New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Wednesday, July 26, 1848.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 312, 26 July 1848, Page 2

New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Wednesday, July 26, 1848.

The Osprey, which arrived on Sunday night, has at length brought a mail from Auckland for the Southern Settlements. The mail was unusually large, comprising the letters and newspapers which have been accumulating for the last three months at Auckland. We have often had reason to complain of the Post-office regulations, which formerly caused all the New Zealand mails to be sent to the Postmaster-General at Auckland. These regulations have in part been altered ; and for some time past the English mails for the Southern Settlements, by the Sydney Post-office packets, have been forwarded direct to Wellington, instead of via Auckland. We could wish this regulation obtained generally with respect to the colonial mails, as we find our Adelaide newspapers still continue to be sent to Auckland, where they remain until they are out of date, and are charged double postage on their transmission to Wellington. The news from Auckland is not of particular interest. The chief incident is the unfortunate destruction by fire of the Government House at Auckland, and we are sure the settlers in the Southern settlements will unite in their sympathy with those at Auckland at the inconvenience and loss sustained by his Excellency the Governor and I Mrs. Grey by this most unfortunate accident. Happily no lives are lost, and we may hope that the structure to be raised in place of the expensive and ill contrived building which has fallen a sacrifice to the flames, may be a credit to the colony, and at least worth the money to be expended on it ; which is more than could be said of the building which has just been destroyed. The convict Burns was executed on the 17th June for the murder of Lieutenant Snow and family "after making a full confession of his guilt. In the case of the Queen v. G. Clarke the judgments of his Honor the Chief Justice, and that of Mr. Justice Chapman, were in favor of the defendant, and affirmed the legality of the grant issued by Captain Fitzroy. As the case is of considerable importance we shall in our next number reprint these judgments.

The Dido arrived from Sydney June 29, and returned to her old anchorage, where, if we may judge from the past, she is likely to remain until the time of her commission expires. The natives appear quiet and contented at the North, and throughout New Zealand generally affairs wear a peaceful aspect, the great want appears to he more labour, —immigration on extended scale, — to render the country prosperous and productive.

dumber of accounts brought forward 84 „ „ opened during quarter 15 99 dumber of accounts closed during quarter. . 12 87, 18 accounts have been opened by individuals (seven of them being aboriginal natives of New Zealand), which accounts amount to the sum of . . . . £596 19 7 •0 accounts have been opened by parties in trust for others (one such trust being for certain aboriginal natives of New Zealand), in the sum of 186 3 0 9 accounts have been opened in the names of friendly and benevolent societies, &c, in the sum of 414 17 7 7 £1,198 0 2

Statement of the Wellington Savings Bank for the quarter ending June 30, 1848 :—: —

'unded Government debentures bearing 8 per cent, interest, reckoned at par £1,242 3 9 Jash in Union Bank of Australia. ... 177 16 6 £1,4,20 0 3 Liabilities. imount of deposits as above £1,198 0 2 Nominal balance in favour of the Bank £222 0 1 J. Woodward, Actuary.

Assets op the Bank.

Dk. To balance of deposits as per last report £1,019 1 8 „ amount of deposits received as under: — April 3, week ending thisday .£3O 10 0 April 10, do. do 117 4 6 April 24, do. do 4 4 11 May 1, do. do 416 0 May 15, do. do 19 15 0 May 29, do. do 31 4 0 June 5, do. do 23 10 0 June 12, do. do 31 0 0 June 19, do. do* 2 4 0 June 26, do. do 2 2 0 . 266 10 >5 Interest added to amounts withdrawn 0 14 1 £1,286 6 0 To interest received from Colonial Treasurer on funded debentures for half year ending March 30, 1848 49 13 1 Less interest and charges paid 21 0 6 28 12 7 „ sundry amounts written off to contingent account as per last report 1 3 9 £1,316 -2 4 Ck. By amounts withdrawn, as under : — April 17, week ending this day. .£450 April 24, do. do. . . 49 18 5 May 1, do. do. . . 2 10 0 May 8, do. do. .. 15 0 0 May 29, do. da. .. 16 4 5 June 19, do. do. .. 0 3 0 June 30, do. do. .. 0 5 0 „ funded debentures on hand as Cost per last report. .Nominal values £1,242 3 9 1,050 0 0 „ cash in Union Bank of Australia 177 16 6 £1,242 3 9 £1,316 2 4 ia-~~ A (W. M. BiNNATTNE, 1 All j. fn _. (Signed | Thos Watebs> \ Auditors. Wellinjfton, 17th July, 1848.

Balance Sheet of the "Wellington Saving Bank for the quarter ending June 30, 1848:—