New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, September 8, 1849.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume V, Issue 428, 8 September 1849, Page 2

New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, September 8, 1849.

In a former notice of the Report and Resolutions of the sui disant Constitutional Association we charitably inferred that the framer of them must have been labouring un* der some kind of intoxication, since we were persuaded that, however weak his intellect or inordinate his self-conceit, however great his confidence 1 in the 1 credulity of his adherents, no one in his sober senses could reasonably hope that such a farrago of misrepresentations absurdities and contradictions would pass current with any intelligent person. Thus >l in <; the last resolution but one (Resolution 12) a protest is made not merely " against the monstrous proposal" of retaining £10,000 of the revenue of each Province, but also against the present amount of £6000, as "an unduly large proportion" of the revenue to be appropriated to the Civil List and withdrawn from the control of the colonists. To illustrate " the extravagance of the Local Government" on this point, to the resolution is appended the Civil List for the current year, as laid before the Council by the Lieutenant- Governor, which, we are told "embraces even the Government Gardener, the Colonial Chaplain, and the Private Secretary's Confidential Clerk :" and yet in resolution 7 it is stated that " the Nominee Council was (lithesome ! moment voting a salary of £200 a year to a Colonial Chaplain, £80 a year for a gardener for the Government domain," &c. In one resolution we are told the Council did that which a succeeding resolution expressly informs us was removed from their con« trol, and with which they had no power to interfere. In the Council on the discussion of thq Estimates the appointment of a Colonial Chaplain was strongly objected to by "Dr.Mofiro, Mr. Moore, and other membeis who complained that by its being placed on the Civil List the Council urere prevented from expressing an opinion on the subject, and a protest against the appointment was presented by Dr. Monro which was also signed by the Colonial Secretary, the Colonial Treasurer, and Mr. Ludlam. We are not now expressing an opinion on this appointment, but are merely stating facts which illustrate the gross contradictions and palpable misrepresentations with which these resolutions abound : misrepresentations "so flagrant that we cannot characterize them by any term which the proprieties of social usage would justify us in employing." In the same spirit, or perhaps a worse, is the following statement in resolution nine, " that a high official enjoying already a salary of above £300 a year was allowed to pocket the whole proceeds of the Native Reserves in this settlement, amounting to,

£400 o* a commission for the bare act of receiving it ;" and to give an air of authority to this mis-statement, it is attributed to the Lieutenant- Governor. What are the facts ? The Trustees of the Native Reserves appointed Mr. St. Hill (the official alluded to) to manage the Reserves at Wellington, and the late Mr. Thompson those at Nelson, and for their services these gentlemen were to receive a small annual stipend and a per centage upon the rentals up to a fixed sum. Mr. St. Hill on different occasions selected a great number of the reserves in* this settlement, and if he had received the same amount as was usually paid by private individuals, a considerable sum would have been due to him for this service alone. After the death of Mr. Thompson, Mr. M'Donald was appointed his, successor at Nelson, and has since the new arrangement for the management of- the Native - Reserves' 'received' a precisely in the same way and after the same rate that Mr. St. Hill has done. In the Resolution no mention is made of Mr. M'Donald by Dr. Featherston for obvious reasons. Has he made Mr. St. Hill the subject of Uis misrepresentations, because that gentleman has felt it necessary to decline all social communication with him ? Tantcene animis calestibus irce? *

The Cornwall arrived al Taranaki on the 18th ult., having sailed from England on the 19th April. She has 18 cabin, 16 forecabin passengers, and 100 emigrants, the latter principally for Otago. Among the I cabin passengers are se\ eral who have either returned to New Zealand, or are connected with old settlers. The Cornwall put into St. Jago inc onsequence of sicknes and want of ballast, and obtained fiesh provisions and vegetables. The trade winds were very scant, but she had a fine run from the Cape, and sighted Cape "Foulwind on the west coast of New Zealand oil 15th ult., and arrived at New Plymouth on the 18th, and sailed for Nelson on the following' Thursday. There were 8 deaths on board the Cornwall, seven chi'dren and one adult (from consumption), and six births;' during the .voyage measles and hooping , cough were very prevalent. . . • Mjr. Churton, who was a passenggfc.fotihe Cornwall, came on in the Governor Grey, which got on the bar in coming out of Wan - ganui on Friday, the 31st ult., and received some damage. She put into Porirua on Saturday, when Mr. Churton walked over to Wellington.

The Acheron arrived off JKapiti on Wednesday evening, having completed her survey of the line of coast from Banks's Peninsula to Queen Charlotte's Sound on the Southern Island. We understand that a magnificent harhour has heen discovered hy Captain Stokes to the south of Queen Charlotte's Sound.

We exceedingly regret to report the total loss of the Schooner Gipsy on the I6thinst., at Cape Turnagain, on the East Coast. The Gipsy had reached Castle Point, where she lay at anchor, hut indications appearing of an approaching gale she pat to sea, and a very heavy South Easter coming on the master was obliged to run the vessel on shore at Cape Turnagain in order to save the lives of those on hoard. All the cargo and property on board, together witliviUe sails and rigging have been saved,, but the vessel is a complete wreck.

Robbery. — A daring robbery was committed on Wednesday night, between fne hours of eight and nine o'clock, at the residence of Capt. Smith, 65th r regt.,' TeTAro. thieves,- in arranging taeirplansffoflsffttfit^e obtained some previous information, as they selected their opportunity on an evening wKen Captain Smith was dining out, and having gained an entrance into the house by forcing the back door, they fastened with a cord the door of the room in which Captain Smith's servant slept, (and who had gone to bed at an early hour), and proceeded to pillage the house. They broke open Captain Smith's draweis and took from them £26 in notes and gold and several articles of jewellery and other property of value. They had also broken open the plate chest and were preparing to despoil it of its contents, when they were disturbed by the servant who, hearing a noise endeavoured to ascertain the cause of it, when they decamped with property of the value of £200. A person was yesterday apprehended on suspicion of having been concerned in the robbery, but was afterwards discharged there being no evidence agaiust him.

Quantity of rain fallen during the month of August, 1849 :— 7 inches 2 tenths.

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