PORT NICHOLSON.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 24, 20 August 1842, Page 95

PORT NICHOLSON.

[From the New Zealand Gazette.'] Our readers will find in another part of our , draper a report of the proceedings of the County Court, held at Wellington, on Tuesday, 19th July last, and following days. We have alluded in former numbers of the Gazette to the frequency of petty thefts in the streets of Wellington ; and the trials before the court, together with the punishment awarded in each case, will, we sincerely trust, if not put a stop to, at least check the frequency of such proceedings. Our Meteorological Tables for the month of July exhibits no very great degree of cold or warmth, the lowest degree being 40, and the highest 62, the mean temperature for the month being 51. The weather throughout the month has been extremely variable, and rain has fallen in considerable quantities during each week, but more especially towards the close of the month. The winds have been from the two prevailing quarters, N,W. and S.E., the former decidedly predominating, and producing a feeling of a greater degree of cold than the thermometer indicates. Our Shipping List for July, 1842, exhibits a jfemarkable increase over the former years since establishment of the colony. It will be observed that the increase over last year is rather more than doubled, the tonnage at the same time sustaining its proportion. Of the 27 vessels which have entered our port during the month, 22 have been from the neighbouring settlements and coasts, including the Chatham Islands, four from Sydney, and one from London. The stock imported during- the month has been from Sydney, consisting of 112 cattle, 1,600 sheep, 8 horses,— 147 pigs from the coast. The trade coastwise has now become important and extensive. We have been visited during the month with one whaler (the Wallabay British ship), from the whaling ground, for stores. We understand that she leaves us 8 or 10 tuns of oil, in exchange for these stores and provisions. We observe that the schooner Maori, to which we lately alluded in the Gazette, as having been built by, or at the expense of, the natives resident at Wellington, was yesterday launched in good style. She appears a remarkably handsome craft, and we most sincerely trust that she will turn out as good as she looks. It will of course be understood that the frame-work, &c, are not the handiwork of the Maories ; but they have constantly assisted ; and we doubt not we shall soon see in our harbour a numerous fleet of such vessels, the bonafide, out and out, production of the native New Zealander. There cannot indeed be a doubt that they will ultimately become cunning in the art of shipbuilding. Mr. Murphy has authorised us to state that it is not the intention of his Excellency the Governor to extend the provisions of the Raupo Act to this place, until he shall have received an application from the town council, requesting its extension. We observe that William Curling Young, Esq., has declined to act as magistrate of the territory, and his name has been consequently from the commission of the peace of the colony. The Colonial Postmaster had, it would seem, been superseded; the Secretary of State for the Colonies having appointed in his stead George Cooper, Esq., collector of Customs. The appointment has, however, in the mean time been cancelled. Henry King, Esq., Captain R.N., was appointed police magistrate for the district of New Plymouth, appointment tjeannc^^j from the Ist January, 1842. Sechanges amongst the civil of- , fleers ofjot>vernment at Auckland are privately spoken of as likely soon to occur.