THE WELLINGTON INDEPENDENT Wednesday, July 1, 1846.

Wellington Independent, Volume II, Issue 75, 1 July 1846, Page 2

THE WELLINGTON INDEPENDENT Wednesday, July 1, 1846.

m The long expected Ralph Bemal arrived in port on Sunday last, from London, via Plymouth, the Cape of Good Hope, and Nelson. She left Plymouth on the 2nd of January, having been detained by Government for the purpose of putting arras and ammunition on board for this place. Our readers will find, in another portion of to-day's paper, a report of the opening of Parliament, for which we are indebted to the Nelson Examiner. The Ralph Bemal brought the intelligence from the Cape. Sir Robert Peel seems bent on abolishing the Corn Laws, though we are afraid he will meet with strong opposition. More troops are spoken of for New Zealand, and it is reported that tbe Bth regiment is under orders for this place. We think, that before this, large reinforcements must have reached Auckland, it is stated that most of the Kailway Companies would have become bankrupt, had not the Bank of England slept in and assisted them. The timber sent home from New Zealand was, we are informed, stacked in the Docks, unsaleable. There had been some split amongst the Repealers, and O'Connell was getting into disrepute. Malleable glass was reported to have been discovered in France. We shall furnish our readers with a varittv of i n our next.

oil. ; We are happy to be able to state that, the whaling stations are making a good -. sea-on, and that there is every appearance' ,hat there will be a large quantity of oil and bone shipped home direct this year. There is aloo a good prospect of timely arrivals of vessels to take it to England The Ralph Bernal will be ready to load about the time the first has arrived in port, and we presume she will be laid on for London direct. Le.tt.rs received from England announce (hat Captain Slob.), has been appoimed to command ihe Gilbert Munro, and that this vessel was to sail in February for this port. She will be another timely arrival to load for England. Several other vessels are mentioned as coming here from England. It was feared that there would not be shipping this year sufficient, but we think there is now a fair prospect of being aide to send all our produce direct, instead of having to do as last year, send the greater part by way of the other colonies.

By the Ralph Bernal, we have received files of Cape Town and Graham's Town papers to the 7tli April. They contain long accounts of aggressions committed on the frontier, by the Caffres, to an inconceivable extent. The savages were plundering and committing depredations in every direction, and had murdered three men in cold blood. The whole of the settlers had been embodied as JVliliiia, and evsry precaution was being adopted to prevent the Caffres from extending their ravages. Fifteen hundred military had been gradually drawn to the frontier, and were about to invade Kafirland. The duty of the militia was exceedingly ar duous, the inhabitants being up four nights out of six. The Lieutenants-Governor had proceeded to Graham's Town, and was actively employed preparing for the contest. Altogether, the Cape colonists up the country are much in the position of the settlers of New Zealand. We irust that by our next arrivals we shall hear of a termination having been put to the disturbances, and that the treacherous Caffres will have learnt a lesson which they will be some time in forgetting.