The Governor's reply to the Memorial of 1852. Civil Secretary's Office, Wellington, 16th May, 1853.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 813, 18 May 1853, Page 3

The Governor's reply to the Memorial of 1852. Civil Secretary's Office, Wellington, 16th May, 1853.

<j*NTLKM«N, I am directed by Governor Sir George Grey to acquaint you with reference to the Memorial which you addressed to His Excellency in the month of March 1852, upon the subject of the Land Regulations then in force, that Sir John Palcington, to whom the Memorial in question was transmitted, has informed Sir George Grey in reply that it affords abundant evidence to show that the settlers of Wellington, in general, are satisfied of the impolicy of maintaining the price of land fixed by the Company's terms of purchase. Sir John Pakington further states, that His Excellency has acted fully in accordance with Earl Grey's directions in obtaining the strong expression of public opinion manifested in your Memorial—but that Sir John Pakington "had already become so satisfied from other evidence of the general inclination of the Colonists, that he had felt himself justified in already giving directions to His Excellency to place the Land affairs of the different settlements on such a footing, as His Excellency might find advisable. I have the honor to be, ... GjCNTLKICm, Your most obedienthumble lexvanit, Alfred, Pomutt, Civil Secretary. To W. Hickson, Esq. J. P. and the other gentlemen who signed the memorial.

Thb Auckland papers received by the Fantome are filled with discussions referring to the recent Land Regulations and the approaching election of Superintendent for the Province of Auckland. As we have intimated on a former occasion, the Land Regulations are universally popular at the North ; we understand that within the first week after their coming into operation upwards of 20,000 acres were purchased, and tht demand for land continues to be so great that a slight amendment has been made in them to the effect that in any case where there is more than one applicant for the same piece of land it shall be put up to auction. The settlers at the North, like those of this Province, are driving a prosperous trade with Sydney and Melbourne in timber, potatoes, ' and other produce from the land, a trade that is adding daily to their resources, and giving them additional means for bringing the soil into beneficial occupation; no wonder then that they should find in these Land Regulations a powerful means of advancing their prosperity, and that all parties, have united in an address of thanks to the Governor for a measure of such great benefit to the Colony. The discussions at the North, therefore, do not refer to the measure itself, or to its important results in promoting the best interests of the colpny, on these points all are agreed,— even the bitterest enemies of the Government, — but to the proceedings instituted by Messrs.' Wakefield and Sewell to prevent them from taking effect. That our readers may understand the light in which these proceedings are regarded at the North, we have extracted the commelitt made on them by the New ZeSander. * ; ' The approaching election of the Superintendent appears to have excited a very animated discussion. It appears that Mr. Bartley, a member of the legal profession, and a settler of moderate sentiments had acceded to a requisition to allow himself to be nominated as a can^ didate for the office, whereupon Mr. Brown of the Southern Cross without waiting for any invitation also offered himself as a candidate. The majority of the electors seem to have contemplated with apprehension the bare possibility of such a contingency as the election of Mr. Brown, who is chiefly remarkable for his bitter personal and unscrupulous hostility to the Governor, and to have united in inviting Lieute-nant-Colonel Wynyard, the late LieutenantGovernor, to become a candidate by a requisition signed by upwards of five hundred electors, and there appears to be very little doubt entertained of his election. Mr. Brown here upon grows furious, and though formerly lavish of his praises of the military Lieutenant- Governor, pretends to discover unnumbered evils in a military Superintendent, even though he should be the object of his former eulogiums, raves about military despotism, the overthrow of the Constitution, and resorts to all kinds of inuendoes and factious expedients to damage his opponent. But /these petty artifices are

thoroughly sifted and exposed by the New Zealander and its correspondents, and he of the Southern Cross is done so thoroughly brown that he needs all the support his fnends can give him. A horrible murder had been committed near Auckland. A baker named Richard Rathbone in the employment of Mr. George, in Shortland Street, had been found, on the morning of the 29th instant, murdered in his house on the Cabbage Tree Swamp Road about a mile and a half from Auckland, where he resided alone. On examining' the body a severe vround was found on the back of the head which seemed to have been made with a tomahawk or small ase, a second wound on the lower jaw the bene of which was broken into several pieces, and several stabs and other wounds inflicted on various parts of the body. An attempt had been made by the murderer to burn the body, the lower part from the chest downwards having been more or less burnt, the left leg was entirely burnt away. A Coroner's Inquest had been held and the jury returned a verdict of Wilful Murder against some person or persons unknown. The Government have offered a reward of £50 for the discovery of the murderers. A native chief of the name of Rangttaurekareka had submitted to the operation of araputation of the leg at the Colonial Hospital at Auckland. Previous to the operation cloroform was administered to the patient, who afterwards declared he had felt no pain or consciousness of what had been done. We regret to add that he was subsequent]} attacked by diarrhoea, under which he sunk a week after the operation had been performed. From the Auckland papers we learn that his Excellency the Governor reache^d Auckland April 22nd, and the Bishop of New Zealand on April 19th.

A short time since Mr. D. Wakefield, the Attorney- General of this Province tendered his resignation to the Governor, and information has been received by the Fantome that hia Excellency has accepted his resignation.

The period fixed by law for the registration of Electors expired on Saturday last. The following is the number registered for the undermentioned Electoral districts of this Province : Wellington .... ; 548 Do. Country District 196 Hult District 279 Wairarapa and Hawke's Bay District 42 T0ta1.... 1065

Programme of the performance of the Band of the 65th Regt., at Thorndon Flat, on Friday the 20th May:— 1. Overture—La Dame Blanche Boieldieu '2. Selection — II Gorsaro Verdi 3. Phantom Dancers Quadrille Jullien 4. Selection— Semiramide Rossini 5. Crystal Palace Valse D' Albert 6. Oh I W hat a pretty Polka, oh ! J. Parry 7. German Galop Walch