The New-Zealander.

New Zealander, Volume 5, Issue 410, 20 March 1850, Page 2

The New-Zealander.

Be just and fear not : Let all the ends thou aims't at, be thy Country's, Thy Goo's, and Truth's.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 1850.

IMPORTANT FROM CALIFORNIA.

The Moa arrived in our harbour yesterday evening, bringing most important, and we regret to add, most disastrous intelligence from California, which had been received at Sydney by the Spec, from San Francisco, dates to the Ist of January. We devote all the space we can command at the late hour at which the papers reach us to the communication of new, abstaining for the present from all comment of our own. The Sydney Herald of the 28th of February thus sums up the intelligence from California:— The arrangement! for erecting the territory into a State, preparatory to iti being admitted by the Congrew of the United States tt • member • f the federal body, were completed—* legislature and government officers having been elected and appointed. In the political news, however, our readers will feel but little interested. It it difficult to gather from the papers before vi much information at to the state of the labouring population, or the quantities of gold being procured from the diggings : what there is on these points, we have extracted. Nearly one-half of the town of San Francisco was destroyed by fire on the 24th December. The loss of property is estimated at £250,000. We learn from private sources, that all that has ever been predicted of the misery that would befal the unfortunate dupes who suffered themselvs to be lured from this colony, has been more than realised. From the vast influx of population, wages were declining rapidly, and provisions as rapidly increasing in price. Lodgings were both scarce and dear, and the weather terribly severe. From scarcity of food and want of shelter, disease was prevalent , and hundreds who went to California with the wildest hopes and most extravagant expectations, will die there unwept and unknown. We are aware that the crimps and others who care only for the commission to be obtained for every passenger shipped to San Francisco, usually say to their dupes, "Do not believe anything that appears in the Herald about California ;" but the news this time is too well authenticated for any attempt at denial. Instead of vessels having to give sailors 150 dollars a month to get away from San Francisco, they can now get crews a: any rates (hat may be offered ; several of the crew of the Spec were glad to be permitted to work their" passage, and some of the others only obtained £2 a month, while seven of the passengers by the Inchinnan, which left Sydney in the middle of September, have returned to the colony by her. These two facts are conclusive. As the Spec was entering the Heads, the William and Mary, with two hundred passengers for California was proceeding to tea. !' Come back—you will repent it if you go on," was the cry of the passengers by the Spec, but, unfortunately, the cry came too late. The ship had entered on her voyage, the passengers could not yet stop, but surely those who have not yet embarked will pause before they encounter tke 4*ojK«ri tad diffieuUici which they w>H.mo*t murcdly

meet if they listen to the advice of Interested parties initead of to thois who can have do object in n'uleading them. We next extract a portion of the melancholy narrative of the fire at San Francisco, as given -fey the Alta California of Dec. 26.

