New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, February 9, 1850.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VI, Issue 472, 9 February 1850, Page 2

New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, February 9, 1850.

We understand that at the annual meeting of the Managers of the Wellington Savings Bank, held on Monday evening last, it was proposed by Dr. Featherston, seconded by Mr. Brandon, that Mr. Stokes's name should be struck out of the list of Managers because, as Editor of the Spectator, it was alleged he had used his 1 journal in attempting unfairly to influence the Depositors to '■ the prejudice of the Institution. The motion was strongly opposed by Mr. Raymond, the Manager of the Union Bank of Australia, who considered it an unfair attack on an absent person who had received no previous intimation of their intention to bring forward such a motion, and observed that the charge was made without any attempt on the part of the mover and seconder te substantiate it by the production of the numbers of the Spectator in which the alleged articles appeared, but he resisted it chiefly on the ground that it was an attempt to introduce politics into the Institution, which, if successful, would oblige him to withdraw from the Savings Bank, as it was his fixed determination not to take any part in the political disputes in this settlement. Several other Managers concurred in the view taken by Mr. Raymond, but being outvoted by the Faction, Dr. Featherston succeeded in carrying his motion. We believe the above to be a correct account of what took place at the meeting referred to, which was attended by only fifteen managers although the whole number amounts to about seventy ; of these several voted with the faction last year in their attempt to exclude, the non- official members of the Legislative Council from the Supeirn tending Committee ; Mr. Fox it is almost needless to observe voted with Dr. Featherston, as did also Messrs Kelham and J. Lewis (officers of the New Zealand Company) who of course followed the example of their superior. The personal part of the question may be dismissed in a very few wprds. In endeavouring to gratify their petty spite these persons have only made themselves ridiculous, for, if they had taken the trouble to inquire they might have learned that Mr. Stokes, with several other Managers, disgusted at the attempt made last year by the Faction to convert the Saymgs' Bank into an arena for politics, had withdrawn his name from the list of Managers. We may, however, offer a few observations on the pubic question involved in the proceedings of last Monday, but it will, first be necessary briefly to recapitulate the history of the lait annual

meeting. An attempt was then made by the Faction to exclude Messrs. Hickson and Moore from the Superintending Committee because they had accepted seats in the Legislative Council, this was resisted by those who wished to prevent the introduction of political feeling into the social institutions of the community, and an amendment on Mr. Fitzherbert's resolution was proposed by Mr. Hort that the Committee of the previous year be re- elected. On the amendment being put to the meeting, the numbers being equal (21 voting for the amendment and 21 against it), Mr. M'Donald the chairman, by his casting vote, decided against it, but having left the chair without putting the original resolution to the meeting, no Superintending Committee was elected. To remedy this inconvenience a requisition signed by twenty-three Managers was presented to the Secretary requesting him to call a meeting for this purpose, the requisition was referred by him to the Trustees, (only three of them, Dr. Featherston, Messrs. M'Donald and Fitxherbert, acting) who refused to comply with it. A full account of the proceedings appeared in the Spectator, and we took the opportunity at the time of exposing the unscrupulous conduct of the Faction. But we deny that any unfair attempt has ever been made in this Journal to injure the Savings Bank. If the Institution has suffered in the estimation of the community, if it has ceased to enjoy the public confidence to the same extent as formerly, the injury has been caused solely by the conduct of (hose persons who have seized upon the management of it. That the body of the Managers have ceased to feel the same interest in the Institution they formerly did, may be inferred from the small attendance on Monday, compared with that at the previous annual meeting. The recent proceeding is only another attempt on the part of the Faction to prevent the freedom of public discussion, to interfere with the liberty of the press, and if they= could have their way, to allow no opinions to pass cur- ; rent but their own. But while we despise these miserable exhibitions of personal spite* we cannot allow them to pass unnoticed, and have related them that the public may , see from these and daily other instances of a similar nature the motives which actuate these men, the sort of petty tyranny which these pretended lovers of liberty are desirous of establishing.

