AUCKLAND.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVI, Issue 1469, 6 November 1860, Page 6

AUCKLAND.

THE BLOOD FOR BLOOD DESPATCH. WE.s;atcd some time ago, on the authority of a passenger from Auckland, that Mr. Fox had succeeded in inducing the Governor to lay a copy of the " blood for blood" despatch on the table of the House. This information was incorrect. Ministers only promised to request His Excellency to do so, and it now appears that they positively refuse to make it public. This despatch it will be recollected led Lord Granville to state in the House of Lords, that it was owing to the blood thirsty views of the settlers that the Governor was prevented from making peace. The ministry deny that the despatch was calculated to lead to any such conclusion ; but whether it was calculated' to do this or not, it is quite certain that it did lead the Home Government to take this view — a view which must be most prejudicial to the cause of the Colonists ; a view which has already produced its first fruits in the despatch of Sir G. C. Lewis. How strange it is that party spirit still attempts to fix the non-recognition of the Colonists claims for protection on our Members, the Bishop, or any one in fact rather than on the real individual, the Governor. This refusal to produce a despatch which has, whether intentional or otherwise, slandered the settlers, on the ground of its being " secret," is most discreditable. What confidence can be placed in despatches intended for the public eye, when it i 3 known that statements the very reverse may be written secretly, with the fixed intention not to communicate them even to the General Assembly. On Wednesday, the 10th October, Mr. Fox asked the Minister for Native Affairs whether he had requested his Excellency to lay before the House the Despatch to the Home Government in which he biou^ht under the notice of the latter au article from the Auckland ( Examiner, headed " tiiuod for Btood," which appears to have given rise to certain remarks made by Lord Gr.inville.iu the House of L.jrds in July last ; and whether his Excellency is prepared to do so ? The lion. Mr. Richmond replied that the answer to that question was one of very grave consideration. Tne frejuent applications of this kind had made it necessary to l;iy uown some rule with regard to confidential despatches from the Secretary of State. His Excellency on those giouuds, hud declined to allow the' Despatch in question to be produced; and that ! his Excellency, wilh the concurrence of his Ministers, had detei mined to withhold all Dv- ! spatches of a confidential character, without reference to their contents. As he (Mr. it) had on a former occasion been allowed by ihe ' Governor to refer to the contents of the Despatch in question, he might repeat what he hud then staled. The Governor's reference to the article in the Auckland Examiner, headed " Blood for Blood," did not in any way either diieclly or indirectly imply that ihe sentiments of that at tide were those of any particular Province in Now Zealand or any section of the colonists. The number of the Examiner, containing the •' article in question, h;ui bton forwarded simply \ to inform the I)ua.e of Newcastle of the tone of' that paper, in illustration of the difficulties | which Le&el the G'v .niuieut of New Zealand.

