New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, January 15, 1848.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 257, 15 January 1848, Page 2

New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, January 15, 1848.

It is reported that the works on the Porirua and Hutt roads, which have been for some time past almost suspended,arebythe direction of the Governor-in-Chief to be immediately resumed with fresh vigour ; a number of additional labourers, both European and natives are to "be employed, and every effort is to be made to hasten the execution of the works during the summer. It is hardly necessary to add that this i determination has given very general satisfaction. It was a subject of general regret, that the finest part of the year was allowed to pass away unprofitably, and the completion of these public works so essential to the prosperity of the settlement indefinitely postponed from motives of. false economy. It is absolutely necessary on grounds of public policy and economy that these works should be proceeded with as fast as possible. They are military roads undertaken for the protection of the settlement and approved of by the Colonial Minister ; their execution is consequently, not a question of expense but of time* not how much they will cost but how soon, by means of these roads, the force stationed in this settlement can be rendered most efficient for it* defence, and the danger of fresh disturbances in this- settlement lessened by the increased facilities of conveying stores and pro* visions to the force engaged in suppressing them. For example, the greater part of the supplies for the troops, at Porirua and the adjoining stations is now conveyed in carts by the new road, which is completed as far as Jackson's Ferry, and thence taken byboats to Porirua, so that supplies are now received from Wellington in twenty-four hours, and may be counted upon with great regularity, while before the completion of this road, instances have occurred when, owing to unfavourable weather, the Goverar ment stores sent by sea have been nearly a, fortnight in reaching their destination. If these facilities had existed during the campaign at Horokiwi, how much would have been saved in the transport of stores alone. But if they are regarded on other grounds of public policy, it will hardly be disputed that these roads will have a most beneficial effect in extending cultivation, and In in* creasing the trade between the icttler* and the natives. While the road is only par*

tially finished it is comparatively useless, but let it be completed throughout, and we shall find the natives buying carts as well as horses with their earnings, and bringing their produce in this way to Wellington for sale. The consequence of this increased traffic will be a considerable improvement of the revenue, and the stimulus given to the industry of the natives will render this improvement permanent and progressive, so that it is hardly too much to affirm that these roads will in a very few years from the period of their completion defray the cost of their execution. It must also be remembered that nearly the whole of the money earned by the natives is spent by them either in the purchase of stock or o| ; manufactured articles imported from the mother-country. We haveib" often shewn the utility of these roads as a school of industry for the natives, in rendering them expert in the use of European implements of labour, that it is only necessary briefly to allude to this point. After these roads are completed, the natives employed on them will form a body of trained labourers whose aid will be found most serviceable in clearing and cultivating land, and who will materially reduce the cost of production.

On Wednesday his Excellency the Governor visited the Hutt district and proceeded as far as the second gorge for the purpose of inspecting the progress of the works on the new road. We believe one of the immediate consequences of this visit will be an order for the employment of an additional number of men so as to take advantage of the fine weather in completing this line of road.

On Thursday morning his Excellency the Governor and General Pitt left Wellington in the Inflexible to visit Wanganui. We may presume that a desire to have the opportunity of communicating with the LieutenantGovernor may have furnished an additional motive for his Excellency's sudden departure. Mrs. Grey accompanies the Governor in his visit to Wanganui.

oluc lagt number we inserted the proceedings of the colonists of Wellington adopted for the purpose of commemorating the eighth anniversary of their arrival in New Zealand. Notwithstanding the great privations to which they have been subjected, these proceedings bear a most marked evidence of the feelings of satisfaction with which they regard the day of their landing on these shores and of their determination that the day shall never be forgotten. The publication of these proceedings will apprise the public that these sports and entertainments for the present year are to take place on the old and favourite spot Te Aro. Although this ground is ill adapted for the purpose of an annual jubilee, it was first chosen for that purpose, and on that account the public still cling to it as a first impression. It was the original intention of the Directors of the New Zealand Company in their scheme of the First and Principal Settlement to provide a more eligible site for the recreations of the settlers («. c. the people) ; but their Principal Agent ordered it otherwise, and, instead of placing the people's public reserve, somewhere under Mount Cook, or in the vicinity of Berhampoor Farm, not having the bump of relaxation properly developed, ordered the Town Belt to be laid out on inaccessible hills, where goats only delight to wander ; and even for the present year withholds his support from this eighth anniversary of the arrival of the settlers, confining 'his subscription to the pitiful amount of twenty-one shillings. — (Communicated.}

Box Dbownkd.— On Thursday evening, about seven o'clock, a boat belonging to the Flying Squirrel was upset, and a boy named John Smith belonging to the vessel was unfortunately drowned. The master of the Flying Squirrel and the Bride had landed at Pipitea point in the boat of the former vessel and the master had directed the man and boy who were in her to sail back again. When half way back the boat upset, and the persons in her were immersed in the water. A sailor immediately put off from the Flying Squirrel in a small dingy, and succeeded in keeping the man above water until Clarkson's boat, which as soon as the accident was seen from the shore, repaired to the spot, could render them more effectual assistance. The boy twice tried to save himself by clinging to the man, who twice rose to the surface with him, but he eventually sunk, and his body has not since been found. An anchor weighing about three hundred weight was in the bottom of the boat, and it it supposed that when the boat upset the flakes of the anchor hong to the bows, and dogged her down.

