CALIFORNIA.

New Zealander, Volume 5, Issue 396, 30 January 1850, Page 3

CALIFORNIA.

We have seen a letter, dated Honolulu, Dec. 23rd, the writer of which had emigrated from Maitland to California, but having, like many others lost his health there, was obliged to come to the Sandwich Islands for the benefit of a better air. He states respecting the markets at San Francisco, — " Flour has been as high as £80 per ton ; it was lower again, but in all probability it will be still higher. San Pranciico is in a dreadful state for want of provisions, in paiticular flour. If you can send a quantity, do so without delay. Pork ig high. Fresh Beef has risen from 6d. to Is. per Ib. For Salt Beef there is not much sale, but it does sell where it would not have been accepted as a gift some three months ago." He adds, " The place is very unhealthy. The gold digging is partially good, but it is all a chance." We glean the following from the Polynesian of December 22— the only paper which has reached us by the Greyhound : From a Utter recently rewired we make the followIng extract :—•«' There hns been a great lost of property here from the heavy rains. The poor are Buffering very much, and it remain! very sickly among the dettiUte. The poor Hawaiian* appear to be among the first ; scarcely a day passes but lam called on to look to the interett of tonne auffering Kanaka—either he bat been discharged from a ship, or he it iick and destitute." From what ire leirn by letter, and verbally from persons recently arrived, San Francisco U the last place for people to go to at thit aeason of the year, unless they take a house with them— and a long purse w«ll filled. " What a pity *tii that one msn's experience won't do for another ! Tell one, who it boot upon any fooliih project, that you ha»e * been through the mill,' that you 'h<)Ve seen the elephant,' and therefore advite him not to ' put hi* foot' inta the buiineis— and what good does it do ? Not a particle. He must burn hit own finger*, before be can belicva there's any caloric in live coals." New Goid Coin.— We hare seen some of the new tea-dollar piece*, 'coined in San 1 Fiahcisco, which are smaller than the American geld eigle. On one* tide of the piece it an eagle turrounded with start and the word '• California;" on the other "Miner*' Bank, California, Ten D.," with two stars. The appearance of the la'tcr aide struck us ai particularly homely, while the former side much resembles the American Eagle. The pertona who shewed them to us eaid they had made their appearance in San Franclseo two months since, and were now very abundant. They are perhaps standard fineness, but who knows 1 So for as ire can see, they are as likely to be spurious as good, for the only responsible coiners are the '' Miners' Bunk." Like all other new coios, they mutt tlowly become current ; and we should not be surprised if this is.uing gold coins by irresponsible corporations should, as it ought to, prove an entire failure. From the Lakes to California.—T he Detroit Advertiser of the 13th of September states that the owner's of (he brig Eureka, one of the largest vessels on the Lalte, ha»e obtained perui&kion from the Biitish Government to let that vessel pass through the river St. Lawrence, intf that the will leave Lake Michigan in the fall with a cargo of lumber, direct for California. Unavailing as warnings are to those who are Ca(ifornia-mad appear to be, we add another, •which we find in the Melbourne Herald. It bears internal evidence of the truthfulness of a bitter experience. Our Contemporary says: — The fol'owing is an extract of another letter, dated Sati Francisco, lit September 1849, which has been •hewn to vi :— " I can only regret (with a broken heart and impaired constitution, which will carry me to an eaily grave) that I did not take your advice. As to making money here, it is all moonshine ; there are a few who procure what, out of California, would be considered '■ great amount, but when you consider that the necesfacto of lire, and an occasional consultation with the doctor, take all you can procure, the gain it but little. I was, as, you know, a young man iv robust health «hen t left Sydney ; I am now, after nine months' residence here, a pri mature old man. The pociest mechanic who earns ss. * day; is better off in the colonies of Australia than he could be in thit Hell-upon-etrth. Talk of making fortunes '.—how many poor but persevering men have made fortune! in Sydney, Hobart Town, and Port Phillip ; and how many •re still doing so in those places, as well as in South Australia and New .Zealand?' Thousands, I might with safety say. The great misfortune of this place is, that of (be thousands who are di*appoiat*d, you hear nothing— of the few who have made a little, the most ridiculous stories are circulated. My advice to every man and woman who are disposed to be honest and virtuous, is to *void California and its depravity. * * and sickness ; be not cajoled by the false reports of the tew, but take warning by the fate of the many. I hope to »cc you in two mouths, a wiser if not a richer man. 1 *

