NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR AND Cook's Strait Guardian. Saturday, May 28, 1853.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 810, 28 May 1853, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR AND Cook's Strait Guardian. Saturday, May 28, 1853.

Another long letter has appeared in the Independent from the pen of Mr. E. G. Wakefield, who seems determined to engross* a large shard of the public attention. Hitherto we must confess his success in this respect has been hut indifferent, and he cannot but perceive with some mortification, that his strenuous efforts instead of begetting confidence in him, have rather had the effect of exciting suspicion and distrust of his motives, that these feelings were first produced by his conduct with regard to the Governor's Land Regulations, and that all his subsequent proceedings have tended to increase them. On his first arrival in this Settlement he published a long letter to Mr. Tancred, which was in fact an elaborate and bitter attack on the Land Regulations then recently issued ; the effect of this was to call forth an immediate protest from the greater part of those who had been induced by different representations to sign an address of welcome to him on his arrival, disclaiming in the strongest manner any sym pathy with his political views ; his present letter which is addressed to the Duke of Newcastle, the Colonial Minister, breathes the fiercest hostility to the Governor on whom it is intended as a direct attack. The letter, which occupies four columns of the Independent, treats in detail of the injunction, the arrangement of the Electoral Districts, the first sitting of the General Legislative Assembly, which Mr. Wakefield assumes is to be held at Auckland, and various other matters. We shall not pretend to enter fully into the discussion of the different topics which Mr. Wakefield has brought forward in his letter, as this would lead us to greater lengths ttyan we propose, but the most cursory examination of it will serve to shew the nature of its statements, and the spirit in which it is written. Throughout the letter there is an air of assumption frbfch is perfectly unwarranted, and

on these assumptions many of his charges are founded. For example, Mr. Wakefield believes the Governor intends to hold the first sitting of the General Assembly at Auckland, and on this mere impression of his as to the Governor's " supposed intentions " all sorts of charges are founded, and all sorts of motives imputed to his Excellency, while, with the view of saving his credit, in the true spirit of quackery he tries to provide for either alternative — if the Assembly should be held at Auckland we shall be carefully reminded of his sagacity and superior sources of information, if it be held at Wellington, we shall be told the Governor has been "induced to review his position by the publication of this letter." The prediction is much in the style of those weather guides who in their Almanacs prophecy " rain about this time, a little before or after." In the same spirit Mr. Wakefield assumes that Lieutenant-Colonel Wynyard will owe his election as Superintendent to Government influence, and talks of Auckland as " only a military settlement as respects political influence." Now it is well known, that Colonel Wynyard felt considerable reluctance in offering himself as a candidate for the office, and was only induced to come forward from the serious apprehensions by which the possible contingency of the election of Mr. Brown was regarded by persons of moderate opinions in that province. We may safely leave Mr. Wakefield's disparaging reflections on Auckland to be answered by the Auckland settlers, but it is sufficiently notorious that Colonel Wynyard, if elected, will owe his election, not to " Government influence," but to the settled aversion of the Moderate party, the majority at Auckland, to Mr. Brown and his clique, and their determination to discountenance agitators and men of violent opinions ; to the same influence, in short, which may possibly prevent some of those in this province who affect to consider themselves popular leaders, from obtaining a seat in the Assembly. On the subject of the injunction, Mr. Wakefield dwells at some length, and this is evidently a sore point with him. After so much pains bestowed on getting up his case, after the successful intrigue which changed the ex-Attorney-General from an opponent into an active promoter of his designs, after his good fortune in finding so compliant a Judge, one so ready to go out of his way in giving extra judicial opinions — no doubt it must be very mortifying to find the whole scheme, built up with so much ingenuity and industry, fall to the ground, to see all these air-built castles) so rudely, so totally dissipated. In the report of this case in our last number, it will be seen that the promoters of this suit are virtually out of court by their own neglect, but Mr. Wakefield makes a virtue of necessity, and alleges his unwillingness to expose the Judge to the risk of suspension as the reason for taking no further steps in the matter. The allusion to the Gazette being sent to the Judge's house is an apt illustration of Mr. Wakefield's assiduity •in twisting the most trifling incidents into his service when it suits his purpose to do so. The Gazette, it seems, was printed after office hours, and the Judge's- copy, instead of being left at his " chambers " was sent to his house and out of this is manufactured a grave' charge of contempt of Court ! We shall not follow Mr. Wakefield into his criticisms on the present division of the Electoral districts or the distribution of members ; it is sufficient to observe that on the whole this division is agreeable to local interests, and the proportion of members to- the present amount of population in the different districts is as equitable as could have been devised ; while the number of members is so considerable as to obviate the necessity of any change for some years to come. It is certainly rather amusing to find it imputed to the Governor as a glaring " violation both of the spirit and of the letter of the Constitution," that he has included Wairarapa among the Electoral districts, and in so doing has been guilty of the' grave offence of inviting the •• lawless squatters and aboriginal natives to claim the right of voting at elections " But suppose for the sake of argument the Wairarapa District had been left out of these arangements, that it had been on technical grounds disfranchised, and prevented from being represented in the Council. Should we not have had a still louder outcry about the arbitrary tyranny and injustice of refusing to allow the pastoral interest, so considerable from its stake in the colony to be represented, while it is probable before the termination of the first session of Council, the .district may he purchased from the natives and this technical objection removed. Surely if there be a fault, " the failing leans to virtue's side," or should be regarded in this light by those who profess to advocate the extension- | of popular institutions. But towards.the conclusion of the letter we have an insight of the motives really at work. Mr. Wakefield was 1 very desirous of thrusting his advice on the Governor, and feels greatly disappointed that the Governor should prefer I

