THE NELSON EXAMINER. Wednesday, December 20, 1854.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XIII, Issue 694, 20 December 1854, Page 2

THE NELSON EXAMINER. Wednesday, December 20, 1854.

Journals become more necessary as men become more equal and individualism more to be feared. It would be to underrate their importance to suppose that they serve only o secure libeity: they maintain civilization. DB ToCQCEVILLI. Of Democracy in America, vol. r., p. 330.

By the Sir Charles Napier, from Newcastle, we have Sydney pspers to the .4th instant, but they contain no later European news than that previously published by us. The Legulative Council was prorogued by Sir Charles Fitzßoy on the 2nd. His Excellency informed the Council that he wat about to be relieved in the administration of his Government, the usual limited duration of such appointments having long expired. His Excellency stated in the course of his address that he had placed the sum of £100,000 in the hands of the Land and Emigration Commissioners, for promoting emigration to the colony, in addition to a sum of a similar amount at the early part of the Session, thus making £200,000 for emigration purposes to New South i Wales during the present year. His Excellency also made the Council acquainted that he had been informed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies, that an expedition is being fitted out by her Majesty's Government, for exploring the interior of the continent of Australia. The Sydney papers have published an interesting narrative by Captain Truscott, of the cutter Oberon, who was lately despatched by the Sydney Chamber of Commerce to the Solomon Islands, to make in quiries as to the truth of reports lately brought to Sydney, that Mr. B. Boyd, supposed to have been murdered on the Island of Guadalcanar, one of the Solomon Group, about four years ago, was still alive there, and in captivity. The result of Captain

Truscott's inquiry, we are sorry to say» was almost conclusive, that Mr. Boyd wag killed almost immediately after landing on the island, and that bis skull had been since kept by the king hanging up in a canoe bouse. A present of twenty loma. hawks procured from the natives a human skull, which they stated was Mr. Boyd's, and this was brought to Sydney in the Oberon. A large vessel with Chinese Coolies, bound either to Sydney or Victoria, had been wrecked on one of the islands of the Solomon Group, and all the crew and passengers, with the exception of only three, bad been killed. The price of flour continued steady at £30 a ton ; wheat, 12s. to 14s. a bushel ; oats, 78. 6d. to 95. ; barley, 7s. to Bs. The price of fat wethers, in Sydney, was 15s. each ; good bullocks were bringing £6 to £7 10s. ; calves, 40s. to 50s. each. The wages to farm labourers was from £35 to £50^ shepherds, £30 to £35 per annum. .The barque Admiral Napier has had an unfortunate passage from Newcastle, having lost a large proportion of the sheep and horses shipped by her. The day after putting to sea, she encountered a very heavy gale of wind, which compelled her to put back, and it was during the gale that the chief loss was sustained. After sailing the second time, the vessel made a good run, and but few losses were sustained.