New Zealand Gazette AND WELLINGTON SPECTATOR.

New Zealand Gazette and Wellington Spectator, Volume II, Issue 122, 9 March 1842, Page 2

New Zealand Gazette AND WELLINGTON SPECTATOR.

Wednesday, March 9, 1342.

We have received Auckland papers to February 16th, but the files are not complete ; and as none of the Bills passed through the Council, have been sent to Port Nicholson by the vessels last arrived, we are at a loss for the materials of a connected account of the Legislative proceedings. We can state, however, that the Municipal Corporation Bill has been made a law, and we presume without material amendments ;i for Mr. Earp has entered a long protest against it, which we insert entire. It appears that one of Mr. Earp's principal objections is the democratic tendency of the measure, Some of these are well put, but until we get the Ordinance itself, we cannot undertake to give a general opinion on the protest. The Land Claims'. Bill introduced by the Attorney-General, has been withdrawn ostensibly in deference to the opposition of the three non-official Members of the Council; but really, we suspect, on account of some split among the ' official gentlemen ; for Mr. Secretary Shortland has introduced another Bill for the same purpose, which the AttorneyGeneral disclaims. An article on the new Bill, in the Auckland Herald, describes it as " infinitely worse than the one thrown out." Nevertheless, Mr. Clendon and Mr. Porter gave it their support ; and are smartly rebuked for their ratting by the Auckland Editor, Mr v Clendon's conduct is the subject of the following remarks : —

We are sorry, that after having throughout the Session remained true to the cause of the Colony, Mr. Clendon appears to have thought fit to desert the settlers in their " hour of need," and to have been gained over by the Government party. Mr. Clendon has doubtless his reasons for this, though we must confess we cannot see what those reasons are. He has now got his land in exchange for the hopeful township of Russell, therefore he can have'uothing to fear from the Government ; and if he imagine that he has anything to hope from them ; his faith in them is infinitely greater than ours. His grant 'of laud ought to have made him in every sense of the word an independent man ; ten thousand acres of good land immediately adjoining the capital is no bad exchange for three hundred acres of inaccessible rock at the . " Governor's F011y.".. Surely, the hon. gentleman is not afraid, that if he do not support the Government upon upon the land question, the Home: Government -will refuse to ratify Captain Hobson's bargain with him. . There is no doubt, that the good people of Downing-street will stare not.a little, when they see land, .worth i? 20,000 given in, exchange for other land not worth the same number of pence, and it is just possible that, they may even venture to ask his. Excellency,— ;why such things be ? Still Mr. Clendon has nothing, to fear on this account, inasmuch as, before their pleasure on the subject- can be kuown, Mr. Clendon will hold his land upon that most valuable of all legal tenures, possession ; and the Governor, not Mr. Clendon, must.stand the brunt of the inquiry, there -will certainly be. t

Itis insinuated tliat Mr. Porter has-been sopped by leave to introduce a clause for tlie issue of land scrip, which might enable the holder to obtain* something now for the' land he may be-put in possession of some years' hence. ' ' " ' . " " . •

Mr. -Earp remains in opposition, and is greatly glorified by his friend, ' the Herald's Editor," for his" independence. 'Conduct generally attributed by ".Mr; OEarp's constituents to instability of purpose", the Auckland Editor has discovered to be. the working of profound policy, ' ' /

This journal is tolerably regular in administering castigatipn to the jobbing gentlemen of Shouraki ; but/ I ' we are mild and

merciful in comparison Withiour 'Auckland contemporary, who'thus derfounces th'e'ofiicJal .Members ot the Cpuucilf- ' _ /' Wednesday's 'shameful disclosure ttit* stamped them with a name, and conferred on them a cha* racter not to be envied by ordinary Had'comtaoxt men. A. name which shall never be forgotten ill New Zealand. , The events, of Wednesday shall btf intimately connected with every page of her* history, as the reward of arrogant presumption, and shameless political deception: They havtf obtainedjja name, * • which tyranny shall qu^ke to hear,' at least in New Zealand.

In our former number we gently touched the* whip. We shall hereafter take the stock-man'* strong and long lash (if matters do not speedily 1 change for the better,) by means of every, crack of which we shall make a sore — which shall not only bleed'but fester.

Captain' Clayton, a person well known at the Bay of Islands^arrd Auckland, moved one" of the resolutions passed at the public meeting against the Land Claims' Bill, and conducted his speech with' an. honest confession of the real state of affairs in those districts :—: —

" Therjs is an admitted exhausted treasury no agriculture in progres* sion not a plough in the ground-; the ships have forsaken our ports ; and we have no money."

We refer with' pleasure to our shipping intelligence of Saturday and this day, for indications of the commercial importance and prosperity of this port.

The building to be erected by the New Zealand Company, for the reception' of enri-' grants, is to be of brick not wood, as at first intended. Several substantial brick buildings are now rising from their foundations in different parts of the town ; and as the expense of bricks is only one third greater tban that of wood, it is to be hoped that in future the more safe and durable, and in the end, far cheaper material, will be preferred.

Our good opinion of the emigrants by the Birman has been confirmed ; many having taken plots of town land and commenced preparations for fencing them iv and erecting, cottages. .

At the Police Office yesterday, Mr. Halswell presiding in the absence of Mr. Murphy, Captain Cox, of the Clifton, was fined three pound's for an assault on an emigrant named Millvvard, with liberty to speak to the prosecutor. It appeared that Millward, who was intoxicated, was standing near the main hatchway, after the emigrants had been three times ordered to leave the deck and go down below, in consequence of a muster on deck of the crew, who had exhibited indications of mutiny. The Captain pushed Millward, who fell headlong into the steerage, where he remained insensible for an hour and a half. He was afterwards taken into the cuddy, and treated kindly by the Captain, and the next day was able to walk about,, but complained of weakness, and he now professes himself unable to work at his business of a sawyer. Captain Cox had received great provocation, but not in the opinion of the Court sufficient to justify an assault.

