LETTER TO THE EDITOR.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 5, Issue 240, 20 June 1861, Page 3

LETTER TO THE EDITOR.

m mmmtw • w June 14, 1861. Sib, —Your ; remark on my letter in yester day’s leader is not quite accurate. It is true that ill-health, which • afterwards . Obliged. Kim to visit England, ; prevented Mr. Hall from attending at Auckland in 1859, but he continued to sit in the Provincial Council, and I have repeatedly seen . Canterbury papers containing his speeches in Council and his Magisterial decisions. Hq very strongly opposed the /Railway : scheme; and spoke for some hours against it about eighteen months ago. When I wrote I was not aware that the .Disqualification act was of so recent a.date ; but Teel the more sure that there must be something in it which has been overlooked by Mr. Harrison and his advisers, as Mr. Hall was a member of the very, assembly which passed the hill; yet immediately afterwards (if you are correct, as one of his letters, dated Dec. 21, 1858, which / have just referred to, seems to prove that he was R.M. prior to his sitting in the Assembly of that year) accepted the shrievalty, and I am quite certain had no idea that he was thereby disqualified as a member, though it is quite possible the appointment may have

been made by the btaltoru ministry as a mcaus of getting rid of a dangerous opponent. • I am, etc. An Elector. [The fact remains the same Hall did * not sit in the house of Representatives after the Disqualification act came into j AUSTRALIA. SYDNEY. ([From the Sydney Empire, May 17.] _ 7’o-day, the usual weekly, produce sales were held.. • .• ! , JVool. —Messrs... Mort. and .Co. offered for sale about 160 bales, and disposed bf the whole with the exception of about 40 bales, at prices I ruling about Id per lb, under the prices ob- . tamable prior to the arrival of the mail per Jeddo at Adelaide. The catalogue comprised !twp or three lots well -calculated to test the jmlrket. The priiicipal lots sold were, — I’, 150 bales of ordinary fleece wool, at 19d ; TB, 149 bales clean fleece, at 20|d, and 6 bales of 'same brandj Slightly damaged, at 20d per lb. Sheepskins.—-/f bout 1500 were disposed of at from, 54 to 8d per lb. They were chiefly ; short-wooileil skins, and th.B-prices' : realised showed little variation from, previous rates. , Messrs. W. Dean and Co. report having sold ' on Wednesday, at Mart, some large in- J | voices of wines, spirits, beers, drapery, slops, ‘ ' &c. The drapery department was well at- • ■ tended by the principal wholesale'warehouse-

men, and some spirited evinced for many of the* goods sold, especially grey calicoes,' flannels, huckabacks, gala plaids, rolled shirtings, and white calicoes. The new goods of this description,J,whiph , were sold in - original packages, realised from-,20 to 35 per cent: advance.. - T . ‘ ' ' ! Flour is dull at 1 15s. to, IGI a .ton; ! wheat, 6s 8d to 6s 9d; a, bushq)..; . i ——”■■ ■—~..s r. • . AUCKLAiV&r S GE NE R A BL T* , |j|The Assembly ivas . opened:by Commission 5 on tlie 3rd June;.: in, tlie,. Governor’s absence. 3 commission bad bcti read, the house 3 of Representatives assembled in their chamber ■ and elected jp(r. f .Mcmt!q.^p«a|«ef.v.; ; - 5 On June 4th his Excellency; delivered, the 3 following speech, to;: the,. tr-f--r Honor ahUGeutlefn§fk.\:af the t Council , Gentlemen of the House of Represente atives, "i ' . * -- 7am happy to meet you- so soon after the P late General Election,' and to congratulate you " on the increased representation of the various r public interests of tlie colony which has been *> afforded by tlie operationof the : act under

