New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, February 3, 1849.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume V, Issue 366, 3 February 1849, Page 2

New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, February 3, 1849.

After the violent and abusive tirade against Sir George Grey in the Nelson Examiner, in which the writer, moved by what he chose to call " the outrage lately enacted at Wellington" by the Governor's " ot- - tempting to palm off his mock constitution on th& inhabitants of the settlement," exhibited very little regard for the correctness of his statements, we were hardly prepared within the space of one short month for a recantation so full, so complete as that which appears in the last Examiner we have received, and which we have reprinted in our journal. After previously declaring his Excellency was not the man " to solve the problem," after refusing -to wait one little week to know what the Governor's plans really were, our contemporary, now that he has had the opportunity of being informed of them, with equal facility publishes his recantation, and discovers that the Governor's proposed constitution is "a wise,] liberal and just measure," " a decided improvement on Lord Grey's," and that "the alterations made by him are all in the direction of popular feelings." Those who have taken the trouble to read the former , article in the Examiner to which we allude, and' on which we commented at the time, wn%' r on perusing this recantation, perceive that our contemporary, to use his own phraseology, has shown great alacrity, "in eating the dirt certain to accumulate" with those who lend themselves to factious purposes, instead of discussing public measures in an honest spirit, and with a view to their bearing on the general interests of the colony. Our contempory must find Faction at a discount with the settlers at Nelson, as the observations we have extracted are evidently not the production of the writer of the previous article to which we have alluded. While on this subject we may dismiss, with a few contemptuous remarks, the embecile attack of the New Zealander ,on this Journal, accusing us of inconsistency for supporting the Governor in his recent policy. In common with the great majority of those in this settlement, who in an honest spirit really desire the establishment of re • presentative institutions, we accept what has been done as the first practical step towards them ; and, in the constitution of the Council, in the proportion of non-official to official members, in the moderation, independence, and ability of the gentlemen who have accepted seats, we have a sufficient guarantee that the practical details connected with this important measure will be settled in a way most conducive to the general interests of the Colony. But the remarks in the New Zealander are easily understood ; until land jobbing in all the luxurious rankness of " the good old times" of Captain Fitzroy is permitted, no Governor, had he ten times Sir George Grey's talent, can hope to be a favourite with the press at Auckland. But his Excellency has the real interests of the colony too m uch at heart to pay any consideration to the puny efforts of such opponents, — of little weight in their own limited sphere, utterly insignificant beyond it.

We have made a few extracts from our files of Auckland journals received per Acheron, which contain very little news of local interest. In addition to the news contained in our extracts, we learn from them that ninety-one casks of wines and spirits landed from the United States ship Robert Pulsford, had been seized at Auckland by the Custom House officers. The case had been referred to the Resident Magistrate's Court, when, after a lengthened investigation, the Bench were of opinion that an infringement of the Customs' Ordinance had been committed, and declared the goods seized to be forfeited to the Crown. Mr. Whitakeri on the part -of the owners, gave notice of appeal lo the Commissioners of Customs of England. Heki appears to have been ,indt|fjteg in his usual gasconades at the Bay of Islands in order to obtain a little notoriety. The New Zealander thinks it probable that the animosity subsisting between that chief and ; Tamati Waka may terminate in bloodshed. Another newspaper,- entitled the' Maori Messenger had been started at Auckland ; ( judging from its first number, we should pronounce it decidedly inferior to its pfedeces- , sor, 'the Warder; .and perhaps destined to

as ephemeral an existence. Thus they " come like shadows, so depart."

Programme of the performance by the Band of the 65th Regiment, at Thorndon Flat, , on Tuesday, the 6th February i — "_ 1. Overture — Le lac dcs Fees Auber 2. Aria— Stanca di pui Combattera— 1 MariHano Amezalia • • J 3. The Queen of the May Quadrille . . Ju'lien 4. Original Polonaise Jullien 5. Ravenswood Waltz . ._ Jullien6. Original Schottisch „ Jullien 7. Galop. ." Bergs 8. La "Figlia del Reggimento Polka Jullien