New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Wednesday, September 29, 1847.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 226, 29 September 1847, Page 2

New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Wednesday, September 29, 1847.

Among the few efforts at local improvement made by Major Richmond while he held the office of Superintendent was an attempt to establish, a market in Wellington. The want of this accommodation had been sensibly felt, and the failure of the attempt was occasioned, not by any indifference on the part of the public, but by the infelicitous execution of the project. The market was established in an inconvenient situation, removed from the general thoroughfare, and the rents required for the stalls were fixed at too high a rate, so that the market speedily fell into disuse. Three yeais have elapsed since the period we have alluded to, and in this interval the wants of the community have increased : men -of-war frequent the harbour, the amount of commercial shipping is greater than at that period, and a considerable body of troops are stationed in the town; thus additional inducements exist for arepetition of the experiment, and apromise of greater success, if it be conducted in a prudent and businesslike manner. The site chosen for the market should be close to some well frequented thoroughfare, in the way of all comers, and the rates, at first, should be fixed so low as to be almost nominal. These two conditions are indispensable to success, and the failure of the former attempt may be chiefly attributed to the neglect of them. After the market is well established, and has become a constant place of resort for the public, after its advantages are duly appreciated, then the rates may be fixed at such an increased scale as to become a source of revenue, but the first consideration in its establishment should be an attempt to provide for the public convenience. If we were to select a site possessing the necessary requisites, we should point to the ground in front of the Public Reserve on part of which the Scotch Church is built ; a space sufficient for the purposes of a market could be reclaimed from the sea, and a public landing place or wharf constructed, which would afford additional convenience to the shipping frequenting the harbour and to those settlers

living in the Hutt who might wish to bring their produce by water. The expense of establishing the market in the first instance need not be very great, a wooden building of moderate dimensions which would afford shel-^ ter from the weather is all that would be required. The cost of its erection should be undertaken by the Government, and the rents derived from the stalls, should be devoted to the repayment of this outlay, and on the liquidation of this amount, the rents might be devoted either to the enlargement and improvement of the market, or to other local improvements. After the original outlay had been repaid, the market should be placed under the control and management of the municipality ot Wellington. What we are anxious to see is a beginning, because we are confident that a market properly established will be found a great convenience to the country settlers, — the producers, — and also to the inhabitants of Wellington, — the consumers of their produce.

Intelligence was received by the Hero, which arrived on Monday, of the wreck of the Lowestoft at the Chatham Island on the 31st August. The Lovestoft (which was under the command of Capt. Price) was leaving Wangaroa harbour on her return to Port Nicholson, when the vessel, in tacking, missed stays, and the wind blowing strong from the south, she went on the rocks. It is thought that she may be floated off by means of casks, and the Hero returns to the Chatham Isiand with sufficient casks in order that the attempt may be made. Great complaints are made of the lawless state of the white persons living there ; the only apprehensions entertained of ill usage or robbery by those on board the Lowestoft were from these persons, not from the natives, who behaved exceedingly well and offered all the assistance in their power. The persons alluded to are mostly runaway sailors, and are such bad characters that Pomare will not allow them to live in his pa. It has often been proposed that a man of war should visit that island occasionally, for the purpose of establishing some degree of order there ; and if the Racehorse were sent there, and her Captain made one of the magistrates of the territory, we believe it would be attended with the best effect. The Hero had an unusually long passage back of fourteen days, during which she experienced very heavy weather having had her bulwarks washed away and other damage done, so that the late rough gales appear to have been generally felt. The natives at the Chatham Island are growing a large quantity of wheat this year, and are desii ous of making arrangements to have it sent to Wellington to be ground, and to be returned to them in the shape of flour. The German missionaries residing there have constructed the machinery for a windmill, and are making preparations for the erection of the building, so that in another year the natives will be enabled, to have their wheat ground on the spot.

The Frolic arrived on Saturday with the mail from Sydney, including the English May mail for these settlements by the Sydney Post-office packet Sterling. Private letters have been received from England, dated Ist May, stating that the Ralph Bernal had been spoken with by a homeward bound vessel. The Saghalien, which was to sail for these settlements about the middle of May. is now due, and may be daily expected.

First Trial op the Inhalation ov Sulphuric Ether in Port Nicholson. — On Monday Dr. Fitzgerald, Dr. Monteith, and Mr. Marriott the ingenious constructor of the inhaling apparatus used on the occasion, proceeded to the gaol to try the efficacy of the new discovery on one of the prisoners who wished to have a tooth extracted; the apparatus was applied to the patient's mouth, and after inhaling some time without any effect, Mr. Marriott altered the instrument, when the desired effect almost immediately followed, the patient falling into a state of insensibility; the forceps were then applied, but the tooth being decayed, the side of it fell in from the pressure, and the effect of the ether immediately went off. Dr. Fitzgerald said that if the tooth had not broken, or with a properly fitting claw (the tooth being the furthest in the upper jaw, to which in some cases it is very difficult to apply the instrument), the tooth would have been extracted without any pain. The same day at the Native Hospital Dr. Fitzgerald, assisted by Dr. Monteith, removed a large tumour extending from the top of the left shoulder across the back to the right shoulder blade, from a native chief of

Waikanae who had come to Dr. Fitzgerald for that purpose. Several of the natives 01 Pipitea pa were present. Mr. Marriott applied the inhaling apparatus to the patient, an old man, who soon went off into the usual state, and Dr. Fitzgerald commenced the operation : the patient was- insensible until after the third incision, but quickly recovered from the effects of the ether, which was not reapplied: the tumour was verylarge, being about three pounds in weight. Other medical gentlemen were to have been present, but as the native expressed great anxiety to return home, and every thing was in readiness, it was not deemed adviseable to postpone the operation. As this is the first instance of the application of the new discovery in this settlement, and the apparatus for inhaling was constructed merely from the descriptions which have appeared in the English papers, a good deal of caution was observed in each case, particularly in the latter, for fear of any unfavourable effect on the native mind in the erent of a failure of the experiment': sufficient success, however, has attended the trial to warrant greater confidence in a repetition of the experiment.

Programme of this day's Performance by the Band of the 65th Regiment : — 1. Overture, Don Pasquale Donizetti. 2. Cavatina, Coradiuo Rossini. 3. Quadrille, Lucia de Lammermoor..ikfoAr. 4. Cavatina,ViviTu,TeNeScongiuro\ n . ... Anna Bolena J 5. Pas dcs Fleurs Valses Maretzek. 6. Elfin Rutscher Gallop Meyer. 7. Cottage Polka Dr..Calcott.