New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Wednesday, May 29, 1850.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VI, Issue 503, 29 May 1850, Page 2

New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Wednesday, May 29, 1850.

The Otago News, in a late number, wants to know what is to be done with the surplus revenue of that district. Having, we suppose from official returns, compared the amount of revenue with the Government expenditure, and ascertained that there is a surplus of some hundred pounds, our contemporary begins, like Alnaschar in the east, crn story, to indulge in dreams of future magnificence and — irrespective of tho se improvements so fairly set forth in the plans of the New Zealand Company, but which their unfulfilled pledges have not even faintly shadowed forth, such as roads, churches, schools, steam, the appliances of a high state of civilized society which the faith of their confiding purchasers at first leads them to believe will be realized, though but a short colonial experience suffices to convince these victims of misplaced confidence how vain their faith is, — enumerates a long list of improvements to which this money niay be devoted by the Government more than sufficient to exhaust the surplus revenue, even if it amounted to a much larger sum. But while he indulges in these dreams, the basket is suddenly kicked from the feet of our modern Alnaschar, its contents \ destroyed, the dream rudely dissipated. Lord Grey, by appointing another Judge to the Otago district, as we mentioned a short time since, has taken effectual care not only that there shall be no surplus revenue, but that the expenditure of the district shall considerably exceed it. The Judge's salary is to be £800 a- year, and the expense of the salaries of other officers to be appointed, or the increased salaries of those already ap • pointed, in connection with the " Judicial Establishment" may be safely estimated at £800 more. According to the Otago News the surplus revenue of the district for the last four quarters is £615, so that by this appointment an expense of nearly one thousand pounds more than the surplus revenue is entailed on the district. By whom is this expense to be defrayed ? By the Home Government or by the colony ? If by the former the apointment must still be censured as an unnecessary piece of extravagance : — if by the latter, we hope the Legislative Council will refuse to sanction such a waste of money. If local steam communication is realh to be introduced into this colony, the steam boat would remove the slightest shadow of a pretext for such an appointment by enabling the Judge of this Province to devote a few days during the year from his leisure to Otago, the same amount of time that Nelson at present occupies — and no one will contend that a resident Judge is more needed at Otago than at Nelson. Even the present means of communication would suffice for this purpose, while on the introduction of steam we doubt if more of his Honor's time would be occupied than at present, since the delays and loss of time occasioned by the uncertainty of the present means of communication would be obviated by the certainty and regularity of steam. Fifteen Judges are deemed sufficient to dispense justice to fifteen millions of Englishmen in the mothercountry, while it is thought necessary by the Colonial Office to saddle New Zealand with three Judges for a population of some J thirty thousand colonists.

must be made either in notes of the Bank of Issue or in the current gold and silver coin of the realm : and a Notice from the Resident Magistrate " that the police are iistructed to inform against any person whose cattle shall, from and after the first day of June next, be found wandering at large in any street, or public place within the limits of the town of Wellington." A. Todd. H. Oatts, R. Williams, and W. Purdie, Esqrs. of the district of Otago, have been appointed Magistrates of New Munster, and J. Thomas, Esq. has been appointed under the Native Land Purchase Ordinance to lay informations against persons offending against its provisions at Banks' Peninsula and the neighbouring country included in the purchase made from the natives by -Messrs. Kemp and Mantell. Tenders are advertized for from persons desirous of purchasing the bricks lying in the inclosure of the late Colonial Hospital at Thorndon. Quarterly returns are published of the State of the Gaol ; of the Arrivals and Departures at this Port, and a Meteorological Table for Wellington for the Quarter ending March 31st. A Schedule is also published of the rates to be charged for trespass of Cattle m Otago under the Impounding Ordinance.

Programme of the performance of the Baud of the 65th Regt., on Thorndon Flat, on Wednesday next, the 29th May : — 1. Overture — Marguerite d'Anjon.. Meyerbeer. 2. Grand Scene and Aria — Giura-1 „' , . mento jMercadante 3. Rochester Quadrilles Roger*. 4. Selection — Haydee Auber. 5. Jenny Lind Waltz Koenig. 6. Olga Mazurka Garta." 7. Galop Walch. 8. Der Schottische— German Polka . . Schubert.