Fashionable Arrival. —Henare Matua, the Great, arrived post-haste in Gisborne on Monday afternoon last on the back of a horse, and pro ceeded at once to the pah on the eastern bank of the Turanganui river, where a grand reception awaited him, i.e. as far as noisy demonstrations were concerned. Flags were hoisted in honor of the event, great and ” speeches were made, and very much jubilee seemed to take possession of the whole fraternity. Permissive Bill. —On Sunday evening last, at the conclusion of Divine Service, the Rev. Mr. Root, introduced and read a Petition, framed for signature, to be presented to the House of Representatives praying that legislative action may be taken with a view to giving to two thirds of the inhabitants of any town or district, a right of veto as to whether licenses shall or shall not be issued to houses in which to dispense liquors &c. The rev. gentleman did well in explaining his connection with a politico-religious transaction, to refer his congregation to the prime movers in the Petition as it was, it appears, at the request of Archdeacon Williams that a most inappropriate occasion was selected in which to enlist the sympathies of people as against their better judgment. The settlers in the Province of Auckland already possess the privilege prayed for in the Petition ; and the congregation evidently coqglder that the rest of the Colony is able to look after itself, without being burdened with an expression of opinion to the contrary, for the pulpit exhortation seemed to have no effect on them. We do not blame Mr. Root for obliging a fellow laborer in granting him a favor; but, we honestly think, he has been made, what we should call a “ cat’s paw ” of, were we writing upon matters less sublime. The Archdeacon knows, as well as any man living, that he could not get a colonial congregation himself to do his bidding in such an off-hand manner; and one “ new to the manner born ” was not likely to give much assistance to the promotion of a cause, on the merits of which, most persons entertain very strong and opposing opinions. 