I There are now about sixty prisoners in the Wellington" gaol, chiefly mutinous or run-a-way sailors ; but there are some felons and one person at least confined- for debt only. They are all huddled together in a wretched maori building, large enough for twelve or fifteen human beings at the most. We are told, and and can easily believe, that the atmosphere of this miserable hole, when its unfortunate inmates are put up for the night, is almost suffocating, and if" pestilence' should break out amongst them, nobody, will-be surprized. An advertisement for tenders for^the erection of another gaol has appeared in this paper*;' but-we- hear that the sum which our precious "Government can afford for the purpose is so small,' that no contract has been offered within the prescribed limits. This state of things, \ so disgraceful to our rulers, is', absolutely the • subject of merriment to him who is spending hundreds and thousands of Port Nicholson ' money on his kitchens' and verandahs. ""' "A 'decent building for a Post-office is also especially required. . On Sunday last we saw Mr. Man'tell 'stuffing an old potatoe sack amongst the reeds of .the dilapidated hut Be occupies as Postmaster, to, prevent the wind "from blowing the, letters off the table, on Which he had assorted them for delivery."" Jttyn* a *< e no • conveniences for the performance of his •duties, and it- is really ! unfair' r to '.expect regularity and. despatch from "a public, officer, to whom the commonest facilities for discharge - ing .his duties are denied. What makes the neglect of the Government ; to furnish a good Policer-office and Post-office *? most discreditable and unjust, is the undoubted , fact, that the Port Nicholson contributions ( to the public , treasury amount , to many thousands per annum. One -fifteenth part of the 1 , revenue collected here and. remitted to Auckland, would. suffice for the buildings needed ; but this cannot be had, because of the waste

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%t Government-house, and tlienumer.ous siniVur.es 'at'tlie Gulf of Shouraki; * A fcrbyern- ' -teent more shamelessly prodigal, and at "the =same time more pitifully mean,- never insulted' ■a British community.'

A correspondent has furnished us with the following description of the condition of- Port 'Nicholson, taken from; the London Times newspaper :—: —

Recent accounts from Launceston give a distressing and despondingnarrative of the sufferings of the emigrants who _ had gone out to settle in -New Zealand, but who, disapp6inted and disgusted with the state of affairs-there, had returned in the •Essington to the former place. The settlement is •represented as being in a most lamentable ■ state, 'and tke greatest dissatisfaction is said to prevail amongst the unfortunate emigrants. Induced, it is -said, by false. and nattering exaggerations, to abandon their homes, and their native countries, they rdiscover, . .immediately . upon . their arrival, the the,*treachery and inhumanity of their selfish deceivers. .They find starvation where they had been led to expect abundance; and discontent and distress where they;-were. told- prosperity reigned; they And it almost impossible to obtain a livelihood where they -were assured wealth and indepen- ■ dance would be their certain reward. There is no -civil court at Port Nicholson, the chief settlement of New Zealand, for the -recovery of debts, and ■in consequence several of those who had arrived in the Essington, abandoned their claims rather; than lose- the opportunity of quitting the place. The nominal rate of wages was 10s-. per day, bul there was- no money to. be- had. Labourers and -mechanics- worked week after week without being, "paid, and- among the passengers in the Essington were some to whom their employers owed upwards of £9, they being obliged' in Ihe mean while to exist upon what little money they brought with -them from- England. • Provisions were high, and the 41b. loaf sold at 2s. There was very little land in cultivation, a large portion in the neighbourhood of Port Nicholson being a complete swamp, totally unfit for agricultural operations six months out of the twelve. At the time the ' Essinyton left, it had been blowing a continued ' gale of wind some weeks, accompanied by heavy showers of rain. It is further stated that numbers of the emigrants were ready to leave the settlement by the/first opportunity ,' and "in order to relieve some, of them as speedily as possible from their destitution, a vessel had been despatched from Launceston. • • • .. We can " turn the- tables " upon the Launceston folk. It is true that attempts 'were made, with very small success, to seduce some Port Nicholson people to Van Diemen's .Land ; but without any retaliatory efforts on •our part, the Launceston labourers are coming here. The Blossom brought some last week, and more' are on their way to this wretched .country .of ■" selfish . deceivers ;" where " a large portion " of the land is a "complete ■swamp,; ! '- where "no money is to be had ; " u starvation found^" instead of " abundance ;" and the Launceston ships places of, refuge -for. the destitute. ' If all this be true of Port Nicholson what are we to think of Launceston ?r L -whence emigration to Port .Nicholson .has commenced. It is rather curious that this paragraph from the- '1 imes has turned up •at the -very time our shipping list. shows the arrival, of one vessel, and the expected arrival of another, ,with emigrants from Launceston -for Port. Nicholson : '

Mrs. .Parnell, the wife of Mr. Parnell,/ cabinet-maker, Willis-street, expired very suddenly on Sunday morning last. An in- , quest was .held ,'the. following day, at the Southen: Cross Hotelj when from the evidence cadduced,- it appeared that Mrs. Parnell had been some time suffering from indisposition ; and on Dr. j£nox making a post mortem examination, he gave it as his opinion that Mrs. Parnell had died from disease of the heart. The jury returned a verdict accordingly.

BntTH:— o,n Saturday, March 5, the wife of Mr. G. Fellingham, of Woolcomb-street, •of a daughter.- • •