AUCKLAND.

Lyttelton Times, Volume III, Issue 141, 17 September 1853, Page 7

AUCKLAND.

[From our Correspondent.] Auckland, July 28, 1853. Weave still in the heat of elections, which it is devoutly to be wished were over, for they have entirely disorganized what used to be called society. Representative institutions are pretty things enough, in their way ; but there is no rose without a thorn. The truth is that they have come too late. Four or five years ago, when Euglish feeling was fresher amongst us, when the spirit of colonialism had not crept so far over the face of the country, when there was a lesser complication of private interests to serve in the choice of members, they might have been introduced with little counterbalancing' evil. Dr. Featherston's answer to Governor Grey, when His Excellency made the memorable declaration, that the colonists were not fit for self government, has proved of only too much truth :—" The longer they remain without it, the less fit will they become for it." The idea was taken up and developed by Mr. Gladstone, in his great colonial speech.

We are divided here into Wynyardites and Bvownites ; nor is the division likely to heal. Certainly not by what surgeons call the first intention. It is probable that the former will obtain a majority in the Provincial. For the city of Auckland, four Brownites, one neutral, and one Wynyardite have been returned ; the latter, it is said, by mistake : the supererogatory merits of the son, who had been active on the othei side of the question, having been attributed by many to the father. The suburbs, in

which most of the officials reside, returned three Wynyardites and a soi-disant neutral. They are in fact a pocket borough, and accordingly Governor Grey has given then a double allowance of representatives. The city of Aucklandnumbers about 790 voters ; the suburbs, about 165 ;tbe city returns 6 to the provincial, and 3 to the general ; the suburbs four to the provincial, and two to the general.

The Bay of Islands district, a most important one, with regard to property, numbers nearly as many voters as the suburbs, but returns only 2 to the provincial and one to the general. The constitution act declares that the number of members shall be relative to that of electors ; how does this agree with his Excellency's apportionment ? Acts of Parliament, it seems, are no more than Sibylline leaves in New Zeala,nd ; nothing can stop him ; he clears all at a bound. " I hate to see hounds creep," says Nimrod, "where they can leap ;" and it must be allowed that Sir George tops his- fences in. first rate style. The pensioners, of course, have returned four Wynyardites. Four provincial members are allotted to them, but in reality, they return 8, and affect the election of four more. This has been contrived by the adroit manner in which, the electoral districts have been divided, the lines of division being drawn, not past the pensioner settlements but through them, thus cutting off a body of safe men, and throwing them into the northern and southern divisions ; whilst those who were left within the settlements are enabled to acquire votes without, at an easier rate than bona fide colonists, for they have been allowed to purchase land at the upset price, while civilian colonists must compete beyond that at auction. With this advantage the former acquire double votes. The worst of it is, their being so far in the power of their officers that they cannot give ah independent vote without a certain risk to themselves, and consequently 1 see no hope of working the constitution effectively until they shall have become free, by expiration of their seven years service—holding their cottages and acres in fee simple. At present the Pensioner settlements and the suburbs are called " the refuge for the destitute," finding seats for those who could not have got in elsewhere. As a. general rule, whatever m;iy seem to you anomalous in the proceedings of the Auckland province, may be solved by application of the pensioner test..'

The on-dit is of a new Governor, Lord Lyttelton. The government party are in a state of great perturbation about his advent ; the opposition, of course, are prepared to give him a welcome. Assuming the surmise to be well grounded, an important question arises. Will he dissolve all, as if a sort of demise of the crown had taken place, or by way, in nautical phrase, of taking a fresh departure? It is to be hoped that he will ; unless he take that course, Auckland will be saddled for the next four years with a curiously composed council. It might be argued that the electors would return the same again ; but under better orjrauisution, I scarcely think they would. The first election would have served as a breather—a preparation gallop ; iv the second, there would be chance of their settling steadily down to their work. Shakspere reaches the last refinement of dramatic art in giving Romeo a half-love to begin with, one Rosaline, by way of ripening his susceptibilities towards the still fairer Juliet. May we not hold that electoral capabilities; require development in like manner, and that the true affections of the voters would be brought out only by objects of a niaturer choice.

It is said that Governor Grey is about to depart with all convenient speed. If so. Colonel Wynyard will probably become interim governor. I am given to understand that his present intention, in that event, is not to resign the Superintendancy, but to hold both offices at once. He-would thus acquire the power, most carefully withheld from the superintendant, of dissolving his own Provincial Council, and break into the system of checks that had been devised by those who framed the Constitution Act. Certainly there is nothing in the Act to hinder him —a sufficient proof that such a contingency was nevev contemplated. The southerns, moreover, will scarcely be pleased with an Auckland Superintendant for a Governor. How is he ever to leave his duties, civil and military, in the north ? You must light your own battle,; we are down, and outot'byeath } though we may possibly rise again, to fight a long' hour., by Shrewsbury clock.