A RELIC OF THE PAST.

Waikato Times, Volume IX, Issue 521, 21 September 1875, Page 3

A RELIC OF THE PAST.

Bl the courtesy of MacGreggor H*y, Esq., we nave been permitted to see a curious relio of 'Old New Zealand," in the form of a copy oi >the "Wellington Independent" of date, January 21st. 1846. The imprint of the paper shew* t'»at it wan then "printed and published every Wednesday morning, by William Edward Vincent, Thomas M'Kenzie, James Muir, and George Fellingh-jm, Lambton Quay, Wellington, Fort Ni.holson, New Zealand." The title of the paper "The Wellington Independent" is printed in rustic letters, upon a biack scroll, with a central design representing a beehive, surrounded by floral decoration. The motto is " Nothing extenuate or set down ought in malice." It has no page headings, it is about crown size, four pages, wifci* kour tlurteen-em columns in each, and is printed in bourgeois and minion. There are altogether about four and a half columns of advertisements, two and a half on the front p«ge, and two on the secon i. The " Shipping News " records the arrivals and departure* of a few cutters, and •choondrs. There were in port, tbree schooners, two brigs, and a French whaling ship. The shipping paragraph contains information regarding the \ uilding of a schooner of 20 tons by Mr Mathieson at Wanganui, and another by Capt TSyior and Mr Watft of 35 to 40 tons at the same place. The leading article commence! "We are ■till without recent news from Auckland." It goes on to refer to the expeet»d arrival of " Captain Grey," ( the present leader of the Opposition ) and the claims for compensation to be submitted to him by settle -s. The article •ays : " It is not merely the holder* of land orders which were unavailable as a means of acquiring possea-iion of land who have suffered ; it is also those who have been induced by the representations of the New Zealand r'omp-tny, bicked •ince 1840 by the sanction of the Government, to emirate to this place, either as laborers or capitalists, in the belief that they might find this a profitable field for the employment of labor and of capital, and whose expectations have been faUifit I." How completely the condition of the colony has been altered since that tim« ! The arrival of two whale-boats with wool is made a eu&ject of congratulation, and the ''Independent" says : " We bilieve that there will be more than Jive tons of wool exported this year from Port Nicholson, instead of four tons, as previously stated" i. his reads comically enough, at the present tima. Ihere is also in the same issue a reference to the progress of the war against Hoani Heke. Tue rebels not having minted to Cap'ain Grey's terms ho wis about to send reinforcements of troops and militia, and the war was to be resumed with vigor. There is next a report of a d- bate in the House of Commons on a vote for a- sum of £22,565 for the Colony of New Zealand. In this report we find Mr Roebuck saying : — " He was convinced that with a little care they might Btrike out a self-iustain-ing system of colonization. Let there be a Goternor und Executive Council appointed by the Crtyrn, and a Legislative Assembly by the Colonists. Let there be the Legislature, and the adminstration be the Governor, with the advice, not by the consent of. the Council. Let the Colonists in local matters govern themselves. He entreated the Government not to allow an hour to pass before they formed a uniform system for the Colony. Sir Robert Peel, referring to the Legislative Council, said:— "ln some way or othe r it ought to represent the public opinion of the colymf." Judging from the following remarks there must have existed a singular y happy agreement between the various denominations :—: — Mr Hindley complained that the present Bishop of New Zealand Iwi consecrated for the exclusive burial of Protestants, a portion of a cemetery which had hitherto been used for th» interment of the inhabitants of the colony generally, without regard to religious distinctions." We gather some curious facts from the advertisements. la tboae days Willi-tm Fitzh««rbert sold groceries, wha'er's ilopa, and hoop iron Robert W-iitr, Ejfcq.. fatfier of the u>anager of the NahouaJ B.»nk at Hamilton, occupied almost half the advertisiug space, as a ineruhant. We tru-*t hit son will emulate ihe example of so exneil*nt a fat'ier True hs present position does not enable h:m to do so, but Nil deaperandam Muiny men with les« nd vantages luve proved su,»er.or tocircumstan-'es ere n w, and hating surmounted every nifE ulty, If^ived to a green oil age, their /a-ne instrib d j4^s3^aJvertiseinei!ts(tit BCA i a prices') andabumlan ly blessed by counties* editors.