AUCKLAND AND ITS NEIGHBOURHOOD. Chapter II.

New Zealander, Volume 8, Issue 634, 12 May 1852, Page 3

AUCKLAND AND ITS NEIGHBOURHOOD. Chapter 11.

The Town of Auckland —The Ilarbovr —The Suburbs —New Zealand Seasons —The hthmui, &c. The Town of Auckland is built on the Northern side of the Isthmus which divides the Waitomata from the M-mukau, nivl ib bounded on the North by the shores of the former harbour. The bite of the Town, as laid down on the Official Plan, has a frontage on the water of about a mile and a hilf, and extends inland to the distance of about a mile. At piesent, the greater number of the houses have been built near the water, in the b iys and on the headlands with which it is indented. These bays are backed by small valleys which run inland to the distance of about half a mile, terminating in narrow gullies, and are separated from each other by spurs which run into the harbour and terminate in low headlands. The lower parts of the Town being thus separated, the roads which connect them with each other are somewhat steep and inconvenient. Seen from the Harbour, the Town makes a considerable appearance, and suggests the idea of expaiibiveness. St. Paul's Church, with its neat spire, occupying a prominent position on the centre headland is an ornamental feature. The Barracks, the Scotch Church, the Colonial Hospital, the Wcslcyan Institution, the Roman Catholic Church, and the Windmill on the hill, with Mount Eden in the back ground are the most jn-omincnt objects. Approaching the shore, Official Bay, commanded by St.*" Paul's Church, and with its detached cottage-like houses built on a sheltered slope, each snugly nestled in the luxuriant shrubbery of its surrounding gai Iden, looks pretty and picturesque. Commercial Bay, seen from the water, presents the appearance of a large Town, having a mass of houses closely packed together. Mechanics' bay is as yet but little built upon ; a large rope-walk, a shipbuilder's yard, a native hostelry, and a few small shops are the only buildings. This Bay is the principal place of encampment for the natives visiting Auckland in their canoes ; hero they land their native produce, in fine weather bivouacing- in the open air, or under their sail-made tents ; and, in bad weather, seeking shelter in the neighbouring hostelry. Freeman's Bay, to the westward of Commercial Bay, is occupied chiefly by saw-pits, brick-kilns, and boat-builder's yards. The piincipal streets are Princes-street, Shortland Crescent, Queen-street, and Wakefieldstreet. The first is a broad, straight, spacious, well-made stivet, on a gentle slope; St. Paul's Church, the Treasury and the 13ank, and the Masonic Hotel are its principal buildings. Shortland Crescent, which connects Princes-street with Queen-street, is built on rather a steep ascent. It is less broad than Princes-street, but much longer. On one side it is almost wholly built upon ; shops and stores are hero to be found of every description, and of varioivi forms and style. No attempt at uniformity has been made; every one has built according to his means, fancy, or the size and shape of his ground. The only approach to uniformity is in the matciial —with a lew exceptions, all aie of wood. The road »\\iy of the street is an even McAdamized surface ; but no attempt bat. yet been made to form foot-paths on a general level. Some of the shops would not disgrace a small provincial town in England , but taken altogether as a street, Shortland Crescent is irregular and unftnish cd. Queen-street is the least built upon, but in other respects it is the bc<>t and most considerable street in Auckland. It is about half a mile long, nearly level, and almost straight, and terminates at its northern extremity in a pier or quay, which runs into the Harbour, and alongside of which small craft can land, on this stage, their cargoes. At its southern extremity it is overlooked by the Wesleyan Seminary, or Boarding-school for the education of the children of the missionaries in these seas —a spacious brick-built and substantial structure. The Gaol is badly situated, and is by no means a conspicuous building; but by a diligent scaich it may be found on the west side of Queen-street, partly screened from view by the Court-House and Police-office, which abut, immediately upon the street. Several shops of superior description, two and three stories high, have recently been erected, and Queen-street, as well as being the longest, is certainly just now one of the most improving streets in Auckland. Wukofield-strect asceiuta from its southern extremity xmtil it joins the Cemetery-road ; and is the newest and most increasing street in the town. Many of the houses are built of brick, and it already bears a considerable resemblance to a new street in the outskirts of a modern English town. The want of a Government llouso is a serious drawback. Even beyond the circle of the visiting world, the destruction of the Old House has been, in every respect a public loss. Few men possess in their own persons qualities of an order so commanding- as to fit them to represent Majesty without the aid of its outward trappings. The want of a suitable residence, operates injuriously on society in many respects : it is a loss to the public, a detriment to the place, and a heavy blow and great discouragement " to that dignity which ought to hedge about" the Queen's Vicegerent. The grounds on which the Old House stood, is planted w ith English oaks and other trees, which already afford both shade and shelter ; the lawn and walks arc neatly kept; the situation is pretty and convenient, commanding a view of the Flag-staff, and of the entrance into the Harbour ; it is close to the Town, too, Avithout being of the town ; and it excites in all who take an interest in the place a feeling of regret that it has not yet been restored to its legitimate purpose. The most considerable public buildings are the Britomarfc and Albert Barracks, having- together accommodation for neaily 1000 men. The former are built on the extremity of the headland dividing Official from Commercial B ly, and form a conspicuous, but by no means an ornam >nlai feature. The buildings are solid and subst inlial, mostly of scoria—a dark, giey, sombre colouied stone, —square, heavy-looking and unsightly, 'iho Albert Barracks, Hie larger of the tsvo, are built upon the same lidg-c, but about a (juurtci 1 ot a mile inland. The Stores, 110 .pital, Magazine, and Commissariat OHiees are built of seoiia. The rest of the buildings are of wood, plain in style, and of a sombre colour. The vaiious buildings, together with the parado-ground, occupy several acres, the whole of which is surrni-idul by a strong scoria vail, about h in or twelve f.(' high, loop-holed, and witli flanking angles. The position of the Albert J>a>racks is holf.ny and cheerful, ovuilooking tho Town and lla'iour, and commanding an extensive view of tlio carrounding 1 country ; but b,'inr> comrnnirled by a lising ground within a few huiuLcd viuK and being within view from ships in the JLu'»oui, and within range of their shot and shell, tho site, in a military point of view, is n»>l happily chosen. Although much more expensive tluui thoie at Wellington, the Auckland Bariaeks have by no means the saino neat, cheerful, and comp'ict appearance. Jt Is not nrdnM. 1 how-

