The New-Zealander.

New Zealander, Volume 7, Issue 531, 17 May 1851, Page 2

The New-Zealander.

Be just and fear not: Let all the ends thou aims't at, bo thy Country's, Thy God's, and Truth's.

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A Government Gazette was issued yesterday. The following is a summary of its principal contents. It is notified that a section of land exceeding six acres in St. George's Bay has been appropriated as Reserved Lands for the maintenance of the Native Hostelry in Mechanics' Bay : — to be vested in the Colonial Secretary, Attorney General, and Colonial Treasurer, for the time being, to be by them held in trust and administered for ihe benefit of this Institution : —also that a section adjoining Auckland Park, exceeding three acres has been granted as an endowment towards the support of Hospitals, " for the relief of the sick of all classes of Her Majesty's subjects." Persons desirous of Grazing Cattle and Horses in the Government Domain are referred for terms to J. Shepherd, the Hanger, Publication is made of the Returns of Revenue and Expenditure for the Province of New Ulster, during the Quarter ended March 31st, 1850 ; as compared with the corresponding quarter of last year,. The Receipts were, Auckland in 1850, £7,114 Bs. 2d.; in 1851, £6.039 1 7s. Id :— New Plymouth, in 1850, £294 6s. Id.; in 1851, £294 9s. Bd.-.— Russell, in 1850, £504 Hs. lid; in 1851, £399 ss. 5d.: Total Receipts in the March Quarter of 1850, £7,913 9s. 2d.; in the corresponding quarter of 1851, £6,733 12s. 2d. The Expenditure ■was, Auckland, in ]850, £6,227 13s; in 1851, £6,668 6s. Bd.: — New Plymouth, in 1850, £984 Is. 5d.; in 1851, £470 7s.:— Russell, in 1850, £51 9 18s. 9d.; in 1851, £405 18s. 7d.: — Total Expenditure in the March Quarter of 1850, £7,801 13s. 2d.; — in the corresponding quarter of 1851, £7,544 12s. 3d. The Return of the New Plymouth Savings

Bank shows that the sums deposited during the year 1850 amounted to £114 7s. 6d. The Total Amount of Notes of the Auckland Colonial Bank of Issue in circulation on the 3rd of this Month was £1,763 ; the Total Amount of Coin held by the same Office on that day was £1,031. Tenders are invited from parties desirous of contracting for the suply of a Dinner for four hundred Natives on the Queen's Birth Day, the 24th instant, and an abundant provision indeed it is to be. Auctioneers Licenses for the year ending 2nd of April 1852, have been issued to Messrs. David Nathan, Connell & Hidings, Tiios. Weston & Co., and Joseph Newman. Tenders will be received till the 30th inst., for the supply of Hardwood Piles, Kawrie Timber and Planking, Nails and Iron, for the erection of a Wharf in Official Bay. The Auckland Wardens authorize any License Holder of the Hundred to impound unauthorized Cattle trespassing on the Waste Lands of the Crown within its limits.

On hearing of the arrival of the Lucy James at Manakau from New Plymouth, we hoped that we might receive some of the Southern journals. In this, however, we were disappointed ; and we have obtained even indirectly little Wellington news heyond the fact of the Governor-in-Chief's safe airival there, and the report that the Havannah was likely to sail very soon for Auckland. We learn that affairs at Taranaki are in a very unsettled and unsatisfactory stale. There seems even less probability than before of such an adjustment of the points disputed by the Natives as would enable the Government to put the Land Claimants in peaceable possession there. Under these circumstances the conclusions of the approaching Legislative Council was looked for «vith much anxiety. Meanwhile, we were informed, several of the wealthier settlers are preparing to leave that district ; and no doubt some of them are turning their attention with almost longing eyes to our own neighbourhood. The Government Brig called at New Plymouth on Sunday, but departed in about two hours, the object of her visit being merely to convey Mr. George Cutfield to Wellington, — that gentleman having accepted a nomination to a seat in the Council, which is to meet on Monday next.

