THE WANGANUI CHRONICLE AND RANGITIKEI MESSENGER. “Verite sans peur.” WANGANUI, AUGUST 14, 1862.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 6, Issue 304, 14 August 1862, Page 2

THE WANGANUI CHRONICLE AND RANGITIKEI MESSENGER. “Verite sans peur.” WANGANUI, AUGUST 14, 1862.

JHii Despatch from the Duke.of Newcastle which will be fomul inAiiother column, has caused more surprise ;than its contents justify. The asperity of its tone may well excite indi^natiui; but the imposition on us of the cost of the Militia is in accordance with a pledge asked eighteen months ago, and given by the Stafford ministry, thutjhe expendi--. ture for the maintenance of such a force would be paid by the Colony. The injustice., "f„this is evident enough' ; but the transaction shews the benefits conferred pn us by having aso called; irresponsible ministry in' native affairs. \Ve both get the kicks and pay the ha’pence., ; The policy of,the Domett ministry in Native Affair includes the following points. They advise, bis Excellency on native affairs.. They co-operate with him in carrying out his present plans. They leave Taranaki entirely in his hands. They propose, borrowing One million Sterling for immigration purposes—rto form we suppose frontier settlements like the pensioners’ in Auckland. A few thousand uavvies set to make roads through the country would baa more legitimate and profitable object of expenditure. :— y In another col unin will be found a note of the shooting of oiir Riflemen at a match got. up to test their efficiency in comparison with that of some of the acknowledge. dbest marksmen in England. It arose , from some;: remarks in,a letter 6f our London correspondent, (and we are told similar comments were made in the Times) depreciating the skill of our Riflemen at long ranges, in reply to a claim made by Lt. Gol. Balnea vis for a foremost place for our. prize shooters among the elite of the English Rifles. The result of the match is not unfavourable to the Wanganui Volunteers. Nob having the par- * ticulars of any other contest among the . periti; they took for comparison tho match shot last autumn by the Cambridge University men, for a cup given by the Prince of Wales. Nec semper ’ arcum teridit Apollo ; but it may be presumed tbat university men have more leisure to attend to rifle practice than our hard working settlers, who have difficulty in snatching a few hours in the mouth, for attendance at the ranges. It is at least certain that for such a prize given by such a personage Cambridge would send forth Her best men, among whom we find the ex-champion of the United Kingdom. Taking into account the opportunities ..of practice a d the length of time they have been enrolled, of the relative parties, the advantage in both ,of these points being in favour of Cambridge ; the result is'such as Wanganui at least need not be ashamed of, although there ,is no ground for boasting. _ The conditions of, the matches were the same with one exception. The Cambridge men used, lqng . Enfield • Our; men had nothing but the medium En.flelds supplied to them by government. Here again they were at a disadvantage, as it need not be said that the pick of the Enfield" rifles is n)t sent to New Zealand, those given to our volunteers being, beides other defects, notorious y incorrect iu the adjustment of the sights. Well, ~what, is the r, suit of this competitive trial ;

1. At Cambridge tie sixth man makes 28 points; but at Wanganui that low score is not reached till the 29 th man sh oots. 2. Taking the average shooting of the best six Gain bridge men and the average shooting of the whole 30 of our men, we find that at 200 yards, Wanganui averages per man 2.7 less, at' 300 yards, 3.76 less, at 500 yards, 1.2 .more, and at 600 yards, .12 less than. , 3. Comparing the scores of the six best men at Cambridge with those of our six best men, we find that at. 200 yards, Wanganui scores per man 1.83 more ; at 300 yards, .83 less: at 500 yards 3.11 more : and at 600 yards, 1 78 moi’e than | Cambridge. It will thus be seen that on the whole our 30 unpicked men, all of them settlers with three exceptions, are not much ip* ferior to the . 6 picked Cambridge men, and that the inferiority is found at the short ranges. • It. will also be seen that our best six men ai’e superior to the bestnix of Cambridge ; and that . that superiority is principally in lhe long range .‘hooting. It is thus proved that up to 600 yards at least our riflemen are not to be reckoned inferior marksmen to those of England, although labouring, . under many, disadvantages from which their English brethren in arms do not suffer. . WELLINGTON. . (From our oivn Correspondent.) Wellington, Augt. 11, 1862, General Assembly. . At last the New Ministry is formed, and very much like a rope of sand it looks. If tlv y stick to their seats it will be by

REJjJIRN OF THE SHOOTING IN THE MATCH.

Wanganui

The Conditions of this Match Atere the same as those■: of that shot for the Prince of Wales’ Cup by the Cambridge Gniversity Volunteers last year. Shots at each distance,, '.standing; at 200 and 300 yards, and in any position the competitors chose, at the other ranges. In order to show the relative skill displayed in the matches we have again given the scores made by the six best University'nien, With which the shooting i: .pf our six. best men bears a very fair comparison^ : - ; .*•.»

•heer gravitation and inertia, These are the men : Mr. Domett ... . Colonial Secretary. „ Bell .Native Minister, & Col. Treasurer, pro tent. „ Mantell Postmaster General and Commissioner of Crown Lands. ~ Gillies A ttomey General. ~ T. Russell and ) Seats in the Execu- „ Tancred J tive without. Office On Tuesday last the announcement was made by Domett from the benches formerly occupied by the Pox ministry, but subsequently the table was wheeled across the floor and Mr. Fox with some of his friends re-occupied their former locale. There is a pretty general impx’ession here that the new ministry cannot stand ; without considerable modification it is tolerably certain that it will not, Irrespective of the eccentricity of some of its members, the antecedents of the Post-mttster-general in connection with' the Wellington Post-office, and the petulance of the leader (Domett); it is genorally understood that Mr Bell has no turn for the Trcasurerdhip, if he have for the Treasury ; that Mantell will refuse to mi-; grate to Auckland, and that £BOO a year will not secure the valuable services of Mr. Gillies beyond,the session—so that a recast is inevitable.

After a few explanations from. Mr Fox and Mr. Fitzgerald, and the transaction of some formal business the House adjourned to Wednesday, on which day Mr. 1 itzgerald brought forward Lis resolutions on Native policy J He spoke for a couple of hours iii a strain of manly, and earnest eloquence which has seldom been equalled in the House J The whole speech is well worth reprinting, but the gist of it may be stated in a few words. The maories were men like our-j selves, equal in intellectual capacity and courage, and with the same passions and ( therefore the same treatmentThat a full recognition of their rights anefj privileges would satisfy and make them loyal follow-subjects, V'ut that nothing else would ; that nothing less would avert a war, and that a war once commenced must, of necessity be a war of extermination.

Mr. Bell attempted to adjourn the debate, but the House would not stand it; and after an internal of half an hour the debate was re umed by the Native Secretary, who approved of the spirit of the resolutions but said it must be left with the Government to deal with them. Mr. Moorhouse supported the resolutions but propounded a little plan of his own, which was to prepare a doomsday book, let no mo, e land be bought by government, but. to let the natives sell it.' to whom. an(l.for.'what they,pleased. Mi',

Fox, about midnight, moved an adjourn ment to Wednesday. . On Wednesday a question was put by Mr. R. Graham which led to an explanation by Mr. Fox of the reasons which induced the late government to rescind the ordor for birds and animals sent home by the Stafford ministry. The reason was simple enough. The funds which should have paid for the collection had been appropriated for other purposes by the former Treasurer. Some remarks were then made by your member Mr. Harrison.