trusting to his own judgment and experience, and. should be indisposed to permit what cannot but be considered an officious interference, though doubtless proceeding " from the best intentions." Not being able to mesmerise the Governor, he tries the members of the Executive Council, whom he " spared no pains" in insidiously counselling to act in such a way, by resigning their offices, as would have embarrassed the Governor to the utmost, and have thrown the machinery of Government into confusion. Here he was foiled again — his advice was rejected.except by the Attorney-General on whom "his pains" v\ ere successfullyexerted, and who it is plain from these admissions acted entirelyunderhis brother's direction. As to the can^ about " popular leaders, "Mr. Wakefi eld's great influence as a mediator, and his assumption of the Governor's unpopularity — however much he may be disposed to interfere, we beg leave to question the claim of those to whom he alludes to be regarded as popular leaders, and the necessity on his part of any interference in the matter.

Yesterday, in accordance with the notice which appeared in our last number, a Public Meeting was held at the Aglionby Arms near the Hutt bridge, for the discussion of the land question. The meeting was very fully attended by residents in the valley of the Hutt, and several settlers from Wellington were also present ; the meeting was held in the Long Room attached to the Aglionby Anns, which wa9 quite full and several persons were obliged to remain outside the building. The proceedings commenced shortly after one o'clock, and lasted until past eight o'clock. As we hope to give in our next number a full report of the proceeds ings we shall content ourselves now with a very brief summary. The first person who addressed the meeting, and who indeed was the principal speaker on the occasion was Mr. E. G. WakefieKl. who had previously written out his observations, and ptepared an "elaborate essay, treating at some length on most of the heads submitted to the meeting for discussion. He was followed by Mr. Fitzherbert, who spoke chiefly in opposition to Mr. G. Wakefield's arguments, and in favour of cheap land. Mr. Ludlam after adverting to the question of the administration of the land which he thought should be in the Provincial rather than the General Assembly, entered at some length into the question of price and professed himself an advocate for cheap land. Mr. Revans continued the discussion, and while agreeing in many respects with Mr. Wakefield, had been induced by experience to doubt the soundness of some of his opinions, and dwelt chiefly on the question of the price of land. Dr. Evans referred at some length to Mr. Wakefield's proposal to compensate the]working classes in land, and made some pungent remarks on the attempt to use the cry of cheap land with the view of obtaining popularity and for electioneering purposes. Mr. Harding, Mr. Renall, and other speakers followed, and the meeting at last separated, but without arriving at any definite conclusion in the matter.

[ In the Australian, and New Zealand Gazette of December 11th, it is stated that the Duke of Newcastle presented a petition in the House of Lords from New Zealand, complaining of Parliament having saddled upon the colony the Government debt due to the New Zealand Company. No doubt the Company's debt, even though sanctioned by Act of Parliament, will undergo a thorough and rigid scrutiny, and the resources of the colony will not be suffered to be wasted in making good the losses incurred by their lavish prodigality. The Duke of Newcastle and Sir William Molesworth are both pledged to this course, they are now both in office, it remains to be seen how they will redeem their pledges. Whatever the Company are fairly entitled to receive let them have, but no more — and a fair examination of their accounts will show this sum to be a mere instalment of what they claim. We have every reason to believe the memorial from this Province sent home by the Midlothian, and signed by nearly eight hundred persons (the official answer to which was recently published in the Spectator) will powerfully contribute towards this desirable result. A meeting had been held at the New Zealand Colonists' Rooms, Adelphi, for the purpose of promoting Emigration to New Zealand, which was addressed by Mrs. Chisholm and Mrs. James, when the former lady mentioned her intention of visiting New Zealand. Capt. Robertson, of the Simlah, also made a short speech reporting "progress of the improvements that had been made at Wellington and Auckland during the interval that had occurred between his last voyage and his former visit to the Colony.