NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR AND Cook's Strait Guardian. Wednesday, December 13, 1854.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume X, Issue 977, 13 December 1854, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR AND Cook's Strait Guardian. Wednesday, December 13, 1854.

We have made another extract from the last New Zealand Blue Boot, referring to questions connected with the settlement of the New Zealand Company's land transactions in. this Province^ and other public matters. The correspondence out of which the letter now published has arisen, refers to a case of compensation granted to Mr. J. Wade by Mr. Fox when Principal Agent of the New Zealand Company. It may be sufficient to observe that the Emigration Commissioners to whom the correspondence was referred, in reporting on the case state, "that the information before us would lead to the inference that this arrangement was irregular and unauthorised, and that the compensation was excessive ;" and the Commissioner of Crown Lands (Mr. Bell) in his report on the case, says, — "It is perfectly clear that he (Mr. Wade) had no right to stake such a claim, for the land order had been selected by the former owner, whereby all speciality in it was done away with, and the Selection was afterwards adopted by Mr. Wade himself. The claim was, notwithstanding, referred by Mr. Fox to the arbitration of Dr. Featherston, who awarded Mr. Wacje 525 acres in respect thereof. The Principal Agent thereupon issued scrip to the amount of the award, but did not require the land order to be surrendered in exchange ; so after selling the scrip, Mr. Wade proceeded to deal with the land order in various ways, and curiously enough it happened, that Mr. Fox, on his private account, advanced money on the very document that ought, in reality^ to have been returned to the Company." Mr. Fox hereupon becomes furious, and not being able to refute the facts disclosed, affects a virtuous surprise, and proceeds on the established maxim of his party, especially when their own case as too frequently happens will not bear handling — he tries to damage the charac-, ter of his opponent, as if that would clear his own, pours out his Billingsgate on the Governor, and the Commissioner ; in short, acts as he always has done on sach occasions, and of which innumerable examples may be met with passim in the columns of the Independent. Mr. Bell's reply will be admittad on all hands to be temperate, satisfactory, and complete. He shews in the clearest manner, on how slight a foundation Mr. Fox's statements rest, — " just enough truth to prevent their being called absolutely false," — and exposes thoroughly his unscrupulous conduct. The whole case is curious enough, and reflects fresh light on these land transactions, and on the intimidation Mr. Fox thinks it right to practise on his subordinates for political purposes; what we suppose he calls his moral influence. It serves also to explain his great anxiety for having the waste lands handed over to the Provincial management. But in such an event it would behove the electors to look still more warily into these matters; they know enough of the past to look j with caution to the future; they have > bought their experience too dearly not to profit by it.

The Government Faction, unable in any way to gainsay the facts recently stated in this journal with respect to the conduct of some of their leading members on some late public occasions, resort to their common practice, when reduced to a dead lock, , and pour out in the columns of their organ, the Independent, the coarsest abuse of the Spectator and^ its editor. Such attacks shall receive no notice from us, they are beneath contempt, and only serve to show that the facts we have ad duced have produced an impression on the public mind, and that the present holders of office are apprehensive of the consequences. If anything were wanted to add to their authen-* ticity and make assurance doubly sure, it would 1 be the assertion, on the credit of the Independent, that the>statements we have made " are totally without foundation." With reference to the elections we need only refer to Mr. Allens communication, though the facts themselves are too notorkras^to admit of denial or dispute. Of course Mr/Fox must feel greatly mortified at the exposure of his conduct, but the course he pursues only makes his mortifi cation more palpable. The credit of the Independent under Mr. Fox's control ! why, that is as good a joke as the Emperor Nicholas's assertions in the celebrated secret correspondence, " on the word of a gentleman, t"

By the Despatch from Sydney we have received English news to the 10th September, putting us in possession of detailed information of the events of which a report had previously reached us from Nelson. - The English mail for this place has been forwarded from Sydney to Auckland by the William Dermy t and we shall

probably receive it about a month later than if it had been sent direct by the Despatch. , It is a great pity that the Sydney Post-office authorities are not officially informed that the William Denny really confers no benefit on the Southern Provinces, and that by persisting in forwarding the monthly mails to Auckland, instead of by vessels proceeding direct to Wellington, they practically deprive us of the advantage we should otherwise receive from steam communication with England.

We learn on the authority of private letters that the Admiral Grenfell arrived in England September 3rd. t

WILLIAM ALLEN.