New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK’S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, August 16, 1851.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 630, 16 August 1851, Page 2

New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK’S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, August 16, 1851.

At the close of the Legislative Session we may take occasion to pass in brief review the labours of'the Council. "As we have endeavoured in our reports to give our readers a faithful, and as far as our space would allow, a full account of the proceedings of the Council, and as the measures which have been passed will each form separate topics of discussion for some time to come, we are relieved in some degree from entering into any detail now : it will be sufficient at present to glance at the results which have been accomplished. Of the Ordinances which have been passed, some provide for the extension of civil or social rights and privileges, as the Naturalization, the Municipal Elective Franchise, and Marriage Amendment Ordinances; some relate, as the Census and Paper Currency Ordinances, to the arrangements of Government, or facilitate, as the Interpretation Ordinance, the details of future legislation; while others have reference either to general interests, as the Debtors Writ of Arrest and Bank Charters Ordinances' or are intended to re. heve the interests of a particular class, as the Licensed Victuallers Amendment Ordinance, or to improve and extend the operation of previous ordinances or of institutions •formed under them, as the Land Fund Appropriation, and Crown Lands Amendment and Extension Ordinances. In the Appropriation Ordinance the details are with a few exceptions nearly the same as those of previous years, the additions made have been mostly for improvements and public works, as for the gaol and lighthouse at Wellington, and the roads and other improvements at Nelson, New Plymouth and Otago, or in aid of institutions intended, as the Mechanics’ Institute, to promote the recreation of the working classes, or, as the New Zealand Society, to afford information of the natural productions of the colony, and assist thereby in developing its prosperity. The three measures of greatest importance, however, enacted during the present session, whether regard be had to their immediate results or their future consequences, are the Duties, of Customs, the Provincial Councils, and the New Zealand Company’s Land Claimants Ordmances. The Customs Ordinance has, in

thealteration alone from an ed rate of duties, introduced- J and beneficial ties, while the result will of « self in a rapidly increasing the desire to extend the sched Veilse ' i include-as extensive and coinnU' possible of articles subject t 0 9 /M it may be found that the duty* stances, particularly on articles? 6 ' 1 ! quality and of inferior value somewhat too high, but the' B? 4 whole is a great improvement O n viouslaw, while the remission o f M tobacco in favor of the sheen the ciiuuurugement g lve n to the trade by repealing the duties on quired for the use of coasting'll confer substantial benefits on those ' ! The provincial Councils Ordinandi so frequently discussed, that it necessary to enter into any cussion of it now, it will suffice topi that while its provisions are of amore§ | character than would have been e J | Parliament, Lord Grey’s despaO| present state of political parties i n JI incontestably prove that it Wo JJ vain to expect any ference by Parliament in New 7,71 affairs, and that Ministers repose soO confidence in the practical experience’ll ability of the Governor-in- Chief and i a J liberal desire to promote the prosperity! the Colony to leave the solution of Al political questions which affect its interd in his hands, being satisfied no doubt J reference to the past that Home interfered in New Zealand affairs is not always ad in advance, and that there is not much to] gained from the crotchetty suggestions J projects of diUetante colonial reformJ As we propose shortly to enter at d length into the question of the New Zed Company’s Land Claimants Bill we J merely congratulate our fellow settlers J the prospect which now exists oftkesl mediate and satisfactory adjustment oftliJ questions which have so long interferedvj the progress and prosperity of the South Settlements, a result that never wouldb been accomplished by the Company and i Agents. But besides the laws that b been enacted by the Council, two measis concurrently brought into operation by lb Governor-in-Chief, the Depasturing Res lations and the Charter of Incorporation Borough of Auckland, are calculated tote as important effects as any of the measaiel to which we have referred, the formers giving that encouragement and proteciil to the investment of capital in stock wM was so much wanted, which the New Zd land Company could not give, andwuM the existence of that body interfered to pd vent the Government from giving; as an example of those municipal institution to be modified and adapted to the circumstances and wants of the applying for them, and giving to the seW the uncontrolled management affairs,

