New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Wednesday, September 11, 1850.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VI, Issue 533, 11 September 1850, Page 2

New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Wednesday, September 11, 1850.

In last Wednesday's Independent Mr. Fox, in his account of the presentment of the Grand Jury, tries to bolster up his proceedings, as Magistrate, in burking the Town and Country Roads Ordinances. The Grand Jury, for the most part consisting on each occasion of the same persons, contains, as is well known, a majority of those who generally agree with Mr. Fox on political subjects, including those Magistrates who voted with him on the occasion referred to. It is not, therefore, very surprising to find them coinciding in Mr. Fox's opinions. When we asserted that a few Magistrates united in preventing these Ordinances from coming into operation we, in fact, only repeated what Mr. Fox, the Editor, at the time paraded with some ostentation in his Journal, publishing his own version of the affair (we need hardly say a garbled and distorted one), with the names of those who voted with him. When referring to this subject we think we successfully shewed that Mr. Fox was actuated by factious motives in his opposition, since he deprived the settlers of the opportunity afforded them by these Ordinances of managing their local concerns, and of carrying on those improvements in their respective districts which were most needed, and of which they would be the best judges ; and the amount of the assessment being regulated by officers of their own election, there was no fear of its being excessive or burdensome in the Countiy Districts to the actual cultivator. But the great advantage to be gained from these ordinances, or others •of a similar nature is, that they would compel the absentees to bear their fair share of local improvements to which, hitherto as a body, they have never contributed. Whatever roads or other improvements have been made, have either been at the expense of the Government or the settlers, while the absentees have always taken advantage of these improvements to demand increased rents for their lands, and a higher price for the fee - simple ; they could afford to wait if their terms were not acceded to since there are no taxes to pay. There can be no doubt the effect of a local rate would be to lower rents, and cause the absentees to be more anxious to have their lands occupied, since if their lands remained untenanted they would have to pay the tax themselves. In fact the relative position of the parties would be changed, and the settler would then have more nearly on his own terms what he is obliged now to take on such terms as the absentee chooses to offer. This Mr. Fox is well aware of, and it is not surprising that as agent of the Company and therefore interested in keeping up the price of land and forwarding the interests of the absentees, he should oppose a measure calculated to have a beneficial tendency in promoting the progress of the Colony.

The Sydney papers by the Lucy James do not contain English news of so late a date as had been received by previous arrivals from Hobart Town. The most important intelligence they contain is the account of another calamitous fire at San Francisco in June, being the third which had occurred within the last six months, occasioning an immense destruction of property, which had been valued at one million of pounds sterling. A large public meeting had been held at Sydney at which several strong resolutions had been passed reflecting on Sir Charles Fitzroy in consequence of a Despatch written by him to Earl Grey, in which his Excellency speaks in slighting terms of a memorial of a former meeting against the further introduction of convicts, and represents the feeling of the more respectable portion of the community to be in favour of the renewal of transportation to that Colony. The Lucy James appears to be a very smart craft and will we understand be employed by Mr. Varnhain, to whom she belongs, in the coasting trade (chiefly between Taranaki and this place) to which she will prove a valuable addition.

On Sunday afternoon the ceremony of blessing the first stone of the new Roman Catholic church to be erected at Thorndon was performed by Bishop Viard assisted by his clergy. The afternoon was very fine, and a great number of persons were in consequence attracted to witness the ceremony. An address in connection with the subject was delivered by the Rev. J. J. P. O'Reily. From its elevated site, the building will be a conspicuous object from the harbour. The Bishop's residence, the convent, and church will all be within one inclosure, containing an area of between three and four acres. The buildings are to be in the Gothic style.

The Fairy Queen, under charter to the Government, sailed yesterday for England via Auckland with brevet Major Johnston, Ensign Ewen, Assistant Surgeon Park and ten non-commissioned officers of the 65th regiment, forming a skeleton company of the depot. Twenty- one invalids also of the 65th Regiment, three women and nine children embarked on board the vessel. At Auckland we believe a similar number of officers and non-commissioned officers, one of the skeleton companies of the 58tb Regt., together with the invalids of that Regiment will also embark for England in the Fairy Queen. The two remaining skeleton companies of the 65th RegtT. will embark for England as soon as a convenient opportunity occurs.

In last Saturday's Independent is a silly paragraph charging us with attempting to sow dissension among the members of the Mechanics' Institute, which we suppose was hazarded with the view of creating a diversion in favour of Mr. Fox, and of covering his retreat. The only attempt to produce dissension in that Institution, as is well known by the Independent, was that made by Mr. Fox, himself one of the Vice-Presi-dents who, in violation of its fundamental laws, chose to introduce politics into his lecture. The late prudent resolution of the Committee has rendered his attempt abortive, and has given the members a fresh assurance that the rules of the Institution will be respected and upheld by them. To this circumstance we may mainly attribute the numerous attendance at the lecture on Thursday evening,

Flax. — We understand that nearly two hundred shares of the Working Man's Flax Company have been taken, the two first instalments have been paid up and from twenty to thirty tons of flax are in process of preparation. It is proposed to obtain more funds by means of additional shares for the purchase of machinery, and a select Committee has been chosen to collect information on this subject, and to report to the general committee at their next meeting.

We are glad to announce that the excellent band of the 65th regiment has commenced its weekly performance of music at Thorndon for the season. The following is the programme selected for this day's performance :—: — 1. Grand March — Roberto D'Evreux . . Donizetti. 2. Overture — Fra Diavolo Auber. 3. Scotch Medley Quadrilles Waddell. 4. Selection — Haydee Auber. 5. Hermile ; or th& Bridal Waltz Jullien. 6. German March Walch. 7. Galop Mohr. 8. Drum Polka Jullitn.

The following paragraph is extracted from the Mail land Mercury .• — Italian Hemp. — At the July monthly meeting of the Royal Society of Van Diemen's Land, his Excellency, Sir W. T, De-

nison, the President, in the chair, the Secretary read a communication from Mr. Edwin Ward Trent, of Park Rope Manufactory, Essex, recommending the introduction of Italian hemp into Van Dieinen's Land, as calculated to become a valuable staple, realising in England £30 to .£5O per ton. Mr. Trent states that he has discovered a mode of dressing New Zealand flax at a rate not exceeding 2s. per cwt.