New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, December 16, 1848.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume V, Issue 352, 16 December 1848, Page 2

New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, December 16, 1848.

In our last number we took occasion, in treating of the pi oposed Legislative Council, to consider some of the advantages which would result to the- settlement from its adoption. We endeavoured in a few words to show that, as a temporary measure, it would afford the settlers the opportunity of strengthening the' hands of the Governorin- Chief, and by their hearty concurrence enable him to carry out with increased,vigour all that was calculated to promote the real interests of the colony, while the preponderance of the non-official members, would prove a useful check in modifying or preventing any unwise, or ill-considered measures. Another advantage to be derived from local legislation is the application of local experience. in suggesting the. measures necessary for the benefit of each .settlement. .Now where each settlement possesses its; distinct peculiarities, it is possible, with the | best intentions to inflict a seriqus^injury, where we intend to confer an advantage!,; through ignorance of circumstances, from;

want of the. necessary local information. If we refer to Home or Colonial Legislation the result is still the same." -Each succeeding Colonial Secretary has Tesolved and re-xe-solved, but has paused before finally deter, mining, for additional information, and while thus waiting, has left his unfinished plans to ybe altered by his successor, or if, as, in the; instance of the late Constitution, he has acted in the absence of information, it has led to more grievous errors and still greater loss of time. In our Colonial Legislation how many ordinances have been disallowed, modified, amended, simply because for the want of the necessary local experience they were found inapplicable to all the circumstances of the case. And the application of this local experience will be found an inestimable advantage in suggesting such practical improve-ments-krtne, constitution of these Councils as' would make them more suited to the wants of the settlers and gradually prepare the way for direct representation. Let us for a moment consider some of the disadvantages that, would result from a refusal of the Governor's offer. — An obvious and important one would be the suspension of the present Government expenditure. — We believe, if his Excellency were to leave Wellington under the conviction that the settlers were unanimous in rejecting his proffered offer, an immediate stop would be put to the roads and they would be left unfinished. The Government expenditure on roads in this settlement aione for the twelve months ending 30th Sept., 1848, according to the returns published in the Government Gazette is £16,000, The total European population in Wellington, including children, according to last year's official return, was 4500. 130 that to carry on these works on the present scale would require a direct taxation of £3 10s. a head. In New South Wales I when Representative Institutions were conferred, the Government expenditure was immediately stopped, and though the amount of taxation has greatly increased, their roads inmany districts are impassable or very greatly out of repair. If we co rnpare the present state [ of this settlement to what it was three years ago we shall iii every district see t^e spreadof cultivation, an increased extent ofMantl cleared, the number of carts daily traversing these roads loaded with produce for the supply of the town, multiplied' in an enormous ratio, all substantial proofs of prosperity which these roads have introduced. Let us turn to the' native population, and consii der the great benefits it has conferred upon them, and through them on the settlement, in making them useful labourers, in teaching them the habits of civilized life, and in converting them into a contented, peaceable, laborious, agricultural population, whose time is usefully employed in adding to the wealth of the country, and who expend the fruit of their labours in the purchase of British manufactures — r luxuries but a few years since untasted, 'but now from use become to them necessaries of life. Are we in a condition to carry on . these works at our own cost ? — Are we seriously determined to inflict on the settlement so heavy a blow, so great a discouragement, as by our own suicidal act to, cause their, suspension ? Will the respectable colonists of New Zealand, instead of cordially co-operating with his Excellency for, the benefit ' of their adopted country, incur the heavy responsibility of permitting his plans, which have hitherto succeeded so well, and produced so much good, to be defeated, by, the sneers and misrepresentations of a few factiouspersons who aim at obtaining an easyvnqtoriety.by opposition to the Governor, but who refuse to assist in any plan for the benefit of the colony ? It has been said Ten censure wr,ong for pne who writes amiss, but how many l are 1 to be found wHord© can cavil and raise objections but who can do nothing else ?—lf'the? — If 'the community were made fully, acquainted with the plans and intentions of the. Governor, • we are persuaded they would = not halt v long,- between two opinions, they would unanimously agree in assisting him, to promote the ' true interests lof. the colony; j.» or-\ < '-' • A principal objection made to the constitution of the C6uncilbV its" opponents is, th,e no-