On Thursday H. M. S. Havannah and Fly left the harbour on a visit to the Auckland Islands, where the new colony under the superintendence of Mr. Enderby, for the more vigorous prosecution of whaling in the South Seas, has been founded. It is reported that both vessels will return to Port Nicholson after a cruise of three or four weeks.

Cricket. — The Return Match between the . Wellington Club and the 65tli Regiment, came off on Thursday on Thorndon Flat. The 65th went in first and scored only 39, in their second innings they were more fortunate, making 76 runs. In their first innings the Wellington Club scored 76 runs, and in the second 40, winning with nine wickets to go down. The following is the core of the game :—: —

We understand that it has been ascertained, from the investigations that have been made, that the robbery of the clerk of the Faymaster of the 65th Regiment, mentioned in our last number, was not committed by soldiers.

Quantity of rain fallen during the month of January, 1850: — 5 inches 6 tenths.

Match between H. M. S. Havannah and Staff at Wellington, and 65th Regt, Tuesday, February sth, 1850.

Ist Innings. 2nd Innings. Hamley(Ord.)b. Greenwood 2 c. Valentine.... 6 Simmons b. Greenwood . . 0 b. Greenwood . . 0 Wood (DACG)b. Copestake 3 b. Greenwood . . 15 White b. Greenwood 6 c. Valentine.... 3 Percival b. Copestake .... 4 not out 11 Spinks b. Copestake 0 Lowe b. Copestake' 0 Lieut. Hannant run out. . 1 not out 2 Lieut Smith, R.A., run out 8 b. Greenwood . . 8 Mr. Earle b. Copestake . . 2 Mr. Hay b. Copestake .... 0 Byes 45 Byes.... ....15 Wide balls . . 4*. -• 3 - Wide balls . . 2 74 62 Total 136

H. M. S. "Havannah" and Staff.

Ist. Innings. 2nd. Innings. Trafford leg before wic. 1 c. Wintringham . . 0 Barnard < 18 b. Wood r 5 ' Thelwall b. C10ut. ... 0 o. Herbert 13 Barker b. Wood .... 0 b.Wood ...,...- 7 Copesiake c. Clout . . 6 b. Clout 8 Greenwood b. Clout . . 0 not out 14 Valentine c. Catchpool 1 run out 2 Gilling not out 0 b. Wood 3 Brindley b. C10ut. ... 3 run out 4 M'Veagh c. W00d. ... 1 run out 8 Pbilipps c. W00d.... 0 b. Clout 8 Byes- 8 Byes 13 Wide Balls.. 1 39 76 Total 115

65th. regiment.

Ist. Innings. 2nd. Innings. Wood c. Valentine . . 9 Stanley c. M'Veagh . . 0 Raymond b. Copestake 3 .Deightonc. Greenwood 1 Catchpool not 0ut. . . . 5 not oat .......... 15 Clout b. Greenwood . . 12 Herbert c. Brindley . . 16 not out 14 Elliot c. Valentine .. 3 runout 0 Pringleb. Copestake.. 0 Wintringham b. ditto 3 Allen b. Greenwood . . 6 Byes & Byes 11 Wide Balls.. 4 76 40 - Total 116 -

WELLINGTON CLUB.

Ist Innings. , . , 2nd Innings. 't. Phillips b. Hannant . . 14 b. Wood 0 Jorp. Barker b. Hannant. . 5 .c. Sparks ...... 1 't. Greenwood c. Wood . . 19 ran oat 0 't. Copestake b. W00d .... 11 b. Wood 1 .ieut. Barnard leg b. wicket 1 b. Hannant .... 15 lieut. Trafford leg b. wicket. 0 b. Hannant .... 17 't. Gilling b. Wood 4 ran 0at. ....... 5 •t. Valentine not oat .... 2 not oat. 6 'apt. Murray b. W00d. ... 0 b. Hannant .... 0 't. Brindley st. Wood .... 4 c. Hamley .... 4 't. Grace b. Hannant .... 0 b. Wood 2 Byes 9 Byes 12 Wide balls . . 2 69 . 65 Total ..134

65th. Regiment.