affair, in which Captain Laye's decision .and vigour receive due commendation.

The pioneers of the Otakou settlement have arrived at the country of their adoption. Intelligence was received by the Perseverance that the John Wicktiffe, a fine vessel of 662 tons, having twenty-nine passengers in the cabin, twenty-five in the forecabin, and sixty in the steerage, arrived at Otakou on the 22nd March, after an excellent passage of ninety-three days. The settlers appear to have had a prosperous voyage, and to have arrived at their destination in safety. The Philip Laing sailed from Greenock with twenty cabin, and 200 steerage passengers before the Wickliffe.lefa London, so that she may be shortly expected. Both vessels, after having discharged their cargo at Otakou, will come on to Wellington. With the view to prevent any inconvenience to the settlers from the want of supplies, the New Zealand Company have sent a large quantity of provisions in the Wickliff", which were to be sold to the newly arrived settlers at cost price. The main body of settlers for Otakou would leave Scotland in May. The efforts making in London to establish a whaling fishery company for carrying on whaling in the South Seas, and for restoring to British enterprize and capital this lucrative and important trade which for some years past has been almost wholly engrossed by the Americans and other nations, have received a temporary check from the recent disastrous panic in the mone\ market. The Company owes its origin to the indefatigable exertions of Messrs. Enderby, and a detailed account of the plan of its operations (extracted from the London papers) was published last year in this Journal. We are informed that instructions have been sent out to the Local Government to afford every facility for the colonization of Auckland Island, which is to be called Enderby Island, and which will form the chief station of the Company. Many of the first firms in London have taken shares in the undertaking. The New Zealand Company had taken up the Victory, a vessel of 400 .tons, which would sail for Wellington and the other southern settlements on the Ist February. The session of Parliament had commenced on the 18th November. From the Times 9th December, we perceive that the second reading of Mr. Anstey's bill for the further repeal of acts of Parliament imposing pains and penalties upon the Roman Catholics on account of their religious opinions, was carried by a majority of 168 to 135. Among the deaths we notice those of Mr. Liston, the eminent surgeon and operator ; Sir Charles Dalbiac, father-in-law to the Duke of Roxburgh; and Mendelsshon, the celebrated composer, in his 39th year. Several failures had. taken place in addition to those we have previously reported. The most remarkable were Messrs. Ransom & Co., Messrs. Twining, the eminent tea dealers, and Messrs. Cummins,, who, for the last forty years have been at the head of the bookselling and publishing trade at Dublin. The failure of this house had caused great excitement in Dublin.

A special Meeting of the Nejw Zealand Company was held at their House, Broad Street Buildings, 15th October, for the purpose of authorizing the Directors to borrow the sum of £136.000 from the Government, under the Act of Parliament passed during the last Session. H. A. Aglionby, Esq., was in the chair, and a very lengthened discussion ensued on several points connected with the interests of these settlements. From the general tenor of the proceedings, particularly from the observations of the Chairman, it does not appear that the Company are at present very sanguine as to any very successful result to their operations, but mean during the next three years to colonize in the best way they can, trusting that the chapter of accidents may ultimately turn in their favour. We will publish their report in our next number.

The Indian, which has for some time past been anxiously expected, arrived off the heads on Saturday evening, and came into harbour the following day, after a passage , of twenty weeks, having left the Downs on" the 18th November ; but later dates have been received from England by the Wick' liffe, whose mail was forwarded by the Perseverance from Otakou. The Indian has sixteen cabin and six steerage passengers, some of whom proceed on to Auckland.

The Eagle arrived yesterday from Port Albert with sheep and cattle, after a passage of seventeen days, having had a good deal of very heavy weather. Off Stephen's Island on Monday she saw a brig, supposed to be the Julia. Her stock is advertized for sale on Thursday

The Scotia arrived yesterday from Hobart Town, which she left on the 21st March ; she experienced very rough weather on the passage. On Saturday she spoke the schooner Harlequin in the Strait, which left this Port for Sydney on the 23rd ult.

It is reported that Mr. M'Carthy will proceed to Otakou as Collector of Customs at that port until some permanent arrangement is made. At present all goods may be landed there without payment of duty. No official appointments have yet been made, but this deficiency we suppose will soon be remedied.