CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 45, 14 January 1843, Page 180

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

". , [From the Sydney Jfmtfrf.] ' ' ; Oar .files of Cape papers, extending to the l*4th October, contain a great deal of interesting matter. ' The Cape colony appears, in common, we believe, with the whole civilized world, to have been labouring under great commercial depression, from which, it was hoped, relief would be obtained by the approaching wine and wool season. Great exertions continued to be made to improve the breed of sheep at the Cape. Rams of a superior description were being freely imported from New South Wales, England, and continental Europe. Prizes were offered for the best specimen of wool: a gold cup, value £50, and a silver one, value £25, being given for the first and second specimens. The nocke were being greatly- increased, and the quality of the fleeces improved. The residents on the borders of the colony * appear to be suffering very much from the aggressions of the Caffres. By the " return of depredations committed in this colony by the native tribes during the quarter ending the 30th June, 1842," it appears that the total loss, as reported to the Government agent, was 111 horses, 935 head of cattle, and 44 sheep. About half the. cattle and one-fourth of the horses were recovered ; the remainder were a total loss. • Our readers are aware that Colonel Cloete tad entered into a treaty with the Port Natal rebels, by which they were all to be pardoned, with the exception of four persons, and their private property respected. These four persons were— -Joachim Prinslo, J. J. Burger, M. yon Breda, and S. yon Breda. The last-named, at a dinner given to the captain of a Dutch schooner, a short time before the arrival of the, English troops* proposed as a toast — " A three days' rain of gunpowder on England, and then may a flash of lightning blow the whole country to - — /' A reward of £1,000 had been offered fqr the apprehension of these men. Great difference of opinion existed in the colony as to the propriety of the line of conduct pursued by Colonel Cloete, which some considered just and expedient, and others as far too lenient. The Graham's Town Journal, which represents the British farmers in the eastern district, in alluding to the " astounding proceedings " of Colonel Cloete, says — " He surely never could have viewed the hostile Boers as British subjects in a state cf revolt — who had offered armed resistance tc the Queen's Government — "ho had shot down, and thus murdered British troops that had been sent to maintain lawful authoiity — who had piratically seized British vessels, and commit! ed numerous acts of plunder and violence, only equalled in turpitude by those Of lawless br gands who sometimes unite to attack the peaceful village, er to waylay and rifle the unfortunate traveller. Had Colonel Cloete seen the proceedings in question in this light, he never would have dared to treat the matter as he has tfone. On the contrarjythe honour of the British name would have been maintained, law would have been vindicated, and good government would have been established, in the room of that anarchy which has been so disgraceful to the parties concerned, and so injurious not only to the interests of Natal, but of this colony." The Cape Times follows in the same view, and argues that " the very fact of treating with the insurgent Boers at all is, under the circumstances, inexplicable. Terms should have been dictated, and a compliance with them imperatively claimed. What colonist hereafter, whether of Dutch or English extraction, will regard his loyalty as the palladium of his rights ? — what disaffected person will now dread to lift the standard of revolt ? — or what native tribes fear to rise in hostility against us ? Not only have the guilty gone unpunished, but a fraternization with rebels has been shown on the part of the British commander." On the other hand, it is asserted by the Government and its supporters " that, under the peculiar "circumstances of the case, no other line of conduct could have been pursued from which there could have been expected so satisfactory a result." Sir George Napier, in a general order, had expressed his satisfaction at the conduct of Colonel Cloete $ and, considering that the Government was itself to blame for driving the ' Natal iarrs to cross the boundary in self-protec-tion, we think that the course pursued was, under the circumstances, the only one l hat could have been adopted with credit to the British arms. As in all the British colonies, the emigration question was attracting great attention, and associations and boards for promoting the introduction of British labourers were being formed }n all directions. The importation of the liberated Africans from St. Helena appeared to have given great satisfaction. A very smart debate took place in the Legislative Council, under the following circumstances: — A committee of the^ Council was appointed to inquire into the management of the convicts on Robben Island, and in the course of ' their inquiry they passed a resolution that it , was necessary that they should examine the judges, which resolution Mr. Ebden, the chairman of the committee, transmitted to the Chief Justice, requesting to be informed when it would be convenient for their honours to attend the . committee, and whether they would rather give evidence vita voce or reply in writing to written queries. The judges declined to recognise Mr. ffcdon as chairman of the committee, and wrote a. long letter to the Governor, pointing out ihgir reasons for being of- opinion that, by the constitution oftfceOunctl, there o&uld only be a cah&mittee ofthe whole, and that the Governor ~or next senior official trieraber present must preside, and that the proceedings of a committee composed of a lea* number than seven, the quorum of the Council, were illegal, and doubting whether the Council had powwr td inquire

into any matter which did not relate to the subject of a bill tinder its consideration. This was considered^by Mr. Ebden and other non-official members as an * attack upon the privileges of, add an insult to, the Council } and a series of strong resolutions, deprecating the judges' conduct, was proposed by Mr. Ebden and seconded by Mr. Advocate Cloete, and, after a lengthy and spirited discussion, the Attorney-General's amendment, that the whole matter be referred to die decision of the Secretary of State, was carried by a majority of one. This dispute had again called up the cry for a Representative Legislature, and meetings were being held, and petitions prepared, upon the subject. They, however, did not wish to have " hermaphrodite institutions," such as had been conferred on New South Wales, but required to have a Legislature composed of two chambers. We believe we have now noticed every item likely to interest the general reader.