WELLINGTON.

Press, Volume IV, Issue 486, 20 May 1864, Page 2

WELLINGTON.

The Seat of Government.—The Independent seems anxious lest Wellington should lose its chance of being promoted into becoming the seat of Government by remissness in pressing its claims on the notice of the Commission appointed to decide the question. In an article on t lie subject in a recent issue it says : — The present position of affairs demands instant action on the part of Wellington. The Commissioners will visit the settlements in Cook's Strait in June, and form a judgment of their comparative advantages and capabilities for the intended purposes. Doubtless., theae gentlemen will judge for themselves, but it i*j

our duty to supply them with every necessary eyiSee refatire to the superior advantages possessed by S Port as compared to the others within the limit of choice This can best be done by the appointment of v committee directly the Provincial Council meet,, to collect evidence, examine witnesses whose testimony would be of value, and in short supply the Commissioners with correct data on which a judgment could be based. The duties of such a committee would not be confined to merely making »n exposition of the advantages possessed by Wellington it would be advisable to compare them with fiose of Nelson and Marlborough, and to do tins, it would be necessary to get reliable information from the proper sources. It is very important that-this should be done — and done thoroughly. For instance, any stranger who visited Picton would be delighted with its excellent harbor accommodation and unlimited depth of water, and would probably think it possesed of considerable advantages in these respects. Very likely the Commissioners will think so too, but if a nautical man happened to be with them he could explain that the •rreat deptli of water in Queen Charlotte's Sound w a formidable drawback to its other advantages as a port. There is indeed so much water that it is not easy to find bottom at all, a circumstance which will always tell strongly against Picton. Now this is a fact which it is well the Commissioners should learn, but it is not one which the Pictonities would push forward very prominently. What is true in this particular instance, is true in many others. We do not want to do any injustice to the claims of either Nelson or Marlborough, but we wish those of Wellington to be put forward fully and in the best possible way. If it is necessary to collect evidence for the sake of comparison—let tho evidence be collected and the comparison be made.

The Conduct of the Wau.—lhe Wellington papers are beginning to express considerable dissatisfaction with the way in which the war is being carried on. The Independent says : —" After nearly a year's fighting, the Maorics are even more determined than ever to adhere to the rebel cause. iVe have occupied their country, we have driven them from one stronghold to another, but we have not yet made them feel our strength and the severity of the chastisement we can inflict. Till we do this it is hopeless to expect a satisfactory termination of the war, and if the General's present tactics cannot accomplish this end, then they should be changed. It will scarcely be credited in England, that with such a splendid army, supplemented by a powerful colonial contingent, more than has yet been done could not have been accomplished. General Cameron already possesses a great and deserved reputation, which it may be he is unwilling to peril. In one sense his safe and cautious policy has always hitherto been successful. If he decides to make a certain movement — .it is made ; if he resolves to take a particular pah —it is taken. But the colonists, rightly or wrongly, expect something more than this, and arc getting impatient at learning by every other mail how after weeks of preparation, the Maoris are surrounded in their intrenchments ; how escape has been rendered almost impossible, and yet that when the attack is made, they invariably after causing us considerable loss in men, contrive leaving a few of their dead on the field, to get off almost scot free to reform elsewhere. In truth we are getting tired of all this. We wish to defeat the enemy, to strike a severe and crushing blow, and till the General can contrive to do this, the expectations of the colonists will scarcely be satisfied. To do this it is clear is a task of no ordinary difficulty. The foe is courageous, wary and skilful. But at least it is a step in advance, that we have learnt to believe this, and having thus formed a truer conception of the difficulties of the work before us, we may now take more adequate meons to overcome them." The Advertiser gtiyg . —We can see clearly that this native rebellion will have to be finally settled not by Imperial, but by Colonial forces. England will not consent to sacrifice the flower of her troops in a struggle of this kind, and : the Colony cannot consent to a patched-up-peace.

Under the circumstances it appears to us that we should undertake to fight our own battles ; the Colonial Government undertaking the whole future coat of the suppression of the rebellion on the condition thnt the Imperial Parliament guarantees the payment of the interest and principle of the three million loan. By this course we should reap many benefits and avoid numerous evils ; for as matters are now conducted the rebels will be only driven South, where they will manage to live in clover on the East Coast of thie Province and that of the neighbouring Province of Hawke'e Bay ; and the object is stated to be to drive them beyond a certain line Southward, for the benefit of the Province of Auckland, into which they are to be prevented from returning. This accomplished, the Southern part of the island is, for aught we hear to the contrary, to be permitted to take care of itself.