APALLING ANCT DESTRUCTIVE CONFLA- '»-«-~-' GRATIONI J * LOSS OF^PROPERXV EXCEEDING #1,000,000 ! ! Our city has been visited by fire, and for the second , time within the twelvemonth past ar* we called upon |to record the disastrous career of conflagration. We liave to deplore the destruction of one of the finest and moit flourishing portions of San Francisco. The fire originated in Denniion's Exchange, and, it ii said, in the lecond and upper story. At about one quarter before six o'clock, on the morning of the 24th, it was discovered by an inmate of the house, and al» mert immediately, also, the alarm was communicated by a watchman in the Parker House adjoining. Before water could be procured the blaze had reached the painted cotton ceiling, and streaming through the tarred roof. The alarm nai sounded) and the neighbourhood aroused, but by the time this was accomplished, the entire building was one mast of soaring flame. Tbe morning was still, scarcely a breath of air Swerving the fiery volumes ; soon came thronging to the scene our affrighted citizens, and then commenced the din of a thousand voices, the crash of property, jingling of battered windows, tke quick, sharp sound of plied vigorously in cutting away encumbering ' timbers ; and yet, above this the roar of the devouring element, which now surged wildly around the Parker House, to the north, anon sweeping furiously across the United States Restaurant, to the sou;h or the Exchange. Both these buildings were soon on fire, and ■s the bbze traversed the rear balcony of tbe former establishment, dense clouds of smoke rolled from the doors and windows, at either end, barely giving time to permit the escape of the occupants. Portsmouth square, in front of the burning buildings, was crowded with anxious spectators, when an alarm was created of stored powder in the Parker House* A stampede of siz thousand human beings then added to the terror of the spectacle. Losses. — At this time it is quite impossible to arrive at a correct conclusion regarding the extent of the general loss by this most terrible catastrophe ; bat we hear it variously estimated at one million and a half dollars, which it ii probable may not be found far from the mark. It is thought by many that indemnification will be granted those who have sustained losses by the demolition of property at the order of tbe city authorities. It would scarcely appear credible that men, if so we must call them, when required to assist at the late fire, could demand pay for their services—yet such is the fact. We hope they were not Americans. The indifference displayed by too many of our countrymen in rendering assistance, it bad enough ; let us not lay the crime of extortion at their doors. A communication dated the 29th of December, states, that the re- building of the destroyed parts of the city was rapidly going forward, — " already the frame work of some of the buildings to replace those consumed is up, the carpenters woiking at the roof, while others are nailing up weatherboarding on the ground-floor." Fire, as we had heard, had also ravaged Stockton, . . i Large fire at Stockton, Wednesday morning, two ' o'clock.— Through the politeness of Todd & Bryans Express, we are furnished with the following account of a destructive fire at Stockton. The fire broke out on Sunday night about 12 o'clock, and destroyed the new Arcade building belonging to S. R. Meloney ; Grayson & Stevens' store ; a new public house, owned by Cheetam & Harris— besides a, number of other buildings, the owners of which we have not ascer. tamed. Lost estimated at #200,000. The following graphic description of the distress into which emigrants to the " Land of Gold" have plunged is given in the Sydney Herald and will be read witli deeply painful emotions :—: — A'reipectable young man, who went to San Francisco in the Inchinnan and returned to Sydney in the Spec, gives the following information :— He says that the misery and distress among the labouring classes in California is beyond description. The wages were down to #5 a-day, which was scarcely snfficient to maintain a man, whilt a family could not subsist upon it. The prices were— bread, #1 a loaf, weighing l|lb. and of very inferior quality ; beef, 10£ d. per Ib. ; mutton, very bad, Is. 3d. per lb. , salt pork, Is. per Ib. 5 eggs, #1 each ; potatoes, #1 per lb. During the month he was in California the only vegetable he saw was one cabbage, and for that <#3 was obtained. Firewood wis <87 a cord, which a man could easily carry. The living at the lodging-houies, where 4518 a- week was charged, was of the coarsest description, merely biscuit and meat— no vegetables. Large numbers of people died, of whom no notice whatever was taken ; and bis impression was, that one-half of tbe passengers by tbe Inchinnan died from sickness and want. Hundreds of persons in the last stage of disease were to be seen wandering about the streets , not knowing where to lay their heads. The wet weather had set in rather earlier than usual, and people were coming in from the mines in large numbers ; and, where one had obtained gold in any large quantity, hundreds had not procured enough to pay their expenses. It was impossible to get supplies up to the mining districts, the rivers being to high, and food had arrived at famine prices. Pork was ft dollar a pound, aud tice two dollars. These statements can be verified by several passengers by tbe Spec; and we are informed that hundreds of those who left Sydney during the past year, were hanging about the beach at San Francisco, bitterly lamenting they had ever been persuaded to visit the " gold country," and anxiously waiting for an opportunity of working their passage back again. The importance of the following information need not be pointed out to our commercial ' readers : — The Custom-house regulation! during a long time were very bad j. but a new collector having arrived, the severe laws of the United States have lately been most strictly enforced, and immense seizures made, particularly of spirit! and bottled beer. Spirits of all kinds, in bottle are prohibited ; and beer, in packages Im» than six dozen, all imported, is seizable. French, Dutch, and Hamburgh vessels have suffered greatly ; but the Sydney craft perhaps more in proportion than any, scarcely one having escaped entirely. The collector hat no small inducement to make seizures, onehalf being his perquisite. His last week's work in this way. will have brought him in probably twenty thousand dollars, or abont four thousand pounds. The repeal of tbe Bavigttlon litt it expected to tike effect

from the firat proximo ; but the Collector of Customs sayi he shall sot relax until he receives official instructions to do 10. The port charges, now very heavy, will then be reduced, and the restrictions on British shipping reduced. The correspondent of the Sydney Herald, from whose letter we have made this extract, states in another part of the same communication, There are doubtlessly immense profits to be mide by tome, and enormous fortunes have been accumulated by n few ; but it ii to be feared that many of thoie yet to come will be exposed to dreadful disappointment and distress. It is next to impossible to avoid per* forming the most menial offices and the most severe labour, and there ii little prospect of employment unconnected with hard work. Some of the late arrivals from Sydney are working their passage back again to New South Walea, who came here full of the moit extravagant golden visions. This is even the case on board our vessel, among those who have made one visit to the shore \ and many, very many, will, I fear, find that they have to contend with the most severe distress, where they expected to find gold ready to be picked up.

