New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Wednesday, December 27, 1848.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume V, Issue 355, 27 December 1848, Page 2

New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Wednesday, December 27, 1848.

The proceedings of the Legislative Council on Saturday are of unusual interest and'importance. The communication made by the '' Governor-in-Chief, in answer to the address of the Council, with his subsequent explanations, present =a clear and satisfactory outline of the nature of the recommendations made by shim to the Home Government, and_ of his intended plan for the future form of Representative Government to. be established in these Islands. We shall enter fully, in our next number, into the consideration of Ihe policy suggested by his Excellency.

Intelligence was received on Saturday of the loss of the cutter Hero, at a place called the Little River, to the south of Cape Campbell. The accident occurred from a sudden shift of .the wind during, the night which drove the vessel ashore., 4^l hands were saved ; the cargo, which consisted of oil -and pork, was saved. " vl '

A general Court Martial assembled in Wellington on the 18th inst., by order of Lieut.-'Goldnel M'Cleverty, for the trial- of all such prisoners as might be brought be^ fore it, Major Johnston, 65th Regt., President, Captain O'Connell, 65th Regiment, acting as Deputy Judge Advocate.

The Government Brig Victoria arrived yesterday from Auckland ; she has been off the Heads for the last few days. Our dates from Auckland are to the 9th instant. From the l\'ew Zealander we have obtained some English news of a later date than had previously been -received.

His Excellency Sir George Grey sails this day for Nelson in H.M.S. Fly, on his return to Auckland-

Cricket. — A very interesting match was played yesterday on Thorndon Flat, between the 65th regiment, and the Navy, the Commissariat, Ordnance, and other departments., .The game was most closely contested, and ended by the 65th winning~by one run. The following is the amount of the score on either side. ' 65th Regt., Jst Innings, 71.— 2nd do., 101. Total, 172. Navy and Departments,, |st Innings, 81 — 2nd do., 90, Total 171. The return match will be played on Thorndon Flat this day. The 65th Regiment have also challenged .the Civilians to a match which will copcfe off, we understand, onJSTew Year's Day. Wickets to be pitched on Thorndon Flat at 11 o'clock. , , '

A vert neat weather-boarded cottage has been recently built % the Engineer Depart-

ment; on a portion of the section on which the gun shed stands, for the use of the natives employed on the excavations ori Mount Cook, preparatory to the erection of the new barracks. There are about twenty natives who have, for some months past, been in the service of this department, and the building is calculated to accommodate that number of persons. The entrance door opens into a large central room intended for their living apartment';- this is furnished with a brick fireplace and an oven, a large table is placed in the centre of the room with benches on either side ; five sleeping rooms, each capable of accommodating four maories, open into this room. The sleeping rooms are fitted up with berths similar to a ship's cabin. The greater part of the work has been executed by the natives themselves under European direction and superintendence. A portion of the ground has been enclosed with a fence, as a garden, which the natives intend to plant with potatoes. They took possession of their new dwelling on Christmas Day and, we understand, had a regular house warming on the occasion, having provided the materials for the feast themselves. The idea of ttiese cottages is a very happy one, and may he usefully imitated, particularly in country districts ; it would be very beneficial in teaching the natives to abandon their' present nuts for more healthy dwellings ; we hope this cottage will serve as a useful, model, which will, be repeated on some of the different native reserv.es and cultivations in the vicinity of. the town. , It serves to show how ready the natives are' to adopt any plans forthe improvement of their condition, if they meet with a little kindly assistance and encouragement. ,