The correspondence on the subject was then ordered to be laid outlie table.'

Mr. Fitzgerald introduced a Bill to. pro.r vide for the nomination of Superintendents by his Excellency the Governor and for vesting the power of Superintendents, in certain cases, in Lieutenant or deputy governors. Tlia Bill was read a first time and ordered to be printed. The debate was resumed on Fitzgerald’s resolutions on Thursday, and after a spiritless debate the first two were affirmed, the third and remainder negatived. On Friday, after some routine busines, a discussion arose on the report of the Steam Postal Committee and it was at last agreed to allow the matter to stand over till after the Treasurer had made his financial statement. The Panama route, with a subsidy of £30,000 a year, is to be recommended.

The member for Otago Mi. Dick gave notice of another question relative to the government of the Middle Island and will l-hardly be.satisfied with the answer given to his former interpellation “ That the government had not had time to consider lit.” - *

| The event of the Week is the receipt of a despatch from The. Duke of A 7 ewcast-le, which was read to the House on Thursday evening, conceding the whole question of ministerial responsibility in native affairs —in fact, declining on the part of the •Imperial Government any further responsibility and interference in the management of the Aboriginal race of this Colony.

How hs Graces despatch will'affect the .■ministry remains. to be seeu ; but as certain resolutions relating to responsibility in native affairs which were to have been moved by the Colonial Secre ary on Friday, have been postponed until Tuesday week, we may presume that the ministerial, like the native, mind is iu the transition state. Mks. Rhodes. On Thursday, the Funeral of the late Mrs. B. Rhodes'took place, some 50 or 60 .icrsons followed in.the procession, amongst, whom were many representatives of the Legislature uu.d of the Provincial Cover:.*' timurt' .. •

The Mary Merrill.' - : .... Messrs. -Dryden and ThirkeM,' Imvo contracted to float the wreck of :the Marv Merrill, now lying on the Ngahauranga ■teach, and to .convert her into a coal hulk, .'o; 5 :• Commercial. ' In commercial matters Wellington is .rather dull, though the recent.arrival ofthe Triton.and the Joachim .Christian, close in the wake Of the Blanche, has somewhat enlivened us, but a large portion of their cargoes being winter goods have arrived a cbtiple of months too late. j' 1 .Suffdry ; Auctions have been held lately: but’ lio •. sales have taken place sufficiently important to chronicle. ; .

. DR. FEATHERSTON’S SPEECH ON THE MINISTERIAL RESOLU-

TIONS,

Sir, There are so many opinions expressed by the lion, member who.lias just, addressed, the House, and by previous speakers, in which I concur, that I am in. some respects in difficulties; for if there is one thing which I hate more than another it is to travel over ground-that already-has been trod—to repeat arguments that have already been enforced.. Yet Sir, after the able manner in ■ which the resolution before the House has been discussed by both sides of the House—by those who support and those who opposed it —I. find it difficult, nay, impossible, to avoid referring to topics that have been touched upon and far more ably/bundled than I can possibly pretend to handle them. Sir, the hon. member . who ; has just sat down, and other hon. members have expressed .the deep anxiety with which they approached the subject under discussion. Sir, the case in my -opinion is so plain and simple that 1 cannot acknowledge to feeling the slightest anxiety about it, or about the result of this debat<: Sir, some hon. members have felt themselves labouring under the difficulty of reconciling their present opinions' with those they have repeatedly expressed on former occasions in this House. • Sir, no such difficulty perplexes or embarrasses me. lam not here like my hon. friend the member for Cheviot, and other hon. members, to explain away or to recant opinions, but unlike those hon. members lam here to reiterate, to stand by every opinion I have enunciated in regard to the administration of Native affairs’. Sir, some hoii. members, especially those who. had lecently, or rather all of a sudden, become converts to the doctrine of Besponsible Government in Native affairs—repudiate the very idea of their opposition to the. resolution of my hon. friend at the head of the Government, being dictated by‘party motives for party' purposes—and would fain -persuade' :iiy lion, friend and his colleagues on the treasury bench..-that iu the event of the resolution l>en:g negatived they should bow to ami accept the decision of the House—should s ick to that bench, go on as if nothing had happened and prepare them: elves for still mure signal defeats, for stiil greater Humiliations —Sir, could I for one moment believe that my hon. friends on the treasury bench had not made up their minds to stand or fall by the resolution, to stake their existence as a Ministry on the result .of the debate, —could I entertain the slightest impression that they are to- lay, or ever will be prepared to abandon the cardinal-principle, the key stone of their whole native policy—l mean the administration of native affairs by Ministers responsible to this House, I should readily join hon. gentlemen opposite in this or any other motion which should have the effect of placing them on the treasury bench. Sir, in spite of their disclaimers I-deuoun.ee this as simply a party move, and I trust no hon. member will allow himself to bo deceived as to its real character and intent. It is to all intents and purposes simply a party movement, or else why sftould hon. members opposite repudiate and recant all the opinions they expressed so recently as. September last. Sir, when I say this is a party move ment and must be treated and regarded as .such,-I-entirely acquit-.my hon. friend the member for Ellesmere,.my hon. friends the, .-'Superintendents of Canterbury and Or ago. and other hon. members near me, of heinc parties to this party movement. But I repeat it is a party movement, ami if the resolution be negatived, my lion, friend at thehead of the Government and his colleagues have no other course open to them than at once to place their resignations in the hands of his Excellency. And now, Sir, with regard to tie re* lution itself, I am unwilling after this protracted debate, on a'question which has been so repeatedly discussed and decided by this House, to detain you, hut 1 am nevertheless anxious, if you will permit me, very briefly to . explain some of the grounds upon which I shall support the resolution of my hon. frieud at toe-head of the Government. Sir, while I readily admit the importance of the question submitted to .this House; and still more frankly acknowledge, the gravity, of. the issues involved ill it; I must be permitted to express my deep regret that my lion, friend at the head of the government should have so readily adopted the course suggested the other evening by the hon. member for Cheviot, he has to uiy mind fallen into a trap—very carefully laid very skillfully planned—a Hap from which it is not easy to escape. It appears "to me, Sir, that my hon. friend in consenting to define specifically the re ations that are to be maintained between the Governor and his responsible advisers either in regard to native or ■other affairs has simply consented to at-", temps uii impossibility. Sr,no an 'll demand in any country enjoying’ responsible institutions or i’arliamentary Government has eve. been made by the Legislature. 1 need not then-fore add that no such task has ever been imputed upon any c a stiiutionul government as has been undertaken by my lion, fVieikl at the head of government, that <3ff" •defining and reducing to writing tie relations between the Crown, or the Crown’s representative and their responsible advisers. It has in the course of this debate already beeii correctly stated that responsible government in Ei gland rests upon no Jaw; that die British constitution nowhere declares the responsibility of ministers, but simply secures j t by a ti.cifc um’eritindmg between the

