NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR AND Cook's Strait Guardian. Saturday, December 23, 1854.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume X, Issue 980, 23 December 1854, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR AND Cook's Strait Guardian. Saturday, December 23, 1854.

By the kindness of the owner of the Elizabeth Mason we have received a Melbourne paper containing English news to 4th October, by the steamer Argo, (which had made a quick passage of sixty -two days,) of which extracts will be found in our present issue. The allied -- teoepß-iua^-laxi&ecl stj^'Gc^astopctl; snu a "battle had been fought with the Russians under Prince Menschikoff on the Alma, which ended in the total defeat of the Russians, with the loss of 6000 men. This was followed by still more glorious triumphs; Sebastopol itself had surrendered at discretion to the British and French forces, with the Russian fleet at anchor in its harbour, the vaunted impregnable forts of the Czar being unable to offer any effectual resistance to the skill and indomitable courage of the Allied Powers. So great a blow has annihilated the power of Russia in the Black Sea, and we trust may lead to the establishment of peace on a secure and permanent basis. The Titan and Alexander had sailed from Melbourne for this port previous to the Elizabeth Mason' s leaving ; the Titan had the Melbourne mail on board. . ~« In our obituary of this day's issue we lament to record the death of Richakd Bakeb, Esquire, of this place. He was the second son of William Baker, Esq., one of the Coroners for the County of Middlesex. In the years 1833 and 1834 he served in Portugal, and was present in most of the actions there, especially during the siege of Oporto. He was twice decorated with the Order of the Tower and Sword of Portugal for his services there. He subsequently served with the British Auxiliary Legion in Spain, as Captain in the Ist Regiment of Lancers under General Evans, ' afterwards under Brigadier O'Connell, and finally under General O'Donnell. He received the first class of the Order of San Fernando for gallantry in the field,' aswell as the Gold Medal for the capture of the Town of Irun by assault, and was promoted to the rank of Major in June 1837. He was present in almost every action Vußi skirmish -in Spain, was generally known 1 there, and universally respected and beloved by ■ Ms 1 brother' officers and soldiers. After_ttie.terjcnmation of the Peninsular Campaign -he 'returned -to England, and on the Ist of September 1889 he accompanied some of the first settlers to the shores of New Zealand in the barque 'Aurora. ' He was appointed a Magistrate for- the-jSouthern Province of New Zealand, and latterly held the office of Inspector of the 'Ai'ined -Police Force at Wellington. He greatly endeared him&elf to all classes of Ms fellow-settlers by his uniform kindness and • 'friendly disposition at 1 x all' times exhibited towards! them, and by whom'h'is' memory' will ' long'be respected. He was generous and open- ' hearted '-dye'n 'to', a' fault, and those who knew •him best will' most regret the loss of his friend- - ship and acquaintance." PROVINCIAL- COUNCIL. On Thursday the' -Council "of this Province commenced theif "Session for the current year. There were thirteen -members' present. The gallery was 1 r ifilled ~mth • settlers,' and a few ladies were' T pre'seitt in this.'tiody of 'the •house, - -j t

, On tlie motion of the Provincial Secretary it was agreed before commencing the business of the Session, that the Speaker be requested to read the form of prayer used in the General Assembly. The Speaker having read prayers, the Superintendent shortly after entered the house, and opened the Session with an address the publi-' caftpn of which from its unusual length we rejp|t we are obliged to postpone to our next % After the delivery of his address the Superintendent left the house. •' The Provincial Secretary then moved, ' That the following members be appointed a select Committee for the purpose of considering the propriety,, of effecting arrangements with the owners of the Zingari for the establishment of steam communication between this Colony and Melbourne, as well as between Wellington, Nelson, and Canterbury, and that such Committee do confer" with the Superintendent thereon, to enable him without delay to enter on the requisite negotiations with the owners before reporting to this Council, Messrs. Revans, Daniell, Schultze. Hickson, and the mover. On the motion of Mr. Lyon the Superintendent's speech was ordered to be printed. On the motion of Mr. Eenall the standing order was suspended, which requires previous notice of a motion to be given, and The Provincial Secretary then moved that the Superintendent's speech be taken into 9,011-''sideration-on Thursday next . ' . '. The Provincial Treasurer gave notice he would introduce, on Thursday next, a bill to promote the establishment of common schools I in the Province of Wellington. The Provincial Solicitor gave notice he would bring in on Thursday next, a bill to enable the Superintendent to divide the Province into counties and other divisions, also a bill to enable the Superintendent to take a census of this Province. On the motion of the Provincial Secretary the house then adjourned to Thursday at 3 o'clock. j • ♦ Programme of the performance of the Band of the 05th Regt, at Thomdon, on Tuesday next, the 26th instant: — 1 . — Overture — Mathida de Sabran Rotsini. 2. — Selection — Jessonda Spohr. 3. — Pietro II Grande Quadrille Jullien. 4. — Selection — Nabuco Verdi. s.— Gazelle Waltz Marsh. 6.— The Duke of Cambridge Galop .... Winterbottom