NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOE AND Cook's Strait Guardian. Saturday, January 22, 1853.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 780, 22 January 1853, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOE AND Cook's Strait Guardian. Saturday, January 22, 1853.

By the Auckland papers recently received, we observe that the corporation of Auckland is \ for the present year for all practical purposes defunct ; the electors having shewn so much apathy and indifference about it that on the day of election, scarcely one hundred voters [ recorded their votes, and out of 14 wards into which Auckland is divided, in only seven of thorn were candidates proposed as Councillors ; in two of the wards there was only one- voter in each,«in two others only three voters, and in another ward only four voters who recorded their votes, and in one of the wards above referred to, the single elector who voted thought it necessary to explain by advertisement, that he did bo without the knowledge, or consent^ and certainly against the wishes of the person in whose favour his vote was recorded, and tnav uj thus voting his objeot was simply to exercise hj§ right to vote for whom he pleased.

By the Sydney papers -we- find in the same way that on the day of election for the Mayor and other members of the Corporation, So much' indifference was exhibited that, out of Sik thousand citizens duly qualified, according to the Sydney Morning Herald, only three ttr four hundred, or about five per cent., appeared to come forward and record their votes, and it was supposed that the Corporation would be abolished. Without entering into any very lengthened arguments on this question, it may be sufficient to observe that in each case the small result has been produced by similar causes, the men who have been elected have brought the offices they filled into contempt by the way in which they have discharged their duties. While in England those dilletante legislators who have been riding the hobby of Colonial refdrm, and Have been theorising on Colonial Constitutions, have proceeded on the assumption that Municipal Institutions were the grand centre and sine qua non, the most useful principle of local self-government; where they have been granted they have fallen into disuse through the unfitness of those who have been entrusted with municipal powers and privileges; on the other hand, in '"the colbrlies all those who affect to be patriots, are always clamouring for the privileges and institutions of their father land, and yet in the two instances before us, having obtained these privileges, I having been entrusted with the powers of self government, they have shown themselves in : capable of using them.

On Wednesday his Excellency Sir George Grey set off, overland, on a journey to Wanganui to meet the Bishop of New Zealand. It is understood the object of his Excellency's journey is to make the necessary arrangements with the Bishop for establishing an Industrial School at Wanganui for the benefit of the Natives.

A Meeting of the members of the Chumh of England Education Society was held on Wednesday last, at the School-room, Thorndon Flat, which was adjourned to allow of its being held during the approaching visit to Wellington of the Bishop of New Zealand, who is expected here in the course of a few days.

The William Alfred arrived yesterday from 1 Sydney after a passage of fifteen days. The English news by this opportunity is not of much later date than has been previously received. The following is the latest Sydney commercial intelligence : — Sydney, January 3, 1853. Gold from £3 10s. to £3 12s. The Owns gold realises the highest price. Exchange on London without alteration* Bank drafts 6| per cent, disct. , „ -. j, .. Wheat Ottd Flour. Some small parcels of Lannceston «nd Adelaide wheat sold last week at Bs, bat that figurt «ould not be now obtained.. Fine Flour, first quality, is rery doll and only saleable by a ton at a time lit £19 I to £20. Tea. Lut quotations quite supported. Congou 80s. to 85s. Sugar. The trade only buy very sparingly at £22 to jg22 10s. for Taal and Fampanga. Coffee 7}d. to Bd. with a prospect of a spe«dy rise. Cigars, No. 2, at 80s. No. 3, at 705.) large supplies looked for daily. Tobacco. Barrett's Is. 6. to Is. 9d.; common keg dun. Soap £28 to £29. Brandy, market falling; sales made at 10s. od. to 11s. 6d. Rum, W. 1., 10 0.p., 3s. Bd. to. 3s. lOd. Geneta, 28s. to 305., four gallon cases. Sperm Oil at £74 to £78. Black Oil £33 to £38. New Zealand Board* — Saleable for inch. Patent New Zealand Rope in fair demand. Freight to London. For Oil, 60s. per tun. Gold, § per cent. Wool, $d. to id. per lb. Tallow, 325. 6d. per tun.