On Tuesday evening his Excellency H George Grey, as President of the Ns.” t S land Society, invited the members to t H versazione, which was very numerorolf B tended. The suite of rooms at House were thrown open for their rece P a . ; B and the tables were covered with . scientific illustrated works natural history and productions of the. .B tralian colonies. But perhaps the greatest interest were the drawing 9 0 ■ Zealand scenery, and other objects co ted with the natural productions of t g Ivo uuv,r, Rn U parte a 'B| were thq greenstone meri of le iya u r . and the teki of Heki, both, we eb .® ve ’jjor.H by the respective chiefs to the.^ ( g We noticed also a wooden sacr *® cl e jmjvH elaborately carved, (supposed to be dred and fifty years old) Grn2e ? to a priest of a tribe at the head ol . jg ganui river, the cutting part ° r h <etH which is formed of sharks into the back of the instrument, those barbarous times when m im , were immolated by a false and cr stition. and the grim idol smc are -° B

man blood —times which have happily passed away before the mild genius of Christianity. There was also another very interesting and remarkable relic belonging to the same tribe, a highly carved historical stick with notches intended to represent notable events and the great men belonging to the tribe. Some beautiful mats were also exhibited ■of the paper mulberry tree, and .arms and instruments from the different South nea Islands. Among the contributions to the Society were specimens of copper ore from the Chatham Island, and some curious'■petrifactions from Pitt’s Island. We congratulate the Society on the good beginning which has been made under their -President, whose urbanity and kind attention to his guests were felt by all. Such sgyeunions, while they have the best possible in bringing all parties -together, and |thus tend to remove those differences that |have previously existed in the settlement, |cannot fail to create and stimulate an active |interest for the welfare of the Society on ||h.e part of .its , members,, and we .hope- to substantial proofs of this feeling in Contributions to the museum in the various tranches of the natural history and productions of the colony.

pr esterday afternoon the sum of one hundred and fifty pounds was paid by D. B Lean, Esq., the Commissioner for purchasing native lands, to that portion of the 1 uketapu tribe (being a branch or sub-divi-feion of the Ngatiawas) living at Waikanae. Warerua, Queen Charlotte’s Sound and in satisfaction of their claims to m uistnct of 1500 acres at Taranaki, usually [known as Bell s -block. The natives, in mumber about two hundred, assembled to [receive payment in front of the Government [offices.

[Mechanics Institute.—On Thursday [Evening a very interesting lecture was de|ivered by Mr. Roberts, at the Mechanics [institute on the science of optics as applicable to the illumination of Lighthouses. [The Lecturer explained the principles of the as applied to Lighthouses, the difsferent methods of lighting by reflection and [refraction, and the latest improvements [which had been introduced. The Lecture pVas illustrated by numerous diagrams and [lasted about an hour and a quarter: the boom was well filled with members and ... , [About a month since we gave an account [of a meeting of the Magistrates of this [district, at which it was agreed (in accordance with the wishes of the'majority of the inhabitants) to present a requisition to the Governor to issue a [proclamation bringing into operation, in [the town of Wellington, the provisions of [the Town Roads and Streets Ordinance [passed by the Provincial Council of New [Munster in 1849. We do not know what Steps have been taken by the Government, but if the Ordinance is to be brought into operation this year there is not much time to be lost, as all claims to vote must be bent in to the Resident Magistrate on or before the Ist September. The following are the clauses in the Ordinance relating to rotes

s 8. Be it enacted, That every person who Iphall have to his own use, either in freehold or as the occupier, any lands or tenements withkin nntr t/\vv?nc« K _ • -» r-; uv,a„,icu to we wiinin tne provisions of this Ordinance, shall, being duly Enrolled in manner hereafter provided, be [qualified to vote at the election of a Board of Commissioners, to be elected for the purpose fof levying a yearly rate on all houses, lands, Bnd tenements, situated within the town, and [for the purpose of superintending and managing the making, maintaining, and reparing the streets, roads, quays, and highways, with-. In the same, ”■ -• All. claims to the right of voting shall >e according to the form to this ordinance annexed, and shall be sent in to the Resident Magistrate of the town proclaimed as afore,aid, or if there be no Resident Magistrate in he town, then to the nearest Resident Magisrate, on or before the first day of September n each year, and all claims not so sent in puall be disallowed. I The sth clause enacts that all objections I 0 claims are to be heard and determined I ya bench of Magistrates on or before 15 th P* September.