AUCKLAND.

Wellington Independent, Volume II, Issue 86, 8 August 1846, Page 3

AUCKLAND.

•From the.bew'Zealander. The Natives.—The Government Brig Victoria, returned from Tauranga, on the V7ih inst., with Ensign Symonds and Mr. G. Clarke, who had been deputed to convey His Excellency's answer to a letter which was concocted at a large meeting of Natives, held some short "time since, at the Ngae, near liotorua. This assembly was of a more decided political character lhanany we have previously known among the Natives. The whole question ol the late insurrection was minutely discussed,; and the unanimous opinion of the meeting embodied in the letter which was forwarded 't» His Excellency. These Chiefs congratulate themselves upon their independence/because they did not sign the Trea'y of Waitangi, and now offer to subscribe their allegiance provided Hi* Excellency can satisfy their scruples respecting his ultimate intentions towards them. Such conduct proves how capable they are of making nice distinctions, and how anxiously ihey deliberate upon every public event. EveTy thinj; is quiet in this districi, andthe Naiivcs ev.ince tbe most friendly dispositions towards -the Europeans. Waikato.—The dispute between Nga-' •tipou and Ngatiiipa, and iheir -respective allies, relative to th.; ownership of certain ilands in «his district, is stUI unsettled; though nothing serious has transpired 'since the fatal affray at Ihutarna. The Ngatitipa, we understand, are walling to dispose ofthe disputed land to ihe Gov. -ernment, but the Ngatipou are bent on holding it. The Surveyor-General left ■town on Tuesday, for ihe purpose of effecting this purchase on .the spot, but we feer there is little hope of his success. We presume the Governor has gained sufficient experience to convince him, that the time has not yet arrived, when Native •quarrels can be safely interfered with in a dictatorial manner. His Excellency tried this.method and found that it increased, ra'her than allayed, ihe irritation of the disputants. It appears strangely anomalous, that British subjects should quarrel and fight in defiance of the commands of the representative of Majesty; but it is a ■stubborn truh, that in this country, passive connivance, in such cases., is a much ■wiser and safer course than active opposition. Depend upon it, the interests of the colony would be much more injuriously affeqted by the adoption of coercive measures to restrain these proceedings, than by non-interference. Such a remedy would be worse than the disease. If mediation fails, let the disputants alone. If the influential relations of the contending parties cannot bring about an amicable adjustment of the quarrel, it is certain that the Government cannot do it by any compulsory measures. The safety of the Europeans is in no way involved in this coolest; arid our deliberate advice to his Esjcellencv is, if the hostile Tribes cannot effect .a peace through the intervention of their friends, let them fight it out. Any interference, on the part of the Government," beyond that of mediation, may endanger the Jives and properties of the Settlers. Government Gazette.—By the Gazette of Thursday last, it appears that the following gentlemen have been added to the Commission of the Peace for the territory of New Zealand :—T. R. Atkyns. Esq., Auckland ; J. C. Crawford, Esq., D. S. Durie, Esq , and A. C. Strode, Esq, Wellington; G. Duppa, Esq., C. A. Dillon, Esq., and G. White, Esq., Nelson; and D. M'Lean, Esq., New Plymouth.—lt is also announced that the Government officers are to be paid, in future, monthly; and tenders are to be received, at the Colonial Secretary's

