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Auckland Chronicle and New Zealand Colonist, Volume 2, Issue 67, 14 November 1844, Page 2

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Bv (he Government Brig we have received papers to October 26. Our Southern Friends appear to be in a perfect phrensy at the concessions made by Governor Fitzroy lo the maori chiefs at the Bay oflslands, and in the consequent ebulitions of their u rath have fulminated seine very sevete snictures against His Excellency. We refrain from extracting any portion of the articles on this subject, because we are suie, that when their has been a little cooled, they will not quarrel with the boon of "Free Ports" however much they may feel annoyed at such a boon being as it were a forced one. His Excellency will doubtless ere this have giv§n them ample explanation and satisfaction, not only as regards this, but other points of sufficient importance to demand immediate attention. We proceed at once therefore to make our extracts on other subjects. MR. O'CONNELL. It is probable the Queen's Bench would have gladly postponed the sentence, pending a decision to the House of Lords upon the writ of error, but the AttorneyGeneral, having a verdict in his favour, refused all delay, and demanded immediate judgment; in fact leaving the Court no option. Ireland is now perfectly tranquil ; the imprisonment of the traversers has created very little sensation even in. Dublin, and agitation is altogether confined to some of the larger cities; where, however, it has gone no farther than shutting up shops for a few hours, and preparing petitions and addresses. The Lord Chancellor has requested the Judges in this country to postpone their circuits that thay might be presenl at the discus* sion of the Writ of Error, which will probably come on in about three weeks hence. Tn the meantime, Mr. O'Connell holds his daily levees in prison, and public prayers are offered for his release. It is reported that the Board of Superintendence of Prisons has intimated to Mr. O'Connell that in the event of its being his intention to publish any letter or document, bearing his signature, i.i the usual channels of iuformation, it is their mination to see that the usual prison regulations be strictly enforced ; that uot the least i xception shall be made in his favour, and that if it is found necessary to do so, lie shall be deprived of the use of pen, ink, and paper., A prosecution against Mr. Smith O'Brien, and soke other leaders of the Repeal Association is considered very probable. The motion for a new trial which was under discussion at the date of our iate dispatch, was disposed of, in the Court of Queen's Bench, on the 24th May. Mr. Justice - Penin considered that Mr. O'Connell was entitled to a new trial. Mr. Justice Cratnpton shared his opinion. Mr. Justice Burton and the Chief Justice considered that the motion ought to be refused altogether, even against Mr, Tierney, The effect of this Judgment was the rejection of a rule for a ne.v trial altogether, but in deference to the opinions expressed by Mr. Perrin, and Mr. Crampton, the Attorney-General entered a nolle prosequi as to Mr. Tierney. Mutions subsequently made in arrest of Judgment, and to postpone sentence was refused, and the writs of error have since been lodged Sir T. Wilde, Mr. F. Kelly, Q. C, and Mr. Austin, Q, C, are to appear for Mr. O'Connell and the other Traversers in the House of Lords. —N. Z. Spectator. We extract from the same paper the following Copy of a Letter from a gentleman ia Belfast to a merchant in London, Belfast, April 20, 1844. Dear Sir, —I am sorry that after waiting so long I am still unable to give you any .satisfactory account of the sample of New Zealand Flax you sent some time ago. I gave part to several spinners, who have pro* mised to try what they could make of it; but ia this, as in every instance in which I have come ia contact with them, they evince much apathy, not . being able to see what advantage they can derive - from the improvement of this Flax, For this indifference I was in a great measure prepared, by ' their treatment of me in my Flax operations at^——• I could not get one to examine specimens of mf Flax, till I sent them to each of their mills. By far the most intelltgerit amongst the body is Mr. J. ' Herdman, who had long ago taken an interest in ibis New Zealand Flax, by procuring samples and getting them tried in various ways, without, how* ever, succeeding iu bringing the article to such a state as to be useable in the mills, until he fell ia with a man in Armagh, about 30 miles front tbif«f

who bit upon some plan of b ingiug it oui the finest Flax 1 evei saw in my life, judging from specimens shewn me bj Mr. Herdman. Mr. H. did believe that it was the same sample he had given this man, to experiment upon, and to put the matter bejond doubt some sticks were given him to be operated upon in half their length, leaving the other half in their original state, the like success attended ibis trial. The poor fellow was - quite elated with his discovery, and framed a Prospectus for a Joint Stock Company, stipulating for •hares and a salary of £2OOO for conducting the troika, which were to be set a going on a large scale; all this got him into debt, and nearly into prison, from which latter only a speedy flight saved him, and he .has not been heard of since. Mr. Herdman teds me that a person in Leige S Belgium) has also the secret. , To find out what lit is, I rather think a spinjner is not the proper person, at least iu Ireland, and I should say a practical chemist would be much better. The great difficulty is to get the Flax into a fine state Without extracting the vegetable oil. The samples I have are too small for the rope 5 makers to make trial of, and judging of it in it present state they estimate much under Manill 3 hemp. I am sorry I can be of so little service to j'our friend in this matter, for I should willingly exert myself in his interest, knowing by experience "What difficulties a new undertaking has to encounter, and how discouraging they are. 1 am, &«jj London Markets.—Sperm oil, £72 10s.; head matter, £7B ; black oil, on the . 18th May, £2B to £29; seven tons whalebone sold at £l9B to £2OO per ton. New Zealand Timber.—Mairi, £2l per ton.4-Ibid. In the Sydney Australian of October ' 2, we notice black oil quoted in the price current at £23 per tun, exclnsive of casks, While by private advices of the same date, we find that only £ls or £l6 per tun, including casks, could be obtained for that deswiption of oil in the Sydney market. "We notice this as it is cnlculated to mislead people here and induce them to fend oil to Sydney, when they, may obtain better prices by shipping direct to London. * We hope the mistake is not intentional bn the part of our cotemporary.— lbid.