New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Wednesday, June 28, 1848.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 304, 28 June 1848, Page 2

New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Wednesday, June 28, 1848.

It is impossible to conceive a greater separation of interests than exists between the Northern and Southern Provinces of New Zealand, or a place more isolated from the community to which it belongs, than the present nominal seat of Government. We seldom hear from it more than four or five times in the course of the year; three months frequently elapse (as in the present instance) between the intervals of communication. Our latest intelligence often arrives, second hand, by way of Sydney. Situated in the same island, Auckland appears entirely separated from us, and it is possible, in the dreary intervals that occur between the arrivals from the seat of Government, to have as late dates from London as from Auckland. Tt is a grievance of old standing, before steam vessels or ships of war were stationed at New Zealand, a complaint as often made in Capt. Hobson's as in Capt. Grey's time. And if direct communication between Auckland and Wellington is so infrequent, that between Auckland and the other Southern settlements is even more so ; in fact, the inhabitants of them seem only to know by a vague tradition that such a place exists. On the other hand, the communication between Wellington and the other Southern settlements is uninterrupted, not a week passes but a vessel arrives from one or more of the other settlements. Captain Grey has declared that the Northern Province is at present unfit for Representative Institutions, while on the other hand, he has stated that the Southern Settlements are peculiarly fitted to govern themselves. And yet, notwithstanding this declaration, and the separation or rather opposition of interests between the two provinces, a Legislative Council at Auckland* constituted on the old plan, may be entrusted with the task of preparing a Constitution for the Southern Settlements. We can hardly conceive such an absurdity, and yet it may easily be avoided. Although Auckland happens to be the nominal seat of Government, unless we err in our interpretation of the New Constitution, it is quite competent for the Governor- in- Chief to hold the session of the Legislative Council in either province, that being the seat of Government in which he resides at the time. We believe then if, under the new Act o* Parliament which may be shortly expected in the colony, Captain Grey were to hold the session of the Legislative Council in the Southern Province, selecting the non- official members from among the southern settlers, | he would best consult the general interests cf the colony, and succeed in framing a Constitution consonant to the wishes of its inhabitants.

Besides, if according to his Excellency's recorded opinion, " there never was a body of settlers to whom the power of local self government could be more wisely and judiciously intrusted than the inhabitants of the Southern settlements," it is plain they are more capable, not only of framing the necessary laws conferring this power so as to suit their own peculiar circumstances -and wants, but also be better able to prepare a constitution for those, to whom the power of local self government cannot at present be wisely and judiciously intrusted.

The Eagle arrived on Monday from Otakou after a passage of nine days, having met with baffling and contrary winds, and having been obliged to lay to for three days during a heavy gale from the north-east. This appears to be remarkable, as during this period the weather at Port Nicholson has been exceedingly calm, hardly a breath of wind stirring. The Harlequin arrived at Otakou from Sydney with a general cargo about a week before the Eagle sailed. She was coming on to Port Nicholson.

Government Notices. — The following public notices appear in yesterday's Govern' ment Gazette : — By a proclamation of his Excellency the Lieutenant Governor all convicts under sentence of transportation in this Province are to be sent to Van* Diemen's Land. The village of Aglionby, in the Hutt district, is appointed a place for holding Petty Sessions. Colonel Wakefield, Major Baker, and A. Hort, Esqr., are appointed visiting justices of the "Wellington Gaol. Captain Russell's quarterly report of the roads under his superintendence, and Mr. Fitzgerald's report of the Wairarapa Road, are published in yesterday's Gazette. By a comparative return of emigration and immigration at the Port of Wellington, it appears that 165 persons left, and 233 persons arrived at, this Port during the year 1847, shewing an excess of arrivals over the departures of 68 persons.

Complaints are made by storekeepers and persons in business of the scarcity of small change. Sixpences are abundant, more so in fact than the occasions of business require, but threepenny and fourpenny pieces and copper change are so scarce as to occasion inconvenience to those engaged in the retail trade.

We may mention as a proof of the unusual mildness of the season, that a bundle of fine asparagus was cut this week in Mr. Hort's garden, Te Aro. The season for cutting asparagus in Wellington usually commences about the end of August.