AUCKLAND.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 165, 3 May 1845, Page 33

AUCKLAND.

The Lively, which arrived from Kawhia on Tuesday last, brought an Auckland mail containing the important information that the Governor had abandoned free trade and direct taxation, and reimposed the Customs duties. By this opportunity we received the Cross of the sth and 12th of April, and the Times of the Ist, Bth, and 15th.

We can yet learn nothing of the Governor's intentions towards Heki. His Excellency may have been waiting for further assistance, which by this time, however, has been received. Sir George Gipps despatched, on the 10th of April, 200 more troops to Auckland in the Slams Castle, as well as fifty men to Wellington in the brig Bee. The Daedalus, a2O gun ship, which sailed from England early in December, with specie for the use of the Government, is in all probability also at Auckland, having been spoken on her voyage out by a vessel arrived at Sydney. The military and naval force at the Governor's command must now therefore be upwards of 500 troops, and three vessels of war.

The reported blockade of the Bay of Islands by the Hazard and North Star, seems to have been without foundation, as the former was lying at Auckland, and the latter has been engaged in conveying from the neighbourhood of the Bay such settlers as escaped at the time the town was pillaged and destroyed.

There has been a little native warfare going on in the north. Nene, a powerful chief residing at Hokianga, with 1,200 followers, attacked Heki. After a short skirmish, the principals met and shook hands. On hearing of the movement of Nene, the Governor congratulated the Council on the event, and stated that Nene had taken up arms in support of British authority. This is proved, however, to be untrue, as the cause of quar-

rel was the murder of a grandchild of Nene's by some of Heki's people.

About two o'clock on the morning of the Ist of April, the people of Auckland were alarmed by a report that the sentries had heard musketry firing in different directions, and an immediate attack was expected. A general turn out of all the military and volunteer force ensued, and the crew of the Hazard hastened on shore to give their assistance. After some time it was ascertained that the alarm was a false one ; and that it had been caused by some natives, a short distance from the town, firing, as is their custom, in consequence of the death of the ■wife of a chief.

The inhabitants of Auckland have subscribed £60 to purchase a sword for Captain Robertson. A deputation waited on the gallant officer to apprize him of the circumstance, and found him looking far better than they expected. The money will be sent to the Secretary of the Admiralty, with a request that he will procure a suitable sword and present it to Captain Robertson on his arrival in England.

The late residents of the Bay of Islands have presented an address to Captain Robertson, thanking him for his gallant exertions on their behalf.

It appears to be the opinion at Auckland that the natives will actually attack the town at no distant day. Every preparation seems to have been made to provide the inhabitants with a safe place of refuge, and to secure the town against any sudden attack.

In the midst of all these preparations for war, Mr. Chief Protector Clarke has stated publicly in the Auckland Police Office, "that every soldier ought to be removed from the country, inasmuch as their presence is only a provocation, while his persuasion is quite capable of lulling into peace any Maori discontent." The Times remarks : —

" There is pretty consistency in this argument, when we look back, Ist, To the Tauranga contempt of our troops. 2nd. To the Mauranghi dispersion of Colonel Godfrey's court and authority. 3d. To the present occupation of the land at the Hutt, after half-a-dozen payments for it. 4th. To the destruction of the bridge and plunder of the inhabitants at New Plymouth. sth. To tbe robberies at Papakura, at Matakana, and half a hundred other places, shamefully hushed up ! 6th. To the violation of the Supreme Court, and the rescue of a convicted thief. 7th. To the never-to-be-forgotten affair at Wairau. Bth. To the destruction of the oldest British settlement in New Zealand ! 9th. And now to the seat of Government in a state of siege and martial-law ! All these have been the blessed effects of the Exeter-Hall policy, which, like Eliot's imbecility in China, would leave us a prey to spurious humanity and a contemptible disobservance of British courage."