which that election was held; You will unite with uie in%ordial acknowledgraent of the prompt anjd, efficient support I have 1 received frbrri tfie imperial Government, which will enable m& to carry into effect measures necessary for the-maintenance of her , Majesty’s authority in These. islands, and for the suppression of. armefl insurrection. The 1 assistance which: has bperj to the ( 1 colony will tend'to the njtlqjpte - g \yelfare of ’ both races of her Majesty’s’ subjects, and will ! ; strengthen tlie bondS' of’Tdytflty which attach 1 the colony to the tlrrotre -find ? person of lifer Majesty and to the mother’country) 0 t ! I gladly take this opportunity of expressing 1 the thanks whicli are due''iV*the officers and ' ! men of her Majesty’s Army and Navy, and-of ’ her Colonial Forces, for, the and intre- } pidity w'ith which they Tiave at all times per- ' formed duties of a very arduous and harassing ; nature. '-'-W ; Overtures of peace- having' 1 been made by insurgent natives, I felt it incumbent upon me I to insist upon the preliminary condition of [ their ceasing to act as a confederation.- On ’ their retiring to their respective districts, I ' proceeded to accepted tlie' sub- ’ mission of part of the- insurgent section of the : Ngatiawa tribe, on conditions which will be : laid before you. , T'. ’ In the policy which I have pursued with ’. reference to the affairs-of my object * from the first has’ befen tb%ecure peace by ' putting aug end , to. - tlie constantly ■recurring * land feuds, w’liich for years have maintained , barbarism amongst the aboriginal inhabitants l of that district, .giving,f<|y imposed terms * which will, if observed,- secure this end, I nave thought it right to adhere to the engage* s ment of the 29tli November 1859, in reference e to the land purchased; at Wajtara, and 1 have ; consequently directed that the investigation be resumed at the ..point- at which it. was forcibly

interrupted. . # ' The terms offered to the Tafanaki and Nga-, tiruaniii tribes will be laid before you. -. Their aggravated offences can only-be pardoned on their giving such, tangible proofs of submission as will at once afford a means iof reparation for their unprovoked aggressions; and be a memorial to themselves of the.punishment due to lawless violence. i -oos The declaration y?hicH I haVe made l to the Waikato tribes will also||b.eAlaid -before you. It requires submission! iothej Queen’s sovereignty and'-tb Uhe "authority of the law ; whilst from those who-hive taken up arms I have insistediuponTliejrestitution of plunder, and upon for losses sustained at their hands, by her Majesty’s subjects, Native or European. - 7’he submission of all her Majesty’s native subjects to her authority, and obedience to the law, are necessary preliminaries;- but it no less ’• behoves us to redouble our efforts to afford , them the means of substituting 1 ; order for lawlessness, and to promote .thairimdral and social | advancement. And I entertain a hope that ! the approaching Conference of Chiefs, which I , shall assemble . at; the ear liest ppport un i ty, may . assist in the attainment Of SO desirable a result.

' Gentlemen of tlie House rof Representatives, ... You will find th&t.a due lias.beer exercised in the expenditure f of the supplies voted for tlie public The same careful regard'for. /ecbno^i^, will regulate the-preparation of the'"'jS's{^a.|.es. to be submitted to you for the ensuing year. 7'lie system of Ahcji^ydwgli[. you have already established has. mainjtai;i&d an effectual supervision over tlie public., Recounts of. tlie colony. It is revenues should be guarded , by st|ie eiiactmenl of laws regulating and .effectually. controlling their expenditure, both by and bj the respective .Provincial Executives., The accounts of die coloiiy; and papers relating to the payment ,of interest:- and investment of the sinking' fund of" tlie guaranteed loan, will be laid before, you., r Honorable Gentlemen of the Legislative Counoil, Gentlemen of Representatives, The Judges of .(Cqurt, after conferring together,, v Mu.able Reports, containing for amending the law, and its,;practice. These Reports will; measures founded on some of the recommendations contained iu them,will be submitted for your consideration; The successive discoveries of Gold in large

quantities in several* parts of the .Colony, war- 1 rant the expectation that it will prominently! rank amongst the products of New Zealand, and will stimulate the development of other sources of wealth. In conclusion, J would express my earnest hope that, in the Special circumstances of thej colony, your counsels may in all things'be guided by wisdom ; and that under the blessing of Diyine Providence, they may conduce to the present and lasting welfare of the inhabitants of New Zealand. The Storm Bird had a stormy .passage, and did not arrive with the Wellington members till tiie Bth. U\> to that date ho business was brought forward in the Assembly. • . The Governor has issued a proclamation to the Waikatos, stating the terms on. which , peace may be preserved. They are,—y. ( ' 1. From all,- —Submission without reserve to , the Queen’s /Sovereignty, and fife authority Pf the law. 2. From those who are in possession of plunder, taken frpm her Majesty’s European or Na- , five 1 subjects,—Restoration of tliat plunder. ' 3. From those who have destroyed or made ; away with property belonging to her Ma- | jesty’s subjects, European or Native, —- r Compensation for the losses sustained. •

