New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, March 2, 1850.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VI, Issue 478, 2 March 1850, Page 2

New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, March 2, 1850.

In the letter of Mr. E. Gibbon Wakefield on the subject of Colonial politics, which has recently been published, the author, having abandoned his former friends and coadjutors to their impending fate, having quitted the New Zealand Company in time to save himself from being involved in the,

consequences of their irretrievable failure and approaching dissolution, appears to have undertaken the task of exciting political discontent, and to have become the voluntary and self constituted Agitator for the Southern colonies. The principal motive which seems to actuate him in his new career appears to be a desire to gratify, at all hazards^ his animosity against " the Colonial Office, and above all the obstinate Lord Grey." It seems hardly to have entered into his mind, however, that in preaching a crusade of the Southern Colonies against the British Government, it was not in the best taste to address these recommendations to one holding an office of importance and trust in the Government of this colony. The principal information which Mr. Wakefield's letter conveys is the fact that the British Parliament and public care very little about colonial questions, and that petitions to Parliament from the colonies are so much waste parchment, except they can be converted into party questions at home. To counteract this apathy he is desirous of operating by> means of a pressure from without which, just stopping short of actual rebellion, shall, by organising a plan of combined resistance among the different colonies in the South, force the reluctant acquiescence of the Government in the objects sought to be attained. To this end he proposes a kind of league among the different Southern Colonies, which should act by means of delegates to be sent to some central spot. It will hardly be necessary to point out the absurdity of expecting that so many colonies in different stages of social progress, and with various conflicting interests, could be brought into any com* bined mode of action such as that indicated by him, still less that any weight would attach to the proceedings of delegates so constituted. The best way in which questions of local interest can be successfully agitated is not by the single voice of some clamorous demagogue elected by a faction or clique for the furtherance of its ends, but by the temperate and unanimous co-opera-tion of the whole community in the objects contended for. The idea of the National Independence of a colony like New Zealand as an alternative to be proposed to the British Government, of the separate existence from the parent state of a community so comparatively small and feeble and so dependent on the Mother Country for assistance throws an air of ridicule on the subject which leads us to believe Mr. Wakefield can hardly be serious in his proposal, and would almost" prepare us to expect his selection of Norfolk Island as the most convenient and " central spot" for the reunion of his delegates.

We understand that the tenders accepted by the Commissariat yesterday, for supplying H. M. troops stationed at Wellington and Porirua for the ensuing twelve months, were at the rate of 4d. per lb. for fresh meat, and 3d. for the loaf of bread of 21bs. weight. The price of meat has hitherto been kept up by the butchers in Wellington at the rate of 6d* per lb. to the public, although persons killing beasts in the country districts in the neighbourhood of the town have lately been selling meat at 4d. per lb. As the contract price for meat has generally in some degree regulated the price charged to the public, we hope soon to see a very material reduction in the price of meat in Wellington, particularly as it is well known that for some time past the butchers have not given more than 3d. per 11). for the carcase to the stockowner. The tender for supplying the troops at Wanganui with fresh meat was at the rate of 3|d. per lb.

We are requested to state that the day for the next exhibition of the Horticultural Society has been altered to Wednesday the 6th instant, instead of Tuesday the sth, as originally proposed, in consequence of the latter day having been found extremely inconvenient for the attendance of the band of the 65th regiment. The principal objects of interest of the exhibition will, we suppose, be grain and the autumnal fruits ; of the latter we have little doubt there will be a tempting display, from the great increase which has taken place in the number of fruit trees planted in the gardens in the town and the districts in its vicinity, which are found to thrive exceedingly well and to come into bearing at an early age.