ever IH it so L'>-ge a p ntion of almost levl q round will ibv many yo MiiM ii be allowed to be taken from the bite of a, town having too generally a broken and uneven surface. Seen fioni tlic neighboiultood of St. Paul\ Church, the Ilu'liour pvesents the appearance of a land-locked, liki'-liko, sliot tof water : the Flag-staff Hill, and North I Lad of mound-liko form, bound it on tin 1 lolt. O\er the low nock of land which connects thorn app.ms the rugged volcano inland of Rmgitoto, with its tiiplo peaks ; in front arc the inlands of Motukoria and Waiheki, forming the middle distance, v. ith the range of high land which dhides the Gulf of the Thames from the open sea, and which terminates in Capo Colville, forming the back ground. On the right, the outline is, broken by numorous little bays, and the low lieidlanJs which divide them ; the Sentinel Rock forming at all times a conspicuous object. On the shore of the Haibour on which the Town ib built, the water is shoal, and its several bays, at low water, Jive left uncovered. J<><cept at high-water the landing generally along the shore is inconvenient. Kor several yeais, Auckland, in this respect, enjoyed a bad preeminence ; but the reproach has at length been removed by the erection of a noat wooden jetty, live hundred feet in length, which affords n convenient boat landing-place at nearly all times of the tide. It also forms an ornamental feature in Official Bay, and afibids to the public an agreeable promenade. At a shoit distmee from the foot of the pier is a hiiek-lniUt tank, supplied by a spring of excellent watei. Pipes are laid on to the tank, and run along to the extremity of the pier, where water-casks can be filled and taken off to the shipping at all times of Llie tide. A quay or landing-place is also in couibe of construction in Commercial Bay, along4dj of which vessels in the coasting trade will be able to land and to take in th air cai-goos. On the North Shove — across the harbour, opposite the town, distant somewhat less than a mile — the water deepens rapidly, the landing is good, and the shore is a diy, clear, shelly beach. There arc no port charges, harbour dues, or taxes levied on shipping ; and the harbour is open to all the world to enter and depart fiee of any charge. There is a pilot, but it is optional w ith maotei'a of vossels to employ him. Jf not employed, no pilotage is chargeable. The port is supplied with almost everything necessary for refitting and refreshing vessels — 'md both ships' stores and provisions can be obtained at a moderate price." The Waitemata is well adapted for boat-sailing-. Canoes from all parts of the Gulf arc continually arriving and depaiting ; and with ncaily a hundred vessels from distant ports — upwarcL of four hundred coasters — and nearly two thousand canoes yearly entering thepoit, its sheltered waters present a lively, business-like appearance. But never, perhaps, is it seen to so great an advantage as when once or tv. ice a ) ear th? native chief T.iraia and his tribe, from the eastern boundary of the Gulf, pay Auckland a vibit in their licet of fort)' sail of well-manned war canoes. Drawing them up in a line upon the beach, and with their masts and sails pitching- a Jong line of various figured tents, they encamp themselves for several dayi — and the neighbourhood of their camping ground presents the appearance of a fair. Pigs and potatoes, wheat, maize, melons, grapes, pumpkins, onions, flax, turkip-s, gees?, ducks, fowls, and firewood are exposed for sale in great abundance, and meet with a ready market. Bat the money they receive in payment docs not leave the town. .For several d,v\ 3, the shops end btores arc frequented by careful, curious, keencyed custom eis. Their "shopping" ended, they I take their departure with the first fair wind, laden