In a late number of the Southern Cross fl there appeared some remarks as to the state ofj n the native ‘mind at Coromandel, pointing outj the determined spirit existing in that part oM the country to make coiidinoh cause, with the i Waikatos, should it be considered advisable by the Government to call them to account c for their rebellious doings. We find that the < same feeling still exists, though at present the | natives are more reserved on the subject than * hitherto. ;\ , ' Already, however, they have determined what to do in case of hostilities. They pro-!* pose to leave their own country and to form stronghold beyond the Thames, in a positionj 1 which they consider impregnable on account|l of the surrounding swamps. They freely i canvass this question, and seem agreed as to * their line of action. ’ ( Old Paul is said to be on his deathbed. 1 Although not possessing great influence, lie still possesses some, and lias hitherto made f use of it, whatever his motives have been, t in a loyal manner. It remains to be seen what the result of a new regime may beu amongst men, who we fear have only too s much sympathy with rebels. 1 We regret that the secret policy of the < Government should keep the community so f long in ignorance as to their real intentions.— < Southern Crdss, May 28. _ Naval on Dit. —That the Pelorus is [ shortly to sail for the Figis. JFhetlier this i lias auy connexion with the hoisting of; Her < Majesty’s flag in that fertile group we' cannot < say ; but it is not improbable. The Figis are < well suited for the growth of cotton, and produce fruit in great abundance. They would s be a desirable addition .to the British territo- 1 ries. : The beautiful Catholic Church of St. John 1 the Baptist, on Purnell, just finished, was < solemnly blessed by tha Right Rev. Dr. Pom- 1

pallier, the venerated Bishop of Auckland, on Sunday-last, 12th of May, 1861. Colonial Art :—A violin of colonial manufacture has been left at our office for inspection

of thp loyej-s of the noble science, In outward appearance, it is a very handsome instrument, with a face of kauri timber, and a back of tee tree. -It .is finished in the very best manner, and is’the second production, of Mr. Cox of Freeman’s Bay- Competent judges pronounce ■it to be an instrument of a high quality, possessing .every requisite “of tone, "arid constructed upon the best model. —New Zealander. Markets. —A good business has been done at the auction sales ; a large quantity of miscellaneous goods sold at satislactory rates. Prices of stock are without alteration. -Fat oxen .£l2 to £ls per head. Fut sheep 21s. ito 48s. 6d; store sheep 12s. 6d. to 19s; i dairy cows £l3 12s. 6d. to £lB ss; horses, hacks, £9 to 25; a draught horse sold at ,£22 10s. ' i The Firing for the Government Prize* by ,the .Militia commenced on Moii<lay27th, at > the practice ground, Mount Eden, when 21 » competitors of No. -1 'Company'fiv'eilf,;. in placing Abbott first with l 3 points and Web- ( ster 12. 2’lie firing of yesterday (Tuesday) gave . the highest -number of-points (13) to Elliott. . New Zealander /bay 29. ; A grand review was held on the Queen’s birth day, ending with a sham, figbt. . Battalions of the 12tb; 40th, 65th, and 70th regts, and of the.Rifles-and*Coast Guard, and parties of the Roy a) v/rtillery, Royal Engi-

neers, and cavalry Volunteers, iu all 2,99 men were on the ground. His Excellency the Governor held a Leveeat Government House, at 3 o’clock, p.m., in honor of * the Queen’s birthday. •’ The last detaehinent of the 70th, consisting of 230 ofiieers and men, under the command of;. Col. Galloway, reached Auckland from Calcutta iu tlie Minden,*6n the 25tli d/ay. Nine men and two women died of cholera while they Were in the Hpogley. Flje Register of 27tli ult has the following. remarks, —It must be clear to the. meanest comprehension that ships and regiments have not beeii sent 'hither for the mere purposes of parade JFliat are the steps to be taken we, in common with the universal public, are utterly unable to surmise, but that something is to be done is,beyond a question and, in proper timO, we believe, we shall have no more of “ letting l dare not wait upon I would,” but, iustead, a firm, well considered, onward system of tactics. We hear of a Proclamation to the Waikatos about being issued. Dame Rumour has it that suppression of the King movement, submission to the law —opening up the country by means of roads and bridges are its salient points. If so, nothing can be better. We are no advocates for an offensive war; but strenuous believers and supporters of‘any struggle that may arise iu consequence of converting the interior fastnesses .of the land, into civilized channels for the development of agricultural, pastoral, and commercial iudustry. _ Drury. —After two preliminary meetings, the settlers of Drury met iu Mr.. Midtllemas* office, ou Thursday evening, to form themselves into a. society for mental and moral improvement, by means of a library, lectures, essays, and discussions on subjects of practical utility. The formation of a library & the delivery of a s eries

ii of lectures were resolved on. A Discussion Class was formed, and the first Essay is to be, - “ The benefit of this Association to Drury ami n its neighbourhood” ■