Crown and the Commons. I may further observe that, even the cabinet is not a body, recognised by law or by the'constitution, and that no attempt has ever been made to define? the relations between the Crown and theCfOwn’s responsible advisers. In Ulus tration or proof of this, I may refer hoii. members to; the difference which- many years, since arose between Her Majesty and her then advisers, with respect to the appointment of theladies of the bedchamber. Sir Robert Peel, the Prime Minister, claimed the right of appointment; Her Majesty de.murredj the whole question was submitted to Parliament; it gave rise to a long and '.exciting;debate, Parliamentrultimately de-. ciding. that.the position insisted; upon by Sir, Robert Peel was untenable and unjustifiable. I submit that this case shows that any dis : pute arising between the Crown’s Representative and his advisers must be referred to and decided by the Legislature. But, Sir, it appears to me strange that lion, members cannot perceive that if it has been found impossible, to,define, or unwise to attempt to "define the relations between the Crown's advisers and the Sovereign, who is responsible to no one, then it must be st iil more difficult, still more impossible to define the relations between his responsible advisers and the Governor of a Colony who is specially cluifg ed w.th Imperial interests, and who is responsible for the proper guardianship ati l protection of .those, interests to the Imperial Government. But, Sir, any attempt to deWieThhseYelations iffThis colouyfp inhabited. ■by ahiativh r3.ee just emerging from barbarism,' must be still more hopeless ; for before you can attempt any such definition you are hound to specify and define how far native interests are Imperial interests, and you are further called upon to draw a line of demarcation between these native—these Imperial i .'te rests, and interests purely Colonial. Sir, I need not say that this is a hopeless, uud inpossible task. Colonial, native and Imperial interests are so interwoven, so entangled, that it is impossible to separate them—.impossible to say where Imperial interests lieginfbr end, and'therefore utterly absurd, utterly childish to attempt to define the relations between the Governor who is specially charged with Imperial interests, who cannot possibly divest himself of Hi 3 responsibility' in regard to those interests-to the Imperial Government and his responsible advisers, r ir, these relations are of so delicate a nature; they vary so much from day to day; they are so constantly changing; tliey depend so ra.icli upon the good sense, upon the common -St 1^?— upon the tact and discretion of the two parties concerned—the Governor and his ministers, that it is, I repeat, utterly i!sp\fssible to lay off a boundary line between them. It is upou these grounds that I regret that my hon. friend has adopted the suggestion of the lion, member for Cheviot, and submitted to the House the present resolution' with a view of defining relations which are Sir, in making these remarks it. will not be supposed tint I am averse to the adoption of Ministerial Responsibility in the administration of Native affairs as far as practicable, for hon members who had seats in this House in 185(3' will remember that 1 when, the present AttorneyGeneral who was then premier, and his then colleague my hon. friend the member for Wallace, brought down to the

House a memorandum agreed to between themselves and the late Governor, in which were the conditions upon which the Governor would consent to the introduction of responsible government. I was che of a minority which protested against the acceptance of that meraorandum. I then declared, that if the administration of native affairs was vested in the governor, if it was withdrawn I'rom his responsible advisers, that responsible; government was a mere sham anff delusion. I did then earnestly' implore and entreat this House not to accept responsible with any such condition, any such ‘ stipulation an.ncxed to it;*- Sir, I then believed as T still believe, that as the peace of the whole colony, the safety, and welfare of the two races inhabiting it depended mainly it not exclusively upon, the manner'; in which the delicate relations subsisting between her Majesty’s government and the natives were handled and treated ; it. was an act of sheer madness to entrust thef management of native affairs into the hands of a . governor, who in the gieat majority _of cases must, on assuming the administration of the government of the colony be utterly ignorant of every thing connected with it, and especially ignorant of every tiling relating to; native matters, and yet who by the House agreeing to the conditions then proposed would necessarily be forced to seek, and r require information, not from ministers enjoying the confidence of, and responsible to this House, but from subbrdihate officers wholly: irresponsible for tile advice they gave, it might be from

officers not only incompetent but disposed iff every pbossile way to run counter to tlie wishes and opinions of the representatives of the colony. I pointed out that as long as any control over the administration of native affairs was denied to this House, there was no inducement held out to lion, membei's of this House to (110 reason why they should) make themselves acquainted with, or take the slightest interest in native affairs, and Iliat;'’ therefore, native affairs would be grossly mismanaged, and the interests of the' natives still grossly neglected. Sir, that native affairs have been grossly mismanaged, I /apprehend few if any will deny,' that the interests of the natives have been still more grossly neglected, 'we have the admission both of the late governor and of the late ministry. The opinions I then entertained were so fully stated that the. late governor thought it expedient to. bring them under the special consideration of her Majesty’s principal Secretary of State for the colonics Sir, though a very considerable minority in this House concurred in those views, I am free to confess that

they did not at the time find much fiavour outside of it, and that the “ Periti” as they have been termed, expressed a very decided repugnance to them. The late governor when the question _ of ministerial responsibility in regard to native affairs was > first broached, addressed a circular letter to some, I do not know ho\V mhny—4(Mr. Ilell, this 'socalled “ Periti” requesting their opinion upon it-—and the whole of this “ Periti,” including the highest dignitaries in the several churches, comprising the chief officers connected with the native, department, and all who were in ,supposed to have a knowledge of’the natives, denounced, with two exceptions, the doctrine- of ministerial responsibility in regard to native affairs as a villainous heresy. Who were the .two"’’individuals who dissented from the denunciation of the doctrine of ministerial responsibility ? I believe that I am right in stating (but hon. members will correct me if I am wrong) that Mr. Atkins, an old settler at Kaipara, wasgonc, but I know that the other was Archdeacon Hadfield : and here I cannot help saying, after tlie aspersions caift upon that gentleman, after the unfair, the ungenerous, the unjust treacment he received at the hands of this House two years ago, after the charges then made against him of an undue leaning towards the natives—l cannot help saying that a more complete answer to those insinuations, to those charges, could not have keen given ; a more triumphant vindication of his honor and 'character could not have been bj r himself desired than is afforded by this simple fact—that while some six years ago this House, supposed to represent the colony, assented to the withdrawal from its control of the administration of native affairs, while at the same time, the whole of the “ Periti” consulted by the Governor reprobated in the strongest possible terms the very idea of handing over the management of native affairs to the General Assembly, Archdeacon Hadfield (with the exception I have mentioned) was the only man who had the courage to stand forth and declare, that he had such im; licit faith in the honesty, integrity, and justice of his fellow-country-men—such belief in representative institutions—such confidence in the General Assembly, that he urged as strongly as he well could and by arguments as cogent as could be well employed, tlie expediency and policy of entrusting the administration of native affairs to ministers responsible to this House. Sir, I repeat that a more complete answer to charges was never given, a more triumphant vindication of his character was never-afforded to any man, than has been afforded to Archdeacon Hadfield, by the simple fact that he some six years ago expressed far greater confidence in the sense of j ustice which would guide this House in its dealings with the natives, than the House itself has ever manifested in itself. Sir, such were the opinions I, in common with others, held in 1856, I need scarcely say, that instead of retracting or even modifying them, we have now been strengthened and confinncd in thorn by the events that have taken place during the last few years, in short, daring the administration of the late Governor under the system of' irresponsible government in native affairs. I am anxious to avoid, as lar as possible, any reference to past events, or to revive discussions which would only irritate and provoke without being productive of any benficial results-. But I must be permitted to remind this House that the announcement of Sir George Grey’s reappointment to the government of this colony—came upon it like a clap of thunder. That the intelligence was received by many with illdisguised feelings of disappointment, that I not , a few gave utterance to their suspicions ' that the constitution would be suspended, and that nobbing short of a complete dictatorship would satisfy his Excellency Sir George Grey. It was mainly I believe, owing to these insinuations that the House was induced before it closed its session, to pass the resolution relating to minister ial responsibility in x-egard to native affairs,which was moved by my bon. friend tbe member for Wallace. Sir, that resolution was intended as a public protest against Sir George Grey’s supposed designs upon the constitution —as a standing protest against native affairs being any longer conducted except on the principle of ministerial responsibili y. So dreadfully alarmed were some hon. members . then lest Sir George Grey should take by storm the rights . and privileges conferred by the constitution, —so determined were they to prove themseves- the zealous guardians of constitutional government, that without waiting for- his Excellency’s arrival—without giving an opportunity of explaining his views, of intimating his intentions, they, as it were condemned and convicted him, unheard and unseen, and with unseemly haste passed the resolution which has been in this debate so often referred to —a resolution in which they virtually dared and defied him to suspend the constitution, or in any wav to violate it—a resolution in which they declared the conditions upon which alone they would recognize or receive him—in short a resolution in which they intima .{ ted that their ultimatum; was his .Exeel- j lency’s unconditional acceptance of. the 1 principle of ministerial responsibility in native affairs. How, let me ask hon members who stood in so much awe of Sir George Grey’s supposed designs upon the constitution whet er any one'of their insinuations has been borne out—whether aixy one of the predictions they then hazarded has been fulfilled ? Sir Geox*ge Grey arrives, and what are the steps he . takes'? Does he suspend the consiitution ? Does he proclaim himself' sole dictator? Does he attempt to curtail any one of your rights or privleges ? Dees he, in short, justity you iii any one

