New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Wednesday, August 23, 1848.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 320, 23 August 1848, Page 2

New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Wednesday, August 23, 1848.

Among the many pleasant fictions in which our neighbours at the North indulge, not the least among them is that in which they arrogate to themselves the exclusive privilege of representing New Zealand. L'Afrique, said Marshal Bugeaud, c'est moi! and our neighbours at the North, if our contemporaries are their faithful expositors, believe themselves to be the settlers of New Zealand. That dying swan, the Anglo M'H'H Warder, — who, by the way, if he wants an epitaph may appropriate one made on a similar occasion If so soon I have been done for, I wonder what I was begun for. — talks of the settlers being "arrayed almost to a man against Governor Grey." Whence this fierce hostility? whence this-universal dislike ? we confess we perceive no symptoms of it here ; nor could we have judged so hardly of our contemporary's logic, as that he should suppose the minor to include the major ; — that he should imagine the land shark faction, a mere section of the inhabitants of Auckland, to represent the settlers of New Zealand. To dispose of the matter in a few words, and we regret our present space will not allow of a lengthened argument, the faction at the North affect a tender regard for native rights, and desire to be considered their champions, but only that they may trade in land themselves. In the South we are equally solicitous that native rights, whatever they may prove to be, should be respected, and that in any acquisitions of land by the Crown, a liberal and generous policy should be pursued towards the natives. But here is the cardinal point on which we differ. We wish to see the right of pre-emption by the Crown maintained ; we wish to see these lands, when acquired from the natives, appropriated to the public benefit ; the proceeds fairly accounted for, and spent in immigration, and other public objects ; while our neighbours at the North appear to desire that the right of pre-emp-tion should be waived in their favour, andthe good old times of Captain Fitzroy restored.

We un lei-stand that the Queen, to mark her approbation of the services rendered to this colony by his Excellency the Governor-in-Chief, has been pleased to confer on him the distinction of K.C.B. A rumour of the distinction conferred on his Excellency hud previously reached the colony through the Australian papers, hut recent intelligence has confirmed the report. We heartily congratu ate his Excellency, as one whom the Queen delighteth to honour, and hope, before his connexion with New Zealand may cease, that many peaceful triumphs are* yet in store to mark the wisdom of his policy. It was the dying boast of Augustus — Romam lateritiam invenit, marmoream rtliquit; we hope Sir George Grey, whenever be leaves this colo-

Ny, may have to say — I found New Zeahml, on ray arrival, in a state of anarchy, I leave ft one of the most prosperous dependencies of the British empire.

We have great satisfaction in publishing, from yesterday's Gazette, a well merited tribute f ora the Executive Council of ibis Province to Cipuin St-nley, and the officers an I crew of H.M.S. Calliope, for their zeal and activity during the period of their service on the southern coast of New Zealand. It must be equally gratifying to these gallant men, on their departure, to witness the piesent peaceful and prosperous state of this Province, attributable in a great measure to their exertions, and to know that even Rangiliaeata, who on their first arrival, was so formidable as the author of the disturbances they assisted to quell, though still the same turbulent savage, Las dwindled into comparative insignificance.

By the Louis and Miriam Sydney papers have been receiTed to the 7th inst., containing English news received via Port Phillip to the 13th April. The warlike intelligence received by the Muhomwd Shah had not been confirmed, but war between Austria and the Italian States had actually broken out, and two battles had b en fought in which the Austrian troops had been de'eatpd. A British man-of-war, supposed to be H.M.S. Havannih, 22, Captain Erskine, was entering Sydney Heads, as the Louis and Miriam was leaving, but the latter was not sufficiently near to speak her. The Havannah sailed from Portsmouth on the 6th of April for New Zealand, calling on her way at Madeira, the Cape of Good Hope, and Sydney.

The Louis and Miriam brought the March and April mails for the Southern Settlements, containing about four thousand letters and newspapers ; t ose for Wellington were ready for delivery at 10 o'clock on Monday morning, our excellent Post Master, Mr. Hoggarl, with his usual desire to accommodate the public, having devoted the whole of Sunday 10 the task of sorting them. At Auckland there are two persons engaged in the Post Office, but at Wellington, where the business is fully as great if not greater, Mr. •Hoggard discharges the whole duties of (he establishment. We may mention, in evidence of our assertion, that within the last three days nearly seven thousand letters and newspapers have been received and despatched through the Wellington Post Office.

Whaling Stations. — The following is the latest report from the whaling stations at Hawke'sßay: — Morrisons, 36 tuns; Lewis's, 28 tuns ; Perry's, 32 tuns ; Portland Island, 25 tuns. At Mr. Jenkins station, at Waikanae, 9 tuns have been obtained.