28 JUNE 1845, Page 13

TFIIMBLERIGGING.

THE Times has invented a new title for Lord Stanley, which will stick as long as that of his barony—" the New Zealand Thimble- rigger." He has achieved that honour by high desert and un- common dexterity. In the face of the assembled Directors of the New Zealand Company, he undertook to play off his trick with cup and pea, undetected. "Gentlemen," he said, " here is an agreement; here are the lands you claim. Now, I take the agree- ment in one hand and the lands in the other. I put down the lands—so ; and the agreement a-top of them—so. Now, gentle- men, you are convinced that the lands are under the agree- ment, and you take them on my terms ?" Mr. Buller looked at Mr. Aglionby, and Mr. Aglionby at Mr. Mangles— they said all was right, end agreed to the bargain : but Lord Stanley lifted up his cup, (the agreement,) and no pea (the lands) was there I All allowed that the Thiniblerigger who had taken in the Directors of the New Zealand Company could not be de- tected. Encouraged by this success, he turned to thimblerig the savages of New Zealand. " Here' good people, is the treaty of

Waitangi—oh, 'tis a magnificent treaty You see all those settlers there, eager to get hold of your lands ? Now I clap down the treaty of Waitangi on your lands, and they are safe under it—see how disappointed the settlers look! Now you come and register your lands, and I levy a tax upon waste lands. Presto I pass 1—I lift up the treaty, and your lands—where have they gone to ? " And Rauperaha grinned horribly.