SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1851.

New Zealander, Volume 7, Issue 501, 1 February 1851, Page 2

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 18 5 1.

The arrival of the Overland Mail yesterday afternoon has placed us in possession of the Wellington journals to the 28th of December. We have now a more detailed account of the tour of the Governor-in -Chief, of which the following is a summary. H.M.S. Fly, with his Excellency and suite on board, sailed from Port Nicholson on the 1 4th of November, and reached Otago on the 17th. Our readers are already acquainted with the occurrences during the Governor's stay at Dunedin. He did not leave that port until the 23rd, the Fly having been detained by contrary winds. He then proceeded to Port Ross, Auckland Islands, where he arrived on the '28th, and remained till the sth of December. The Regatta in celebration of the anniversary of the settlement took place on the 4th. After a fine run of 64. hours the Fly reached Akaroa on the Bth, whence she sailed on the 12th, and anchored in Port Cooper on the 13th, where she remained till the 19th. During his Excellency's stay, the Canterbury Association's emigrant ships Charlotte Jane, Randolph, and Sir George Seymour, arrived with about six hundred souls, after a prosperous passage of ninety-eight days. His Excellency and Lady Grey visited each of those vessels, and attended Divine Service celebrated an board in thankful acknowledgement of their safe voyage. On Saturday the 21st, the Fly with its distinguished passengers arrived again at Wellington, It would seem from the following statement which appears in the Spectator of the 25th that Sir Georgk had not at that time any intention of immediately returning to the North : — " We understand that his Excellency the Governor -in- Chief has taken Mr. Roberts' house on Wellington Terrace for a term of three months." There are several additional items of news from Canterbury. The Cressy, which had sailed from England in company with the three emigrant ships named above, had not arrived when the Fly left, but was hourly expected. The Castle Eden, was to have sailed with emigrants on the 14th of September. She was to bring out Dr. Jackson, the Bishop-Designate. The Spectator says, (referring to the necessity that Bishop Selwyns consent to a division of the diocese should be obtained before the new Bishop could be consecrated), " This legal difficulty will, we believe, necessitate Dr. Jackson's immediate return to England." If this be the fact, the arrangement seems rather inexplicable. The vessels already arrived had brought out four clergymen —the Rev. Messrs. Kingdom, Pucklk, Willock, and Jacob, — with their respective families.... The immigrants, it appears, almost immediately, began to express some dissatisfaction. They were disappointed on finding that the greater part of the funds had been devoted to improving the Port, instead of having been more equally divided between the Port and the Town. They also complained of the limited accommodation at the Emigrant Barracks, which were insufficient to meet the wants of the numbers who had arrived ; and they found timber scarce, and in great demand. . . . .The sale of land did not at all keep pace with the amount of immigration. " Although considerable efforts had been made, according to the last accounts only 14,000 acres had been disposed of." The Bishop of New Zealand had arrived at Wellington in the Undine, on the 27th of December, having made the passage from Auckland in six days. He was going on to Port Cooper, and the Undine merely called to land the Sir Edward Paget's mail which she had conveyed from this Port.

By the arrival of the Lady Harvey, which reached our port on Thursday, we have San Francisco papers to the sth of December, bringing news six days later than that received by the Novelty. The point of most interest at present is the ptogress of Cholera, the appearance of which in localities where there are so many predisposing circumstances to accelerate its spread, cannot but be regarded with the most serioiis apprehensions. For four days in the beginning of December, the Report of the Board of Health at San Francisco showed 55 cases, and 35 deaths, — a mortality greater in proportion to the number attacked than was usually recorded in Europe, where, taking one place with another, the deaths in undoubted cases of the disease averaged about one in three. At Sacramento, it was said to be on the decline ; and such would seem to be the fact if the published Returns be accurate. But it is observable that while very few deaths from Cholera were reported, there was a considerable mortality from Diarrhaea and Dysentery :— for example, the Report for the week ending November 28th shows only two deaths from Cholera, while there are eleven returned as from the other diseases we have named, the majority of which, it may safely be assumed, arose from the same epidemic influence,— in short were Cholera, in its earlier and less unequivocally marked state. There are also several deaths iti which the cause is not sta-

