THE NELSON EXAMINER. Nelson, July 27, 1844.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 125, 27 July 1844, Page 82

THE NELSON EXAMINER. Nelson, July 27, 1844.

Journal* 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 to secure liberty : they maintain civilization. Da TocauiviLLK. Of Democracy in America, vol . 4, p. 203.

We have Auckland papers to the 6th instant — a Liter date than we are usually favoured with thus far south. The Legislative Council appears to have been unremitting in its application to business, and has already passed several bills of much importance. Amongst these are the Customs Amendment Bill, the Imprisonment for Debt Bill, the Native Trust Bill, Auctioneers' Amendment Bill, Harbour Regulations Amendment Bill, Distillation Bill, Courts of Requests Bill, and Conveyancing Amendment Bill. The bills which were under consideration, or just presented, were the Union Bank of Australia Bill, Summary Proceedings (civil and criminal) Bill, Unsworn Testimony Bill, German Naturalization Bill, Cattle Trespass Amendment Bill, Native Law Exemption Bill, and Licensing Amendment Bill.

The Native Trust Bill, enumerated above amongst those which have passed the Council, is one of great importance, and demands the very serious attention of the settlers in the south. The whole of the native reserves in the Company's settlements, and all lands elsewhere which have been or may heappropriated to a similar use, and all profits accruing therefrom, are vested by this Bill in the hands of five trustees (the Governor, the Bishop, the Attorney- General, the Chief

•Protestor of Aborigines, and the Chief Land Claims Commissioner), with very extensive powers for the general and religious education of the^natives. The non-officials strove hard to render the trust board less exclusively Episcopalian, and to limit their control over the religion to be taught in the schools, by providing that it should consist of the simple truths of Christianity unmixed with the peculiar tenets of any denomination of Christians, or that the system taught should be that of the bulk of the inhabitants of the district ; but all their efforts were fruitless, and the bill has passed, leaving complete discretionary power in the hands of the trustees, which, from the composition of the body, it may well be apprehended will lead before many years to wide-spread and irremediable mischief. The Governor and the Attorney- General made very liberal declarations with regard to their intentions in the matter; but they are only two out of the five members of the trust, nor is it probable they can long continue in it.

We have only space barely to refer to the debates given in to-day's paper on the vote to the Auckland minister, and that proposed in augmentation of the Bishop's income, conformably to the commands of the Home Government. It is the less necessary that we should add anything to what we have already said on this subject, seeing the admirable manner in which it has been treated by the non-officials. They took the sound view of the question, the high ground of principle. Great good must arise from the stand they have made on this occasion, as well as from the course pursued by them on nearly all the other subjects which have come under their consideration. They deserve the gratitude of the whole community for their energetic efforts for its benefit.

The rumours we had of the withdrawal of the land, house, and dog taxes, prove to have been well founded, and the new Customs Amendment Bill, by which their place is supplied, has been received here, and comes into operation next week.

It is a measure, in our opinion, of a harsher and more objectionable character than any of those which it has superseded ; accumulating upon the people all their burdens, along with certain evils of a most formidable nature from which they were exempt. The "free trade" affections of the Governor are certainly being consummated with a vengeance — " free trade "it may be, but on no other principle we can understand than that " extremes meet."

Henceforth, by this bill, all free importations, of whatever kind or description, cease — the " staff of life " and the delicacies of the Sybarite — the covering of nakedness and the silken attire of Dives — share a like reception. The same with the countries from which they come ; filial affection and fraternal sympathy both disappear under the omnivorous appetite of this N Moloch of taxation.

Soberly, we cannot too much deprecate the effect this measure is likely to have upon the trade and commerce of the colony, as well as the general welfare and progress of the colonists. It will create a serious check to the importation of every description of goods, both from England, the neighbouring colonies, and the rest of the world, and thus be productive of double mischief, by at the same time diminishing the supply and raising the price. In like manner with bread, the first necessary of existence, for which the whole colony is at present almost entirely dependent on other countries, and without an unrestricted trade in which the hardships~and difficulties of a settler's life are indefinitely augmented. True, the tax may perhaps stimulate us to greater activity of production, the real source of all lasting prosperity ; yet, in the mean time, as in order that he may produce, man must also contrive to eat — suction, the reputed fare of woodcocks, being impracticable to him under existing stomachic arrangements — this tax will be found a heavy blow and sore discouragement to even production itself.

This cruel addition to the existing bur-

dens of the people underwent strenuous opposition from the non-official members of the Council, especially Dr. Martin and Mr. Brown. They appear, indeed, to repent having so strongly opposed the land tax, preferring it to the new duties, especially when taken in connexion with the Distillation Bill, which it appears to have been the Governor's intention to have brought into operation immediately had the land tax passed, notwithstanding his instructions to the contrary from the Home Government. All the non-official members have protested against the tariff, and we hope to be able to make room for their protests next week, along with some further remarks.

In commenting last week upon the proposed vote to the Bishop, we stated his lordship's income at £1,000, from one source or other. It has always been undeisi stood here that such was the amount, at least that it was not less. We are induced to notice the matter afresh, in consequence of the statement made the other day by the Governor, from which it would be presumed that £600 was received, and no more. We can hardly suppose this to be the fact, bat if so, we would willingly make his lordship the amende honorable for the statement to the contrary in our last week's article.