New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, December 9, 1848.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume V, Issue 350, 9 December 1848, Page 2

New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN . Saturday, December 9, 1848.

We have re-published in our present numberthe report of the Board appointed by the Government to inquire into the amount of da--mage occasioned by the late earthquakes. The report is carefully drawn up and gives a plain statement of facts ; the total damage is estimated at £15,000, the buildings belonging to the Government which have been injured or destroyed, being estimated at £4500 or nearly one-third of the whole amount. The report refers to a list of the buildings injured by the late earthquakes, prepared by Serjeant Mills of the Armed Police, which has been published in the Auckland Government Gazette of Nov. 20th, from this and from other sources of information we arrive at the following results :—: — The number of buildings l with clay , walls slightly injured by the late earthquakes is ,ejght, the number of buildings with clay walls either destroyed or so seriously injured as to render a reconstruction of the walls necessary is twenty-two ; of brick buildings the total number slightly injured is eighteen, of those either destroyed or seriously injured^ t^he number is twenty- seven ; these results, together with the amount estimated . by the Board; viz., £10^500 (deducting th'V value of the Government buildings) y serve to show - the, actual loss sustained by the settlers from' the. late calamity. r V A despatch from his Excellency the Lieufeniant- Governor, dated October. 29th, is also published in the Auckland Government Gazette, previously referred to, in which the views expressed in the first despatches are considerably modified, and in which his Excellency speaks of r the revival of public confidence, and the commencement made in clearing away the fallen buildings, and in the erection of new "ones, ,and concludes by promising in a future despatch "to afford f^Lher.^ a j|l fintere'sting ' details " to those previously furnished! -\- »

the appointment of the noif-^fficial n^qo** bers of the Council, but we refrain, in the" present stage of proceedings, from entering into any discussion connected with the subject.

I A fatal accident occurred on Wednesday last to Mr. Ewen Cameron, who resided on the road to Kaiwarra. On his return home about eight o'clock in the eveaing.in walking too .near :the edge of the^sjeep ravine or gulley in fro Tit of iii's'hoiißer his foot unfortunately slipped, and he fell head foremost, and his .head striking, s* piece of rock'he Was"killed on the 1 £pot. The body, was discovered by his family the next morning lyinefm the' ravine. An inquest was held on the body by Dr. Fitzgerald the Coroner, yesterday, when ji verdict of Acci- ; dental Death was returned. The deceased was very much and deservedly respected as an honest man and an industrious settler, | and had brought up -a very numerous family | with great credit arid propriety. I

We are informed that the prisoner Larkins made his esgapje/ not from the police, but from the keeper of the gaol, into whose cujstody he had 'been delivered. <

Programme of the Perfor'-mance by the Band of the 65th Regiment,, at Thorndon Flat, on Tuesday, Jthe 12th December: — 1. Overture — Les Martyrs. ...;..; . . Bonnizetti 2. Selection — I Lombardi '. . .. Verdi 3. The Phantom Dancers' Quadrille . . Jullien 4. La Mazurka D'Extase Be Pugni 5. Pas dcs Fleurs Waltz MaretzeTe 6. Selection — Daughter St. Mark ... Balfe 7. Galop Boieldieu 8. Petersburg^ Polka Lanner