Colonial Extracts.

Auckland Chronicle and New Zealand Colonist, Volume 1, Issue 37, 27 May 1843, Page 1

Colonial Extracts.

FRENCH INTERCOURSE WITH NEW ZEALAND. v . (From the u Ne'sonjßp* ProM.the following w-ritten by Monsieur Durant St. Andre, Consul General of France, to J. Stephen, Esq ” it would appear that the French contemplate the promotion of mercantile transactions with these Islands. Consulate General of France in England\> « - London, 28fA January, 1842. Sir, —Some French merchants, who are desirous of establishing commercial intercourse with the new settlements of Her Britannic Majesty at New Zealand, have applied to the Foreign Office at Paris for information as to the tariffs and the regulations of the Customs’department in the eolony, and I have been instructed by M. Guizot to procure him copies of the various documents relating thereto, I have not seen them published in any of the public papers, but I believe I may rely on your kindness for copies of them. It is ol importance, above all, for us to know if the produce and manufactures of France, wines, brandy, &c., can be introduced into the Colony in French bottoms, and, it so, what are the amounts of tha duties. I suppose that the produce of New Zealand would be allowed to be exported in these same French vessels ; but if there would in such case be export duties, I should bo glad to be informed what those duties would be. As the questions which I have now tha honour to ask you, have for their object the facilitating of the establishment of regular commercial relations as advantageous to the one country as to the other, 1 trust yon will not consider theta and that you will be kind enough to place me in a position to furnish my Government with the information they have asked from me. I have the honor to fee, Your very obedient Servant, (Signed) Durant St. Anjbrb.-

POVERTY BAY.

(From the Welting toa Spectator.) The Missionaries, stationed at. Poverty Bay, are about erecting a large brick church for public worship, in lieu of the wooden building, which was lately blown down fey a gale of wind from the S. E, We think this ought to act as a spar to the church-going folks of Wellington, for they seem mightily backward j» “ dubbing up’* for any purposes of the kind. The last church at Poverty Bay was built entirely by the Maeries, with good sawn timber, and though very large, was well put together. It will be a long lira© before the settlers here .ot think of doing aa action ©f this description.

AKARGA.

The schooner “ Black Warrior,** arrived in port on Wednesday, from Alarory This vessel was stranded about four months* since is Palliser Bay, feat was lately got off and repaired, and the* ceeded to the French settle meat from this place, and aofc from Wolbngton, & 3 stated by the Col&nhL The French seena very active at Akaroa, and &r© rapidly progressing. Eight whalers were in port when th© “Black Warrior** sailed,. ;six French and two American.-- Ibid.

\ The First Principles of Agriculture.—The first principles of agriculture which are shewn fey the best practice are few. They may he stated to \ be these ;—make and keep the land pereetly dry and dean, or free from weeds; i make hud keep tha soil, which is too ad- ! hesive or too loose, of such a friable nature as wdl make it receive, retain, and transmit moisture, and thus fit it to produce the most luxuriant state of vegetation ; restore to the soil, as a manure, jq I a state of decay, the greater pari, if net the whole ef the produce, after it has been consumed fey sheep or other stock. ■ Never manure any land till every weed is exterminated, for weeds grow most luxuriantly in the sod to which ..they are mataral; if any ©f them ate left they will out-grow the pleat TOiHhtead to cultivate, and take up the greatest quantity of manure laid on tha land,—-d/oHoa's Nature and Properly of £>ml&