NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR AND Cook's Strait Guardian. Saturday, November 12, 1853.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 864, 12 November 1853, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR AND Cook's Strait Guardian. Saturday, November 12, 1853.

The session of the Provincial Council, though interrupted at the very commeticement of its proceedings, has yet in the few days it has lasted afforded those who are now managing the affairs of the Province, an opportunity of giving us a taste of their quality. And it is generally admitted hy those- who were present at the discussions in Council, or who have read the reports of its proceedings, that the members who have been appointed by the Superintendent his principal Executive officers and responsible advisers have not shewn any great tact or ability in the 'conduct of the public business. Not to allude to matters of minor importance, any one who will take the trouble to compare the draft of the Executive Bill, the only one that has been brought forward, with the Bill as passed by the Council, cannot fail to observe how meagre and unsatisfactory the original measure proposed by the friends of Responsible Government would have proved. It must be confessed that the first effort at legislation by the newly appointed Provincial Solicitor has not been very successful; that Tie has not in this maiden effort exhibited any great degree of legal acumen. We have already pointed out in some previous remarks how the question of Responsible Government was altogether shirked in the Bill as introduced into the Council; the clause appointing a Solicitor to the Province, as it, originally stood, must have been fatal to the Bill, since it must have caused its disallowance by the Governor, as invading the prerogative of of the Crown and legislating on subjects expressly forbidden by the Constitution Act. But perhaps the hon. and learned member will profit by experience and rise, like the giant Antaeus, the stronger from every fall. The debut of the Provincial Secretary was .stall less felicitous. The petulance •and ill temper, the gross personalities in which he indulged, called forth the animadversions of the other members ; while his similies and flowers of rhetoric were not calculated to reflect credit on the discussions of the Council ; his homely, not to say vulgar, illustrations would hardly pass current on ihe hustings where considerable latitude is allowed, and ought to be inadmisssible in a deliberative assembly, especially on the part of the chief officer of the Government in the Council. The other members supporting the Government have as yet enacted the part of walking gentlemen, they have voted but they have said nothing. Perhaps they are husbanding their strength, " reserving their fire" for some future occasion, and are to be regarded as the silent thunder of the Treasury benches. On the Hustings Mr. Fitzherbert was very earnest in assuring the electors he should be ready to work with any sticks they might think fit to send to the Council, are we to understand that these are the sticks to which the hpn. member so pointedly referred ?.

By private letters from Auckland information has been received of the arrival of His Excellency the Governor and Lady Grey on the 15th ult. The Auckland Provincial Council met on the 18th ult., and we understand they have agreed to a memorial to the Home •Government, praying that the Province of Auckland should be constituted a separate and •distinct Colony. By the kindness of a friend ~\ve have received a file of New Zealanders to the 15th ult., but they do not contain any local intelligence of importance.

Intelligence has been received by the Shepherdess, which arrived from Kawhia on Thurs- • day, of the wreck of the barque Eleanor, from Melbourne, at Manakau harbour, and we regret to add that nine lives have been unfortunately lost. The barque Posthumous, also from Melbourne, is reported to have been wrecked at Kaipara, but we have been unable to procure details.

The Esther came in yesterday from the Chatham Islands ; she has brought the intelligence of the total wreck of the Barque Randott, from Melbourne, off the Chathams,-' on the 22nd ult. All the hands were .saved, and we believe a little of the cargo, but the vessel was comptefely destroyed ; , eleven of the hands have .come up passengers in the Esther.