urination of the non-official members, and it is endeavoured to concert the word Nominee int© a term of reproach.. But we maintain that these. . members, .when once they have taken their seats, will- be as independent as any representatives could be. It is but fair to .suppose they will discharge 'their duties honestly and conscientiously, and if they ShoJuld find thafr : no good can be effected by yaie ]new form of Government they can reretire and throw the whole responsibility of the "failure .upon 'the Governor. But, by refusing to act, they incur the imputation of a fac^ous opposition ,'to the Government and retard the advancement of the colony, if, indeed, they do not inflict a permanent injury on' it. And if representative institutions were bestowed upon the settlement to-mor-row^ is it to be supposed thjjt we should be jreally free, .from any undue influence or bias, that the .sentiments and opinions of the settlers would be fairly represented. ' Our recent experience is sufficient "to convince us that there* are thojsCS; .who would afiowjSo opinions to pass curaenti but their. oWn; whose J notion of liberty • is, the liberty of doing^^they please,— it is in vain, to hope for Tre^dom of representation, if an elective council is established we shall become the victims of an irresponsible tyranny, secretly, but not the less certa : oly exercised; we shall have Nominees but of a worse kind, we shall rijvet. pur fetters without any hope of deliverance — and until there are two Banks in this Settlement — if we are to Jja^nomineps — let them be the nominees of the

Wbj have been favoured' with the. loan of a Sydney Horning Herald, (Nov. 15 th) containing English news to August 14th. An abortive attempt at rebellion had been made in Ireland, which was • promptly suppressed fry the Government, and Mr. Smith OBrien and other, .leaders were. . taken prisoners. The Sawn had sailed- for New Zealand on the' -29th July. Extracts containing the most interesting intelligence will be found in this day's Spectator.

Cricket. — The match between the civilians and eleven . selected from the military stati- j oned in Wellington and the officers of H M.S. Havannak came off on Wednesday/ There was some very good play on both' sides, but the civilians were out of practice and* inferior, in fielding, as was evident from the number of b} T es made by their opponents. On the part of the army', Mr. Hamley wSs J a host in himself, having scored 62 runs in the second innings ; the. batting also of the officers of H.M.S. Havannah and of Capt. Murray of the 65th regiment was excellent. The return match will, we understand, be played next Tuesday. We will publish the particulars of the score in our next number. The following is the score of each innings : Army and Navy, Ist Innings, 109 ; 2nd Innings, 153; Total, 262. Civilians, Ist Innings, 59 ; 2nd Innings, 90 ;" Total, 149. The Army and Navy winning by 1 13 runs.

Programme of the Performance, by the Band of the 65th Regiment, at Thorndon Flat, on Tuesday, the '.19tt December : — 1. Overture — Les Paritains.Y . .' Bosquet 2. Introduction and Air-.Ctijus Animam, .Rossini 3. Rochester- Quadrille *. ."; . -^ . . .T. -. -. . '. Rogers 4. La ; T*rantelle de, Bellphegor — RochT T „. „ Albert i, ..,..,... ; ............ J 5. Lt "Valse A'Deux Temps Jullien 6. Selection — Blanch of Jersey Burnett 7. Galop — Postillion de Lonjumeau .... Adams 8. Jenny Lind Polka ....,..,.. Glover.

A public meeting was held on Wednesday evening, at Barrett's Hotel, for the purpose of memorializing the- Queen to grant an elective Legislative* Ccftmcil to this Province. We were not present at the meeting, and are therefore unable to give a detailed account7of its proceedings, but, if we are to" form a judgment of it, from the violent ianguage which the chairman is reported to have used, we are persuaded our readers will agree with us in thinking that the less that is saicf of sucli a meeting, the , better/ '":,.,>,.