of the accusations, or insinuations you hurled at him. Sir, so far from fulfilling any one of these predictions, lie no sooner arrives in the colony,, than he proceed? to investigate the causes of past disorders, and; having satisfied himself that the ■ chief cause of the disease was that specified in your resolution of last September, inamely, the administration of native affairs by the governor, independent of his ministers, he at once declares that lief Majesty’s representatives will be guided in native matters, ps wel ias in all others by ministers responsible to the Hopo Does he attempt as has beenso sedulously Si industriouly circulated, to thrust upon you the expenses of the past war—or to increase the ’burdens 'you have already imposed upon yourselves ? So far from this, that, while lie asks for a further contribution of soma ££4.000. f r native purposes he offers to relieve the ■ colony from a contribution of sane £:25,000 which you had pledged yourselves to pay to the Imperial Government as-your contribution to the expenses' of ti e troops. Does he attempt to force upon the • Colony schemes, or a system of government, for the natives exclusively his- own ? Sir, 1 was sin prised to hear my hon friend vt tlie head of"the government state; the other day that the scheme of Native Government; In-fore the'House was Sir George Grey's. For it must be apj arent. to all. that Ids Ex celleucv, in the scheme of government lie has framed, lias simply applied and embodied the recommendations- of the Y/j.ikato committee,'a mH be suggestions iff the ministers conveyed in various; memoranda. 1 again ask, whether a smgle accusation or. insinuation hurled at his Excellency before his arrival, had been borne out by his proceedings? Sr, tiie difficulty I.feed-in this matter is simply to ascertain what lion, members who oppose the resolution really mean. It is in substance precisely the same as the on» which they adopted last session without a division. Am Ito infer that hon. members have changed their opiuioi s, and that they are now' unwilling to acceptxxny responsibility' in native affairs? If so, we are surely entitled to know' the grounds vxpon which they have changed their opinions. It cannot be on the ground that they are afraid of being asked to defray the cost either of the pass war, or of the proposed native institutions; for, in the first place, tbe sixm now demanded for native purposes is less than the amount you pledged yourselv.es last session to pay. In the second place, the resolution itself expiessly repudiates any such liability ; and. in the sail! plan, one of the proposals of the .present ministry is that the sum to be asked front this House shall not for the ensuing period-of five years exceed £50,000 a year; and further you have, as has been repeatedly stated , the pledge of tlie Duka of Newcastle, ■ that tlie lmperial Government will- be ready to treat the Colony (in regard to military expenditure),' with ns much indulgence m their duty will permit, on the subject of the charges of military protection, and the number of troops to-be maintained in New Zealand.” Still less,Sir, can I for one moment believe. tlmt this House is determined to refuse to Sir George Grey that cordial cooperation which he..has asked, and upon which lie mainly relies, fur success in the discharge of the onerous duties he has undertaken at great personal sacrifices—in tliu spirit of the noblest patriotism ; and yet,Sir, if this House:,rejects, the resolution, I ea®not see what other construction can he put upon if,-than that you refuse to afford to his. Excellency any, even tbe slightest assistance. Sir, hon. members may c:y “ No, no,” but I repeat that no otl er'conciasion is deducible from such a determination. For Lis Excellency has in the most emphatic manner in his .despatch of tlie 30th November last, to the Duke of Newcastle, intimated the kind of assistance which he expected and asked for from this House—assistance which hon. gentlemen opposite now call upon you to refuse. His Excellency in that despatch, after explaining (that hitherto the Governor had retained the management of native affairs in his own hands, goes on to shv :

“4.' Under this system there would'be two Governments inthe Colony, which not only would not always aid one another, but which would sometimes act at cross, purposes with each other.

•‘5. At the present crisis it is quite impossible that Her Majesty’s Government could he advantageously carried on under such a system. I therefore immediately arranged to consult my Responsible Ministers in relation to native affairs, in the same manner as upon all other subjects, and in like manner to act through them * in relation to all native matters. If anv serious difference takes pi ace between us on tlieso subjects, I must as in other cases, resort to other advisers, and appeal in. fact to the General A.a* sembly.” • ‘

iNO'.V. 3., Stuff.u'J: vriil the hon. g. cleman also real paragraphs 9 and 10 ] 9. _ Another disadvantage of the system of making the Governor chiefly responsible ft. r native affairs, is, that it will be thought - that the wars which may arise under it have sprum-, whether rightly o. wironglv, from the acts of the Representatives of. the flßritish Government, over whose proceedings tne Colonial Legislate e had but very imperfect control: so thatit would seem difficult to call upon that body to find tha means of defraying the cost of the war, for the origin, continuance or conduct of which it was only in an indirect manner responsible. '" ■ • 10. Under the system I have adopted the Governor and Ministers act as mutual check* each upon the other. If either of them wishes to force on some proceeding which the other party regards as unjusttothe natives, or as injurious to their reasonable interests, it is known to both that the ultimate appeal must be made to the General Assembly, and that the justness of the intentions of each party will become a matter of public discussion. Xc is, therefore jroa* sonable to think that each of them would ,carefudy consider the grounds on which thev'were 'acting; before incurring the risk of an appeal of tuts nature.''’ * Ilia Ere* lkmcy here fells you as plainly as he well could, that he cannot execute the mission entrusted to him, that he cannotretrieve past disasters, and establish -the'relations' between lier M jestyV n-overnment and the natives on a satisfactory basis--that he cannot insure the future peace of tl;e colony or the welfare of both races wiii - out the assistance of this House, without you agree to the introduction of ministerial responsibility into the administration of native affairs as well as of all others; is this Hous« then prepared to refuse nmf. assistance which Xlis -E xcelieiicy eLaiiu dan to which h« is

