THE Wellington Independent Tuesday, February 18, 1862. FROM AUCKLAND.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVI, Issue 1701, 18 February 1862, Page 3

THE Wellington Independent Tuesday, February 18, 1862. FROM AUCKLAND.

THE NATIVE POLICY -GOVERNOR GKEY'S VISIT— THE MEETING OF THE ASSEMBLY AT WELLINGTONTHE VOLUNTEER REGULATIONS— NATIVE LEASES— PROPOSED NEW POSTAL REGULATIONS. &c, During the period the Great Eastern was building, many experienced engineers j doubted the practicability of her being safely launched. The theory of launching a vessel of suob magnitude sideways, might, they observed, be easily demonstrated in theory, but practically they considered it to be doubtful. Hosts of small fry harped loudly on the same string, and the impracticability of launching the Great Eastern sideways was by these gentry infallibly demonstrated. The first attempt did fail. The Machinery worked inharmoniously. A rope broke, half a dozen poor labourers were carried to the hospital, the whole corps became unnerved, and the attempt was temporarily abandoned. "We always said it would be so," was echoed and re-echoed, until one day without notice being given to the public, the machinery was quietly set in motion, and the huge vessel floated "into her native clement," as the penny- a liners described it, almost before the critics knew anything of what v»as going on. Sir George Grey's native policy is not yet fairly launched. There are difficulties here and difficulties there, and those who desired that it never should be launched have had many a fling. Yet the policy is moving down the "ways" gradually, and the foremost objector is reduced to a few sueers. On what has been^done and is now doing, all that can be said is admirably. said in an article from the New Zealander of the Bih instant, extracted in our columns of to-day. When we say that it contains " all that can be said" we speak advisedly, for our readers will have observed in the notice, extracted in our last from the Monthly Summary of the Southern Cross of the 7th inst., that absolutely nothing but a sneer or two, levelled against Mr. Fox, is all that can be put forth by that journal. Opinion here must in great measure be formed from what is contained in the Auckland journals, and we confess that nothing has so encouraged us to hope in the success of Sir George Grey's pacific measures, as the tail-be-tween-the-legs tone of the great opposision paper.

The long loooked for visit from Sir George Grey is about to take place ; but it was very nearly being frustrated by the removal of the Miranda and Harrier by order from Commodore Seymour j who on learning the telegraphic news by the last European Mail of the possibility o a war with America, ordered those vessels to Australia and instructed the Fawn not to go any great distance from Auckland harbour. It was with some little difficulty that Sir George Grey induced the Fawn to consent to convey him to tbe Bay of Plenty, from whence he will proceed overland to Hawke's Bay. Mr. Fox meanwhile goes round Taupo WBy, meetingHis Excellency at Napier. One of our steamers, we believe the Storm Bird, has been engaged to be in readiness at Napier on the Ist March to bring them on here. As the Governor has to attend a large Native gathering at Waikato on the 24th of March, his stay here will be very limited. It is generally supposed that His Excellenoy and Mr. Fox will proceed overland to Wanganui, from whence the Wonga is chartered to convey them to Taranaki. Their proceedings there will probably be only of a preliminary character, as the Wonga will wait to take them on to Manakau.

We are sure that there is no necessity to urge our fellow citizens to prepare for Sir George's coming — to do so would be superfluous. .The time of the visit will be pretty busily occupied, but a public demonstration on landing, and an opportunity of meeting with His Excellency on a purely social occasion are two features that should be kept in view. The driving tho first pile of the new wharf, a ball, a concert, a.eonversazione, and a host of other demonstrations have been long . reckoned upon ; but all the plans excepting the first will need careful revision now that we know the visit will be confined to a few days at the utmost. As we . have plenty of time to prepare we ought to do what we intend doing well, and the

sooner a Committee is formed to manage the details of the welcome we all desire so heartly to see efficiently carried out, the better.

The General Assembly is formally prorogued to the 7ih April : but it is understood that it will then be fixed for the end of May, or the beginning of June, at Wellington. We own to a little nervousness on this point, but we believe such is the present determination of the ministry; and as southern members declare their inability to spend three or four months so far from their homes as Auckland is, we may indulge the expectation that there is an honest intention to hold the Assembly here. A pledge was given that the Assembly should be held be held here in 1858. A further pledge vras given that it should be held here in 1860 — both were broken. No pledge was given that it should be held here in 1862; judging by the contrariness of the past, we suppose we may, therefore, all the more indulge our belief in the reality of the Assembly's meeting here at its coming Session. General Cameron has been appointed Deputy Governor at Auckland.