office, until twelve o'clock on Monday' next, tho 13th instant, for the construction of two buoys, for the Harbour Master's: department; eind for the supply of 48 pe;e coats, for the Auckland police. ' Port Nicholson.—The state of affairs* at Wellington is truly deplorable. The' trepidation and alarm, so naturally occa--sioned by the vindictive hostility of-the natires without,'is accompanied with disunion and dissension within. ' The -Company—that is their agents and: supporters—are at their old game of loggerheads with the Government. We have' long been convinced of the fractious cha-, racter of the Wellington press, but we never dreamt of witnessing any thing half so splenetic as the present tone of our coteraporary the " Spectator." Alter spending his time and his talents, during' almost the whole period of his existence, in advocating the neee-sity of employing physical 'force, to compel the natives t<t surrender the disputed lands; he churlishly euros round, now that his object is gained, and abuses the Governor wlio adopted the policy most congenial to his wishes'! * mi • - t This unaccountable instance of disingenuity, and inconsistency, is not a whit the leS3 apparent, because of ihe clumsy attempt to impugn the manner in which the warlike propensities of these short-sighted " Spectators "* have been indulged. The face is, the «* Spectator" is now convinced, by painful demonstration, that coeroive measures are more easily advocated than carried out., but prid«, and the judgmentperverting influences of the system which he advocates and upholds, induces him to lay hold of any pretext for shifting the blame, which, in justice, ought to rest upon himself, to the shoulders of another. Most of our readers are aware that the "Spectator" is the organ of the Compa nys faction ; and we alt know, thai it is the interest of the Company to involve the Government with the natives, in order that the heavy burden of unfulfilled obligations to their settlers may be got rid of. We cannot wonder, therefore at the eagerness which this venal journal has always displayed iv urging on a collision. If the Company alone were involved an the consequences ofaheir folly, their present position might be looked upon as a just retribution, as they have had reiterated warnings of the inevitable tendency of their principles. But, alas, ihey are not the only sufferers. Hundreds, we perhaps may say thousands, of our countrymen, are brought into jeopardy and danger ; and towards them our heartfelt sympathy extends. Infatuated advocates of a system of aggression! Could ye not fersee that iland acquired at the point of the bayonet would be utterly valueless for years to come? If land in Cook's Straits cannot be obtained but by force of arms, obtain it elsewhere, and abandon the district. We cannot pursne this subject at present; but a sense of duty to our friends at home, and the public at large, will influence us to embrace the earliest opportunity of pointing out the vast difference between a war like that now raging in Cook's Straits, and a rebellion like that of Heke's. We must not emit, however, to notice the superior wisdom evinced by our cotemporary the "Independent."' With many of his sentiments and opinions we. cordially agree; a||||s.ough he, in times past, has been deeply infected with the warlike fever, we trust he has learnt wis- ' dom in the school of experience; and that henceforth, his aim will be the pro motion of harmony and peace. * The Wellington " Spectator " is conducted by a Committee, composed of individuals who are devoted to tbe interests of the Company. Coroner's Inquest,—Gu Wednesday > last, an Inquest was held at the Exchange 1 Hotel, on the body of William Gamble, son of Mr. William Gamble, of Chancery Street, one of our earliest settlers. The death of this young man is coupled with circumstances of a suspicious character, and surmises have been entertained of some horrible foul play. It appeared that during Friday night, or early on Saturday morning last, deceased had been at the house of a person named Knight at Epsom, and that a* scuffle took place between him and this individual. From this period he was missing, and his protracted absence induced his friends to search the country round about Epsom, but without success. On Tuesday morning another party pro-, ceeded in quest of the missing man, arid conjecturing the probability of his having fallen into an open well behind the public

house Icept by Mr. Dav'ies, fhey deter- \ mined to search it. Their f.-ars were, realized.; the body -of the unfortunate! young man wa3-discovered at the bottoms of'-this well, which, though dry, was forty' feet deep. The Coroner immedlately' summoned >a Jury, aud proceeded with them to view the body, after which they adjourned to Auckland >to prosecute the enquiry. Suspicion having fallen upon Knight and his wife, they were taken into custody. The body exhibited the .marks*! of wounds about .the head, but whether, inflicted by another, or occasioned by the fall, could not be positively ascertained. The Jury consequently returned a verdict of*' Found dead at the bottom of a well, but how the deceased came by his death is unknown."" The prisoners were accordingly discharged. ' Gbficial Channges.—We have heard it rumoured, that Mr, Tucker, and Mr. Henry Clarke, are about to be discharged from ihe Public Service, and that Ensign Sym&nds is to be Protector and Secretary for the Natives. Mr. Tucker is one of the oldest public servants in the Colony; ! he ha< spent the best of his days in the service,©! the Crown,' and now-, in. his old a*e, ,he is .to be cast off by a- Colonial Government io shift for himself. This is really too bad. Mr. Henry Clark, also of all others ought not t .to be discarded. It vv.ili be.recollected tliat he was present at the affair of Ohaeawai, -on the Ist ©f July, 1844, and received on that occasion a wound which has quite incapacitated him for any laborious occupation. Surely it is not untended to dismiss him altogether some^ -employment should, in justice, be found tor one whose claims upon the Government are of no ordinary character. We are very happy in being able to announce the safe arrival of Captain Wilmot, R.A., and Captain Nugent of the 58th Regiment, who left Wellington, some time since, to proceed hitherto overland. The protracted absence of these gentlemen had occasioned considerable uneasiness; and the most serious apprehensions for their safety were entertained; we are therefore more gratified, in bi ing able to congratulate them on their safe return, in good health and spirits. They have met with many adventures, and have been subjected to many annoyances from the rude and uncultivated Tribes of the interior.; but as they have kindly permitted us to copy their Journal, we will not anticipate the pleasure its perusal will afford our readers. Departure of Mr. Spaik.—Our respected townsman, Wm. Spain, Esq., formerly Chief Commissioner of Land Claims in this Colony, took his departure on Thursday last by the " Terror,*' for Sydney, New South Wales; with a view, we believe, of practising there in bis profession. A public dinner, -at which a number of the most respectable inhabitants of Auckland were assembled, was given at the Exchange Hotel on the evening preceeding Mr. Spain's embarkation, as a testimony of the respect and esteem in which he is held. The utmost harmony and good feeling prevailed, and the party did not separate until a late hour. We can enly add, that wherever his lot in life may be cast, he will be remembered by his friends as an estimable man and will be followed by the sincere wishes of all who knew him, for the welfare and future happiness of himself and family.