NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR AND Cook's Strait Guardian. Saturday, April 9, 1853.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 802, 9 April 1853, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR AND Cook's Strait G uardian. Saturday, April 9, 1853.

The proceedings in the Injunction case have terminated somewhat abruptly, the Commissioner of Crown lands having withdrawn from Court, so that Mr. Sewell's motion for the presont remains unopposed. We call it Mr. Sewell's motion, for though Mr. William Dorset is put forward as the ostensible plaintiff in this case, no one supposes he is anything more than a mere instrument — or, to use the phraseology of the Association, of which he rejoices in being a member — " the tool and obedient puppet" moved by the strings in the hands of the head showman. The Injunction when granted will only extend to this Province, so that the Land Regulations still remain in force in the other five Provinces. Nor can we bring ourselves to believe that the Injunction will be maintained, or that the opposition thus suddenly raised to prevent the Land Regulations from coming-into immediate operation, can have any other than a mere temporary effect. The instructions conveyed in in the despatches both of Sir J. Pakington, and his predecessor in office Earl Grey, to the Governor give him the fullest powers, sucli "large powers in regard to the mode of dealing with Crown Lands," as would enable him to j overcome every difficulty. It is also observable that Sir J. Pakington seems to infer in his despatch that the Governor would with theße large powers settle the land question, and make such regulations as he might deem necessary with reference to the future sales of land without any immediate appeal to the fGeneralAssembly, since in treating of that body and of its duration, he directs the attention of the Governor to the fact that no provision has been made in the act for " fixing the periods of its sessions, or rendering it imperative onthe Governor to assemble it at stated times," and observes that " under the present circumstances of New Zealand it was possible that for some time it smeetings will be occasional only." There can be no doubt that the opposition thus suddenly offered to the Land Regulations if of a factious nature, and, chiefly entered , into from a desire and in the hope of embarrassing the Government and throwing difficulties in its way. There is not the sligthest pretence that these proceedings have been undertaken for the public good, or that they are in conformity with the general wishes of the settlers, who it is well known are unanimously in favour of the Land Regulations. So entirely this is the case, that the Faction now profess a new born zeal in favour of them, and would have us believe they have always been the advocates of cheap land, though one of their number is plaintiff in the present suit. They would have it be believed that if their leaders were returned as members of the General Assembly they would be ready to vote in favour of cheap land. But while they may be very prodigal of such professions the public put but little faith in them. In his Land Regulations, the Governor has gone as far as the Home Government are likely to sanction, since these regulations will in fact establish a new era in the disposal of Waste Lands throughout the Australian Colonies. They leave nothing more to be desired, since it is impossible to fi* the price of land at a lower ! rate and hope to obtain from it an available i land revenue. But while these persons would I pretend to vote in favor of cheap land, they would perhaps connect with the measure some proposal that could not be sanctioned by the Home Government, and so cunningly ensure its defeat, the responsibility of which they would attempt to throw upon the Governor, and profit by the delay that would ensue in

the meantime to strengthen their monopolies, in their runs, of the waste lands of the colony.

A silly report of Sir Q. Grey's final departure from Wellington is inserted in Wednesday's Independent ; the inventor of it is evidently hard up for materials, however slender, out of which he may put together some gossiping announcement that would favour his own views and give him an opportunity for spreading malicious insinuations. The only authority he offers for his " supposition" is a mysterious and confidential hint of his high favour with some eavesdropper "from Government House through whom, it appears, this important secret has " oozed out." But though the writer in the Independent may conceive it an honorable employment to retail " the sounds of conversations which pass beyond the walls of Government House", the public will rightly believe these sounds never reach his ears, however long they may be, and that the whole story from beginning to end is a clumsy fabrication which is utterly unworthy the slightest degree of credit.

By the Overland Mail we have received a Taranahi Herald, and Auckland papers to March sth. The latter contain an account of the dilapidation of the new wharf in Queenstreet, a considerable portion— some 70 or 80 f ee t — having given way, and this, the New Zealander states, is believed to be only the forerunner of further disasters connected with this undertaking. The Southern Cross is in extasies at the report of Mr. Dominic Daly's appointment to the Government of New Zealand, and evinces the most confident belief in the authentic intelligence ! Poor fellow, what a mistake !