PORT PHILLIP. [From the Maitland Mercury.]

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VI, Issue 525, 14 August 1850, Page 3

PORT PHILLIP. [From the Maitland Mercury. ]

We are in receipt of Port Phillip papers to the sth July. The drgus puhlishes a return of the exports from Port -Phillip, from July 1, 1849, to June 30, 1850, of wool, tallow, hides, sheepskins, &c, and of oil, bark, and starch ; distinguishing the quantities shipped to England and those sent to Sydney and Van Diemen's Land. The total value of the exports sent to England was £876,907 and the total sent to Sydney and Y. D. Land £101,834, making a total for the year of £978,741. The export of wool is set down as 55,067 bales ( 1 5,41 8,760 lbs.) to London, value £770,938; and 6134 bales (1,717,520 lbs.) elsewhere, Talue£Bs,B76. Of tallow, 8534 ca^ks(3B4o tons) to London,value £99,847 and 1 364 casks (613 tons) elsewhere value £15,958. The next largest item is leather and glue pieces, of which 332 bales (199,200 lbs) were shipped to London, value £4,565. The other items are all beneath £800 in value, and make a total of £1556, shipped to London. In 1848-9 the export of wool was 51,500 bales ; in 1849-50 it has been 61,500 bales.

The New Bank. — We understand that the preparations for the establishment of the Melbourne, branch of the New Sooth Wales Bank are proceeding vigorously. It is expected that the first opening will be effected by the beginning of October, in time for the commencement of the wool season. — Argus.

Grand Produce Stakes. — The entries of stallions for the produce stake of 1855 closed on the Ist July. There are eleven subscribers of 25 soys. each. — Ibid.

The Needlewomen per " Culioden." —From the respectable appearance of the passengers generally, by the Culloden, and from Jthe high character given them by the surgeon for orderly conduct and good moral behaviour during the voyage, we are led to expect we shall find them not only an addition, but an advantageous one, to the present inhabitants of Port Phillip. This ship brings out the first batch of needlewomen forwarded by public subscription, which was started by the Honorable Sidney Herbert. We are pleased at b.ing enabled to state, that their uniform good condect deserves the highest encomium, and we sincerely hope they will meet with that comfort and success they have been led to expect in this distant colony. — Araus.

The Weather. — The weather for some days preceding Saturday last was unusually mild and serene for this time of the year, and highly favorable for all agricultural and horticultural purposes ; but on Saturday evening and during the night it rained heavily, as also on Sunday. The wet is, for the present, moderated, but the atmosphere still holds out such signs as generally induce the expectation of. a plenteous fall of rain. — Ib. July 9.

The Shipping Interest. — A strong spirit of insubordination has again manifested itself amongst the crews of the merchant vessels now in harbour, who resort to every method to obtain a release from the engagements into which they have entered for the voyage out and home, and failing to obtain their diacharge, reset to the last alternative of taking " French leave." — Daily News. Signs of the Times. — A striking instancp of the avidity with which "good stands," as they are termed, for public-houses, art snapped at in Melbourne, was brought uuder our notice a few days bark, when a small portion of a foundation was shewn to us at the corner of a leading thoroughfare, our informant stating that the superstructure " wot was to be," and which was intended for a licensed bouse, had already been let for a term of years at the moderate annual rental of four hundred pounds, and that two hundred pounds cash had been paid down to bind the bargain.