,90 fully ei!ii:l(‘d; if it is, it has .simply to ./reject the resolution of my lion. friend. Bat , * Sir, there .loes appear to me to b»; this further incoMshtenry ou .he port of those who oppose this resolution, ft there is one charge that lots been more frequently made, more constant's - urged i>y men of all parties against S*r George Grey—it is that during his former a-lniiuistvation of the Government of the C dony lie trusted in managing the natives, entirely to his own personal influence,and tliat as soon as he left, his system at on.ee fell to piece u . ’iliose who make this charge ought to remember, that at that period there were no political institutions, no legislature which could claim to represent the Colonists or to be entitled to their confidence : but even admitting that there is some foundation for such a charge, we must also give his Excellency credit for the pains and trouble he took to gain that ascendancy over the native mind which lie then acquired; - how he acquired I need scarce inform you. He gained it by constantly travelling through the native districts, by making himself known not only to all the influential chiefs, but to,their whole tribes; by making himself by personal intercourse acquainted with their wishes, their wants and requiremouts, he gained it by himself explaining the measures he proposed for thei.' benefit, he gained it by proving to them, that while he had the courage to set at nought, to run counter to the positive instructions of the Imperial Government; rather than violate. any of the obligations imposed upon Her Majesty by the treaty f>f "Waitangi, yet that lie was prepared at any time to put down with a strong arm any attempt to dispute the supremacy of the Crown. He hesitated not to enforce the most exceptional laws, and his great triumph undoubtedly was that he obtained the willing acquiescence of the natives in those laws, a ■ triumph which he achieved by satisfying and convincing the natives, that they were not merely for the peace, order and good government of the colony, but for their own especial welfare and benefit. Such, Sir, was the me.-ns by which Sir George Grey gained the confidence of the natives, and succeeded in reconciling them to British rale. Is it ihen fair, is it reasonable, is it j list, to thrust again upon his Excellency such a Herculean task, as that of winning by his own personal influence, by his own undivided efforts, the natives back to such allegiance to their Sovereign ; is it consistent in us who have in times”past charged him with having relied folely upon his own personal influence now to insist that he shall pursue \ reckely the same course that we then so vehemently condemned? Sir, if there is one object at which more than another we should aim and strive, it is, while not ignoring the value of personal influence, of personal attachments, t; attach the natives to our insti u i ms to i ispire them with the fullest confidence in the representatives of the colony, to make them in short regard this House as a tribunal to which they may ever confidently appeal f< r the removal of their grievances, for the redress of any wrongs they may be suffering. And such is precisely, I believe, t! e object Sir George Grey has in view in declaring that henceforth her Majesty’s .Representative must be guided in the administration of native affairs by ministers responsible to this House. But Sir, a refusal on our part to share with his Excellency the responsibility of governing the native race will appear still more monstrous if we for one moment consider the position of the colony (;i3 regards the natives) as contrasted with what it was when lie quitted it some nine years ago. It will not be denied, that Sir George Grey left the natives in 1853 full of thanks and gratitude for his treatment of them —he left them relying with the utmost confidence in the justice and good faith of the British Government—he left them entertaining the most friendly feelings towards the colonists, and busily engaged in the pursuits of industry—lie left them at the same time impotei t for mis hief ; he left the colony after having, by disarming the natives, rendered a il/aori war well nigh impossible. Sir, I need not ask what is the state he finds the colony in on his return. It is, I iegret to say, exactly the reverse of what it was when lie left. Throughout the length and breadth of the laud he finds instead of loyalty,-—the natives throwing off their allegiance, brimful of distrust and susp'cion of the Government-—insti ad of those friendly feelings so long manifested towards the settlers, he finds them almost in spite of themselves coming to regard them as intruders, as possible enemies rather than nsfrienls —lie finds the colony, after being plunged into a disastrous war emerging out of it by means of an inglorious tno —! e has to deplore the ruin and desolation of one of the oldest settlements —-a settlement that has been justly termed tlie garden of New * Zealand; and one for which from his long residence in it he must ever feel a warm interest, He sees before him the prospect of another W'ar of still larger dimensions-—a war which if once begun will speedily become a, war of races, and will entail upon every settlement in this island far greater disasters than have befallen unfortunate Taranaki ; and yet, Sir, tiiis House knowing and admitting all this, recognising all the d.fiic’.ilties of the position, is asked by bon. gentlemen opposite, to. refuse his Excellency the only assistance he seeks and claims, an assistance to which I np at he is most fully, most justly entitled, not merely on account of the .debt of gratitude which this colony owes him for services rendered in times past, but still more for the self-sacrificing spirit lie lias evinced in giving up the government of one of England’s most important dependencies, ami in hastening, to us at a moment’s notice in t is our hour of need, of peril and danger. Sir George Grey doe 3 not ask you to give him aisistance in men and money—lie does not call upon you for a bl o l an I treasure assistance—for “ a blood an l treasure expenditure”—he does not cmie down to this //onse and threaten you that unless you are prepared to pay a large portion of the expenses of a war, in causing and in the carrying on of which you have had no part, no voice, he will withdraw the troops and leave the settlers of this island at any risk to the tender mercies of • race who

are smarting under a deefj sense of injustice’ aud whose worst passions liaVe btisii evoked by what they believe a most unjust, wanton, and wicked onslaught on their homes and properties. Such, Sir, is not the kind of assistance that his Excellency seeks at your hands. He makes no demand upon your pockets, but he appeals to the highest, the noblest faculties of the human mind—to the warmest feelings of the human heart. He does not come down to this House to drive a huckstering bargain, but he says in plain and simple language “ W ill you share with me the grave, responsibilit’es which, the pr. - sent critical position of the colony entails 1 Will you, the representative of the people, aid me with your council ami advice ? Will you, as far as you can, relieve me of some of the cares aud anxieties incurred for yoiir sake, and for your sake alone ? I will do my du f y; are you prepared to perform yours ? Sir, I trust that suHi an appeal will never be made to any body of Englishmen, still less to any representative legislature, in vain Ido ear estly hope that such an appeal coming from one to whom the Colony is so deeply indebted, will not be spurned and rejected by this House. But should fU.di, Sir, unhappily he the case, I for one shall still cling to the hope that an indignant and outraged country will repudiate and reverse vour decisi. n.

THE BRITISH CABINET ON SIR ' GEO. GREY’S PLANS.

The foil .wing Despatch was read in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, the 6 tli inst. Downing-street, 26;h May, 1862.

Sir, —I have had under my consideration yourjjdespatc es, noted in tie margin, informing me of the language which you have held to j our ministry, of the plans which you propose to yourself and them, and of the course jyhi'h you desire the Home Government to pursue in regard to the management of native affaire, and the cost of the war in New Zealand. 1, In the first place you inform that you propose her. alter to conduct native affairs, like all other matters, wth the advice of your Execu ive Council, and you deprecate any attempt to set up either the Governor, or any special body between the natives and the General" Assembly as a protective power. 2. You propose to establish a machinery for the government and improvement of the natives, wh eh you suppose will eventually cost about fifty t'.ou.sand poiinds a year. Half of this sum you state is already provided by the Colonial Legislature, and you have led the local government to expect that the other half will be virtually supplied by the Imperial government in the shape of a reduction from tlie Oolon al contribution of five pounds a head to the expense of the Imperial force stationed in New Zealand.

3. You propose the maintenance for some years of a large military force, partly as a standing ‘exhibition of strength and determination,, partly in order to afford to the out-settlers that protection and sense of security which is essential to enable them profitably to occupy their farms. 4. You suggest that roads should be made by the troops (still supported, I presume, at the expense of the Imperial treasury), in conjunction with natives, and

5. You propose that military men should be employed as Commissioners in the native districts, continuing while so employed to receive Imperial pay and allowances.

