English Extracts.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume XII, Issue 1283, 18 November 1857, Page 3

English Extracts.

The Canterbury Association.—Among the festive celebrations of the season, one of the most agreeable was the annual dinner held by the leading members of the Canterbury Association, &t Greenwich, on the 15th July. It happens that Mr. Henry Sewell, the treasurer of New Sealand, is in England at present on the business of the colony. Mr* Sewell has not only been instrumental in promoting the best interests of his adopted country, but has accomplished arrangements equally satisfactory and creditable to the flourishing Canterbury settlement and its chief supporters; and it was resolved that the annual dinner should this year be mado the occasion of doing honour to him. Lord Lyttelton was in the chair ; he was supported by the principal members of the associalion ; and the evening passed in the enjoyment of pleasant retrospects and hopeful prospects. Lady Troubridge gave birth to a son, at 20, Eatoo-square, a few days since. Who that saw Sir Thomas, scarcely two years since, lifted up on a gun in the valley of Inkermann, with both his legs shot off, yet gallantly commanding his men, anti resolved to see the battle through—who would have thought that within so short u period we should have to congratulate the modern “ Wiiherinu’ton/’ not only on his happy marriage, but also on his lusty progeny ? The famous oak of Reischwitz, near Breslau, in Silesia, has at length fallen under the ravages of time, after having acquired an age which, as the examination of the trunk by the naturalists of Breslau has ahown, cannot have been less than 1500 years It fell seemingly without eny external impulse. The circumference near the ground was 66 feet, and 34 feet where it divided into branches. In a cavity of the gigantic tree a bench was placed, which afforded comfortable seats to nine parionp.

At the early silting on the 17th of July a rat 'roiteil with perfect nonchalance across the floor of the House of Commons from the opposition to the ministerial side, apparently unnoticed even by the vigilant eye of the sergeant-at-arms.

The Present State of Baebadoes. —The population of the island is estimated at 150,000, of whom 90,000 are agriculturists. Of 100,000 acres, 60,000 are under a high state of cultivation, and in proportion to its extent the island yields 60 per cent, more of produce than any other of the British West Indies. The mercantile prosperity of the colony keeps pace with its agricultural progress ; from the Custom-House returns it appears that fully 100,000 tons of shipping are annually required to convey to mars ket the sugar, rum, and molasses, exported from the island tn Great Britain ; and at least an equil amount of tonnage is employed in the supply of the island with American and other provisions, &c. The inhabitants of the colony are for thv chief part a moral, industrious, and religious people ; far better instructed than those of any other West Indian colony. At Ellcotts, the negroes and other labourets have been supplied with land to cultivate; and so far from this rendering them idle, it is a well-known fact, that some of those who were slaves are now owners of sugar, estates, snJ a number of them large freeholders. The industry and readiness to accept moderate wages of the labouring classes is proverbial, and their loyalty and submission to authority has never of late years been questioned. Their improved and improving condition is ascribable in great measure to the zealous and unremitting attention which has been paid by the Christian teachers of various denominations, especially tha Moravians, to their instruction, and the moderation and good sense of the local Government, What is now eoug'nt is an extension of the frail, chisa, and that gradual amelioration of the laws which seem to be in progress under the administration of the present Governor, Mr. Hincks. A steam-boat twice a week, charging low fares, to the adjacent islands and to British Guiana, would be of great advantage to the labouring classes, as well as to the colonies, where labour is greatly required at certain seasons of the year; and the surplus labourers would thus, by going at such limes to these places earn a sufficient sura to enable them to increase their freeholds and secure a still belter education for their families. There is no scheme of immigration to British Guiana which would prove half as beneficial as regular and cheap steam tommunication with Barbadoes. The prosperity of this island under freedom and free-trade is the best answet that can be given to those who assert that ths Negro race will only labour to advantage in ths condition of slaves. There are none of tho slaveholding States of America, Cuba, or the Brazils, io which property fetches so high a price, or the inhabitants in general are so contented and prosperoos as Barbadoes. There is not a man in the island who would, if he could, restore tbs former slate of slavery. If the Jamaica people could take a leaf out of tlieir book—if they would send a deputation to this island to watch the progress of agriculture, the general instruction of the masses, and freedom —they might take some more effectual measures than they have hitherto done to render Jamaica a prosperous country. — Correspondent of Spectator. A French Burgla.rt.—The Court of Assizes at the Haute-Garonne has just been occupied two days in trying eight men for burglary and six women for complicity in the same. It appeared that a very old gentleman, named Montauriol, resides in a large house called Chateau des Bastards, in the commune of Montgiscard, and has all his life been accustomed to keep a large part of his fortune, which is in specie and bank notes, in his house. The male prisoners, all worthless characters of the adjacent village of Montesquieu, formed the project cf breaking into the house and stealing the money, zlccordingly, in the night of the 25th of September last, they went to the cha. teau, carrying with them several sacks, which they proposed to fill with the money, and alee taking a horse to carry their booty away. To effect an entrance they began cutting a hole in the outer wall, but the dogs barked so furiously that they deemed it prudent to take to flight. Two or three nights after they renewed the attempt, but for the same reason it failed. At length, in the night of the Ist of December, they went to the house, and while some kept watch around it, the others made a hole in the wall which enabled ‘.hem to undo the fastenings of a door. They then entered and ascended to the room in which old M. Montauriol was sleeping. His female servant, who was the only person in the house besides himself, hearing a noise, came from her room, but the men pushed her back into it and fastened the door. The old man having been roused uttered loud cries, and one of the burglars, dragging him from the bed, told him that they were twenty in number, and that they would murder him if he stirred ; but he continued to cry out, and they beat him violently about the. head until he was silent. They then went into the room in which the money was kept, and breaking open a cupboard, proceeded to fill their sacks with money. Meanwhile, the female servant, opening her window, gave the alarm. Some farm labourers, in the service of Montauriol, hearing the cries, hurried to the chateau ; and on their approach, the burglars took to flight, carrying with them the money which they had collected. They afterwards divided the booty in different proportions according to the share each had had in the burglary. As to the women who were wives to six of the men, they also received portions of the stolen money. On some of the burglars being arrested, one of them made full revelations respecting the whole affair. The precise amount which was stolen was not known by M. Montauriol, but the prisoners themselves confessed that it was 35,835 f. The jury acquitted the six women and one cf the men; who was very old, and convicted the other seven prisoners. The Court condemned them to periods of hard labor, varying from six to twenty years. In the course of the trial it was stated that the sura M. Montauriol was accustomed to keep in his house was not less than 1,000,000 f., of which about IOO.OOOf. were in gold, IOO.OOOf. in bank notes, and the rest ia silver. It was also stated that his total fortune is about 2,000,0001., and that he made it by speculations in houses, lands, and corn; but that, notwithstahding his wealth, he lived in the most miserly manner, and was stated for many years not to have eaten meat or game. The old man, who was called as a witness, is perfectly blind, but he proved' to the Court i that he could .by the mere touch tell one batik note from another.— Galirjtani'a Messenger.