We have extracted from a Southern Cross, (received by the overland mail) the following Despatch from Governor Grey to Earl Grey, inclosing the Bishop of New Zealand's reply to Earl Grey's observations on the Bishop's " Protest." The Despatch appears in the latest Blue Book on New Zealand affairs received in the Colony, and as Earl Grey's Despatch with the Debate in the House of | Commons to which the subject gave rise, was ! published in this Province, we think it right to give equal publicity to the Bishop's vindication of himself which is in every respect satisfactory and complete : — (No. 76.) No. 20. Copy of a Despatch from Governor Grey to Earl Grey. Government House, Wellington, August 23, 1848. My Lord, — In obedience to the instructions contained in your Lordship's despatch of the 30th November, 1847} I communicated a copy of that despatch to the Bishop of New Zealand, who has requested me to transmit a copy of the enclosed letter to your Lordship. The only points in the letter of the Bishop of New Zealand which appear to call forth any remark from me, are — Firstly, To confirm the fact stated by his Lordship, that the protest he transmitted through me to your Lordship was never made public in the colony, and in no respect, that I am aware of, was it made the cause of excitemeut and dissatisfaction among the natives ; and, Secondly, to state that his Lordship has always given me the most friendly assistance and advice since I have been in New Zealand, and that from his ability, disinterestedness, and devotion to his duties, and to the interests of the country, I have felt that his opinion was always well worthy of being sought for and carefully considered. I have, indeed, in many instances availed myself largely of bis knowledge and experience, and shall always gratefully acknowledge the advantages I have in this respect received from his Lordship. I ought perhaps yet to add in reference to the appeal made to me by the Bishop upon his own behalf, and upon that of his clergy, that I would state " whether I did not find upon my arrival a body of faithful allies whom the influence of former Governors and the instructions of their missionaries had conciliated to the British interest." That such undoubtedly was the case, and that I thought I had borne ample testimony to this fact. I fear, however, from the terms of the Bishop's letter, that I may not have done so in a sufficiently satisfactory manner. Should such be the case, I can now only express my regret for the error into which I have fallen, and request those who would criticise my conduct to remember that my despatches were frequently written under all the excitement of war and rebellion, and whilst I was taking an active part in scenes of the most novel and trying kind ; those who have not known how severely the mind and temper are both tried under such circumstances when the slightest error or mistake may produce the most disastrous consequences, can hardly form a fair estimate of the allowance which should be made for the despatches I have written. I can still, however, conscientiously declare that my earnest desire has been to give to all those who have laboured for the welfare of New Zealand their fair share of approbation, and to obtain for them the applause or rewards which their services have so justly merited, and I thought that in the case of the Bishop and missionaries especially, my expressions of gratitude had been frequent and very strong, I would particularly refer to my despatch, No. 20,* of the 17th of March last, and am not aware of any single expression of mine which could even have tended to create the impression which the Bishop says he believes

* Papers relative to New Zealand ; presented by command August 1848, p. 103.

to be prevalent in England, that New Zealand has been pacified " by force of arms after all moral and religious teaching had failed." I ought yet to remark, in reference to the pamphlet of the Chief Justice, that although it appears to have been printed in 1847,1 never saw a copy of it, or had any knowledge of its contents until two or three days before I received the Bishop's letter of the Ist of August. I find that the contents of this pamphlet were known to many persons in the southern settlements two or three months since, and I certainly think, looking to the quarter from which it has emanated, that should the contents of it transpire among the native population, their confidence in the faith of the British Government will be much shaken. I regret this the more because the Chief Justice might readily have brought his views under the notice of her Majesty's Government by addressing a letter to your Lordship, and he would then have discovered the mistake into which he has fallen. , It will be seen from page, 18 of the Chief Justice's pamphlet, that he contends that the following is the rule to which the national faith is pledged :—: — " All lands in New Zealand which have any owners, according to native custom, do still belong to those owners ; whilst all lands, which have no owners, fall to the Crown by virtue of the cession of Sovereignty." This is called by the Chief Justice the rule of the treaty of VVaitangi. Now, in reference to the meaning of your Lordship's instructions, it will be found that I (being the person to whom they were addressed) understood upon their arrival in the colony, that their meaning was as stated in this extract from the letter of a Wesleyau clergyman. " In my last I told you that I had had an interview with Governor Grey on the subject of the instructions, lately sent out here by Earl Grey, in reference to the waste lands of the natives ; and that his Excellency had told me that he considered those instructions as referring to such lands only as have no claimants, and not in any way touching the treaty of Waitangi." Mr. Labouchere, ' on reading this letter in the House of Commons on the 18th of February last, stated that this was your Lordship's meaning. I therefore do not so far understand in what the difference between your Lordship's instructions and the Chief Justice's opinion consists. ' In reference to the second part of the Chief Justice's pamphlet, in which be undertakes to prove that your Lordship's instructions involve a violation of established law, I think that there is again an error. I do not understand the treaty of Waitangi as laying down any rule by which we can determine what lands are the property of a certain native or natives, a point of continued dispute amongst themselves ; it was necessary that this defect should have been supplied. Your Lordship's instructions did provide a remedy, which, were it contrary to law, no one, I am convinced, would have been more ready to alter than your Lordship. It struck me that the remedy proposed by your Lordship was not the most convenient that could be adopted, and I did not hesitate to point out this inconvenience in my despatch No. 45 of the 15th of May, 1848, and so fully did I rely upon your Lordship's only desire being to adopt that rule which was the most just and best adapted to the circumstances of the country, that upon my own responsibility I adopted, and continued to act upon the system I thought best, and reported the circumstance to your Lordship. J have, &c, (Signed) G. Grey. The Right Hon. Earl Grey, &c, &c, &c. P.S. —^[ I should state to your Lordship that I have never received from the Chief Justice a copy of his pamphlet, and ouly knew that he was the author of it from the Bishop's letter to your Lordship. — G. G. See subsequent despatch, No. 81 of Sept. 2, page 46, correcting error in respect of this postscript.