The New Zealand Herald AUCKLAND, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1864.

New Zealand Herald, Volume II, Issue 348, 23 December 1864, Page 4

The New Zealand Herald

AUCKLAND, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1864.

SPECTEMUa AGENDO. U Give UTBry man thine ear, but few thy voice: Take euch man's censure, bat reserve thy judgment. Thia above all,—To thine ownself be true; And it miwt follow, as the night the day, Thou caust not thon ho false to any man."

We present in another portion of our columns lengthy extracts from the English papers, aDd shall therefore not dwell at lengtli upon the various topics of moTe ox less interest contained in them. Opinion on the New Zealand war seemed to be quite at fault, and unable whether to decide in favour of continued war or the establishment of peace, after the cession by the Tauranga natives of their land to the Governor. A military paper condemns the policy of General Cameron, and thinks he might have done a great deal more with the troops than lie has done. 3he writer is doubtless one of those gentlemen who can command armies and navies, and win battles veiy effectively as he sits at home at ease.

Tlic gunpowder explosion at Erith, by which a vast mass of property was thorougldy destroyed, together with several lives, caused . very considerable consternation, more especially as a breach, -was made in the banks of the Thames thirty feet deep and seventy-five feet in length, thus exposing a very extensive district to the disaster of being flooded. By the heroic exertions of a large band of navvies and 1500 troops, the breach was stopped before the rising of the tide, or the effects would have been most lamentable.

The tone of. the Press on the Australian Transportation question, seems to be very decided in favour of the colonists' view of the matter. Lord Stanley, in an able speech on the subject, says :—" I think it would be wise for the English Government to yield at once, and declare that transportation to "Western Australia shall cease. They .will. have to make that concession before long, and it is surely wiser and better to do so when they can do it freely, aud whilst we can do it with a good grace." (Loud cheers.)

Muller's trial for the murder of Mr. Briggs, caused a great stir, and ended in the conviction and sentence to death of the prisoner. The general characteristic of business is still that of great distrust in all departments of trade. There have been many heavy failures, the money market has been very stringent, and this together with a heavy fall in the price of cotton tends to test severely the resources of mercantile firms. There is considerable increase in the number of persons receiving relief in the manufacturing districts. On the whole, however, the trade of the country must be said to be. in a very satisfactory condition. It will be seen there is nothing of a very exciting nature to retake or comment upon.