AUCKLAND.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 92, 9 December 1843, Page 366

AUCKLAND.

By the Government brig we have received the following Auckland papers — the Southern Cross to the 11th of November, the Chronicle to the 15th, and the Auckland Times of the 7th and 14th, the last-named [ being our old friend of the " Mangle " in a legitimate form ; so that the ." capital " of New Zealand now rejoices in three weekly papers. The Southern Cross continues its abuse of the Nelson settlers, in which we are not forgotten. The Mandarin had arrived ; and having passengers both for • Wellington and Nelson, is coming on here. The fresh arrival of Parkhurst boys had .given great dissatisfaction. The following are extracts :: — ■ Army Order. —We understand Major Bunbury, the commandant of the troops in New Zealand, has received "authority from the TxeaJ sury at home by the latest mail for a military chest upon a separate charge for the services of this colony. Mr. D. A. C.-General Turner is the commissariat officer appointed. This change augurs the intention of the Coramander-in-Chief to station a regiment, at least, in New Zealand, and is another cheering indication that we are to go-ahead at last. — Times, Nov. 7. The Post Office. — New Regulations. — We often complained of the manner in which . the Post Office was conducted under the old system. We have now not so much to complain of the management as of the system itself. Lord Stanley has fairly placed a veto upon all colonial literary or political intercourse — he has effectually suppressed ths Press, in this colony at least, by the imposition of the newspaper tax. It was some comfort in former days, under ths - feeling of oppression and injustice, to know that the voice of our complaint could freely travel from one end of the British dominions to ths other. We must now, however, submit to bo ruled, ruined, and oppressed, in silence. AUx larger than the full price of a newspaper itself: in America is imposed upon the smallest and 'tnost miserable paper that can be published in this country. If we tend a paper to, England, or to any of the colonies, we#re compelled tc* pay the post office » peifnyv and if cent through the colonial postrtW-swtesJn' the war. But we are made by the wiheritaes here, contrary even to Lord Stanley's gagging regulation*, to pay postage for every paper we receive from our friends, which makes up in all a postage varying from twopence to fourpence for every newspaper. If we send a paper to Sydney, for in* stance, we expect another in exchange, but the t

post office is not satisfied with making us pay for the paper we send out of the colony, but they also extort payment from us for the paper we receive on account of the same. Our friend who returns the paper is of course treated in a similar way. This, however, is a a mistake of the post office here, but we are as much in the power of the local authorities as those at home themselves. — Southern Cross, Sept. 30. Hokianga.— The settlers in this fine district have been for many years almost exclusively engaged in the timber trade. The price of spars and sawn timber has, however, for some time back, been so low as to throw them all out of

employment. We are however glad to hear ihat they are now directing their attention to cattle grazing and the cultivation of wheat. The majority of the settlers in this district have sown some acres of wheat, and the older settlers have large herds of very fine cattle. Mr. Graham has in the Ariel brought twenty-five head of as fine cattle reared in Hokianga as any person couid desire to see. The Hokianga settlers deserve great credit, they have struggled on without any assistance from, and even despite the strong neglect and opposition of, the Govern-ment.-—lbid, Oct. 21. Barrier Copper Mines. — By the arrival of Captain Nagle from the Barrier, we are happy to learn that the operations at the Copper Mines are being successfully conducted. TheTryphena sailed for Sydney with 80 tons of copper ore, and 20 tons of sulphur, and we are informed that there are about 200 tons of copper ore now ready for shipment at the mines. It would be well if the owners of the mine would charter a vessel to sail direct for England with a cargo of copper ore, spars, and flax ; it could not fail to pay. The Tryphena was under the necessity of sailing without a full cargo, in consequence of the schooner Rory O'More having sunk betw.en the vessel and the Barrier Harbour with 20 tons of the ore. The loss of this vessel has for the time -occasioned much inconvenience. There are at present between thirty and forty persons employed at these mines. — Ibid. From Mr.JCormack's communications we are given to understand that the natives are to have the full right* of British subjects, — and the Government are no longer to continue the traffic in native land. The Home Government repudiate the idea of keeping possession of any of the lands claimed either by the New Zealand Company or the land claimants, the surplus is to revert to the original owners. From all that we can collect, the whole system of Government s in New Zealand will be changed and re-modelled. The Governor is no longer empowered to draw bills upon home without the special authority of the Home Government. The Judge is very much

blamed for not having interfered in the illegal measures of Captain Hobson and Mr. Shortland. The Government have been severely reprimanded for the purchase of the Hera Id newspaper; and Mr. Swainson, the Attorney-General, has made himself particularly obnoxious by becoming the editor of the Government newspaper. The Government had not then known of the Government league, by which all the papers in the settlement had been crushed — they had not known that nearly all the Government officers, from the Governor downwards, with one or two excep-

tions, had formed themselves into a joint stock company for the purchase of the Bay of Islands Observer, and the publication of the Chronicle, of which the Attorney-Geiieral was the editor. — Ibid, Nov. 11. [We quote the above from the Southern Cross, and if all this is so, we are indeed to have a revolution in our affairs of state. We^sirish, however, the " Senate " had some better authority for all these accumulated good tidings than we are disposed to consider their Aebassapor to be. We have every confidence in the zeal and integrity of that gentleman, but

we cannot pin our faith in reliance — not in ptrfeet reliance — upon his diplomatic sagacity. We do not think, for instance, he is exactly the man to undermine Lord Stanley's intentions, or to take the confidence of Captain Fitzroy by storm. We fear, we sadly fear, " his wish was father to many of these thoughts. — Ed. of Times Registry of Deeds. — We hear that Mr. Outhwaite.is in future to manage this office, in conjunction with his present duties. It would he hypocrisy on our part to conceal that we are pleased at the breaking up of the family compact. Mr. Fitzgerald is said to be desirous of being appointed Police Magistrate at Nelson^ We wish him well anywhere out of Auckland. — Ibid. By the Thomas Lord, news has been received : -om London to the 3d of July. -The Hydrabad arrived in Sydney on the 18th of October, having left Gravesend on the 29th of June, and Deal the sth July. She reports the sailing of the Bangalore from the Thames on the same day, with Captain Fitzroy, our new and long and anxiously looked for Governor. In passing through Bass' Straits, the Hydrabad passed a full-rigged ship, supposed to be either the Bangalore or Ratcliff, with troops for Sydney. —Ibid.

The brigantine Hannah, which had been stolen by a person named Ellis, has been taken by the Government.