The reference in our last to the equally remarkable and indefensible aggression which we were informed had been made upon the religious peace and convictions of patients in the Colonial Hospital, were designedly expressed in very general terms ; as, although we were assured that the subject would not be permitted to pass over without the publication of more definite statements, we desired to refrain from ourselves entering into any details respecting it, until the result of an application which we had reason to believe had been made to those whose right and duty it is to see that the Institution is properly managed, should be ascertained. We could not but be aware, however, that this caution on our part might posiibly involve the inconvenience, not to lay the injustice, of raising doubts as to what parties were alluded to, and leaving it open to conjecture whether the imputation of having committed so aggravated an infringement on religious liberty and freedom of conscience might not rest upon persons wholly innocent of any such proceedings. We cannot wonder, therefore, that " A Minister of One of the Denominations" in this town should feel solicitous to shield himself and others from the liability to such a suspicion by affiliating the acts in question upon the real parents. Still less could we, in common candour, refuse to insert a letter which the latitude and generalization that characterised our own remarks may be regarded as having, in some measure, rendered necessary. To the Editor of the New Zealnnder. Sir — Referring to your isiue of yesterday I find a reference to the attempts at proselytism which have lately been made'in the Auckland Colonial Hospital, Your remarki however leave the public to guess as to who hare been the transgressors ; and it is quite possible that the innocent may be implicated in public opinion. I therefore deem it my duty to forward for insertion in your journal the following statement of facts. There are at present in the female ward of the Colonial Hospital two native girls, one named Roka., a member of the Anglican Church, baptized by Archdeacon Brown of Tauranga ; the other named Mary, a Weileyan by profession. The M 'misters of the Roman Catholic Church, and certain females culled Sisters of Mercy, during their visits to the Hospital made several attempts to prevail on both tnese girls to embrace their form of religion and be baptized, assertitig that unless they did so they could not be saved, that no " missionaries" (tliename generally used among the natives for protestiuts) "go to heaven." The former, Roka., told them she had already been baptized, " What of that," i»at the reply. Shejfurther said there were ♦' pikopos" at her own place but she never felt any desire to unite with them. The subject was still pressed upon her, till one day Biihop Pompalikii himi self went and baptized herugainsther owu remonstrance. When the water was brought in a tumbler by the lady of the Assistant Surgeon, the girl enquired " what is that water for,— dont 1 tell you I have been baptized, and will you baptize me again ?" " I turned aside my bead" is her testimony, " when the water was thrown upon me, filling my ear, and my name pronounced Mary." The otber girl has been beset in a similar way, —told she cannot be saved unless she enter the Church of Rome, but thus fir she has been ?p**ed & compulsory sprinkling. The above are the facts as stated by the patients themselves, implicating Sisters of Mercy, Ministers and Buhop of the Roman Catholic Church, and one

individual connected with the management of the Institution who wai at least acceisory to this act of religious persecution. I doubt nor that the proper authorities will protert all patients from similar interference with their religious views in future. And I trust the protestant fueling of the community will not slumber. I should be sorry to urge anything" that mi^ht lead to religious dissensions or controversy, but these arc timps when all protestant bodies are colled to be active and zealous in circulating the Scripiu- es of truth " the only antidote for error in all its forms."

I am yours, &c, A MINISTEtt OF ONE OF THK DENOMINATIONS. Auckland, May 15, 1851. We need scarcely say that the writer of the foregoing statement is known to us ; and, we are sure, that he would not hesitate if necessary to give his name in attestation of it. Indeed it is in entire accordance with the information which we had previously received from more than one source. At the same time if any statement on the other side, similaily authenticated, should be forwarded to us, we shall promptly and unhesitatingly give it insertion. There can be little doubt, howe\ er, that the matter will very shortly undergo official investigation. Indeed we understand that some inquiry is already taking place by direction of the Government; this, however, we suppose, for various reasons must be only preliminary to a more full and formal investigation, — an investigation conducted in such a manner as the peculiar character of the subject demands, and as the public reasonably may, and actually does, expect.

Bible Society Meeting. — The Anuanl Meeting of the Auckland Auxiliary to the British and Foreign Bible Society (which had been postponed from last week on account of the inclemency of the weather) was held on Thursday evening in the Presbyterian Church, Alexander Shepherd, Esq., in the Chair. After devotional exercise, conducted by the Rev. J. Inglis and Key T. Buddle. The Report for the past year was read by the Rev. J. H. Fletcher, and the Financial Statement by Mr. Rout. The Meeting was then addressed ably and impressively by the Rev. Messrs. Inglis. Reid, Buddle, MacDonald, and Ward, and Mr. Rout ; and, a collection having been made in aid of the Funds, the audience separated, it is hoped with increased determination to carry out the noble object of the Institution — the universal circulation of the unadulterated Word of God. We intended to give to-day — and indeed had prepared for the purpose — a fuller report of the proceedings, but we are obliged to defer it until our next number.