NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR AND Cook's Strait Guardian. Wednesday, May 4, 1853.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 809, 4 May 1853, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR AND Cook's Strait Guardian. Wednesday, May 4, 1853.

We wish particularly to draw the attention of the public to the present state of the markets in the Australian Colonies in their relation to New Zealand, to which indeed we have referred in another part of our present number, but it is a subject which from its great importance will bear to be urged incessantly ; it is a theme of which no repetition can be too frequent. The great cry has been for a profitable export, which would give full employment to labour and diffuse a general prosperity by the development of the resources of the colony. However distant this consum mation at one time appeared to be, the wish has at last been granted, the desire is fulfilled, the golden opportunity presents itself; say, is this swelling tide in our affairs 10 be taken at

the flood and lead to fortune, or is the opportunity to be neglected, and allowed to escape? Wheat, potatoes, hatter, in short New Zealand produce of every kind commands highly remunerating prices at Sydney and Melhourne, and from the extensive demand which exists in those colonies there appears to he no danger that the markets will he overstocked from this colony. The article most in request, however, is New Zealand timher. From the great increase of population at Melbourne, and the consequent demand for house room, very large supplies of timber are required ; and the great superiority of New Zealand pine over the hard woods of Australia, from the facility with which it is worked, is so great a consideration where carpenter's wages are 20sa day, as to cause it to be in universal request. Here then in this one article, to go no further, is ample employment for all the available labour in the Southern Provinces, whereever there is timber, and the facilities for shipment. But we may safely assert that the present available labour of the colony is totally inadequate to the supply of half the orders that are received In the absence of any fund for immigration, owing to the claims of the New Zealand Company, fastened on the colony by Act of Parliament, and the other difficulties connected with the land question, as far as European lahour is concerned we can do little more than proclaim the want that exists, as loudly as we are able, in the hope of drawing the attention of immigrants to the prospects New Zealand holds out to them. But the labour of the Natives may be turned to good account, and the more they partake of the advantages arising from the present commercial activity, the more they will be advanced in civilization, and the colony he benefited. They have grown a large amount of wheat, potatoes, and other produce in the different districts along the coast, but there seems reason to apprehend that, owing to the want of a sufficient number of coasting vessels to bring their produce to a port of shipment, they will not reap the full reward of their labour. We hope, however, that this want which is now so pressing, may prove to be only of a temporary character, and that the accession of a few additional coasters will give fresh vigour and activity to the trade, and encourage tie natives in the " peaceful and earnest pursuit of agricultural occupations, from the liberal prices to be obtained for the fruits of 'their labours. The more native labour is encouraged, where so wide a field exists for its employment, the more solid, the gain which must in every way result to the colony.

A mbiting of the Hutt settlers took place on Monday evening, which was very numerously attended. Mr. <ieorge Scott was called to the chair. Capt. Daniell brought forward a resolution which, under the pretence of pledging the meeting not to vote for any candidate who had in way been indirectly opposed to the introdttction of Bepresentative Institutions, was covertly aimed at Mr. Ludlam, the popular candidate, who had accepted a seat in the Pro. vincial Council. It would seem that Capt. Daniell had been tutored to play the same part which Mr. Fitzherbert had so ineffectually attempted at the previous meeting, and his failure was, if possible, still more decided. The resolution led to a warm and animated discussion, in which its real tendency was fully and clearly exposed to the meeting by Mr. Ludlam and Mr. Eennall, the latter of whom moved as an amendment that Captain Daniell's resolution be read to the meeting that day six months. Capt. Daniell professed himself to be the advocate of very liberal principles, and the friend of the working classes, but in the course of the discussion occasioned by his resolution, he was reminded in very plain and homely terms, by repeated reference to local circumstances that his liberality must be of very recent date, and not of a kind that would allow personal considerations to suffer when in competition with the interests of the public. The amendment was put to the meeting and carried by a majority of two to one amid a good deal of cheering, and Capt. Daniell's resolution was consequently lost. The attention of the meeting was then directed to a requisition, which was in effect a counterpart of the resolution that had been just disposed of and which had been taken through the district to entrap the unwary to attach their signatures to it. The real nature of the requisition was plainly Bet before the meeting, who scouted the whole affair and recommended the prime movers in it to put the document behind the fire. The meeting lasted three or four hours, and the Faction must by this time be thoroughly satisfied that the men of the Hutt are not veiy likely to look to their ranks for candidates at the forthcoming elections.

By the Return we have received one or two Auckland papers, of later dates than by previous arrivals, but they contain no local news. The Government Brig arrived at Auckland April Ist. Trade was brisk at Auckland, and an active export trade of New Zealand produce was being carried on with Sydney and Melbourne.

Programme of the performance of the Band of the 65 th Regt., at Thorndon Flat, on Friday the 6th May :— 1 . Orertnre— Ballet dv Nina Mehul 2. Selection— l Lombardi Verdi 3. Le Moulin de Sans Souci Quadrille. . . . D' Albert 4. Duet — Norma Bellmi 5. V«lse Dial)olique — Faust D' Albert 6. Fire Fly Polka Goodban 7. Galop Seaum

Supreme Court. — Dorset v. Bell. — This Injunction matter, we understand, will be argued

to-morrow (Thursday), before His Honor Mr. Justice Stephen, at eleven o'clock, Mr. Bell having filed his answer.