„ Tire Melbourne papers, (the latest dated the , sth instant,) which we received by the River Chief, furnish a few items of intelligence which may not be uninteresting to our readers. Th 6 public matter exciting most local attention was the new " Act for regulating Buildings, and for preventing mischief by Fire in the City of Melbourne." The measure was strongly censured on account of its voluminous and complicated enactments, the arbitrary powers which it vests in the Surveyor, and the number and severity of its pains and penalties. A movement to procure an amendment of the Act was in progress. Much solicitude had b&en felt respecting the fate of Mr. Surveyor Whyte, who it was feared had perished in the Mallee Scrub, while engaged in marking out the boundary, line of the South Australian and' JNew South Wales Colonies. That gentleman had escaped, hovlr«ver, but only after passing through the perils thus strikingly described in the Herald ; — " Mr. Whyte and his party had cut a road for ninety miles through the Mallee Scrub, and had to continue their labours for fifty miles further, when he left his men for the pu'poie of inspecting the country through which they bad to past, taking with him a couplu of boriei tnd some profisions for the journey. Alter

riding through the scrub for mtny days, he mined his track, when anxious to return, and was reducod to the greatest extremities from want of food and water. One of the horses died from exhalation, and a portion of the flesh consumed by Mr. Whyte enabled him to continue hit journey for two or three days more, when the pangs of hanger ar.d intolerable thirit forced him to cut the throat of his remaining bone, from which he drank the flowing blood before the animal had ceased to exiit. Upon supplying himself with a quantity of the flesh, he started on foot, and after suffering almost unparalleled hardships for several days, was found on the side of the Murray, reduced to a state of the greatest exhaustion. He was then conveyed to Adelaide, where be was kindly received and carefully attended by order of the government, on ascertaining the facts of the case. By proper treatment Mr.Whyte rapidly recovered hit lost strength." Robberies were frequent and daring in the city and neighbourhood. A fellow named Fox had been seized in the act of firing at a police officer, who was at tempting to arrest a man charged with street robbery. The German immigrants by the Emmy, (whose arrival we already noticed) had all been engaged, their services being in great demand, bdth at Melbourne and Geelong, — especially those of the yine -dressers. The 1 first number had appeared of a monthly periodical (price three-pence) called The Melbourne Church of England Messenger. The introductory paper was written by Bishop Perry, and, we have little doubt, that under the superintendence of that zealous and liberal minded Prelate, the work will, as its prospectus promises, — "be conducted in the spirit of Christian charity, towards those who do not belong to the communion of the Church of England, (for the use of whose members it Is designed especially,) while one of its objects will be to set forth and defend her characteristic doctrines and constitution."

Auckland Mechanics Institute.-— A Meeting for the re -organization of this Institution was held on Monday evening in the Hall, and was numerously and respectably < attended. The chair was efficiently and impartially filled by Mr. W. Connell, of the firm of Connell & Ridings. The appointment of officers for the new organization of the Institute was the first business. Alexander Kennedy, Esq., was chosen President; Messrs. Outhwaitb and Lynd, Vice-Presidents ; Mr. T. Lewis, Treasurer , and Mr. A. W. Hansard, Hon. Secretary. A number of persons, we believe forty-eight, then gave in their names as members, and proceeded to choose from amongst themselves a committee of fifteen. The proceedings were characterized by a spirit of earnestness and cordiality which encourage a hope that the re-ani-mated Society will exhibit the vigour and harmony of action which are essential to its prosperity. The fate of the effort, however, will necessarily depend mainly on the manner in which the new committee perform the duties entrusted to them. We understand that they purpose entering upon their work without delay—Friday evening next being fixed on for their first meeting.

The Regatta, as advertised in our last, was held yesterday, and conducted with a complete-* ness which was highly creditable to those, engaged in its management — especially considering the shortness of the time within which they were obliged to make their arrangements. The loveliness of the day aldded much to the enjoyment of the occasion, and attracted a large number of spectators to the various spots from which any view of the contests might be obtained. The Maori tace excited peculiar] and general interest. As, however, one or two disputed points were unsettled at a late hour last evening, we are not able to give a correct statement of the entire results, and must therefore postpone further particulars till our next.

We regret to state that an occurrence— such as happily seldom takes place in our , harbour, — happened on Friday evening last. The Greyhound schooner, from the Sandwich Islands, was driven on a ledge of rocks near the west head of the Tamaki, by which accident she has been injured, and, indeed, narrowly escaped being lost. It occurred through some mis-management, or deficiency of knowledge in the navigation of our port, as she had been , steered towards a bay which was altogether out , of her proper course. We trust, however, we shall be able in our next to report her comparative safety, as strenuous efforts have been made to float her off, and it was expected that last night they would be successful. The Greyhound is a very beautiful vessel, and a remarkable fast sailer, having made the voyage from Honolulu in the singularly short space of 32 days, during 8 of which she was nearly becalmed. Her owner, Mr. Rise^y, an American gentleman, was coming here for a cargo of our New Zealand produce.

iJgT The B*nd of H. M. 58th Regiment, by the perrriisiion of Lieut. Col. Wynyard.C.B., will perform in the Grounds in front of the old Goternment House on to-morrow evening, from four till lis o'clock.

PROGRAMME. " Overture...." Guy Maunering "..... .......*. Bishop Melange Op "The Bohemian Girl" .... Bishop , Caf&lina Op " Marino Falieri'' Donizetti Rccit. and Car. Op. " Eliza c Claudio".. Mercadante Waltz " D'Ataour". Kaenig Quadrille ...... " II Giuranaento" Mohr Polka «'The Agnes " ..., , Brown Song .... " The Yellow Haired Liddio".... —— 50ng,,,,,. " Savouruean Deeliih "..,.., Cmpbeli