With regard to the increasing debt due from tlie Colony to the British Treasury, you state that to exact j ayment would be to ruin the colony, and j’ou transmit a memorandum drawn up by the Colonial Treasurer, proposing the following course, “ not to attempt to meet these demands, or to provide for this excessive expenditure at present, but to wait till the existing difficulty is removed, to ascertain with accuracy what proportion of the expenses the Imperial Government would, after due deliberation and a full knowledge of the facts of the case, charge the colony with, and then to apply for a guaranteed loan for the requisite amount.” Now I must in the first place observe, that I see in the papers before me no adequate apprehension, on the part of the New Zealand Government, of the obligation under which the colonists themselves lie to exert themselves in their own defence, and to submit to those sacrifices which are necessary from persons whose live 3 and property are in danger. Mr. Reader Wood states that the annual revenue of the. colony (independently of the land revenue) is two hundred and soveaty-two thousand pounds; he mentions that ninety thousand pounds of that sum are paid to Provincial Governments, . and he observes that the land fund is provincial revenue, and expended in colonisation and public works; but it does not gappear to occur to him that the revenue itself might; be increased jjby the imposition of fresh taxation—that the portion of that revenue which is so applied as. to relieve municipalities -from the necessity of imposing local taxes might he applied in whole, or in part, to the more pressing needs of the colony, and that the portion of that revenue which is devoted to public works and colonisation may, in times' of disaster, ancl particularly in time of civil war, which is disaster, be diverted to the permanent object of averting absolute ruin. No dcubt in steps like these, the colony would be making sacrifices. But this is exactly what the British Government has a right to expect from them. Those who are expending half-a-million a year in thedefence of the colonists and their property (a very appreciable item among, those which fix on the British

tkxrpayer the tyfi-tlieff of an income tax) ate efititied to expect from those colonists tliat, instead of having recourse to the momentary relief of a loan, exhausted it would seem almost before it was raised, they should by some immediate, general and lasting sacrifice of the knd which I have indicated, give some pledge of their readiness to take their share, as far as their means will allow, in. the defence of their country, and in connexion with this subject I cannot pass without remark that passage . in the Colonial Treasurer’s financial statement of 23rd July, 1861, in which he characterises “as most unfairly charged against the colony” demands properly made against the Colonial Government by the Commissariat, nor the very strong animadversions made m tlie Colonial Legislature on the oouduct of the Commissaiiat Officer in bringing forward these claims in the simple discharge of his duty. Little, however, as I am satisfied with the contents of your despatch, in these respects, I am earnestly desirous to afford the colony in a time of undoubted trial, the utmost assistance which can be given with any justice to this country. I therefore proceed to communicate to you as explicitly as is nowjpossible, the decision of "her Majesty’s Government upon the questions which you have raised.

I am ready to sanction the importantstep you have already taken in placing the management of the natives under the control ot the Assembly. I do so portly in rel ance on your own capacity to perceive, and your desire-to do what is best, for those in whose welfare I know you are so much interested. But I do it also because I cannot disguise from myself that the endeavour to keep tlie management of the natives under the control of the Home Government has failed. It can only be mischievous to retain a shadow of responsibility when the beneficial exercise of power has become impossible. I cannot hold out £to you any hopes that a large military force will for any length of time he kept in New Zealand. It is for the colonists themselves to provide such a military police force as will protect their out-settlers.. If it is not worth while to the colony to furnish sticli protection, it would seem to follow that it is not worth while to retain these out-settlements. You must therefore expect, though not an immediate, yet a. speedy and considerable diminution of the force now employed. I doubt whether, under present military regulations, an officer can be detached from this regiment to serve as a Commissioner in a native district, but in case this should prove practicable her Majesty’s Government can only assent to such an arrangement on the understanding that the whole pay of the officer shall be defrayed by the colony. I can hold out no prospect that this country will consent to bear any part of the expense of the local militia and volunteers ; all existing and future liabilities on this score must be defrayed by the colony. The sum. appears to have amounted on the 29th of October last, to one hundred and ninety-three thousand one hundred and eighty pounds. The agreement so lately entered into by the Colonial Government for the contribution of five pounds per man to the cost of the troops stationed m the colony, must also be fulfilled up to the close of the year 1861. But in consideration of the present difficulties of the colony, and in compliance with your advice, her Majesty's Government will be prepared, under the following conditions, to reckon as military contribution all sums shown to be expended in a manner approved of by you on native government, or other purely native objects, in excess of twenty-six thousand pounds, which 1 understand to he the amount now paid from the Colonial revenue towards those objects. The conditions subject to which I am am able to authorize this concesssion are the foljowi g 1. Tlie amount furnished by the Colonial government shall not be less than twenty six thousand pounds, and that furnished by the Imperial Government must not exceed the amount of Mil tary contribution due from the Colonial to the Imperial Government, calculated at. the rate of five pounds a bead for every soldier employed. 2. No other Imperial funds are to be employed, nor any advances procured from the. Treasury Chest towards paying the expenses of the scheme. 3. An account of these expenses must be furnished to the controller of 'the' Treasury Chest for the information of her Majesty’s Government and of Parliament, shewing the amount and application of this Imperial contribution. 4. The present arrangement is to last for three years, that is to say, from the Ist January, 1862, to the 31st December 1864, when it is to be hoped that the colony may be in a position to provide for the well-being and government of the natives, .so far as the institutions which you propose to introduce shall not have become self-supporting by means of local taxation, a result which you will keep steadily in view, ancl the impoiv tance of which I cannot too earnestly impress upon you. 6. In giving up for a limited period the claim of this country to a portion of the present military • coniribution, ' ho pledge is to be implied as to the continuance of that conti ibution a> a peimanent arrangement ; hut it is clearly to be understood, that the aid to be required from fc New Zealand for military protection shall remain subject to any general measure which Parliament, or her Majesty’s Government, may adopt with regard to the maintenance of Imperial troops in tlie colonies. You will not fail, I trust, to recognize,

in these concessions, the desire of her Majesty’s Government to co-operate in a spirit of liberality and confidence,with yourself and the colony, in the important and hopeful attempt which you and your ministers are now making to - introduce such civilized institutions among the native tribes as may, under the blessing of Providence, save both [races of her Majesty’s subjects in New Zealand from the miseries of civil war, and the Imperial and Colonial Governments from the heavy burthens which it entails. I have, «fcc. (Signed) Newcastle. AUSTRALIA ADELAIDE. July 8. The Government have carried the following resolutions in the Legislative Council : “ 1. That in the opinion of this House it is desirable that a uniform tariff should prevail throughout the Australian colonies

“2. That in order to the attainment of the above desirable object, three delegates for the adjoining colonies be appointed. “ 3 That it is desirable that such’confer ence should be held prior to effecting any considerable alteration in our fiscal system.” The House of Assembly is also discussing these resolutions. July 9.