There was English intelligence received at Sydney, via Adelaide, to the 18th of November. The Queen had recovered from her late illness. The Queen Dowager continued alarmingly ill. Colonel Chatterton had been returned for the city of Cork, beating the repeal candidate by a majority of 263. The fifth of November had passed over in the North of Ireland without the party collisions which had been apprehended. Manning and his Wife had been executed in London for the horrible Bermondsey murder. The President of the French Republic had by one sweeping act changed his whole Administration, — with a view it was supposed, of taking to himself the whole direction of public affairs. W—mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Had we not lived long enough in the world to know the truth of the aphorism that " all things seem yellow to the jaundiced eye/ 1 we should certainly have imagined that the most atrabilious cynic could not have found fault with the efforts which a few gentlemen are at present disinterestedly making to initiate a movement, by which the rich treasures hitherto lying waste in the Waikato coal district, may be rendered available for the benefit of the community at large, — both aboriginal and European. As, however, such is not the case, we deem it just not only towards those gentlemen, but also towards those public interests which they desire to advance, to state in a few words what we have reason to believe were the circumstances under which they came into the position which they now occupy, and also the limited and humble, — though far from unimportant — objects at which they aim in that position. The most efficacious, as well as the most simple way to prevent mistake, and correct misrepresentation in such a matter, is by a plain statement of facts, of which the reader can judge for himself. In a few words then, these are the facts. A Clergyman who, amongst his other studies, has devoted some attention to Geology and Mineralogy, was induced, during a temporary residence in the Waikato country in the performance of ministerial duty, to institute investigations into the quality and extent of the coal-mines in that district, at the same time that he received from the native owners freely given assurance of their desire that he should advise and aid them in bringing into notice and use their mineral possessions, which they knew to be valuable. [On his return to this neighbourhood, he mentioned the subject to a few persons, who, in the first instance, almost without any previous concert, met at a forge in this town, where a portion of the coal was burned, with a view of testing its applicability to smith's purposes. It was, however, manifestly desirable that a larger number of opinions should be collected ; and accordingly, a fuller meeting was held in the Mechanics' Institute. That meeting was not in the ordinary sense public ; that is, it was not convened by advertisement, or with the formality of public meetings ; — there was no funds to advertise it, no machinery organised for the purpose. But, on the other hand, it had no privacy about it. During the few hours which intervened between its being decided on and its assembling, I those who were connected with its getting-up mentioned it to every person whom they met, whose presence was deemed likely to be useful, and in the most unrestricted manner requested those whom they so invited, to invite any and every other person whom they thought likely to take an interest in the project, or to bring knowledge, whether theoretical or practical to bear upon it. That there was no limitation as to class, rank, or party, would appear abundantly clear if a list of those who actually attended were given, and yet more abundantly so, if a list were added of those who were earnestly urged to attend, but who did not. The coal was examined, and a conversational discussion of some length took place on the subject ; after which, (to quote our own words in noticing that meeting,) " it was agreed to appoint a small committee to inquire into the several points which required further investigation, and generally to take such steps as may conduce to the end of rendering this very valuable product of New Zealand as speedily and extensively available as circumstances may permit." That Committee has since been diligently endeavouring to discharge its duty by striving to gather from various sources in-

