AUCKLAND.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume II, Issue 97, 4 July 1846, Page 3

AUCKLAND.

Loss or the Barque " Mary Catherine." — On the 25th April, the fine barque Mart/ Catherine, Capt. Howlett, 400 tons, left Auckland, for the Port of Kaipara, on the western coast, to take in a valuable cargo of spars for England. It is with regret, we have to announce that advices were received last Sunday, overland, with account of the Mary Catherine having been driven on a sand-bank in the harbour of Kaipara, after parting from the chain and warps, in that most tremendous gale which" occurred during the night of Saturday, the 9th May. It is most satisfactory to state, that no lives were lost, and that what cargo there was on board of copper, oil, flax, and kauri gum, will be saved. The Mary Catherine arrived off the hafbour of Kaipara, on the afternoon of the sth May, when she lay to until the following morning, Wednesday, the 6th ; — when she entered the heads, with a north-east breeze, and worked in, beautifully, between the shoals. The Tory shoal was weathered at 5 p.m., and she anchored at 7 p.m., in nine fathoms water, off Point Dawson : she remained at this anchorage until Saturday, the 9th, when, at 3 p.m., as the barometer was rapidly falling and the weather bore a very threatening aspect, the barque got under weigh, blowing hard at south-west, under double-reefed topsails ; but at the first cast of the lead the water shoaled from six to two fathoms, and she immediately struck. However, the stream anchor was immediately got out ahead, with 140 fathoms of good warps, and she was hove off into six faihoms water ; but the breeze increasing to a perfect gale, it was impossible to get her into deep water, and the larboard chain was veered out, until her heel was in, three fathoms water, and still holding on the warps. The gale during the night increased to a perfect hurricane, and continued until the following Wednesday, with increasing violence. On Monday; the 11th, the ship parted fromboth warps and chain, and was driven high on the sahd-bankl It being then the full moon, the spring tides added to the force of the gale, forced the vessel higher on the bank. A survey has been held on board "the vessel by the captains of the other ships in the harbour of Kaipara, and it has been found that the expense of getting her off and subsequent repairs, in Kaipara, where there are so few facilities as well as inhabitants, will be so great, that it will be more to the interest of the underwriters and all parties' concerned, that the vessel should be publicly sold as she now lies.

Captain Fitzroy's Ten Shilling, and Penny an Acbe Proclamations. — From the Ne*o Zealander we learn that notices have been published in the Government Gazette to the effect " that those who purchased under the Proclamation of the 26th March, 1844, by which a fee of ten shillings per acre was reserved to the Crown, are to submit all their documents lelative to such pu r chases, to the examination of Commissioners, on or before the 15th September, and, when approved, confirmatory grants Irom the Crown will be issued on application in writing to the Surveyor-General : — that all persons who purchased from the natives under the Proclamation of 10th October, 1844, which redufced the fee to one penny per acre, are also to submit their papers and deeds to the same Commissioners — but no further steps will be taken, with regard to such purchases, until the views of her Majesty's Government, at home, upon the subject have been ascertained. " Then follows an official declaration from his Excellency, that he has never acted upon the Proclamation issued upon the 10th day of October, 1844, nor will he entertain or grant any application for waiving the Crown's rightof pre-emption under the terms of such Proclamation^ But his Excellency further declares, tbaThe will not fail to endeavour to devise and introduce some system, by which lands, the property of the natives, may be brought into the market, under such restrictions as may be required by the interests of both races. " These three official documents, therefore, only propose to confirm such purchases of jhose who are subject to the fee of ten shillings per acre, of which four shillings has been already paid, as may be approved by Commissioners ; but there is no mention whatever of the remaining six shillings per acre. " As regards the purchases under the last regulation of one penny per acre, it appears that a rigid scrutiny will be entered into, as the regulations and terms have in many cases been evaded. •' By the Gazette it appears, that under the Proclamation of the 10th October and the 7th December, 1844, the Crown has waived the Tight of pre-emption over above ninety thousand acres, which of course is in the adjacent - districts. ? '* The number of certificates granted under the last proclamation amounts to two hundred ' and fifty." - -

H.M.S. "Osprey."— On the 17th April, Lieut. Benthall, of- H.M.S. Osprey left the wreck of that vessel with some stores in the Neptune, schooner, with four hands, towing the pinnace, intending to make Hokianga. In the evening it fell calm, and Lieut. Benthall in his anxiety to reach Hokianga, began to tow the schooner ; but it is conjectured, that the swell and the surf at the bar, exhausted him and- his men, and that they cast off with the intention of beaching. However the boat was seen the following morning by the natives to upset, about nine miles to the northward of Hokianga. Lieut. Benthall, one seaman, and two boys, of the Osprey, and Mr. Thomas, owner of the Neptune, were drowned, and their bodies had not been discovered when the Adelaide left. The Osprey since slie first struck; has been driven far above high water mark.

Native School s. — Bishop Selwyn, on his late visit into the interior, has established schools in various districts, at which the native children will receive the rudiments of an English education. | At Tauranga, under the superintendence of the !R,ev. C. P. Davies, nearly one hundred native children are daily instructed in the English language ; and in other parts there are proportionate numbers deriving the same advantages. At the Wesleyan Native Institution, at Auckland, a system of Normal education is now pursued, in the English language, which cannot fail to confer incalculable advantages among the natives. There have been at the Institution, eighteen adult pupils, selected from different districts, — Hokianga, Kiapara, ]Vfanukao, Waingaroa, Kawhia, Taranaki and Wellington. They are taught in the English language reading, writing, and arithmetic ; and they evince great aptitude for learning. To those that disclose a desire for more extended knowledge, it is intended to teach other branches of useful education — as geography, &c, Besides the routiue of scholastic duties, these adults are likewise instructed to reflect as to their conduct, both morally as well as" religiously. During the hours not appropriated to study, they cultivate the land actached to the institution, by which means they are initiated in the European system of agriculture, while at the same time they raise provisions for their owxt consumption. At the expiration of a certain term, they leave the Institution and return to their respective tribes, to act as teachers of their own people, and from their knowledge and education, the seeds of Christianity and civilization will thus be widely propagated.