The papers in the Company's settlements have been charged with using strong language towards the Governor. Our readers shall now see the tone adopted by the Auckland papers: —

The Authors of our Present Calamities. — All the reverses we have suffered, all the evils we now endure, and all the terrors we are obliged to stare in the face, are entirely attributable to three causes : Lord Stanley's obstinate parsimony; Captain Fitzßoy's fascination in favour of the Maories and Exeter Hall, and that arch-hypocrite Clarke ; and lastly, his Excellency's total disregard of the honour and fame of the British name and flag. — Times, April 15.

Will the Governor Resign ? — We cannot help but echo the query of our Southern contemporary—" Will Captain Fitzßoy not resign " the office be fills, not merely so inadequately, so rashly, and so incompetently, but so completely dangerously, in the minds of all but the three puppets who Bit in Council, to be moved with the strings by which he holds on, with a tenacity in strong contrast with the facility with which he let go ropes of bis revenue ; after boasting that he was too clever a captain to abandon one rope without full possession of the other ?—lbid,? — Ibid, April 8. The Free-Trade Weathercock. — When we remember his Excellency's statements to various parties, before even his arrival in the colony, about Free Trade, and look at the measure which was passed on Tuesday last, abolishing one of the greatest blessings that can be beatowed on a colony, we can come to only one deliberate conclusion, and that is, that his Excellency has in verity taken leave of his senses ; and that until he be superseded in his appointment, this unfortunate colony is doomed to suffer all the freaks and mishaps that attend the career of a confirmed lunatic. To imagine for one moment that any man in his sober senses would deliberately put to his Council the measure which was submitted and passed almost at the point of the bayonet on Tuesday last, after the reiterated opinion expressed by his Excellency about free trade, would be to suppose that common sense had given up the idea of legislating for this colony, and that every person residing in it was as mad as the originator of the measure himself. — Cross, April 12. A Hint. — We have strong hopes that the inconsistent and vacillating policy which his Excellency is so fond of adopting will, erelong, find ita own cure; for it will be actually necessary that his Excellency either be superseded from home, or tbe inhabitants of the colony will

assuredly have to adopt measures which was before had recourse to in a neighbouring colony in 1808.— Ibid.

Constitutional Government. — A demur having arisen among some of the non- ■ official members against suspending the standing rules of Council, with a view of passing this obnoxious measure [Customs Ordinance] at once, his Excellency remarked that, in times of difficulty and danger, the non-official members should rather be assisting the Government instead of thwarting them ; and if they did not choose to give way, that he should use his legitimate influence with his paid vampires, and carry his measure nolens volens ; and as if to satisfy the members that he was firm in his determination, the " Property Rate Repeal Ordinance " was actually brought into the Council ready engrossed on parchment, and with the official seal of the colony attached, waiting his signature ! ! ! After such a specimen as this of a Legislative Council deliberating or attempting to deliberate on measures, it would be the height of absurdity to suppose that any good could be accomplished for New Zealand, if the sitting members were ever so able or willing to vote for popular measures. — Ibid.

Too good to be trub. — It was rumoured that his Excellency intended to resign the reins of Government into other hands, and many persons attended the Council chamber on Tuesday, fully expecting the consummation of so desirable an event; but it would appear that his Excellency is still backward in believing that the colony is ruined, and is determined to remain until the Government house is actually pulled down about his ears. Concentration appears now his Excellency's watch-word ; and, after ruining the Bay of Islands and causing upwards of 600 souls to be conveyed to the capital, he is expecting that these poor starving people are to pay duties on every thing that they consume. — Ibid.

A military inquiry has been made into the recent transactions at the Bay of Islands, but the result has not yet transpired.

The following paragraph from the Times of April 15, is very discouraging: —

"Among the other signs of the times, the Terror, one of our regular traders, and, we believe, built in New Zealand, took her departure on Sunday for Sydney. She has in all sixty passengers. Her spirited owner, W. Abercrombie, Esq., desparts in her. She calls at the Barrier to clear out all the sundry remains of the mining concern, in consequence of Maori intimidation ! Thus painfully is the work of years of studious and competent industry overthrown by the effects of ignorant and upstart egotism."