■ion upon the several points implied in ■uittission. It has issued no appeal to the B. The allegation that it has " publicly I on the community to acknowledge the By of its commission, and to render it Bily sympathy hut co-operation and supI* is wholly erroneous. We have, indeed, flht it our duty as journalists, — solicitous Be good of our adopted country, and aware I singleness of motive by which the Commis actuated, and of the qualifications X at least some of its members possess lie promotion of this particular form of B-to express our humble opinion that its Bvours were entitled to general and ready Bathy. But the Committee was no more Bnsible or even cognizant of what we B then, that it is of what we write now, — Bis, not at all. The Committee, we repeat, ■made no public appeal for aid in any B Moreover, it has pretended to no au■ty; it has done nothing to fetter the proBngs of any individual or association who ■ hereafter desire to engage in the underBg. It has taken no step to secure any Bh object ; so far as pecuniary affairs are lerned, its members have been willing to ■r some risk of personal loss, without the Btest prospect or possibility of any personal I. When they shall have obtained as much I as trustworthy information as they can, Rave no doubt that they will surrender such ierials for judgment on the whole merits of ■case, as they may be able to collect, into I hands of the public, cordially leaving it ■hat public to determine whether they will Ice use of the materials or not. Meanwhile, ■are persuaded, they would sincerely rejoice Iny other parties should be in circumstances ftrosecute the inquiry more vigorously, ably, I successful than themselves. Such being the true state of the case, we Imit to the judgment of every impartial lid whether the members of this Committee luld be sneered at as " theorists," " a sanIne few," " a self-elected committee," &c; ■whether they should be accused of " forestalWg a great public question," in a manner lit is not " fair and decent ;"■— whether (even ■the insinuations were as well founded as, Bth regard to some of the members, they are Iseless) , they should, by an implication so Ivious as to be equivalent to direct assertion, I taunted with want of " business habits, colaial experience, and commercial influence," I well as of sufficient" capital" or "energy " I perform their work ? That work, be it Imembered, is not to frame an arbitrary plan w which others are to be bound ; but simply I act as pioneers in the way of a great be • Ifit to the country ; — subject, necessarily, to le total rejection by the public of the results I their labours, should a better path be opened, I: should it be determined that no path at all Awards the object should be pursued. I Our immediate purpose being to explain lhat we believe to be the origin and design of lie Committee, we advisedly refrain for the ■resent from entering on the political questions, l> the agitation of which it is attempted to make this (as well as almost every other passlig occurrence) subservient. It is asked " will jhe Coal Committee suggest such expedients," lor the attainment of their end, as to " Imitate ■he Cape,"- — " to stop the supplies and excommunicate the Government," — and "to abstain from all Customable commodities'?" As we Bo not pretend to speak authoritatively the sentiments of the " Coal Committee," it may be Enough just now that we too should say, " We Khali see !" But, as respects the Native Land ■Purchase Ordinance, we venture to express our fconviction that — if the Committee should take Into its favourable consideration some such experimental step as bringing into this town a Riven quantity of the Waifcato Coal, raised and told to them by the Native owners of the mines, ■neither they nor the purchasers of the coal here ■will expose themselves to the penalty which is ■flourished in terrorem over their heads, any Imore than if they were to buy so much fireIwood or potatoes produced and sold by the Na« Itives. This would obviously be a very different transaction from purchasing the land itIself, or even " the right of mining" in it. We ■admit that afterwards — should these preparatory steps be followed by a comprehensive I scheme for the large and constant supply of I the article — a more minute as well as a more I extended consideration of the question here inI volved may be found necessary. But, in the I present stage, it seems useless, if not worse, to I "forestall" its discussion, — especially its discusI sion in a party spirit. Even a short time may I effect many alterations, or evolve much new I light on the entire subject. I Meanwhile it may be in place to remark I that the excellent quality of the Waikato coal, I and its great abundance, are confirmed by every additional report. We have within a day or two received fresh and strong assurances to this effect on the authority of very competent I observers who recently travelled through the district. Indeed, we believe, there is no second opinion on these points. That excellent coal is procurable in almost unlimited quantities, is now admitted on all hands. Difficulties remain, howevei, as to the mode of its conveyance here, it being obviously indispensable to the success of the undertaking, that the article should be brought into the market at a price - toelow, or at all events, not exceeding that for ■which New South Wales coal could be obtained

in Anckland. From calculations we have seen, we have not the slightest doubt, that this — and more — can be accomplished. But the feasibility of the project must be determined not by assertions on the one hand, or denials on the other, but by such practical evidence as will satisfy men of business. When this fact shall be demonstrated, — that excellent coal, the produce of New Zealand can be had in Auckland at a reasonable — or more probably a cheap rate — there will be a solid foundation on which to rest ; and if a political prohibition should then he found erected as a barrier to so great a good, (which Aye much doubt), that will be the time to urge with most likelihood of success a call for its removal.

St. Patrick's Day having fallen on Sunday this year, the Anniversary was celebrated on Monday in connexion with tne St. Patrick's School in this town, the children of which — upwards of two hundred in number — were taken out by their Teachers to Mr. Henry's Farm at One Tree Hill, where they passed a day of great enjoyment.

The Band of H. M. 58th Regiment, by the permission of Lieut.-Col. Wynyard, C.8., will perform in the Grounds in front of the old Government House on to-morrow evening from half-past four till half-past six o'clock.

PROGRAMME. Overture Op. " Stradella" Flotow Melange Op., " I Dv Foscari" Verdi Cavalina 0p. ..." Edwardo c Christina" .... Rossini Air " The White Squall" Barker Waltz " The Carnival"..... Labitzky Quadrille "The Rochester" Rogers Galop.. 44 The Storming of Constantinople'' .. Lanner Song ■ Postal Song.. .. '* The Blue Bella of Scotland" Kirby

By the American ship Australia we have "Wellington papers to the 2nd instant, — being intelligence a week later than that received by the Camilla. "We have selected several Extracts from them, which will be found in our other columns