ted, — some of which at least might most probably be traced to the same desolating source. Amongst the \ictims of Cholera in San Francisco was Mr. Bio clow, the Mayor of Sacramento City. We have also to record the death (it is said from that disease) of Dr. George C. Forhes, who was well-known to some of our readers. He was cut off at the early age of 33. *" The rainy season had " commenced in earnest" on the 19th of October, being seventeen days later than in 1819. Since that date there had been few days Avithout rain. This had opened the upper livers to navigation by the smaller class of steamers, and also helped the miners in the diy diggings to wash out the golden ore fiom the earth. New veins of auriferous stone had been discovered, and several Companies were actively engaging in working the mines both in the Noith and the South. The Alia California complains that the merchants in the east had not paid more attention to the flour market, but had left California to obtain its supplies almost exclusively fiom Chili. It confidently promises a good price, provided the flour be really good, and made up in lOOtb. sacks, or half- barrels. The sons of Scotland had not been forgetful of their native country. A St. Andrew's Society was organized on the 9th of November, and on the 30th,the Anniversary of the Patron Saint, about fifty members assembled to celebrate the festival. The regular toasts of the evening were, " St. Andrew's Day ; we celebrate it with all honour"—" The Land o' Cakes:"— "The Land of our Adoption:"— " The health of the first Lady in the world — the Queen of England-." — "The President of the United States-." and 11 May oare and trouble never fash, But mirth and joy be wi us a' " The Alta California discourses rather vauntingly — but we should willingly hope justly — on the growth of morality in the country, winding up thus, — " We can boldly and truthfully tell the friends of California elsewhere, that the grand moral costume which graces the limbs of our best organized sister States, is gradually but surely becoming our most fashionable garment." There are a few items of intelligence taken from the Polynesian. Amongst them we notice the melancholy death of a young man named Jamjts Kinney, who shipped on board the William Tell at the Bay of Islands. While going on board a vessel in the harbour of Honolulu, he lost his hat, and jumped after it, but was seized by a shark, which bit off first his head and then his arm.

The Auckland Regatta in celebration of the Eleventh Anniversary of the Colony took place on Wednesday, 'ihe weather was brilliantly fine ; the only drawback being that the calm which prevailed during the day prevented as full a display of the capabilities of the sailing boats as the lovers of the sport might have desired. In all others respects, the scene was every thing that they could have wished ; and our harbour, studded as it now is with a greater number of vessels than usual, presented an aspect of extreme beauty and exhilhating liveliness. The first Race was for a Prize of £15, to he contended for by Decked, Half-decked, and Hatch Boats. The absence of a breeze caused a considerable delay in starting, and so slow a a progress, that the race, which commenced at noon, did not terminate until after five o'clock p.m. Dr. Pollen's Gnome, 10 tons, was the successful competitor, beating the Pilot Boat, 10 tons, Captain Burgess, and the Napi, 1 7 tons, Captain Tautari, (Native.) The Second, by boats pulling a pair of sculls, amateur rowers, was for a Prize of £3. The competitors were the Enigma, Adjutant Cooper ; the Sand Fly, W. Hay ; and the Union, Captain Daldy, which was entered merely to make up the race. The Enigma was the winner. The Race announced as Third— by Watermens' Boats, for a Prize of £s— did not come off, only one boat, the Union, being entered, while the Rules required that there should be four. The Fourth was by Cargo Boats : two Prizes— £2s, and £5 ; the third boat to save her stakes. Seven started, and the John and Rebecca, 10 tons, Htnderson, won. The others anived at the Flag-Ship in the following order; Kaka, 16 tons, Gordon; Blue Bonnet, 15 tons, Oakes; Phantom, 15 tons, Cromwell; Kawai, 18 tons, Hickson ; Endeavour, 16 tons, Manuel; and Gypsey, 12 ons, Hammond. The Fifth was by Whale Boats, for two Prizes— £lo and £3. Four boats started The Sam Slick and the Dan Tucker (both belonging to the American whale-ship Samuel Robertson) were the winners. Mr. Banks's Paul Pry came in third. Mr. Servantes' Rambler gave up the contest early in the race. The Sixth was by small canoes, manned by not more than twelve natives. There were two Prizes,— £s, and £1. This Race was vigorously and closely contested by three canoes, and afforded great gratification to the spectators many of whom seemed to participate to no small extent in ihe excitement and earnestness of the Maori competitors. The Totara, *Hmi Pateora, of Orakei, obtained the first Prize, and the Tikorau, Paoka, of Orakei, the second.

