NEW ZEALAND.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume IX, Issue 488, 27 July 1850, Page 88

NEW ZEALAND.

[From the Spectator, January 26.]

We have received papers from Wellington to the 15th September, which bring matter of considerable interest. A society new to us, called "The Settlers' Constitutional Association," had published a long string of resolutions, in contradiction of Governor Sir George Grey's despatches dated the 29th November 1848 and the 2d February 1849, on the postponement of representative institutions. This Association was called into existence by Sir George's endeavour to deprive the colony of " the boon " • intended for it by Earl Grey. At three several sittings of the Association, attended by the principal colonists— some of the earliest settlers, the largest resident landowners, sheep- station owners, stock-owners, merchants, . professional men, and retail traders — the resolutions, thirteen in number, were passed unanimously. They set forth, that Sir George Grey's despatches, supporting his recommendation to postpone the constitution for four years, are unfair and untrustworthy. Sir George pretended to have received " solicitations of those most interested in the colony," that he would make known the nature of the plans he had recommended to Earl Grey: those solicitations are shown to have been concocted and arranged by himself, with the twofold object of imparting a show of independence to the " Nominees in petto " of the Council of the Southern Province, and to add weight to his own representations. He omitted all allusion to the difficulty he encountered in forming bis Council — to the large meetings, and the deputations which urged on him the immediate introduction of free institutions ; he does not mention the votes and protests of all the unofficial members of the Auckland Council, the spurning of his offers of seats notwithstanding his persevering but indignified canvass, his threats, and his promised boons, in quarters where they were likely to have weight; he does not mention the fact that "seven out of thirteen to whom he offered seats refused them, and of the six who ultimately were persuaded three several times refused ;" he does not refer to the petitions to both Houses of Parliament, signed by 780 male adults, the jury-list numbering but 837 ; nor to the enthusiastic Reform banquet, attended by 200 colonists, given to celebrate the departure of the petitions : all these circumstances were entirely suppressed by Sir George. The colonists refute his misrepresentation that the inhabitants would rather be governed by a Governor and Executive Council until representative institutions be given: the absolute government of one man would be more tolerable ; nothing exceed their detestation of the latter form except their detestation of the former; and the feeling in favour of the absolute government expressed by many was but a choice between two " immense evils,", under the impression that neither alternative would be suffered long to exist. Quotations from the 4th section of the Act which suspended Lord Grey's constitution enabling Sir George Grey to create " Provincial Councils in both or either province, to be appointed or elected, or appointed and elected," in such manner as he might direct, demonstrate the untruth of Sir George's allegation that "he had no other choice " than to establish Nominee Provincial Councils. The various reasons assigned for postponing the introduction of free institutions were figment* — a specious falsification of fact. Sir George Grey alleges that, " under representative institutions, it would be difficult to effect the retrenchments he proposes in 1850:" but

the colonists have constantly protested against the creation of that "multitude tf most urteless and expensive offices " which has induced the financial difficulties; and they would aboiish such offices immediately if they had the power In 1842, the revenue of Wellington was £9 75s* its civil expenditure 4,409; in 1848, the revenue was £1 2,474, and the expenditure above £1 6 000 • out of the £26,750 allotted by Parliament for constructing roads in the colony, only £15,573 has been so applied; the remainder was frittered away in support of the useless offices. In April 1849, the .Provincial Government forestalled £6,000 of the grant for 1850; in May, it suspended payment; a few weeks afterwards £4,000 more was forestalled ; so that no more aid can be had till April 1850 : yet in June 1849, the sum of £21,000 was voted for the ordinary civil expenditure of the Province— nearly £2,000 in excess of the estimated revenue. Sir George states that the delay in completing the military roads is beyond his control j instances are given of expenditures in such child s playthings ns a useless flagsfaff, which would haye sufficed in amount to complete the most important military road in the Province; the non-completion of that road now curing off the entire traffic between Wellington and Porirua and " the whole coast beyond to Wanganui" for the whole winter season. Details are added to establish that Sir George Grey's promised retrenchments in 1850 are ''not merely impossible," but are "expressly intended to mislead " the Imperial Government conceal his own maladministration, and discredit his successor by involving the colony in extraordinary financial embarrassments. The pleas for delay on account of the state of the Natives are shown. to be "hobgoblin fallacies."

The imagined advantage to be derived by the Nominee Councils from four year's acquaintance with the practice of legislation will be merely personal; but it is certain that scarcely one probably not one "of the Nominee Council' will be returned by the suffrages of their fellowcolonists to the future Representative Councils •" the anticipated fruits of experience will not therefore be reaped. Sir George Grey is not, and never really was favourable to representative institutions; and a history of facts shows that his treatment of the question has been marked by an entire absence of straightforwardness—in accordance with his diplomatic turn of mind, which renders it easier for him to conduct the affairs of the colony by individual influences than by fairly meeting the demands of large or popular bodies. The conclusions suggested by this history are fortified by extracts from his proposed temporary constitution, showing his anxiety to retain power in the hands of the Governor till a period when, according to the usual term of official tenure, he will have quitted the colony. The resolutions draw to a close by exposing, in the despatch of the 29th November, "a suppression of two facts, so flagrant that this Association cannot characterize it by any term which the proprieties of social usage would justify them in exposing;" and wind up with charges against Sir George Grey, that his conduct has been calculated to lower the dignity of the British Government by destroying all faith in the veracity of its servants, and to weaken the ties of colonial loyalty.

Pepper. — A gentleman from Calcutta writes as follows to a friend in Hobart Town :— " As to the cayenne pepper, or, as it is called here, red pepper, it does not appear to be generally known that it is made from red chillies. There is no question they would grow in Van Diemen's Land; and if they were not quite ao apicy and hot as -they are here, they would unquestionably be so if grown on the main land of Australia. Sometimes the chillies are green, but they are not the less pungent for that ; and it is a pity that the Australians should be dependant on any other country for that which could be grown for a few farthings at their own doors. The consumption of them here is immense, as both rich and poor daily use them, and it is the principal ingredients in all chutnies and curries, ground into a paste between two stones, with a little mustard, oil, ginger, and salt, it forms the only seasoning which the millions of poor in this country can obtain to eat with their insipid rice." We commend this to our horticultural friends.

There may be said to be a four-fold division of members in the House of Commons — namely, two parties, and two sections. , Each party, and each section, has its immediate and appropriate newspaper organ. The large Ministerial majority is represented by the Times and the Globe; and the Protectionist minority by the Herald, Pont, Standard; the hermaphrodite section, which is Conservative and Free-trading, has the Morning Chronicle; and the Bection which advocates household or universal Suffrage, Financial Reform, has the Daily News. . .■* ':.;■. Her Majesty is reviving the fashion of wearing earings, and these ornaments are again becoming fashionable. - . , , There are about 16,000, tons of shipping at *~ present building on the banks of the Clyde, principally steamers. \ „ There are in Spain 270,961 persons who live upon the yearly estimates, without counting the 1 parties who have situations in local or provincial administrations. This gives one place-holder for every six tax-payers . One hundred and eighty- five articled clerks have given notice of application to be admitted attorneys of the Court of Queen's Bench, in the • Hilary Term, 1850, and three the last day of * Michaelmas Term ; 16 will be re-admitted the last day of Tern, and 47 on the 27th instant ; 199 were sworn in before the Master of the Rolls on the 22nd instant; making a total of 450. From the Roman Catholic Directory for this * year, it appears that there . are now in England 647 chapels, 880 priests, 13 monasteries, 41 convents, 13 colleges, and 259 schools.