NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR AND Cook's Strait Guardian. Wednesday, May 31. 1854.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 921, 31 May 1854, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR AND Cook's Strait Guardian. Wednesday, May 31. 1854.

In the Taranaki Herald of May 10th, (received by Saturday's overland Mail) it is stated on the authority of the Auckland papers that an important Despatch had been received from -the Colonial Office " commenting on terms little, if at all, short of severity," on Sir George Grey's compliance with the request of the Auckland settlers, " that he would delay transmitting the portion of the Land Sales of that Province claimed by the New Zealand Company, until the result of a iiirther appeal to the British Government and Legislature should be ascertained ; and imperatively directing that the whole amount shall be forthwith forwarded to England." We have deemed it expedient to direct attention to this intimation^ for though it refers immediately to Auckland, it equally affects the other Provinces, except perhaps Taranaki and Otago where no land sales of any amount have been made. It is pretty clear that the Company, having a hold by means of the Acts of Parliament which have saddled their debt on the Colony — principal and interest — without any investigation, or attempt to ascertain what amount, if any, is fairly due to them — are not disposed to relax their grasp until they have been paid the uttermost farthing. To. any considerations that may be urged on the part of the colonists on the plea of equity on the amount of land granted in compensation, or otherwise disposed of in fulfilling the obligations of the Company, and which the colonists are now called upon to pay for ; on the reduction in the price of land to ss. an acre, the amount the Company requite to have paid to them, with interest until the whole is paid ; on the ground that the settlers were no party to, and had no voice in the arrangement which they are called upon to fulfil ; — to these reasons and any others that may be advanced the directors of the Company turn a deaf ear, they have but one reply, the forfeiture of the bond, since "the Court awards it, and and the law doth give it." All that has really been done of any effect to serve the colony in this matter, has been done by Sir George Grey : on several occasions he has addressed urgent remonstrances to the Home Government on the subject; and has even, as it now appears, incurred the risk of the displeasure of the Colonial Minister, by keeping back the money in the hope of serving the colonists. .All that will be done, we have as little doubt, will be done by him. ! On his arrival in England his representations will serve to put the matter in its proper light, and if any arrangement is made by which the colonists may obtain better terms than the hard conditions now imposed upon them, there is every reason , to believe it will be entirely owing to his personal exertions on, their behalf. We hope, nevertheless, the General Legislature of the colony will not fail to pass some strong on the subject, lor though it may be too late to have any practical effect on the settlement of the question, it will serve to record the sense of the colonists, as expressed by their representatives, of the gross injustice of the whole transaction ; we also, hope ; they will fix the proportion to be paid by each Province in liquidation of this claim; for it is clear that unless this is done whatever the amount to be paid may ultimately be found to be, under the present mode those Provinces in which the greatest amount of land is sold will be punished by having to pay the greatest proportion of the debt.

The usual sittings of the Supreme Court for the despatch of criminal business will not be held to-morrow for the best "of all reasons — because there are no prisoners to try. We refer with gratification to the fact as affording

strong proof of the healthy moral condition of the Province, though the criminal business of the Court is generally very light, and very rarely includes any serious case, especially against an original settler, or any of- the native population.

The following is a. precis of last Friday's Gctvernrhent Gazette : — A proclamation by the Superintendent bringing the Fencing Act, passed in the last session of the Provincial Council, into operation in the" following districts, viz., the Porirua district, Kai "Warra Wdrra district, Ohariu district, Horokiwi road district,Tukapu district, Pahatahanui district, Karori district, and Lower Hutt district : a notification of the re-election of S.llovana andF. D. Bell. Esqs., as members of the Provincial Council for the Wairarapa and Hawke's Bay districts ; and of the following appointments : — of VV. Fox, Esq., as Treasurer of the Province, of Mr. Stilliag as Inspector of Roads, of W. Fox, Esq., as acting Sheriff, of W. Hickson, Esq., as acting Returning Officer, and of W. Fitzhcrbert, Esq.,- as" acting Resident Magistrate during the absence o£ H. St. Hill, Esq.; a notice of the sitting of the Supreme Court for the despatch of criminal business on the Ist June, and of the despatch of an overland mail to New Plymouth every week. The return of shipping for the 'year 1853, for this port, shows the number of vessels inwards to be 287, tonnage 25,817 ; outwards, number of vessels 281 , tonnage 20,315. The total amount of immigration at thePort of Wellington for the quarter ending 31st March, this year, was 297, of emigration 156, shewing an excess in favor of immigration of 141 persons. A valuable statistical table on the health of the troops of the 65th Eegimcnt, is published, which with the accompanying remarks by Dr. Prendergast, surgeon of the Regiment, we intend giving in extenso. A notice is also published of the persons who have taken out licenses as Auctioneers in the Province, a notice by the Registrar in the estate of E. Bovan, intestate, and a notice referring to the application for bush or special licenses : the abstract of the revenue and expenditure for the Province tfbr the quarter ending 31st December, 1553, shews a balance of £4034 in the Treasurer's hands, the total receipts of the quarter being stated at £6787 14 : 5, and the expenditure at £2753 : 11 : 3: of the receipts there is a balance from the previous quarter of £2635": 17 : 11. A comparative return is also published of the receipts of Customs for the quarters ending September 30 and December 3 1 of the years 1853 and 1852 respectively; and also of the quarter ending 31st March 1854 and 1553. The Customs revenue for the March quarter of this year is stated to be £7753 : 12 : 0, and the increase of Customs revenue for the nine months ended 31st March, 1854, as compared with the nine months ended 31st March, 1850, is stated to be £9099 : 2 : 4; the .amount of duties collected at Wanganui for the nine months ending 3 l&t March', 1851, is £1455 1:2.

We are requested to call the attention of our -readers to an advertisement in another part o£ our paper announcing the establishment of a Tradesman's Club. Such a club has long been desired, and as> avc learn it is the intention of the Committee to procure, for the Tise of its members, the most popular London daily and weekly papers, magazines, &c, to devote one evening in the week to a. lecture upon the arts and sciences; and as early as possible, to throw their rooms open to the members during the day as a general reading and business mart ; with such advantages there is every reason to think it will be generally supported.