DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE.

Auckland Chronicle and New Zealand Colonist, Volume 2, Issue 25, 24 January 1844, Page 2

DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE.

Governor’s Departure. — His Excellency embarked on board H.M.S. North Star, on Thursday last, tbe 18th instant, in which he proceeds to Cooks Straits for the purpose of enquiring personally into the particulars of the late massacre at Wairau. His Excellency was attended the principal Officers of the Government to tbe beach, and accompanied on his expediiion by Mr, Hamilton, his Private Secretary, seveial Officers of the Survey Department, and Mr Spain, the Commissioner of Land Claims. His Excellency would not allow any public notification of his departure, or doubtless most of the inhabitants of Auckland would have attended him to the last moment. Not even a salute was fired, but immediately on His Excellency being on board, the anchor was weighed, and in less than twenty minutes, the vessel had rounded the North Head, The object of enquiry which has led to His Excellency’s present departure (the massacre at Wairau,) being oue of impora'xe to our readers, we have on the fourtii page, extiacted from a recent Wellington paper, some very excellent remarks, on this unhappy affair. The subject is one of intense to the welfare of, ihe 4 Colony. His Excellency appears to have lost,no time in his official duties, lie cannot have devoted one single moment to lis private affairs .since bis arrival amongst us ; I e bas already made many changes in the departments, and doubtless will on his return effect many more. During his absence the reins of Governmeot will be held by Maior Bunbury, the present Commander of tbe Forces, who fortunately for us, is in every sense of tbe w ord, w ell qualified to fulfil the important duties that have devolved upon him. On His Excellency’s return to the seat of Government, he has promised much, and if the past is to be taken as a sample of the future, we may expect his promises |to be fulfilled to the better. — We shall watch the rise of this important district, with the eyes of Argus, and report progress accords ingly.

Masonic Meeting,— The members of this craft dined together at Mr. Hart’s “Exchange Hotel,” on the Festival of St. John the Baptist, when Brother Ligar was elected Worshipful Master, In consequence of this body becoming so numerous, it has been thought advisable to remove the lodge to Mr. Wood's long room, lately occupied by Mr. Buckingham, as the “ Fitzroy Theatre.” Odd Fellows. — We understand several parties are about establisbidg an Odd Fellows Lodge in this town so soon as a convenient place can be procured to bold their meetings. The dispensation is expected to arrive by. ttief'Crty of Sydney” N w Theatre. — We understand this place of amusement will not commence until Jan. 30, as some pait of the interior of the house is not yet completed. Upon whole the Theatre will be an ornament to the Town, Mr. Buckingham deserves the thanks of the community for his spirited undertaking, in providing them with a place to enjoy an hour's rational amusement, the erection of a Theatre in that neighbourhood, will greatly enhance the value of property, and we trust more the season Tickets are nearly ready, that every one will step forward and extricate Mr. B. out of the many difficulties be must be labouring under. Tamaka Road. —We are informed the Governor his* directed that a number of men to be employed on this road. Our informant states they are at work making the road to Epsom, for the pur= pose of enabling tbe farmers to bring their produce to market with greater facility than heretofore; we have not heard the particulars, but our reporter will furnish them in our next number. Official Bay. —A portion of the unemployed labourers we perceive, have commenced operations in this Bay ; Captain Rough having set the men to work excavating a canal for the purpose of supplying the shipping with water ; this we are sure will be a great convenience to Master Mariners, while their ships are at anchor in Auckland Harbourfrom this source the supply of water will be plentiful. H.M.S. North Star, and other large vessels watered there in preference to any other place in the harbour. For this improvement our thanks are due to His Excellency. State of Auckland Gaol, Tuesday, Jan. 23, —Manslaughter, I ; Larceny, 12 ,* Assaults, 6 ; House Burning, 1 ; Absconding, 4; For Trial, 14 ; Debtors, 3, Wind Mill, —We are happy to hear that Mr. William Mason, of Epsom, has made arrangements with Messrs. Partington and Low, for the imme= diate erection of a Mill to grind our Corn, &c. There is little doubt but this will turn out a profit? able speculation.

Government Gazette —ln the Gazette of Saturday last, January 20, we learn that on Tuesday next, f3oth inst.j the Colonial Treasurer will put up for sale by auction, eight sections of town allot nients, and about three hundred and sixty acres of suburban land. There is aho a proclamation dividing New Zealand into two districts, to be called tbe Northern and Southern Districts * the former district is assigned to Wm. Martin Esq. Chief Justice, and the latter to Henry Samuel'Chapman, Esq,, who shall have within the same all the powers and jurisdiction thereby given to the Supreme Court. His Excellency the Governor has appointed Major Thomas Bunbury, of Her Majesty’s 80th regt , commanding the troops in New Zealand, to conduct the duties of the Government during His Excellency’s temporary absence from the seat of Government. John Jermyn Symonds, Esq., is appointed to be an additional Police Magistrate for the Southern District of New Ulster and Cooks Straits. Samuel Edward Grimstone, Esq,, is appointed Secretary to the Government for the Southern District, and Registrar at Wellington: Andrew Sinclair, Esq., M. D., R. N t , Colonial Secretary ; James Coates, Esq., Clerk of Councils; and Robert Appleyard Fitzgerald, Esq., Registrar of Deeds, are appointed Commissioners, pro tempoie . to examine the Public Accounts of tbe Colony. We also perceive that the salaries of the Officers of Government, are in future to be paid Quarterly , together with all fixed contingent expenses, but all wrnk actually done, and other expenses coming under tbe head'of .Unfixed Contingencies, wdl be paid monthly. Deeds,for land ate now lymg at the Colonial Secretary’s Office, for John Kelly, JYlathew Gawiie, John O’Brian, Wm. Parker. John Campbell, Wm. Brown, and John Logan Campbell. Hieie is also a Grant on a Land Claim for Joel Samuel Polack ready for delivery. Cricket.— This manly game has become quite the rage in Auckland. Sales by Auction— We would call the attention of our readers to our advertising columns wher« they will find that Mr. H. R. Cketnay, sells It his Rooms, To-morrow, Thursday, Landed Property and a large assortment of Merchandize. On Sa» turday, Mr. Hart sells a number ofTown Allotments and on Monday next, Messrs. Nathan and Joseph* sells 1 wo Valuable Hoises, by order of the Sheriff"! Swan River.—The Perth Gazettes received are to th e 4th ult. The colonists of Western Australia like those of this colony, are looking forward to more prosperous times, by increasing their exports and diminishing their imports. They, the Western Australians, had actually received a quantity of work boxes, &c., horn Great Britain, which had been made out of firerw.ood, exported bv a Mr Stone, some time ago,. ■ *