NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR AND Cook's Strait Guardian. Wednesday, November 17, 1852.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VIII, Issue 761, 17 November 1852, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR AND Cook's Strait Guardian. Wednesday, November 17, 1852.

The .despatch from the LieutenantGroternor pf the Northern Province, published in yesterday's Government Gazette, is the latest information received on' the subject of the discovery of gold near Auckland, and seems to hold out a confident expectation that the discovery may prove a valuable one. His Excellencyappears also to speak hopefully of the disposition of the Natives in the event of the discovery leading- to practical results. But whether gold — metal more attractive —be, discovered at the North,' or ricfr veins of copper arid coal in the Southern Province, from the unjust advantages bestowed on the Company at the expense of the Colony, the fruits of these discoveries are more likely to benefit them than to enrich the settlers. Sic vos non vobis velltra fertis ovcs. We are to be fleeced and shorn for their exclusive benefit, and this they are pleased to call a community of interests. In the able article from the Times, in our present number, the underhand and dishonest practices of the , Company are plainly exposed, by 'dint of which their present advantages have been secured, and a fourth of the Land Fund of the Colony* made over to them almost without a question to meet the amount of debt with which they have contrived to saddle the Colony besides which there is the annual payment of between £9,000 and £10,000 in the shape of interest. From the very first — from 1847 when it was first proposed — we have always earnestlyprbtested against this most unfair' and improvident arrangement, and we are glad to find all parties are now agreed in denouncing this wholesale spoliation. But something more than mere words are required if any practical result is to be hoped for; — we must not rest content .with 'idle declamation if we expect to oblige the Company to relax their tenacious grasp of the Land Fund, and prevent them from diverting to their own private advantage those sums which ought A to be devoted to their legitimate objects ■ in the promotion of immigration, and in the I internal improvement of the Colony. I

In the last number of the LytteJton Timesi (Nov. 6) we observe our, contemporary has dommenced the publication of the New Zealand Government Bill, whiclC as ■ onr < readers may, remember, was printed in the Spectator of Nov. 6tK and 10th. The Bill has also been published in the fo'tn of a pamphlet at Canterbury at the press of our contemporary, and a copy has been obligingly forwarded to us ; it is got up in excellent style, and is a very favourable specimen of New Zealand typography.

In yesterday's Gophrnment Gazette the following extracts are published from a despatch of the Lieutenant-Governor of New Ulster, -containing further information respecting the discovery of Gold in the neighbourhood,^of -Coromandel Harbour : —

"Auckland, October 30th, 1852. "Sir, — Having visited Coromandel Harbour agreeably to the arrangements communicated in the concluding part of my despatch of the 25th instant, , No. 121, respecting the discovery of Gold in that neighbourhood, I have now the honour to* acquaint your Excellency that I sailed from hence" in the Border Maid on the 27th, accompanied by the following gentlemen : — Major Nugent, native Secretary ; Mr. Johnson, Inte'rpreteY'i Mr. Wood*, '. Deputy Surveyor Ge< xferal; "Sltf . VJ Heaphy/Di aftsman and Assistant ; lieutenant Wynyard, A.D.C. ; Mr. Forsaith, on the part of the Provincial Council — in order' to meet any emergency that might possibly arise, should the "discovery prove an available •lield, or the natives in any way excited. * " Having^anchored the ' same evening at my destination, I proceeded the following morning , to the creek where the Gold exists, and having remained for some hours on the spot, I can report from personal observation, that, as yet, the ore can only be obtained in very small particles, although in every place some was assuredly found — quite sufficient indication, however, to warrant a conclusion that ere long (as in' New South Wales) larger quantities may reward the digger, and hasten to advance the prosperity of the Province. " Before leaving Coromandel I visited the native settlement, and ascertained that no opposition whatever would be offered to the Europeans while searching about the ravines ; but as soon as Gold is found in any quantity they would then appeal to the Government ; which I conceive is an agreeable assurance that nothing at present arising from the discovery is likely to disturb the good understanding that exists between the races." " From all I have seen and heard, I have reason to feel perfectly satisfied with the result of my enquiries. "I have the honor to be, Sir, your obedient servant (Signed) " R. H. Wynyard, " Lieut.-Governor. " P.S.— Enclosed I transmit a plan of Corotnandel harbour and neighbourhood, on which is marked the names of the native owners, and the -boundaries of their lands as ascertained by me on the spot, * "R.H.Wtntard." A notification also apears of the appointment of C. B. Robinson, Esq., of Akaroa, to .the Commission of the Peace for the Southern Province, and of- W. G. Brittan, Esq., as Registrar of Deeds for the Canterbury district. 1 The following is the amount of notes of the Colonial Bank of Issue in circulation on the 13th November, being the close of the preceding four weeks :—: — ,

The sum of eight thousand pounds has been invested in the British funds by the authority of his Excellency the Governor-in-Chief.

'5 and upwards 3980 rnderjgS , 10,158 0 0 0 0 £14,138 0 0