New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Wednesday, September 12, 1849.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume V, Issue 429, 12 September 1849, Page 2

New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Wednesday, September 12, 1849.

In the last number of the Independent, a notice is inserted of certain dinners given to Mr. M'Donald, the late manager of the branch of the Union Bank of Australia in this settlement previous to his departure to South Australia. If these had been mere private demonstrations of personal regard, criticism in the columns of a public journal would be ill timed and misplaced. But the dinner at the Wellington Hotel was understood to be a political demonstration on the part of the Faction towards one who, by the accident of his position, kas been the chief means of giving them any influence or importance, and, as a political demonstration, it is understood to have been a failure ; the numerous empty seats did coldly furnish forth the last adieus of his adherents ; but six and twenty were present (and not all these of the Faction) out of a much larger number which was confidently reckoned upon. As a public character (and it is neither in our province nor inclination to regard him in any other light) Mr. M'Donald owed what influence he possessed in this settlement to the circumstance of being Manager of the Union Bank. The experience of the settlers of that institution has led them to regard it in the light of a grasping monopoly, draining all that it can from its customers, influenced by no other consideration than the advancement of its own interests ; exacting 10 per cent, as the ordinary rate of interest while, in the neighbouring colonies, the highest rate is 8 per cent., and in some of them not more than 6 percent; thus inspiring a general and earnest desire for escape from this thraldom by the establishment of another Bank, a consummation by

many believed to be by no means far distant. In his political character, as he is not likely to do any further mischief here, we have no desire to speak of the departing Manager — who leaves this settlement a sadder if not a wiser man — except to express our opinion that no manager of a commercial institution like the Bank should be permitted to interfere with local politics. By his departure the keystone has been struck from the arch, which will inevitably crumble to ruins ; — the Faction by his removal has received so heavy a blow, and such great discouragement.that it must shortly die of inanition. We will not dwell at greater length on our present theme, yet, although " good seldom comes of good advice," we cannot refrain from offering a few words of advice at parting. In Adelaide Mr. M'Donald will find a very different state of things to that to which he hasjbeen accustomed. Instead of a monopoly, he will have to contend against two rival institutions that have been long established, and if he hopes to succeed under such altered circumstances, and in a community much larger than that which he is leaving, we advise him above all things to eschew politics — a game but seldom worth the playing. If he will profit by experience, he will find a man may be a very good manager of a bank, and be more useful to his employers — the highest aim, we suppose, of his ambition — without being a politician. Having given this advice, which we hope will be taken in good part — we bid him heartily farewell.

Our previous extracts from the Bishop of New Zealand's Journal were taken from the last number of the New Zealand Journal received by the late arrivals. We have obtained the previous numbers, completing our file, from which we have continued our extracts. That portion of his Lordship's Journal in our present number, though not exactly in the previous order of publication, will, we are sure, commend itself to the best feelings and sympathies of our readers.

We have great satisfaction in announcing the publication, in a collected form, of the Hints on the Management of Bees, by the Rev. W. C. Cotton, M.A., which originally appeared in the New Zealand Spectator. The work, which is full of practical directions, will be found an invaluable Manual for New Zealand Bee-keepers.

The Fox and the Gkese. — A certain farmer had a large poultry yard in which were many geese. He did now and then pluck them, so that it was on the whole a good thing for him. But for his own sake he kept them from harm, and managed to make the weasels and other beasts by whom the geese had been much hurt very quiet. He taught those beasts to live in another way, and so made the geese pretty happy. The Fox plucked the geese rather more than the farmer did, and seeing they would cry out if he kept on in that way, he set to work to make them cry out against the farmer. He said they ought not to be plucked by any but their best friends. And as he was their best friend, of course they ought to let him keep on plucking them. The geese were not so foolish. They wished to have their say in the matter, but they saw through the Fox when he tried to stop the mouth of a brave young gander who would speak out. And so it seems the Fox will not gain his end.