The Sun.
London, England, 1840-11-03 00:00:00

NEW ZEALAND COMPANIES.

The fulkwing particulars are extracted from state-
ments made at a grand dinner given by the above Coin-
pane,s, at Plymouth. Earl of Devon in the Chair :
E. G. WAKEFIELD, Es:l., said that at the call of their
Noble Ccairman, he should proceed, without preface, to
state to them the very gratifying inLrmation he had just
then brought with hint from London. They were all
aware that within the last two or three years the subject
of the colonisation of New Zealand had given occasion to
a number of disputes and vexations questions between the
Government cud the parties engaged in endeavouring to
colonise the country. lie rejoiced at being able to an-
nounce to them that those disputes were at an end._
Hear. ) The main question in dispute was, whether these
magnificent islands should or should not remain under the
dominion of the Queen of England. some said that
they were British territory, others that they were not ;
and this difference of opinion was the source of many more.
The main question, ou which in truth all the others de-
pended, had b •ea settled by the eivil boldness of a military
man. He meant one who was known to many present__
Captain Hobson, of the navy.---( Cheers.) Captain Hub-
son, who had been despatched to New Zealand in a diplo-
matic character, as her Majesty's consul, accredited to the
native chiefs, finding that great disorders prevailed fur
want of a suffizierit sivereign authority, and that there
was much risk, even that the Company's settlers might
in self-defence, in order to avert the evils of complete
anarchy, set up fur their own protection a sort of in-
dependent republic in the south Seas ; Captain Hob-
son, he said, thus issue
two took upon himself to
two proclamations in her Mejcsty's name, by which
the whole o!' the islands of New Zea'and were declared
part and parcel of the Queen's dominions. Those in.ocla-
mati,ns her Majesty's Government had republished in the
London Gaze:te. The main sutject of dispute was thus
disposed of.—(Cheers.) The principal question being
settled, it became comparatively easy to adjust the others.
The Directors of the New Zealand Company woe iu hopes,
until last evening, that they should be able to convey to
this meeting the detailed statement of a settlement of all
differences between the Government and the Company.
The details were still wanting, but the settlement had
taken place.—( Loud cheers ) He begged permission to
read a letter which the Governor of the Company had re-
ceived yesterday from one of the Under Secretaries of
State for the Colonies:—

" Downing-street, Oct. 28, 1840.
" Sir—l am directed by Lord John Russell to acquaint
you that he has had under his consideration your letter
of the 22d Lstant, written on behalf of the gentlenien who
have been hitherto associated under the name of the New
Zealand Cowpony, in which you inquire in what liuht the
Government intends to regard the rights acquired by the
Company, and on what terms the Government would be dis-
posed to sancticn their corporate existence, to determine
their ptcvnt claims, and to ugulate their future operations.
" In consequence of Lcrd John Russell's absence from
town, it has been impossible at this period to return a de-
finite answer to your inquiry ; but I am directed by his
Lordship to state that in a tew days the draft of an ar-
rangement will be submitted to you, and that his Lord.
ship cannot anticipate that there will be any conditions to
which the Company will entertain any serious objection.
" lam, Sir, your most obedient humble sertroint,

R. VERNON sMirii."

The Directors of the London Company, who deserved
some credit for caution as well as boldness, for prudence
as well as courage, had authorised him (Mr. Wakefield)
to state th ►t they were entirely satisfied with the purport of
this letter, and frilly expected that arrangements would be
immediately made by which all the questions in dispute
would be set at rest.

COURT OF REQUESTS.

MIDDLESEX.

NoT EXACTLY ACCORDING TO 'PILL EVIDENCE.—.
A. bricklayer summoned a respectable tradesmen for
165., for " work and materials." _

" State your case," said the Commissioner to the
plaintiff.
Bricklayer—l took up some pavement in the back
kitchen and retold it, took down a copper, reset it, and
supplied two course of bricks, and five hods of mortar.
Took up the drain in the yard, cleared away the soil,
and removed half a cart-load of rubbish.
CONINIISSIONER—What are your respective charges
for work amid materials ?

Br:::klAyer (considering)—Let's see. Ali, yes ; two
days, 12s.—tbat's 6!. a day for my time : and 4s. for
materials.

Delendauf—At what hour did you come to t‘ork in
the morning ?
The COMMISSIONER here ordered that the plalntltT
sliould be sworn.

The oath was duly administered, and
The Bricklayer proceeded to answer the defendant's
questions—Let's sec. What time did I come iu the
rLornin; ? Oh, nine o'clock.
Defendant—And vi hen did you leave
Bricklayer—Oh, why about six o'clock in the evening.
Defentlant—llaving had two hours for dinner
Bricktayer—That's right, 1 believe.
Defendant—Do you call that two days' work
Bricklayer—Why (again considering) ; oh, there
was wheeling- away halt a cart-load of rubbish on the
evening of the second day, which tank ►ne till about
cloven at night.
Defendant—That you'll swear to ?

theby
plaintiff was a most gross imposition. That the 11a
I'3hein(tielUe—ndal'Plaintiff—Undoubtedly.
iltdoed
declaredl"that the charge mach.
plain-
tiff had merely set a copper which took him about four
notat
of
ma
osri
tn,gi
rl ewbrickwere
s scut
ts snu
by
yp itehde,
ah
no rtsb taot
bp
er
h
a three hods
but one small paving stone was taken up
t f tb
in the kitchen, and about a foot of the drain in the yard
opened.
Plaintiff(insolently)-1 moved half a cart-load of soil.
Deft n lant—Not a shovel full. What you removed
von left Ia the yard, and there it remains to this tno-
ment. A 3 to your being employed till eleven at night—
Plaintiff-I'd swear 1 was on the second day.
Defemlant—l have several witness to prove that
you left the place at six o'clock, and did not return.
Vaintiff—Alt, that's a mistake of mine ; it was on a
third dly.
Defenclant—Y,,u have never been nearmy house since.
Plaintiff—But you can't get anybody that can swear
that.

Defendant (addressing the Court)—ln fact, gentle-
men, with the exception of his setting the copper, ho
did scarcely an hour's work.
The defendant then tendered the evidence of a re-
spectable man, who, upon being sworn, deposed that iia
was foreman to a large builder, that he had minutely
inspected the work done by the plaintiff,
and that
ass the utmost he was entitled to, both for work and

• _
materials. _ _
A Juror (to the witness)—Are you a practical brick-
layer ?
Witness-1 am not, but 1 know the value of labour,
the price of materials, and what time and materials will
be necessary to accomplish any given s.ork as well as
any practical bricklayer in London.
The Juror—But you don't do the work yourself.
Witness—Nor more does my master.
The Jury consulted for a few seconde, and gave a
verdjct in favour of the plaintiff for the amount ciainied
said the defendant, " you gentlemen
know something about law, but as to
justice, aun nt4-7
con-
tident you n.'ver heard of such a thing in the whole
course of your lives."

The il iness of the Marquis of Normauby has, we un-
derstand, been of a dangerous nature. The Noble
Lord 1
but the
danger is now o%er. In consequence of the injury 1 c
received
in his band fever supervened, and for some
time it was doubtful whether the ceuntry woulda a t
have becu deptivcd at °Exec of two Members f: 1 e
Cabinet.