:Ie (Mr. R.) thought that it would throw no idditional light on the question, and therefore hey had declined to produce the despatch. SPENDING MONEY WITHOUT THE GOVEBnor's warrant. AIN illustration of the truth of the old proverb that persons should not threaten to break other people's windows until they have put up shutters to their own, has been recently afforded by the discovery that the Ministry, who sometime since rode the high horse and led our Provincial Council to believe that they would not shrink from prosecuting the Superintendent of this Province, because he fought the Council with their own weapons and would not stop the whole machinery of government at its bidding — that this very Ministry have not only spent the balances which by law were divisible amongst the Provinces ; but have also been spending money "without even the Governor's warrant. It will be seen below that while Dr. Featherston asked a very plain question Mr. Richmond answered it in a manner perfectly unintelligible — so unintelligible that Dr. Featherston was obliged to explain what the Treasurer's explanation really did mean. We take the following from the Taranalri Neivs : — Dr. Featherston asked the hon. the Colonial Secretary whether, during the period commencing Ist July, 1856, and ended 30th Fepte:nber, 1860, any part of her Majesty's revenue in New Zealaud has been issued except in pursuance of warrants under the hand of the Governor directed to the public Treasurer thereof? The Colonial Treasurer, replied that the Governor never signed a warrant unless it had been previously counter-signed by the Minister in whose department the expenditure had been incurred, and Ibat neither the Governor nor the Responsible Ministry considered that the Govor's signature relieved the counter signing Minister from responsibility. Every amount had been covered by the name of the Governor. Dr. Featherston explained to the House the nature of his question — namely, whether any sums had been taken from the chest without a warrant being acceded to by the Governor. He (Dr. F.) did not know whether the House properly understood the meauiug of Ibe answer. He (Dr. F.) understood the Colonial Treasurer to say that several sums had been taken from the chest without the Governor's warrant having been received. He (Dr. F.) wished that the question and answer should be Ailly uuderstood by the House, as they were most important. MURDER OF A NATIVE. Sunday the 14th Oct. appears to have been a day of considerate alarm. In the morning the Governor was called out of church, in consequence of intelligence having been received |t'mt a native had been murdered by a settler, somewhere in the Waikato country. The latter part of this intelligence has since proved incorrect, and there is no evidence to show whether he was murdered even by a Native (though such is surmised) or whether it was an act of suicide or merely accidental. The consequences of such an occurrence as the murder of a native by a settler, may well excuse the state of excitement into which Auckland was thrown. As the Cross remarks — there is danger that the barrel of gunpowder on which the colonists have been sitting for twenty years may explode if one of the sparks now flying about should fall into it. The responsibility of the Governor in blowing these sparks, about under any circumstances, is great ; but to have blown them about under such dangerous circumstances as have existed for the last two years, while unprepared to extinguish them, is a responsibility of the heaviest character. In the evening of the same day the glare of a fire was observed in the suburbs, and was immediately coupled with the alarming intelligence of the morning. The Militia and Cavalry mustered at their respective alarm posts, and were visited by His Excellency. The fire was soon found to be an accidental one, and by 11 o'clock the alarm was over and the good citizens of Auckland retired to rest. Particulars of the above two occurrences are given as follow. (From the Southern Cross, Oct. 16) On Sunday morning, (Oct. 14) a strong sensation was created in Auckland by a piece of news brought in, that a native had been i'jund dead at Patumuhoe, murdered, as was sup« posed, by a white man. As this, if true, would probably unite the Waikato tribes, and brhu them down upon us, considerable uneasiness j was felt. The Governor was sent for out of church, and the Native Secretary went off without delay to make enquiry on the spot. No accounts that we can implicitly rely upon have reached Auckland as yet, although as usual, there is no lack of idle stones. From all that we can learn, however, it seems toler ably clear that no European hud either art or part in it ; that the murderer was a native, and that a native feud was tlio exciting cause. If so, the truth will soon come out ; meanwhile, the natives are loud in outcry, attributing the deed to pakeha agency. Answering for no particulars, wo may state that about a dozen natives had goue out to shoot cattle at Patumahoe; that after a whilf, or after returning home, they missed one of their number, a man named Eleuzar. Returning ti> search, they found him dead, shot through the body. A furtuer account goes on to say that his gun was taken a,.yay, ; ako.his trouser, ; and timt the lingers uf oiie hand had been cut i>lF. It is said lli.-tt jealousy, in regard to a question of chL'ftuiusnip, between two very near relations, was at the bottom of all; biit Lbe .story, us we hear it, is so repulsive thiit we ;nust decline si.iiiii,* any further particulars until more positive nilbiuKi ion shall arrive. Perhaps tlie bust course to Lave adopted ivould have been to have sent down the coroner xt once, with instructions to einpauuel a native ury'. VVlielhei the coroner would have been found willing to go, is au.itiior matter; he night reasonably have i»hj ,cte I to trust limsulf among natives who, in their present itate of mind, mi^lit inks hasty vengeance

upon himself, without, awaiting the result of his enquiry. We are also told that they have refused to allow the body to be seen by any Europeans. The chances are, that this affair will pass quietly off; but it is another reminder to us of the dangerous condition t> -which the North' em Island has been brought. One may sit on a barrel of gunpowder for twenty years without taking harm, always provided that no fire falls into it. But when sparks are flyinjj on every side, it needs good nerve ti keep one's seat. Since writing the above, a letter has bee.i received, addressed by Kapita to the Governor. He says that many believe that the deceased was slain by a Pakeha ; but that he himself it of opinion that the man killed himself. If any movement worth mention should take place, he t (Kapita) will write up and inform the Government. The Native Secretary has sent up a message, to the effect that there is nothing new to tell. This is so far satisfactory. Fire. — Ou Sunday evening (the 14th Oct. the same day ou which the above exciting news was received) between the hours of nine and ten, the glare of a conflagration was observed in the direction of the Epsom Road, and the various al-irm bells and the bugles of the military soon announced the fact. The townspeople were immediately on the gui vive, some flocking to their respective alarm posts, and many hurrying out towards Parnell and the Kyber Pass, to ascertain the exact site of the fire. Some anxiety prevailed in town for a short time as to the possible cause of the fire, till news arrived that it was merely an empty house belonging to Mr. Cox of Auckland, which had caught tire. It is situated near the Epsom Road, at the foot of Mount Eden, about two miles and a half from town. There was no chauce of saving the building, which was totally consumed. Part of the city cavalry were under arms, and some of the corps proceeded to the spot. Before eleven the light on the horizon had faded away, and Auckland was quiet again. His Excellency shortly after the alarm was given, proceeded to visit the alarm posts accompanied by Colonel Kenny. We cannot urge too strongly on our militia on duty the necessity in the critical times, of falling in at their alarm posts. The safety of many may possibly depend upon their doing so. THE MILITIA BILL. The only additional item of Auckland intelligence is that Mr. Fox had opposed the Government Militia Bill, in a long and able speech, and intimated his intention to move such amendments as would alter the nature of the Bill. No particulars of the provisions of the Bill have reached us.