AND BRITANNIA SPECTATOR.

New Zealand Gazette and Wellington Spectator, Volume I, Issue 32, 21 November 1840, Page 2

AND BRITANNIA SPECTATOR.

Saturday, Nov. 21, 1840. The " Martha Ridgway " arrived on Saturday last from England. She left the Downs on the 9th of July, but the latest papers brought by her are to the 5 th. She has on board sixteen adult cabin passengers and ten children, and one hundred and eleven adults and eighty-four children in the steerage. Shortly after the ship wa3 at sea, tlie steward was attacked by the small pox, since when the ship has not been free of the disease ; and several passengers have it now, though fortunately it has assumed a very mild form. The necessary precautions Have been taken against introducing this terrible diseasp, for it is greatly to be feared that were it to attack the natives, its havoc would be very great, owing to their living in low, close buildings. The "Patriot" had sailed early in June for this settlement, touching however at Launceston and Hokianga. She may be looked for now, as she is fully due. We do not find any further account of the "Deborah," though it is stated she too left Gravesend in June for New Zealand. The " Resource," which we announced some timesince, is not coming. The " London," 700 tons, has taken her place, and was to leave in August, to be followed by the ship " Slams Castle, 500 tons, to sail on the 10th September. A ship was about to be laid on at Greenock by the Company, for this port ; and it is said the " Mary Ridgway " is coining from Liverpool. Lord John Russell had introduced a bill to extend the Council of New South Wales. Instead of fourteen members noininated^by the Governor, there are to be thirty-six, twelve to be nominated, and twenty-four to be elected upon a ten pound franchise. The bill further places the lands in New South Wales under the new Land Board, and has a term of ten yearn, when Lord John intimated that he thought the time would have arrived to give New South Wales institutions similar to those enjoyed by the British North American Colonies. The Bill to re-unite the Canadas received the support of the Tories in the House of Common?. On its second reading in the Lords it was vehemently attacked by the Duke of Wellington and Lord Ellenborough. The Bill, it was thought, however, would be passed. In consequence of this different mode of proceeding on the part of the Tories in the two houses, the " Colonial Gazette " asks, "Is there really some truth in the insinuation of party newspapers on the Ministerial side, that the Tories have split ; that internal divisions rend their councils, and paralyze their actions ; that the undertakings of ostensible leaders of the Conservatives in one house of .Parliament will be repudiated and frustrated by Conservative chiefs in the other? At any rate, we shall watch this curious movement." Our zealous friends in England have formed a Church Society for New Zealand. The names of the General Committee and the re.solut ons detailing the objects of the society will be found in another part of the paper. They purpose to seek the appointment of a Bishop or Bishops, and that each Bishop be accompanied by a body of three or raore Clergymen; and also to aid the Colonists in the erect.on of Churches J and infant and other schools.' It is further proposed to endowe the church with a certain quantity of land. The New Zealand Company had offered to

contribute two thousand acres of land, and with a view to avoid invading the Emigration Fund, will place to its credit out of the Company's funds the same amount as it would have received had the land been sold instead of granted to the Church Society. That amount is fifteen hundred pounds, which is a most spirited and liberal donation on the part of the New Zealand Company, especially when we consider the Company is pledged not to show partiality, and will therefore doubtless be called on by the members of other churches for aid, which we are confident will not be refused. * The names cf the members of the Committee are a guarantee for the efficient manner in which the objects of this society will be pursued, while the liberal conduct of the Court will not fail to encourage them to secure an ample fund for a purpose so highly worthy of liberal support, as securing to this infant settlement the blessing of religion. There has been a change in the Court of Directors of the New Zealand Company. The members who have retired are James Brodie Gordon, Esq., and Thomas Alers Hankey, Esq. The new names are Viscount Ingestre, M.P., Henry A. Aglionby, Esq., M.P., James Robert Gowen, Esq., John Hine, Esq., Hon. Frederick James Tollemache, M.P.,and Edward G. Wakefield, Esq. The Court has been increased from eighteen to twenty-two members. By the " New Zealand Journal " of the 4th July, we learn that news of the safe arrival of the "Cuba" and " Aurora" at Port Nicholson had reached London. Lord Elliot was on Tuesday, the 7th July, to call the attention of the House of Commons to the state of New Zealand, and to the prayer of the petition adopted at the meeting held in the Guildhall on the 15th April last. The arrival of the Proclamation issued by his Excellency Captain Hobson and other news will have proved very opportune. We doubt not the debate will be highly important and interesting to this settlement. It will enable us to become acquainted with the feelings which prevade the House concerning these Islands and the policy of the mode pursued by the Government in asserting the Queen's authority here. It may make us acquainted with the intentions of her Majesty's Ministers, if th°y have any. The bikers have this week reduced the price of the 21b. loaf from Is. to 10d.. but the public still feel entitled to a further reduction. It is said at the present price of flour, if the 21b. loaf were charged at Bd., the bakers would still obtain a good profit. _______________ / We call the attention of our readers to a letter signed J. D., in to-day's paper, from an able correspondent. Our correspondent has misunderstood our article, in supposing we aimed at pointing out the difficulty of removing from one to the other of the Colonies in this part of the world. One of our grounds for protesting against appropriating the Land Fund to other purpose than that of bringing the poor but willing from Europe, was the conviction that every working man can in a very short time acquire the means of going to any other Colony. Taking the various circumstances into consideration, we have no doubt of the superior advantages presented in New Zealand, to the working class, over those to be found in the other Colonies ; and we believe most of that class are thoroughly alive to the fact, which was our reason for not touching on the subject.