New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, March 31, 1849.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume V, Issue 382, 31 March 1849, Page 2

New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, March 31, 1849.

We have recently taken occasion to publish for the information of our fellow colonists, from the last Blue Book on New .Zealand, some of the late despatches of Sir George Grey, and also of Earl Grey, relating* to important questions connected with the welfare of this colony. The questions referred to or discussed in these despatches are the establishment of Colonial Banks of Issue, the kind of Government to be adopted in New Zealand during the suspension of the constitution, the management of Savings Banks in this colony, and the expediency of establishing Aboriginal Districts in I which native laws and customs should prevail. This last question has been happily I set at rest by Lord Grey, who, with t bis usual good sense, has yielded to the suggestions of the Governor's practical experience, and has in consequence procured the ! alteration of so much of the Royal Instructions as were incompatible with the effective working of the Resident Magistrates* Ordinance. Each of the other topics referred to in the recently published despatches are in themselves sufficiently interesting and important to deserve to be separately and attentively considered. In Lord Grey's despatch to the Governor which accompanies the Act suspending the Constitution, and which relates to the sort of Government to be adopted in the interval, we have the fullest evidence afforded, that the Governor's proceedings with reference to the establishment of a Legislative Council in this Province were strictly in accordance with the Instructions of the noble Secretary for the Colonies. After alluding to the provisions in the Act for keeping on foot the Provincial Assembly in the Southern Province, if such had been already constituted, a possible contingency which Lord Grey expressly states he does not expect to find realized, he appears to desire that the Provincial Legislatures about to be established should not come into operation until the Ordinance for that purpose had received the Royal confirmation. Lord Grey appears confidently to anticipate that Representative Institutions will not be immediately conferred, andregrets that from the force of circumstances such an amount of responsibility should be thrown upon the Governor, and repeats in the most explicit terms what he had previously stated in the house of Lords, as the very first principle and foundation of Representative Government, that the expense of the administration of public affairs should be entirely borne by the colony ; and that as long as so considerable a part of the expense incurred in the Government of New Zealand is provided by the Mother country the settlers can only expect to have a very moderate share in the direct influence over the Legislature ; that they cannot expect the enjoyment of a Rrepresentative Government until they are in a position to da-»

fray the expense of it. This despatch fully confirms the view we took at the time of the Governor's measures, and completely disposes of the mis-statements and misrepresentations of the Governor's views and intentions, so industriously circulated hy the Faction. The public estimate at their proper worth the idle boastings, the after dinner gasconades of these pseudo patriots, who desire to earn a cheap notoriety by talking of intimidation and threats which have no existence but in their own crotchetty imaginatioDs. But their exposure has of late been so complete, their motives are now so thoroughly appreciated by the community, that they will not readily find many persons disposed to put any faith in their statements, or in danger of becoming the dupes of their professions.

A Special Commission will be issued for the trial of the native charged with having committed the late horrible murders on the Porirua road. The trial is appointed to take place on the 12th of April next.

"With the end of this month, March, we may associate the conclusion of our summer and the completion of the harvest. It is, therefore, our pleasing task to lay before our readers a statement of the rural prospects of this portion of the colony. , In former numbers we have adverted to the steady advance manifested in the suburban districts connected with Wellington, as well as to the daily increasing importance of the Hutt district : an advance and an importance, we may add, not to be ascribed to any adventitious circumstances, but mainly to the sterling qualities alike of the land and of its cultivators. We shall -now proceed to speak of the result of the labours of the past season, so far as our portions of the west coast of this island are concerned, and we should be greatly wanting as faithful journalists did we omit honourable mention of that truly liberal and excellently accomplished undertaking, the new line of road from the head of Porirua to the coast, which in a few months will be completed, and which already affords so agreeable and expeditious a communication with the coast. To those of our fellow- set tiers who may have a lively remembrance of tb«e wearisome, and, in truth, most painful route pursued in the early days of the colony, when, after leaving Kaiwarra, over a space of twenty- nine miles, to "Wainui, on the coast, the unhappy wanderer could, with difficulty, find rest for the sole of his foot ; — to such, this excellent road will be duly appreciated, reducing, as it does, a journey ot much toil and some hazard, to a pleasant and easy ride. From Waikanae to Wanganui the natives at their different settlements have been chiefly engaged in the cultivation of wheat, in most instances to x the neglect of that of their old favourites, maize and potatoes. We subjoin an account of the number of acres in wheat cultivation, as nearly as, from their mode of farming, (being in scattered and small plots,) could well be arrived at. We hail this new system of native husbandry, and the rapid progress in the arts of civilization generally manifested among the natives along this line of coast, as the harbinger of bright and peaceful days : and, in conclusion, we would indulge in the hope that, as these Maories have now turned the strength of their energies to the raising, as a necessary of life, what the other day was regarded as a luxury, they will henceforth battle with the wilderness alone; and in such a warfare we feel assured the Maori will ever find in the settlers every generous sympathy and liberal encouragement. Amount in acres of wheat cultivations at the undermentioned districts :—: — Ohou, about ... 40 acres. Manawatu,* . . . 400 ... Rangitiki, . . . 44 ... * The crops of which are calculated at 10,000 bushels.

Programme of the performance by the Band of the 65th Regiment, at Thorndon Flat, on Tuesday, the 3rd April : — 1. Overture — Le Dieu et la Bayadere.^w&er 2. Spanish Chaunt Marcadante 3. La Peri Quadrille Mutard 4. Song — Oh ! give me but my Arab steed 5. Olga ; or the Princess' Waltz Jullien 6. God save the Queen, varied Weber 7. Galop — Gustavus Auber BLa Figlia del Reggimento P01ka. . . . Jullien