New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, February 5, 1848.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 263, 5 February 1848, Page 2

New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, February 5, 1848.

Bt the Julia, which arrived yesterday from Hobart Town, we have received English dates to the 29th September, extracts from which will be found in this day's Spectator.

New Magistrates. — The names of the following gentlemen have been added to the Commission of the Peace for the Southern Province:— W. Hickson, W. Fitzherbert, A. Ludlam, A. Hort, and H. T. Kemp, Esquires, of Wellington ; and G, Rees, Esq., of Wanganui.

The Raymond arrived on Wednesday evening from Twofold Bay, after a passage of seventeen days, with a cargo of cattle and horses, imported by G. M'Clymont, Esq., which have arrived in excellent order, having only lost four out of 254 head of cattle, and one horse out of 28. We believe the

cargo wa3 originally intended for Aucklan d, but the wind proving fair for Port Nicholson the stock has been brought to this market. The Raymond experienced Borne heavy weather during the passage, particularly about a week back from the eastward.

Sale op Stock. — We wish to direct particular attention to the important sale of stock, per Raymond, advertised for Thursday next; we are glad to find Mr. M'Clymont still continuing to visit our port, and feel confident that all country settlers who are desirous of increasing the stock on their farms, will seldom meet with so good an opportunity, the stock in question having been selected with the greatest care, and having been brought down in first-rate condition.

We are sorry to have to record a most destructive fire that happened on Wednesday last, at Hawkshead farm, the residence of Mr. Swainson, near the Hutt Bridge. About one o'clock in the afternoon a volume of smoke was seen to issue from the kitchen chimney, in that building which comprised the store and dining rooms, the flames run over the roof with great rapidity, it being of straw, and the whole was soon enveloped in flames. There being no labourers on the spot, Mr. Swainson and a servant girl c imbed at first upon the roof, with buckets of water, but finding all efforts to arrest the flames were utterly useless they quickly descended, in doing which Mr. S. expeiienced a severe fall. By this time the neighbours assembled from all quarters, and with axes and spars broke down the wooden passage that connected these rooms with the main building. Fortunately this was effected before the flames had advanced so far, but everything in the above rooms excepting the books and pictures were destroyed. Provisions for near six months, consisting of flour, bacon, tea, sugar, &c, with the whole of the kitchen and table furniture, the agricultural implements and whatever was absolutely necessary to a farm was destroyed. Added to this all the ready money provided to pay the approaching harvest was either lost in the fire, or (as is suspected) was stolen from a work-box, together with an opal and diamond ring, a gold pair of spectacles, and some other valuables. Numbers of women and children, in fact, were assembled as idle spectators, some of whom were found rummaging the few things snatched from the flames. The men, however, particularly corporal Dawney, and two privates of the 65th, and all the immediate settlers, exerted themselves to the utmost, and Mr. Swainson particularly wishes to name two of these Messrs. Greathead & Morehouse, just settled as blacksmiths in the neighbourhood, who, being strangers, could not be supposed to feel the same interest in the business as those who had so long known Mr. Swainson on the spot. None of these would accept of any payment for their arduous services ; but not so the natives, a large number of whom came to the spot as lookers on only, and one demanded utu for conveying a lady (Mrs. Stillings) across the river in a canoe that she might more speedily lend her assistance; this is quite consistent with the native character. The losses thus experienced by this unfortunate settler cannot be estimated under £230, independent of a most valuable cabinet of exotic insects containing nearly one thousand specimens, whose least value in Europe would have been little short of £125 . — Communicated.

Programme of the Performance by the Band of the 65th Regiment at Thorndon Flat, on Tuesday, the Bth February : — 1. Overture — Ines de Castro Donizetti 2. Aria — Io Te Veggio — Marino FalieroDonizet'i 3. Quadiille — Les Diamans de la CouroDiie Mohr 4. Duett — Well, if I must speak my mmd — Siege of Rochelle Ba\fe 5. Waltzer — Pilger au Rhein Pelerin 9. O Gloria d' Onente oh di son Fortuna — Malek Adel Casta 7. Galop Brepsjttt 8. Polka Luiter