The new regulations for the Volunteer Service, show that the present ministry are desirous of encouraging that movement. We learn that when fully carried out, the cost of say 3,000 trained men in lime of peace would be about £30,000 a year. The cost of the 370 militia meu at Taranaki since the cessation of hostilities has been about £34,000 a year ; but the case of Taranaki is a peouliar one. It is evident that the training of our population to the use of arms is a matter which the present ministry are very desirous of encouraging. The little corps who recently enrolled themselves at Thorndon may now hope that, as the corps throughout New Zealand are to be re-enrolled under so much more favourable circumstances, their numbers will be considerably increased. The same remark applies to the Hutt, and the Wanganui-Rangitikei corps. The new regulations will be found in our columns of to-day, and from them it will be seen that a discharge may be always obtained at a month's notice, and if the Commanding Officer think fit, without even that delay — that the expenses of the corps will be paid at the rate of £75 a year for a company of sixty. In time of actual service, of course daily pay is allowed, and a clause allowing pensions to the widows of privates who may be killed, equal to that of an Ensign's widow in the army, is to be proposed for the adoption of the Assembly.

In order to obviate any ground for misunderstanding the position in which persons stand, with regard to leasing lands from the natives, the following notice has been issued : —

Colonial Secretary's Office, Auckland, 27th January, 1862. — The Government Laving; been j informed that attempts are being made to obtain leases of land from. Aboriginal Natives, in anticipation of tbe sanction of Government being hereafter given to them, all persons are hereby cautioned that such leases are at present invalid and contrary to law, and that the Government will not consider itself bound in any way to recognise and sanction any dealings for waste lands between Europeans, and natives, transacted previously to the establishment of the intended system of native government in the districts where such lands may be situated, nor previously to the title to such lands being ascertained to the satisfaction of government, aad the fulfilment of such conditions as the government may hereafter prescribe in reference to such transactions. William Fox, Colonial Secretary,

The arrival of the Hon. Mr. Ward may be classed under the general heading "from Auckland." His visit to the Provinces, and thence to Sydney, is for the purpose of re-arranging the postal service. The progress, if not the unity of the colony, demands that more frequent communication should be kept up with the present seat of government. The progress, it not the unity ot the colony, rtay ere long still' more urgently demand the removal of the capital ; but meanwhile, it is admitted on al! sides that a change in our mail service, is an "absolute necessity. We refer our readers for particulars of Mr. Ward's proposals to the report of the meeting of Saturday, The Chamber of Commerce have promised to consider the proposed alterations in all their bearings, and they will doubtless do so efficiently. The proposed route is by no means so satisfactory as we could desire, and we do not understand why either the Auckland or Otago steamer cannot come on here. If neither of them does, we are shut out from direct trade — both goods and passeugers — with Australia. The former, perhaps, does not matter much, as, except ou very special occasions, goods are

preferred by our merchants per sailing vessel, iu consequence of their frequently getting ■ very much knocked about per steamer ; but it would be a serious deprivation if the through passenger traffic should be done away with. In the absence of a time table, and other necessary data for arriving at a conclusion, we can but leave the matter in the hands of the Chamber, who will certainly look afier the interests of this province. The success of the proposition for a three times amonth inter provincial service, depends mainly on how far the provincial councils of each province feel disposed to vote subsidies for such a purpose. The object is good, but everything depends upon the facilities offered for trade. At present, it is only a suggestion to be considered after the amended mail route is decided upon and in operation. Meanwhile, we are glad to find that the Wonga has been engaged for a trip to Auckland iu April, to give au extra means for communicating with the south during that month; and, if other arrangements are not then completed, it is probable she may be engaged for a a similar trip the month afterwards.

The inconvenience experienced last mail, by the steamer coming in late on Saturday night, and starting on Sunday, is to be remedied next month.

The general government have promised to pay one half of the subsidy given by the Marlborough Government for the Wongas services, in carrying the mail of that province ; so that it is probable the contract, about to expire in a few weeks, will be continued. We do not know on what principle half the subsidy only is paid ; we think each province has a right to look to the Government to have its mail landed at its port town.

There are many items of Auckland news, which we had marked for extract, but cannot insert to-day. We have notioed the principal ones.