The Seventh was by four oared Gigs, pulled by amateur rowers ; the Prize £ 1 5. The competitors were the Alphabet, C. Young, and the Sylph, Waitemate Boat Club, — the Novelty, J. Macdougall having been entered merely to make up the number requited by the Rules. The Alphabet was the winner, performing a course of nearly four miles in forty -two minutes. The Eighth was for Sailing Boats not exceeding five tons. The Sylph, J. B. Turner, won, outstripping the Vixen, Lieut. Gladwyn Wynyard, by only a very little, however. The Jerry, J. Waite, and the Petrel Lieut. Grant, were behind. The Ninth was by large Canoes, manned by an unlimited number of natives ; the Prizes £8 and £3. What we have said of the Sixth Race applies here, only in a much higher degree. The canoes were very large, and picturesquely adorned with feathers &c, and the crews consisted of remarkably fine specimens of Maori muscular strength and natural grace. It would be impossible to convey in words an adequate idea of the animation and ardour with which this contest was carried on from its commencement to its termination. The rapidity with which the vigorous racers pressed forward may be in^ ferred from the fact that the canoes passed over the same course as that marked down for the whale-boats in thhteen minutes less than the latter had occupied, accomplishing the distance (between four and five miles) in thirty - seven minutes. Five boats started -, of these the iirst was the Wkarcpuhunya, the property of the powerful chief Te Whero Whero, and paddled by men of his tribe ; the second was the Tamahu, paddled by the Ngatipaoa tribe, headed by their chief Hanaru. But the competition was so close that the first boat was not more than half a length befoie the second, and the others were but a very short way behind. The Tenth was by Watermens' Sculls, for a Prize of £3. The competitors were the Union, Langlhy, the Charlotte, Wright, and the Nancy, Hawkgs. The Union won. The Eleventh was to have been by Square Sterned Boats not exceeding 25 feet keel, and pulling four oars. Four boits had been entered, but the crews of three of them being dissatisfied with tb" time of starting, declined the contest, and of course no race took place. The entire pioceedings of the day seemed to afford much gratification to the spectators, who thronged to the various points from which a view could be obtained, especially to Fort Britomart, where the performance of the Band of the 58th Regiment for several hours, and the exhibition of Colonel Wynyarh's model of Ruapekapeka Pah presented additional attraction. We observed by the Book in which visiters to the model recorded their names, that a very large number availed themselves of the opportunity of inspecting this ingenious and elaborate piece of workmanship, which the courtesy of the gallant constructor of it had thus offered them. A supplementary Race took place yesterday afternoon between the two Boats which competed in the first contest on Wednesday, but with reversed res"U. The Gnome and the Pilot Boat started from the buoy opposite Britomart Point, proceeding down to the North Head, rounded the White Buoy, sailed up to the Watchman, and returned to the point from which they set out, the Pilot Boat arriving about four minutes before the Gnome.

Serious Accident during the Regatta. — We regret to state that a distressing accident occurred %fi Thursday to a young man named Yelland, a sailor belonging to H.M.S. Fly, who being in delicate health, was left here on the departure of the Fly that he might receive medical attention in the Militaiy Hospital. Having been permitted on Thursday to go on board the Samuel Robertson, he was assisting in firing the salutes from that vessel during the Boat Races, and while ramming home a charge, the gun by some accident or negligence went off, sweeping away three fingers from one of his hands and two from the other, and also fracturing his left arm. He was immediately removed to the Military Hospital, where he is now receiving the treatment suited to his melancholy condition. Charge of Murder against a Sandwich Islander —A native of Oahoo, named Heki, has been brought up in the Children from Russell, and lodged in the Auckland gaol, under a committal by Mr. Clendon, Resident Magistrate at Russell, on a charge of having murdered a countryman of his own named Mctua, by inflicting on him with a tomahawk a wound of which he languished until the 25th ult., when he died. A dispute about a money transaction is said to have led to the fatal act. Sunday School Festival. — On Wednesday morning last, the children connected with the Wesleyan Sabbath School, to the number of about one hundred and fifty, accompanied by their Teachers, with several of the parents and other friends, met at the School-room, from which they proceeded to the grounds of the Wesleyan College, where it had been arranged that the little ones should have the day's recreation of which they had been disappointed on New Year's Day in consequence of the unfavourable state of the weather. Refreshments, consisting of cake, milk, &c, were abundantly provided for them

and they were allowed to indulge freely in various innocent and healthful amusements. About one o'clock, the Rev. J. Buller, of Kaipara, addiessed them for about half an hour, dwelling especially on some of the examples of youthful piety recorded in the Bible, and keeping up the attention of the children by frequently asking questions, which were generally answered with so much promptitude and correctness as to afford evidence of the benefit the Scholars had derivod from the instructions of the Teachers. Several hymns were also sung at intervals. On the whole, it might truly be affirmed that, amongst the numerous seekers of pleasure on that holiday occasion, there could not be found anywhere a happier party, — the happiness being in no degree diminished by. the blending of intellectual and moral culture with the provisions made for physical gratification.