The flour market very firm. Silk dressed, £l3 10s to £14.; wire dressed, £l2 to £l3. Wheat, ss. 5d., holders asking ss. 6d. Sugars dull of sale at—Rations £26 ; yellow £25 ; crystals £4O. '1 he Adelaide Ministry have been defeated on reporting resolutions to the House, relative to the tariff conference, by tlie casting vote of tlie They will tender their resignations on Monday, but will be recalled. July 14. Flour remains firm at from £l3 to 14, wheat, ss. lid. per bushel at the Port; but little business doing. MELBOURNE. July 8. The revenue statement has bean published ; the total for the year is £2,769, 247, shewing a decrease of £135,275. The total for the quarter, £753,206, shewing an increase of £16,432. A large sale of sugar took place to-day, at prices ruling £2 per ton lower. Flour is held for a further advance of 10s. per ton. July 9. Tobacco at auction was withdrawn, the trade not supporting the prices. Tlie tobacco nlarket is again agitated by heavy advances being asked, but there are no buyers. Flour and wheat very firm, in consesequence of operations in Adelaide. . Cape raisins, ex ‘ Dane,’ sold at B£d. per lb. July 12.

Markets closed firm. Two cargoes of tea have arrived. Tobacco is held, but buyei’s decline to advance. July 14.

Flour and wheat still advancing through speculation —nominal price of best flour now £l6, but nothing done at this. City Council resolved to prevent storing kerosene in large quantities. : The Bendigo Advertiser gives an account of Gold being found in the Whipstick locality and says : —“ The stone shown to us, we most unhesitatingly say, was one third gold, and the value of about three buckets full of specimens has been estimated at from £1,2Q0 to £1,400. We shall shortly be able to give some further particulars of this reef. The locality was largely visited on Sunday last, and Messrs. Bolle and Price showed round among them the largest specimens, one of which was valued at about £30.”

SYDNEY.

Lambing Flat, July 12

A messenger arrived at the camp on Thursday evening, with his horse jaded and covered with foam, bringing intelligence of an encounter with the bushrangers who stuck up and robbed the escort, [and Sir F. Pottinger and two members of the police force. The party of robbers appear to have gone towards the Victorian border, to about 200 miles from the spot where the attack upon the gold escort was committed, and then wheeled round and made for the Wed din Mountains. Sir F. Po'tinger, with detective Lyons, who was wounded in the encounter with the bush-ranger Davis, at brewer’s shanty, and a trooper, were returning along the road, when three mounted men, with two led horsey, were perceived in advance. An attack immediately fol lowed, when two of the men were captured. On the pack-horses were found a quantity of gold, amounting to 240 ounces, aud a roll of notes, 1 he third man, depending on the quickness of his horse, escaped. The prisoners, having been secured, were escorted, along the road towards the nearest police station, where an additional force might be obtained. The .night was spent quietly, and the men were carefully watched, and all attempts at escape prevented. On the following day, when about forty-five miles from this township, seven or eight men, on horseback, swept out of the bush into the road, and attacked the escort. The firing lasted but a short; time. Lyons’ horse was shot -under §1 im, but neither he, Sir F. Pottinger, or the other trooper received injury. Two of the attacking party were wounded, and taken away by

their companions, and the two prisoners were rescued. It is statad that one of the attacking party is the; man who escaped at tke time of the capture of the two robbers by Sir F. Pottinger, and it may be supposed that he made arrange ments for the rescue. On riding off with the men who were prisoners, the] leader of the gang intimated that the party would return and fight for the gold and money that had been secured by the police. Sir F. Pottinger had entrenched himself and awaits the arrival of assistance from our camp. It is confidently believed that, in the event of an attack, Sir Frederick will hold the gold and money, and beat off the bush-rangers. Captain Battye and all [the available force left here at one a.in., yesterday, Friday, to succour him at Beckbram’s station, about four miles off. . The bushrangers are in the vicinity of Gardiner’s old haunts, and it is believed by many that he headed the rescuing parfcv. At the same time, few suppose that he had anything to do with the cowardly attack —volley after volley having been fired from behind rocks—upon the comparatively defenceless troopersSydney, July 12. Business has been rather dull during the week, orders from the diggings not having come to hand so freely as heretofore.

We subjoin our usual weekly report: Flour. Ihis market is firm, and holders are looking -Tor an advance on recent prices. Adelaide flour, quoted at £ls, and wheat at 6s. 6d. per bushel. 1 he last advices fiom San Francisco state that, at the rates ■ ruling' there, wheat could not be laid down in Sydney at much under 1 Os. per bushel, and that consequently, there would not be any shipments for some time. This intelligence together with the limited shipments from Adelaide, tends to give firmness to the markets. The millers, quotations are <£l4 per ton for fine hour. Liquids.— Ale in bulk is firmer, a';d first brands are now quoted at £8 to £8 55., at which rate sales.have been effected. Merrion’s is worth'£7 10s. Bottled ale and porter have been more inquired for at a slight advance, and present rates range from 9s 6d to 10s. Brandy is steady, and prices rule about the same as last week—Martell’s 13s. ; Hennessey’s 12s 3d to 12s 9d ; Champagne Yinyard Proprietors’ Company, 12s. Rum is still dull, and 30 o.p. cannot be quoted higher than 3s 9d to 3 lid. Geneva is not so firm, and prices are quoted at 14s. to 16s. Whiskey continues scarce j bulk is quoted at 5s 6d j case, 16s to 17s. In wines there have been few transactions this week ; port is dull of sale, and sherries have been quitted at from 5s to 75., good sherries are without any alteration.

Teas are firm, and have an upward tendency, late advices being to the effect that the re are few shipments for these colonies, and that prices are higherfeugars are dull of sale, and have given way from 20s to 30s per ton. Mauritius sugars have been sold at auction at £33 10s per ton.

Goliee is in better demand, and is expected to rule higher. Manilla is worth 9d, Java, plantation, 12d to 12 id, native, Sd. to B|. C.indies continue very dull of sale. Prices—Belmont are quoted at 14d. to 14ad ; damaged, full weight have been sold at lid.

Rice is still very firm, nearly all the stocks being in the hands of two or three holders. Patna is quoted from £24 to £26, Java, £22 to £23, with an upward tendency.

i obacco.— The market has been unusually quiet during the week—no sales of consequence to report. The news per mail is considered- highly favourable to speculators in the article. Cigars. —Stocks are gradually working out of the hands of the dealers, and importers expecting a considerable advance upon old rates. LACHLVN. ' July 8. The Homeward Bound claim is cleared out, and the party of six men are returning home, having netted £4500 each. Over eight thousand ounces of gold was left in the camp on Sunday last. Business-dull. Weather mild, with occasional rain. * BRISBANE. July 11. Forty bales of ginned cotton arrived from Ipswich yesterday, and will be forwarded to Sydney per Telegraph (s.) Flour has fadvanced to Jj£ 17 and £lB per ton for Hart’s. J uly 12. The Williams’ (s) brings intelligence that gold has been found near Yaamba, forty miles from Rockhampton, and that the Peak Downs diggings were improving. Fourteen men were at work there, having obtained about four ounces, besides thirty with which they had parted to buy rations. The of a rich copper mine lit Peak Downs is also reported. . INDIA. The alarm of England being forced into another Persian war is rapidly falling away. The Ameer was within a,day’s inarch of Candahar. Sultan Jan left Fnrah, and find ing the Persians not willing to aid him ha fallen hade o:i Herat. Delhi and Lucknow prize money is being distributed in the Madras presidency. News from Delhi and the upper provinces not very satisfactory, the Mahometan population being in a very excited state; it is feared the Cossigars will again break out in open rebellion directly the rains have set in, and defy the powers.

