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Evening Post, Volume VII, Issue 221, 24 October 1871, Page 2

Our readers must be well aware how persistently we have warned the public against the fallacious schemes of the shallow theorist who in an evil hour for this Colony contrived to possess himself of control over its finances, and who is now gambling with its resources ar>d risking its hopes of future prosperity with a recklessness unexampled in the history of any Colony or country. We need scarcely mention how we have been howled at, vilified, misrepresented, and abused by the Government and its organs, for the independent stand which we have made, and for our refusal to worship the golden calf of Judah set up on high—that such is the case is sufficiently well known. However, it has been extremely satisfactory to us to find that, notwithstanding the disfavour with which the opinions we have expressed on the Vogel policy and Vogelian

proceedings have been received here, they have been shared by the leading journals of the neighboring Australian Colonies> Ihe Melbourne Argils has from time to tithe spoken on the question with no uncertain Utterance, alidthe extract frdni tlie wefckly issue Of that journal which we quoted on Saturday shows that its opinions are still unchanged. Those opinions are above all suspicion of bias or prejudice ; the Australasian describes to its readers the jlresient aspect of our affairs, as regarded from an impartial point of view, and certainly the picture is not a cheering one. Had the people of New Zealand beeii deluded by the brilliant sophistries of some great though'erratic gettuts—some new Law,riseii to propound a fresh South Sea bubble— they might have been excused and pitied ; but when they are seen shutting their eyes and allowing themselves to be lured to destruction by one of those commonplace individuals, scores of whom may be found in every large centre of population— possessing no special merit or ability beyond aptitude for calculation and a boundless stock of impudence—the dispassionate observer is lost in amazement at the profundity of their infatuation.

Judge Fenton held a sitting of the Native Lands Court to-day in Mr. Brandon's offices, when some issues which had been sent down from the Supreme Court were tried. The case was one in which Hemi Parai, Mohi Ngaponga, Wi Tako, and Ropiha Moturoa, brought an action against the Hon. W. Fitzherbert, Messrs. J. C. Crawford and W. Waring Taylor, the trustees of the Hospital. In its course, a question arose as to the legality of the purchase made by Colonel Wakefield'on behalf of the 2v ew Zealand Company, of the land on which Wellington city and suburbs are situated. This point was what the Court was considering to-day. Mr. Izard appeared for the natives, and Mr. Brandon for the trustees. The evidence of Mr. E. J. Wakefield was taken to-day. He stated that negotiations took place, and after a considerable i amount of discussion, the sale of the land was completed, and formal poseession taken [by landing, with the consent of the natives, at various points. No opposition was made at the time, but afterwards, when Colonel Wakefield returned from the North, some objections were raised by Te Aro natives, who had not signed the deed of sale. Wi Tako said that he was aware of Colonel Wakefield buying the land. It was in the possession of those natives who were occupying it at the time. He saw the deed signed, and was one of the parties who made his mark. It was signed in the cabin of a ship. He saw payment made in the shape of casks of tobacco and ammunition, blankets, guns, coats, shirts, boots, soap, Jews harps, a,nd other articles. They were all heaped up on deck, and were allotted out to natives at Pefconi, Waiwatu, Kaiwarra, and Te Aro. He helped to put it in the boats in which it was landed. A portion of it was landed at Te Aro. None of the Te Aro natives were present at ths negoeiations, or signed the dead. He was their mouthpiece, and acted for them. Col. .1 Wakefield afterwards went and saw the natives at Te Aro and Pefconi. The case, which is likely to last some days, was not concluded when we went to pres3. Judge Smith held a Native Lands Court today at the Athenaeum. The only cases before the Court were such as involved disputes between natives, and were of no public interest. I We understand the petition against the Brogden railway contracts, which was read at the working men's meeting on Saturday evening last, will in all probability be presented through some hon. member to the House to-night.. It is promised that the debate on that question shall commence this evening. We believe that nearly one thousand persons have signed the petition — a very respectable number for a few working men to obtain in the short space of two day 3, and it speaks well for the popularity of the movement. If the petition could have been delayed a day or two longer, the number of signatures would have been doubled. It has also been decided to send a letter to each hon. member of both Houses, containing. a copy of the petition and the resolutions carried at the meeting on Saturday. We are requested to remind the gentle-nt-en who were appointed on the Canterbury Regatta Committee, that a meeting will take place this evening, at the Pier Hotel, at 8 o'clock. In the Resident Magistrate's Court to-day the business was light. The only police case was one of drunkenness, against Edward M'Ellwain, who was fined ss, with the usual alternative. A verdict by default was given in Hickaon v. Joseph, for £6 16s 6d. Another civil case was on the list, but the amount had been paid into Court before hearing. » A meeting of the shareholders of the Never Despair Company was held last night, at Barrett's Hotel, Mr. J. E. Nathan in the chair. The minutes of the last meeting were read and approved of, and business was then commenced. It had been resolved at a prior aaeeting that the capital of the company should be increased to £10,000, but notice was required before this could be agreed to legally. Mr. Palmer had given notice of a motion to this effect, but at his request, as he was not present, Mr. Buchanan took up the motion, which was carried unanimously, and without discussion. Two other resolutions, agreeing that in the event of the company declaring dividends before the instalments on the new issue of shares had become due, the new shares should receive equally with the old, and that previous shareholders should have priority in taking up the new shares, on the motion of Mr. Buchanan, seconded by Mr. Blair, were carried without a dissentient. Other resolutions were earned to the following effect: That new shares be allotted to old shareholders in proportion to the number