The Revenue Returns.—The Customs revenue for the March quarter, 1864, amounted to £11,726 Oβ, and of the corresponding quarter of last year £10,631 2s 4d. The Customs revenue at the port of Wellington for the December quarter amounted to £10,755, and for the corresponding quarter of the preceding year £10,983. The Customs revenue at the port of Wellington in 1863 amounted to £38.848, and in 1862 to £36,348. The imports at the port of Wellington in 1863 amounted to £400,790 ; and in 1862 to £353,657 ; but these figures do not embrace the imports at Wanganui. From the foregoing it will be correctly gathered that our progress is that of the small species, and no possible improvement need be anticipated so long as the present Government remains in power.— Advertiser, May 12.

The Waikato Visitants. —Kio and Kepa, two chiefs of this neighborhood, who have been at Auckland aud Wuikato on the invitation of the Government, returned the other day, and gaTO a very graphic account of their visit. Thej intimated to the Natives in the neighborhood of Kaiwhiko that they would meet them at Aramoho yesterday to tell them what they had seen ; but when the speakers arrived at the place of meeting, they found no one there to listen to them. They have asked the up river Natives to meet them to morrow at Putiki for the same purpose, but as yet there is no sign of any arrivals, bo it would appear that the Maori, like many of his more civilised brethren, does not care to hear the other side of the question. Nevertheless, the proposed addresses would be interesting, as they contain some things not as yet generally known here. The visitors state that military settler? —men, women and children are located at most of the military stations along the Waikato. Tnere are vilages of these settlers at the Queen's Redoubt, Koheroa, Rangiriri, Ngaruawahia, Tc Rori, and Kilukihi. To use the pithy language of the narrators, " Waikato is no longer Waikato; it is England." The telegraphic wire especially astonished them; and they cannot find words to express their amazement. They were present at the attack ! on Orakau, and express in strong terms their admiration of the coolness and «oura»e of our men, who met death laughing in its face, and rushed to the attack with the glee of boys at play. They also express their admiration of the soldiers' kindness to the prisoners ; the} , say it is foolishness for us to feed the wives and children of men wl.o are still in arms against us. They would cut their heads off. — Wanganni Chronicle, May 4.

Tub Late Rev. J. I.vsks.—The late R«v. J. Inncs, whose death at Nelson on the 6th May, we chronicle in to-day's issue, was born at Neweastle-on-Tyne, in the year 1809, entered the Weslejan miuistry in 1838, and travelled first in Scotland. In 1812 he procceeded to Australia, where he laboured successfully in various circuits for many years. During the last nine years the sphere of his ministerial duties has been in New Zealand, viz., Wellington, Hutt, Nelson, and Taranaki. On Mr. Innes's removal to Taranaki, he loft his wife in Nelson, on account of the then troubled state of New Plomouth, and, after a painful ilness, ehe died here of disease of the heart, and was buried in the new cemetery. At the "last Conference, Mr. Innes was appointed to 41bury circuit in New South Wales, and was on hie way thither when illness prevented liira from pursuing hie journey hence by steamer to Sydney. Mr. Inne* was buried on Mondwy, the 9th in«t., in the Ifeir

Cemetery by the side of his wife, and the large concourse of persous who attended the funeral testified to the respect in which tho deceased gentleman was held by hia Wesleyan brethren." — Independent, May 11.

Pbize Medal. —We were favored with a view of a very elegant prize medal, on Thursday, intended to be presented by Mr. J. 11. Marriott, to Thomas Benton, of AVairampa, the successful competitor for the Provincial prize in that district. Tho medal is in silrer, the obverse consists of crossed rifles, with ribbons interlaced, bearing tho following inscription :—" The Featherston Volunteer Rifles, established 1863." The reverse, " Presented to Thoriias Beuton, the successful competitor at the trial ahot of 100, 200, and 300 yards, May 21, 1864," surrounded by a foliated shield, the whole of which is elaborately engraved. On the outer edge is engraved, " The gift of J. H. Mariott, Sc." We consider the present a munificent one, and have no doubt the example shown will be followed by others equally desirous of fostering the skill of our fellow settlers, who have so untiringly and ungrudgingly devoted themselves to their country's service.— lbid.