NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4387, 12 April 1875, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH. MARCH-APRIL, 1875. For fransnuiatori by the Ladybird, from Wellington, on the IStk, and the A.S.N. Co.’s steamer Cyphrenes, on the IGth April, from Auckland, ria San Francisco. Mosdat, April 12. The chief events in the political world during the month have been the election of Sir George Grey as Superintendent of the province of Auckland, in succession to' the late Mr. Williamson, and' as member for Auckland city west, in the House of Representatives, to fill the vacancy caused by the elevation of Mr. J. B. Gillies to the Bench. In neither election was Sir George Grey opposed. His speeches to the electors will be found in another column. When he was first announced as a candidate for the Superintency, it was understood that he came into the field purely as an advocate of the retention of the provincial system, in opposition to the proposals of the Ministry for the abolition of that system in the North Island. The proposal of Mr. Yogbl went no farther, though the public generally accepted it as meaning the abolition of provincialism in both islands, and the consolidation of all government in that of the colony of New Zealand. SirGEOROE, however, has since shifted his ground. He does not now so much defend Provincialism as suggest a new form of colonial representation in England—a scheme which really has nothing to do with the proposals the Ministry are expected to submit to the next meeting of the General Assembly, and can hardly be regarded as of any practical importance at the present moment. It would involve long correspondence with the Imperial Government; negotiations with the other colonies for co-operation and support; the interference of the Imperial Parliament; and a delay for which the colony is not prepared, and from which it would greatly suffer. What is thought of Sir George Grey’s proposals, however, will be found expressed in another column. There is no doubt that the return of Sir George Grey to Parliament will be followed by the formation of a compact, if not a numerically strong opposition. He will be recognised, in virtue of his past services, as the leader of the party; and he will draw around him forces that were unwilling to congregate round any less influential leader. We place no credence in prevalent rumors as to the intention of the Government to find an excuse for postponing the consideration of the Provincial question, and look forward to a warm, though it may be a short, session of Parliament.

For the seat for Auckland City East, rendered vacant by the death of the late Superintendent, Mr. Williamson, there are two candidates, Mr. Dignan and Mr. Daroaville. The former simply presents himself as a follower of Sir George Gkey. The latter offers himself as an opponent of Provincialism. The former had the show of hands, but the latter has very strong support. Sir Donald McLean has not yet returned to Wellington from his protracted visit to the natives in the North, bat is now travelling overland on his return, and is expected in Wellington within a few days. He has succeeded in settling in a moat satisfactory manner a very large number of intertribal and tribal disputes, as well as questions between the natives and the General Government, and in all of them his decisions are said to have given the greatest satisfaction. Even in those between natives and the General Government, in which he adhered to his policy rigidly—betraying no symptom of weakness, and impressing on the native mind the power of the Pakeha to accomplish anything on which they determined—he carried the consent of the natives with him. The disaffected tribes may now be said to have been thoroughly pacified. A great meeting of the Kingites is at present being held at Te Kuiti. The King himself did not attend for days after he was expected, but he is now there. Whatever may be the subjects to be discussed at the meeting, and whatever may be its results, there is no doubt that disloyalty is at an end among the natives even in the King country. Another meeting of natives—this time of the small tribes which still remain in Canterbury and Otago—is to be held in the month of May at Otago Heads. It is called by Taiaroa, the representative in the House of the Southern Maoris, and himself head of a tribe, and the son of one of the most distinguished chiefs of the Middle Island in his day. Taiaboa claims a sum of two millions for unfulfilled promises to his father and other Maori chiefs, representing the natives of the Middle Island, in connection with the sale and transfer of their lands in that island to the first settlers. The claim is said to be based on promises made to them by the Hon. Mr. Mantell, and other representatives of the New Zealand Company. These claims have been before Parliament, and have been reported upon unfavorably. They were to haye been brought up again by Taiaroa last session, but an opportunity of doing so did not offer. It is now intended not only to agitate the matter next session, but to send home Taiaboa and other representatives of the tribes interested to lay the subject before Her Majesty and the Imperial Parliament. Mr. Mantell, and —it is said—Mr. Sheehan are to be asked to accompany the deputation of Natives.

His Honor the Chief-Justice Sir George Arney (Auckland), his Honor Judge Chapman (Otago), and his Honor Judge Greskon (Canterbury), have resigned their offices, and they retired from the bench on the 31st of March. Mr. Peendekoast, the late Attorney-General, has been sworn in as Chief-Justice, and has proceeded to Dunedin to hold his first Court there. His Honor Judge Gillies held his first Court at Nelson, and presided at the late criminal sittings at Auckland. The Government does not intend to fill up at once the office of Attorney-General, vacated by the promotion of Mr. Peendbegast. The office is one not easy to fill up satisfactorily. Mr. Reid, the Assistant Law-officer, _ has been temporarily appointed SolicitorGeneral. This appointment will give him power to do all the duties that fall upon the Attorney-General, when such an officer is appointed. The care and ability with which Mr. Reid has transacted all the business intrusted to him, are guarantees for the successful conduct of the legal business of the Government until more permanent arrangements are made. Probably the Government will have to obtain assistance from outside for Billdrafting, and in the meantime a young barrister, »Mr. Govett, has been temporarily employed in Mr. Reid’s office,| to assist in the routine work of the department.

The death of Mr. Wilson Grey, a District Judge of Otago, has occurred during the month. He was very highly respected. He received leave of absence for a year, and on his return was to be pensioned ; but he died, literally in harness, within two or three days after the expiry of his terra of office, and after delivering his last judgments, having been carried from his bed to the Bench to discharge that duty. He was born in 1813, was a brother of Sir J ohn Grey of the Irish Freeman’s Journal, and previous to arriving in New Zealand had resided for some years in Victoria, where he was a prominent member of the first Land League. , It is regarded as fortunate that the Premier was in Europe at the time when Mr. Fellows’s attack on the colony was published, and that Mr. Vogel was thus at once able to supply the antidote to the poison. The Hon. the Premier s reply has been published in all the leading journals of the colony, and has been universally approved. Considerable astonishment was occasioned by the news that Dr. Duller had been created a Knight of the Order of St. Michael and St. George. How it was brought about that the honor should have been bestowed is the question, and it has been the subject of a good deal of comment.

The Provincial Councils have met, are meeting, or are about to meet. That of Taranaki finished its work a week or two ago. That of Westland has just concluded its business, and it must be said for it that the manner in which its business was managed, the language in which the members indulged, and the total incapacity the majority displayed to fill with honor or dignity the position they occupied as representative men, afforded the strongest possible evidence of the necessity of abolishing these petty Parliaments. The Council of Canterbury is now sitting; that of Wellington assembles on the last day of the present month ; and those of Nelson and Auckland early in May next. Although no such yields have as yet been obtained from the Ohinemuri as the diggers usually expect from a new rush, golden quartz has been struck, and there is no doubt that another has been added to the known goldfields of the colony. H.M.S. Dido is still in Auckland harbor, but is expectedly shortly in Wellington.

The Suez mail was despatched on Friday, per Albion ; and the Ladybird will sail to-morrow, at an early hour in the afternoon, with the New Zealand mails, for America and Europe, via San Francisco.