at present held by them ; that on the new shares being taken up a general meeting should be called, at which directors, should be elected « that no shareholder Should be eligible as director holding less i:lian !iO shares' -j tliat a claiise be inserted in the lease, giving the company power to renew the lease for 21 years at the expiration of the present lease ; and that a lease be obtained for machine and water purposes, and fbi- a right of way to the claim, by means of either tramway, railroad, or wire tramway. The -business, though important, occupied a very short time, and after a vote of thanks to the chairman, the meeting terminated.

The friends of Primitive Methodism in this city have just celebrated the third anniversary of the. Webb-street Church. On Sunday last, special sermons were preached in the morning and evening by the Rev. Mr. Dean, afternoon by the Rev. Mr. West, and last .evening the annual soiree was held. At half-past five, the time appointed for the first sitting df the tea, the tables were all filled, indeed a second sitting, and at some tables a third sitting had to be arranged to provide for the large number present. After the tea had. been done ample justice to, arrangements were, made for the public meeting-. Tables were cleared away, seats were placed in the aisles, &c, and at 7 o'clock, when ifc was understood the meeting would commence, the church was crowded. Mr. Edge, who" was appointed chairman, after addressing the meeting on the power of the Gospel, as witnessed in the history of their church, called upon the Rev. Mr. Dean to read the report, from which we learned that during the past year the church debt had been reduced, the purchase of the harmonium completed, and in every way there was cause fo? much thankfulness. The meeting was afterwards addressed by Messrs. Woodward, Robinson, and others, the speeches from which gentlemen frequently elicited applause. During the evening' the choir rendered in a spirited manner several anthems which added much to the enjoyment of the audience. The usual votes of thanks having been accorded at about halfpast nine, the meetiug wa& brought to a close, all appearing to have thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

♦ To-day, a number of carpenters and others, including the whole staff of the House, were busily engaged in removing all traces of last night's ball from the builcfiug, and a very few hours sufficed to restore matters to their former appearance To-night, both Houses will meet at half past seven o'clock, but it is hardly likely that a great deal of business will be proceeded with. In all probability the Brogden discussion will be postponed till to-morrow, and, under the circumstances, we should think that course the most advisable one. o The authorities atDunedin,Nevv Zealand, have a simple and cheap way -of disposing of their paupers, if the story told- by a vagrant woman at the City Court be correct. The woman's name was M'Donald, and she stated that seven or eight years ago she and her husband, who was a bootmaker named P. M'Donald, lived in Melbourne, but for the last seven years she had beon living in New Zealand, and had there been deserted by her husband. She had seven children, and got barely enough to live on by washing and doing odd jobs, bub when she could no longer support the children and sought to throw the burden of supporting them upon the Government, the authorities placed the "family on board the steamer Eaugitoto, and paid the passage of herself and her brood from there to Melbourne, at which place she espested to find her truant husband. She did not find him, however, and she aud the seven young ones had been sheltered by a poor woman in Hotham, who allowed them to sleep in the kitchen, though she was unable to provide them with suitable bedding.. M'Donald brought with her from New Zealand £3 or £4, but the money had been handed over to a priest, who gave the money to her a few shillings at a time — a circumstance which tended to show that the woman was not fit to be trusted with more money than her immediate necessities demanded. ' She wanted the children to be sent to the industrial School, but the Bench naturally objected to burdening the state with seven juvenile paupers from another Colony, and wished to send them to the Immigrants' Home, pending inquiry. When the woman found this out, however, she refused to have them sent anywhere but to the schools, and left the court with the precious seven.—Melbourne Argus.

Judge Skinner appeared in the somewhat novel character of a peacemaker, at the Heidelberg Court of Mines recently. In a case before him it transpired that the two litigants had at one time thought of arranging their differences about some land in an amicable way. " Come now," said his Honor, leaning back in his chair, and smiling benignly, " couldn't the disputants divide the land equally,and stop the case?" But the disputants wouldn't, and so the case had to proceed. His Honor then relapsed into a chiding mood, and blamed the legal gentlemen present for not omitting some facts, and saving their clients the expense of proving them. From this into the complaining mood was bub a small step. One of the parties in drawing up a notice had not followed the form laid down in an act. " Oh, why can't these simple forms be followed ?" queried his Honor. " These trivial things cost me more anxiety than all the rest of a case." His Honor concluded his day's labor in a plaintive mood. While looking over the successful [party's bill of costs, he thus audibly soliloquised :—

'" Oh, dear me,*l wish Fwas not a taxing officer, I can'tfbear it. 1 don't know why they make me do it. (Yawn.) Why don't they prepare a scale? (Yawn.) Really this is the most annoying part of my duty.

Come now," concluded he, brightening up, and addressing the attorneys interested, " can't you settle it amongst yourselves?"' This the attorneys Undertook to do, alid his Honor left tile Court, his fade radiant with Srtiles: —Melbourne Age.^ .