[From the Hobart Town Courier, Jan. 12.]

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 263, 5 February 1848, Page 3

[From the Hobart Town Courier, Jan. 12.]

Despatches were received yesieid.iy at the Colonial office from the Governors of New South Wales, South Australia, and New Zealand. Despatches were sent off last evening from the Colonial office for the Governor o! Van Diemeu's Land. — Morning Post, Sep. 2J Military Reward. — Sergeant Maloy, of the 99th Regiment, who was severely wounded in the destruction of Heki's pa, New Zealand, has been awarded, at Chatham, a pension of 3s. per riiem. Sergeant Maloy has only been seven years in the service, but his wounds and mutilations are of a nature to prevent his following any employment whatever. We believe this pension is unprecedented in the annals of military service. We also understand the sergeant has a well grounded expectation of receiving £20 per annum in addition to his pension, agreeable to her Majesty's warrant of December 22, 1845. — Bell's Weekly Messen-jer, September 25. The Right Rev. Dr. Wiseman has received from Rome the appointment of Vicar Apostolic of London pro tempore, till the arrangements consequent on the death of Dr. Griffiths are complete. A circular advocating a suspension of railway works, and proposing a meeting of delegates in London ftom the Boards of Direction of the various leading companies, to consider the subject, has been issued by the committee of the Liverpool Stock Exchange. This step has been adopted in consequence of " the enormous suma which the railway companies are still attempting simultaneously to raise from their proprietors and the public." The Queen had returned from Scotland, and with the Royal Family were at Osborne Isle of Wight. Consols closed on the 28th at 85f ; on account 85§ . The inquest on the unfortuate sufferers by the explosion of the Cricket steamer terminated at the 7th adjourned sitting. After the jury had retired one hour and fifty minutes, they returned a verdict of manslaughter" against the engineer. A warrant of commit-

mas accordingly made out, but he had absconded. Destitution to an alarming extent prevails in Ireland. The Dublin correspondent of the Daily News states, from good authority, that in Clare Island 600 persons were in a state of destitution ; that in the island of Innustuck there was not as much tillage this year as would maintain the population for a month, and that there and in Innis Bown, 600 people were suffering the pains of starvation. The Castlebar paper complains that numbers of poor people, certified as destitute by the wardens, had been refused admission into the the Castlebar workhouse. He also mentions as a circumstance which indicates that the authorities are fully alive to the condition of the country, that the stores held by the Government of Sir Robort Peel ia 1845 have all been taken for a year certain.