'' : china. ■; . Our dates fife to June 2. The rebel were very close to Shanghai, in hundreds of thousands. The French Admiral Protet was killed in an attack on the rebels on the 17th May. Ningpo has been captured by the rebels, and re-taken by the allied forces, in which Lieutenant Cornwall, R. N., of' the “ Encounter,” a French officer, some seamen Were killed. ViceAdmiral Sir James Hope Recovering from his wounds. Ningpo has been restored to the Imperialists*—rebels in full retreat, and saved nothing. A cargo of arms and ammunition consigned to rebels per Paragon, under British colours, seized and confiscated. |Japan quiet. Bowen Islands taken possession of Japanese, after being for thirty years in possession of the British.

Artificial Breeding of [Fish. —A meeting of the members and gentlemen interested in pisciculture was convened on Tuesday at the Freemasons’ tavern, by the Thames Angling society, whose object? are the stocking of the river Thames with salmon, trout, grayling and other fish. There was a large attendance ; Mr Hannan was called to the chair. It appeared from the [report of [a sub-com-mittee appointed at a public meeting, .held in March, 1861, for the|purpose of considering the best mode of providing fish for the supply of the Thames by artifical, breeding, that two sets of apparatus had been prepared by November last, one of which had been planted in an open meadow and supplied with spring water, the otherljbeing erected under cover in a green-house, and supplied with spring water from the Longford river. In January last the first portion of trout’ova was deposited, and the last in [february ; the total quantity being about 57,000 ova. Of this 17,000 was placed in the meadow, and 2,0C0 in the apparatus under cover. The batching' commenced on the 4thJ of March, and occurred at periods varying from 50 to 60 days following the impregnation of the ova, At the present date the hatching progress in the meadow appa-i-atus was completed, and after careful computation the committee calculated that the number of fish hatched was 90 per cent of the ova deposited and that they would have 30,000 young trout ready for the Thames this season. By the apparatus in use they believed that 100,000 trout would be raised annually for the Thames Arrangements were being made to procure a supply of grayling spawn*, and if as successful as they had been with trout they would be able, in the course of the season, to furnish a good supply of this fish to the Thames. The receipts for the year had been £37., and the expenditure 57 L, leaving a balance due to the treasurer of 20/. Some specimens of salmon from the Rhine and other rivers, hatched by the society, were exhibited in the room and excited much interest. The sum of nearly 40/. was subscribed at the meeting. ' Tlie Acclimatisation society at Melbourne has received a grant ofsoo/, from the legislature. The royal park, on the north side of Melbourne, has been-assigned to. them, and they already possess 74 -different kinds of animals and birds including four kinds of deer, four new kinds of sheep, with a great number of English game and singing birds. From their stock they have already set free 6 pheasants, 26 blackbirds, 42, thrushes, 24 skylarks, 18 canaries, and 8 starlings. In their report they say, “ The thrush, skylark, blackbird, and probably the starling] may now be considered permanently established among us—the three former being heard in all directions.” MARKETS. Wanganui August 14, —Wheat C» barley fts, oats 6s, ruaize 6s per bushel, flour (at Netlye mill) £l7, (in town) £lB per 2000 lbs, potatoes £3 per ton, bread—4lb. loaf lOd butter wholesale Is 4d retail Is Gd. per lb, bacon wholesale 8d per lb. Holloicay's Pills. —Headaches, biliousness, loss of appetite, and lowness of spirits, so frequent in the spring, are all removed by a course of these purifying Pills, which act so mildly, yet so energetically, on the different organs of the body, that they never fail in removing the disagreeable symptoms of indigestion above enumerated. Ho noxious substance enters into the composition of these Pills, hence every body may take them with safety. They act mildly on the bowels, strengthen the stomach and brace the nerves, They i iduce a healthy action in the liver, and invigorate the whole system. In enfecbled, debilitated and hari 1/u e l constitutions they at once effect a marvellous improvement, which day by day gains ground as the Pills are taken. ... 47

Agents for the “ Wanganui Chronicle”

Turakina —Messrs. Franklin and Hurst. Rangitikei —Mr. Titos.-Scott. Wellington —-W. Lyon, Esq. Auckland —Messrs. Williamson .and

Wilson Nelson —Messrs. C. & J. Elliott. Sew 'Plymouth —F. U. Glepiiill’, Esq London —-Messrs. Smith, Elder & Co

Names. 20Q yds; 390 yd^.7 500 yds. 600 yds. Total. W. T. Owen ' 17 ; . . 12 10 53 Fred. Parkes .... . 17 15 10 8 - 50 S. Deighton .20 _ 9 9 9 -47 D. Hurley 17 7 12 . 10 46 John F. Kells 17 15 10 4 46 Robert Gray 19 12 8 6 45 Total of first six 107 72 61 47 287. Average per man ......... *17.83 12. 10.16 7.83 47.83 Thos. Powell :. 1712 • 10 5 44 \V, A rmstrong.; V............... 14 13 9 7 43 John Peake ..... ....... :1....... 17 9 9 7 42 Major I^ogan 1 \.7,.-•.. 15 - 13 9 4 41 J. Cath ro. .7 . .7 i;..; 10 6 . 16 9 41 Frank Parkea 7. 15 9 11 5 40 W. Jowett ... 14 12 8 6 40 W. Finnimore..... 15 7 9 8 39 H. C. Field........ 16 ' 9 8 6 39 Thos. Garner 13 • 810 7 38 D. Porter 12 10 10 6 38 G, Beaven 11 10 11 5 37 J. McDonald 15 6 9 7 37 G Howe 14 6 13 3 36 W. Davidson .7. 13 10 7 4 34 D. Nathan .' 127 9 6 7 34 P. Bell 16 : • 7 4 6 33 Maj or Hookes 13 9 5 4 31 J. Davidson 8 . 9 7 6 30 11 . ,7 2 30 Capt. Stewart 57th • 'll - 7 4 7 29 J. Lockett 13 10 3 3 , 29 T. Morton' 10 • 5 7 6 28 Thos. Scowen 7 12 8 1 28: Total No. of Points...... ... ‘ 418 7 291 . 261 178 1148 Average per man 1.3.93 • 9.7' 8.7 ' ; 5.93 38.26 Score made by the Six best University men. ; Boss .........7....... •— r i7 21 . 12 9 59 Peterkin .... 22 15 7 ' 7 51 Stratton 16 12 11 8 47 Gurdon 12 11 6 5 34 Marsden 15 7 . 3 3 28 Guinness . 14 11 6 1 i 38 Total No. of Points : 96 77 45 39 | 25 7 ! Average per man. : ' 16 12.83 7.5 6.5 42.83 'The Prizes wert according [y aw-ardec 1 as-follow s ; — 1st Prize, Silver Cup value .£16 16s W. T. Owen. 2nd .do Money „ £1 Fred. Pai-kes. 3rd do Rifle „ £5 5s. Sami. Deighton4th do Short Rifle „ £5 D. Hurley. 5th do Lamp „ £5 John F. Kells.

CALENDAR. Moon CLast Quarter Aug. 17 9. (_New Moon Aug. 25 9. 36 a.m 19J a.in Aug. S. rises. S. sets. High water at Heads 14 6 54 5 6 1 24 1 43 15 6 53 5 7 2 14 2 38 16 6 52 5 8 3 3 3 27 17 6 50 5 9 3 53 4 18 18. G 49 511 4 43 5 7 19 6 48 5 12 5 34 5 58 20 6 47 5 13 6 23 6 47 21 6 46 '5 14 7 12 7 31