with spades, blankets, ironware, and clothing of various kinds ; their fleet departing, homeward bound, in a body as it came, extendingthemselves over the sin fate of the harbour, w ith their many-shaped bails of mat and canvass widespread to catch the western bi.v-^e. But to the lover of the picturesque, the Waitem.ita, except at particular seasons, presents no great attiaction. Superior as it is in it- useful qualities, in beauty of mttu;«»l sc-jic-ry it Is vciy far inferior to the harbour of Port Nicholson. The country around Auckland being-, for the most part, level and open, the natural features of the country are neither bold nov picturesque. Still the harbour is by no meons devoid of natural beauty. Commonly there is an excess of wind ; but not unfrcqucntly, and in the winter .season paitieulaily, a pcifcct calm for 1 time prevails — \\ ith a deep but soft blue sky, studded here and there with fWds of snow-white silvery clouds, seen through 'a glistening- atmosphere. Thus seen, the Waifcematn presents a landscape of placid beauty which, it would tax the imagination 10 surpass. On such a day the sails and jigging of the ships are mirrored in the glassy surface of the water, each, in itoolf, foiming a picture like a :( painted ship upon a painted ocean." The glasslike smoothness of the water, being rippled only by boats and canoes lightly skimming here and there upon its azure surface. With such a scene to gaze upon, devoid as it is of striking features, and deriving its charms solely from light, colouring, and repose, the mind is fJlcd with the fulness of its beauty. Bat this glistcmV>- calm is tlic btive i'overunnei* of u sioi-m. Sliorfc-livccl, lllce all exceeding human loveliness, the unearthly brightness of tho scene is sure, ere long, to be followed by a boisterous storm of wind or rain. The Suburban Distiict comprises the rising ground hy which the town is sheltered. IFa-ity of the choicest spots are already occupied by neat-looking private houses. Overlooking tho town and the harbour — and commanding a view of the Gulf, with the "Great Barrier" and " Little Barrier" Islands in the far distance, and the nearer islands which give shelter to the Waitemata — these rising grounds possess numerous pretty sites. But generally speaking the scenery in this district is neither bold nor picturesque ; and is altogether unlike the geneial character of New Zealand scenery — comparatively bare of trees, and distinguished only by the number of its volcanic hills. The surrounding country is open, undulating — intersected in all directions by the numciom civeks of the Waitemata and the Mauukau, and eioily available for agricultural purposes ; but it presents few of the characteristics oi a Now Z.akftul landscape, and it has nothing to maik it as a foreign countiy. Nor should the scenery of New Zealand be hastily judged : for no comparison can properly be made of the scenery of countries occupying the opposite extremes of cultivation, except as to natural features. Jt would bemiie^sonable, for instance, to compare the jungle forests, the fern clad hills, and the swampy plains of a new and unsettled country, with the rich pastures, the gieen meadows, the fore.t glades, and tho highly cultivated features of an tingUMi landscape. LJut in beauty of na+mol scenery 1 think New Zealand will bear comparison witli England in most of its principal features — moiu.tain, ri/cr, coast, and iuubour. Tlkvo k noihir;; in KijgHnd, for instance, to equal the suow-ck"!, Mlvuy-pojU d Mount Egmont — or the Alpine j.mil/s of the Houihei a inland. T,w lower ,' v i oi iho W/ik ito Itivcr — the upp<->r ioa< he. oi tliC Tiu.iru-. — - ! iv scenery about Iho narrow pr>-s of flic Aif in i>.vtu — and the wild grandeur of the Wt noauui, fully

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