Fm«. — On Thursday night about twelve o'clock, the wooden roof over Mr. "Wilson's brick kiln near Willis- street, caught fire during the absence of the brickmaker in charge of it. The flames soon destroyed the roof, and great apprehensions were entertained that the long wooden shed immediately adjoining, under which the bricks are dried previously to their being burned, would have shared the same fate. By the prompt assistance and praiseworthy exertions however of a detachment of the 65th regiment, who, on the alarm being given, immediately repaired to the spot, the flames were prevented from spreading and the fire extinguished. The new fire engine, which we reported a short time since as having been sent out for the use of this settlement in the Ralph Bernal was on the spot, but owinjr to the want of water there was no opportunity of using it.

Programme of the Performance by the Band of the 65th Regiment at Thorndon Flat, on Tuesday, the 18th January : — 1. Overture de la Pie Voleuse Rossini 2. Pot Pourri to Der Freischutz Weber 3. Quadrille from Gustavus Mohr 4. God Sate the Queen, varied by Weber 5. Queen's Waltzes, by Labitziy 6*. Cavatina — Di piacer mi balza il cor. . Rossini 7. Glocken Galop. Meyer 8. Polka Linter

Balance Sheet of the Wellington Savings Bank for the year ending the 31st December, 1847 :—

Statement of the Wellington Savings Bank for the Quarter ending Dec. 31, 1847: — Number of accounts brought forward. . . . 106 „ „ opened during quarter 2 108 Number of accounts closed and written off 17 Carried forward 91 42 accounts have been opened by individuals (8 of them being aboriginal natives of New Zealand) which 42 accounts amount to the sum of ....£ 684 17 0 41 accounts have been opened by parties in trust for others (1 such trust being for certain aboriginal natives of New Zealand) in the sum of 242 8 11 8 accounts have been opened in the name of Friendly and Benevolent Societies, Sec., in the sum of 306 18 7 91 £1234 4 6 Assets and Liabilities. Funded Government Debentures bearing 8 per cent, interest reckoned at par £1242 3 4 3 months interest due on the above to December 31 24 16 10 Cash in the Union Bank of Australia. . 183 13 4 £ÜbO 13 11 Deduct amount of deposits as above 1234 4 6 Nominal balance in favour of theßankj£ 216 9 5 <i- mA JG«o. Mooms. Signed | Geo HtmTßll> Wellington, 7th January, 1848.

'o interest receired from Colonist Treasury on funded debenture! to Sept. 30, 1547 81 IS * "o sundry small *» mounts of interest unclaimed ............... 1- S 9 £1909 10 7 Cs. }y amounts withdrawn in January ...... 26 t 3 February...... SO 19 0 March „,...... 92 12 4 April .. 4S 5 3 May. 0 0 0June........... 110 0 8 Ju1y ............ 23 « 10 August 139 6 5 September ... 11 3 0 ' October ...... 47 11 3 Norember ... 54 12 1 December ... 57 14 4 512 t 4, ly contingent account, small amounts of unclaimed interet . 13 9 513 8 1 ly balance of interest ■ ■ and charges account, December 31, 1846 ... 17 5 3 ty interest paid or added to accounts as per contra. 45 0 1 ty charges paid in current year................. 23 5.10 „-_ 13 11 2 Nominal yalue. Cost, ly funded debentures held Dec. 31, U«... 439 18 9 364 6 9 ly do., purchased since 902 5 0 785 13 3 1342 3 9 1150 0 0 «ss two debenture! deposited .in Treasury against amount ad- . Tanced by (Sort. _... 100 0 0 100 0 0 1050 0 0 ly cash in Union Bank of Australi* 183 13 4 £ntZ It 41900 10- 7 (SifWd) ( $g£M&«S \ " IGW.1 GW. Hujttbb | Auditor*.

'ointtrMt added to *- moants withdrawn ... 7 19 3 'o interest added to current accounts Dee. 31, 1847 35 0 10 43 0 1 1817 10 7

J->*. 'o balance of deposits Dec. 31, 1846 190 II 10 'o deposits received in January ... 58 19 0 February ...118 3 11 March 28 15 0 April II 5 0 May 112 10 8 June 124 17 4 July 72 19 8 August 141 6 6 September- 53 18 0 October ... 47 10 0 November. 31 3 11 December . 14 * 0 883 It 8