NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR AND Cook's Strait Guardian. Saturday, June 4, 1853.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 818, 4 June 1853, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR AND Cook's Strait Guardian. S aturday, June 4, 1853.

A vbRY important despatch from the Colonial Minister was published in yesterday's Govern' ment Gazette, which will be found in this day's Spectator. In it Sir J. Pakington informs the Governor that the Canterbury Association having failed to perform the conditions imposed on them, their power of disposal over the lands in the Canterbury settlement has determined, — the bubble has burst, the Association is dissolved, and the entire management of these lands with full power " to re* gulate the disposal of these as well as the other waste lands of the Province" has been delegated to the Governor who may now, if be thinks proper, establish one uniform "system, under his recent Land Regulations, for the sale of the Waste Lands throughput the Colony. We say throughout the colony, for the Otago As3ociation, like the Canterbury Association, has long since forfeited all power of disposal of the Waste Lands in that province, from having failed to perform the conditions on which that power was granted, an 4 we suppose the Colonial Minister, in resuming, the authority delegated to that body, did not> think it necessary to write a formal despatch on the subject. Now there is at last an end — and we may hope for ever— to all colonizing associations and . companies with exclusive privileges in New Zealand, the last, the'mosf specious.^the most imposing of Mr. Wake-" field's bubbles has burst, — vanished into thin air, an end has been made of class settlements — the old man of the mountain is 1 fairly shaken off, and the settlers may breathe more freely. Henceforth a settler in any of the provinces of New Zealand in buying land will simply pay for what he buys, and not be taxed 10s. or £1 an acre, as the case may be, towards a religious system to which perhaps he may be opposed, or pay over his money to a body of men who misappropriate the funds entrusted to their management, and end by getting deeply and hopelessly into debt. After his recent proceedings with' regard \p the Injunction, Mr. Sewell, " the great constitutional lawyer " will derive but cold comfort from this intelligence, and when it is found from the last blue book that he has been trying, like a trading patriot, _to_ quarter himself on~~fne~ public as Attorney-General for Canterbury, it must be confessed he does look infinitesimally small. We dare say too that Mr., Justice Stephen, with these further lights to assist him, when he finds each succeeding despatch reiterating and confirming in the fullest manner the delegation of power -to the Governor as to the disposal of the waste " lands, will deeply regret he has not exhibited a little more discretion and judgment in these proceedings ; the illegality of his late decision^ having been by this time admitted on all sides. In the mean time it is very satisfactory to know that, as is generally believed, his Excellency has received the most flattering despatches from the present Colonial Minister, and stands higher than ever in the confidence of the Home Government, and that all the inuendos and rumours that were so industriously and confidently circulated a short time since as to the changes to be made by the. Duke of Newcastle have not the slightest foundation, us indeed might have been readily concluded by any reasonable person, knowing the quarter from which they- emanated. Even- the two letter writers who have recently inflicted such a voluminous correspondence on "my Lord Duke," now shake their heads at each other, and ruefully exclaim, — "Brother, brother we're both in the wrong."

His Excellency the* Governor returned on Wednesday in the Government Brig from Auckland. The Brig left Auckland on the 26th ult. and came round the North Cape, making- the passage- in six days. During his stay at Auckland his Excellency seems to have won golden opinions from all sorts of people ; the reduction in the price of land had given universal satisfaction and imparted fresh life and vigour to the Province, and the sales under the new Land Regulations were very extensive. We have extracted from the New Zealander the report of an interview of a deputation with the Governor on this important subject. The Governor's answer to the deputation was most favourable. The settlers also requested that a Government House might be built at Auckland, and his Excellency promised to comply with their wishes. The election of Lieut-Col. Wynyard as Superintendent was looked upon as certain. A melancholy boat accident had occurred in .which Lieut. Hutchinson, for many years Kesident Engineer Officer in this Province, with" Dr. Matthews of the 58th Eegt. and three. other persons were unfortunately drowned:

We are glad to welcome among us Capt. Williams, the resident Manager of the Company now forming, through the exertions of MessrsH. H. Willis & Co., of London, for introducing steam communication between the different Provinces of New Zealand. Captain Williams arrived by the Cashmere at Auckland, from whence he was- a passenger bytne^Government Brig ; we understand he intends visiting" the . different Southern Provinces with a view to ascertaining the opinions of the settlers on this question so as to determine him as to the course he may pursue. Two firstrate iron steamers of 330 tons .each, with screw propellers, are destined for this undertaking.

one of which may be shortly expected to arrive in New Zealand. It would be superfluous for us now to enlarge on the importance of intercolonial steam communication to the Provinces of New Zealand, or the great advantages it would confer. This great boon (for such it is) is now almost withinihe reach of the New Zealand settlers, it, depends in a great measure upon themselves whether the advantages, now offered to them be permanently secured. We would suggest the pro- • priety of an" early meeting of merchants and other, influential -persons for the purpose of .conferring. with Captain Williams with a view to making the arrangements, and affording him the support and assistance, so far as Wellington is concerned, necessary to introduce Steam into New Zealand.

The Arion, from Melbourne, has brought the disastrous intelligence of the burning of the Mahomed Shah. The following particulars are extracted from the Melbourne M. Herald, May ; The Brig Ellen, from the Mauritius, in lat. „ 40,10 J3.,_and Jong. .118.10 E., took on board tbisctewfnd passengers of the Barque Mahomed &hahj bound from London to New Zealand, the said ship being abandoned on fire. Tbe following are the names of the parties thus providentially preserved: Passengers — Mr. and Mrs. Jeffries, Mr. and Mrs. Hall and three children, Messrs. Herbert & Oswald, Curtis, Smith, Holland, Mrs. Wheeldon, sen ,■ Mr. and Mrs. Wheeldon jun., Mrs. Roddy, Mr. and Mrs. Powell and seven child ren t Mr. and Mrs. Challis and child, Mary Knowler, Ann Williams,.W. Duand, W. Winter, master, Dr. H; Schank, surgeon. Crew — T. Barghes, first mate, T. Robertson, second do.', D. Robb, Myers, W. Fernie, R. Clark, W. Evans, T. Ryan, S. Murphy, D. Virtue, W. Downes, W. Millings, G. Goldtrap, C. Blackburn, H. M'Dougall, F. Listings, F. Jackson, W. Heane, F. Clark. But few particulars have yet been ascertained respecting the fate of this unfortunate vessel. Before so providentially falling in with the Ellen, the Mahomet Shah bad been on fire for two days, but the conflagration had been kept under in a smouldering state by battening down the hatchways, &c. The escape of the passengers and crew was attended with no other casualty than the loss of every article of property, excepting that upon their persons, belonging to them. The fife is supposed to have originated in spontaneous combustion, as, from its breaking out in the lower hold no other probable cause can be attributed.