THE NELSON EXAMINER. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1860.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XIX, Issue 100, 8 December 1860, Page 2

THE NELSON EXAMINER. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1860.

Journal* become more necessary a* 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 Übertys they maintain civilization. DC ToCftUKVILLE. Of Democracy in America, vol. v.,930. The public meeting to hear the statements of the Nelson Bepresentatives on the events of the late session, and their vindication of the course which they had thought it their duty to take in reference to them, is fully reported in our present issue. It was one of some importance, although it may suit those who are disappointed with its results, to decry it, and treat it lightly. It is true that our late members spoke at considerable length, and took a comprehensive view of all the principal events of the session, and that many of the topics they handled had been discussed before ; but this had been done in a very fragmentary and desultory manner, no authentic record being in existence of their opinions, or their reasons for the line of action they took upon many important questions. It became therefore necessary that they should once for all have the opportunity of giving such a full explanation as might serve in future for a record. If some, who merely came for amusement, or in the hope of some violent counter-demon-stration, went away disappointed, the great j majority was well satisfied to listen to the end, and finally to give its emphatic approval to the resolution which affirmed that our representatives had

not only pursued a manly and straightforward course, but one which was in accordance with the true interests of Nelson. It must have been a"\heavy blow and great discouragement to the little knot of some half-a-dozen persons who came with the evident intention of availing themselves of the slightest possible opening to make political capital, to find the ground cut so completely from under their feet ; and to find the sense of the meeting so completely in favour of the general policy which had governed the actions of the late members for the province, and determined them to give their support to the Ministry. The evidence was overwhelming, which went to show the ruinous effects to Nelson which would have resulted from an opposite course ; and from what transpired, there seems little reason to doubt that the animosity towards our members shown on so many occasions by the opposition, had its root, less in any personal bitterness of feeling, than in the knowledge that so long as Nelson throve and flourished, so long would the absurd claims of Wellington to provincial supremacy be contested, and resisted with succes. The cool proposal to make Wellington the centre of steam communication, and the gracious offer at a compromise, which consisted in tossing out our mails and landing our passengers on the Boulder Bank without their luggage, should not be forgotten; and was of a piece, with the last exhibition of party spite', which could agree to the propriety of appointing a Commission to determine the best locality for a General Asylum and Penitentiary, and could then ignore all its former conclusions, and determine that nothing could be more unwise and improper, simply because Nelson was recognised as possessing advantages superior to any other locality. We believe the results of this meeting will be long felt, and that the doubts which had already begun to be felt by many as to the wisdom of the course into which their self-elected leaders would have willingly hurried them, have been converted into certainties, by the full clear and convincing statements to which they listened on last Wednesday evening.

The Airedale arrived yesterday from Taranaki and Manukau, and brings us intelligence of the arrival in Auckland of the Robert Lowe, auxiliary screw steamer, with a portion of the 12th Regiment, in eighty-two days from Cork ; and another ship, with the remainder of the regiment, was expected daily. Immediately on the arrival of the Robert Lowe, the portions of the 65th and 40th Regiments lately removed from Taranaki to Auckland, were again shipped for the seat of war.

Important despatches have been received by the Governor from England, approving of his conduct, and promising more troops.

The news from Waikato has no decisive character, but it is believed that the defeat of the tribe at Mahoetahi is likely to have a salutary effect in checking their disposition to take part in the existing quarrel at Taranaki. No positive information, however, has been obtained of their intentions.

At Taranaki, no measures of importance had been undertaken by the troops, but now that our force has been strengthened by the return of the drafts of the 65th and 40th,' lately sent to Auckland, there is a rumour of contemplated expeditions both North and South. The cold blooded murder of a lad of fifteen named Sarten, while seeking a strayed bullock, and the narrow escape of another, named Bishop, from a similar fate, are the principal incidents of news. In bur Extra, on Tuesday next, all particulars will be given.