AUCKLAND. [From the New Zealander, May 5.]

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume V, Issue 402, 9 June 1849, Page 3

AUCKLAND. [From the New Zealander, May 5.]

After a day of unusual loveliness, Saturday closed with a louiing evening; — a tempest of the heaviest and roost constant rain being prefaced by an angry storm of thunder and lightning. During the night, or rather during the early part of Sunday morning, heaven's flood-gates were thrown open, and torrents ol rain descended. The hills surrounding Queen-street were swept ; every rut became a rivulet, aud each rivulet poured its noisome current into the unequal channel of the Queen- street ditch — we beg pardon-— canal — this gaping and perilous enormity, being dignified, we believe, with the latter distinguishing appellation. At the height of the filthy, street-sweeping flood — for rain is sole scavenger for Auckland as well as for Lisbon — and when the ditch was pouring its contaminations towards the sea, the torrent became suddenly pent up, and its waters were forced back upon the low lying roadway, because, forsooth, canoes, boats, rafts, and other miscellaneous nuisances, had (according to custom) been permitted to block the embouchure of this city's sink. The turbid current thus checked was constrained, with its accumulated and pestiferous collections, to make inroad upon every cellar and underground nook, of the Queenstreet premises, pouring thence into lanes and backyards, and leaving deposits, whose hideous character, under the influence cf sun and wind, are likely to prove the most active agents of disease and death. We visited more than one of those contagious spots, and

could not but compassionate the tenants exposed to soch pollution. In tbe principal street of a principal city, we never saw so much filthy ruin. That brook of abomination — the canal — overstepped all bounds, breaking in its banks, and sweeping aside those beautiful bridges which lead to the shops of Messrs. Saiierbier, Snodgrass, and others ; dangerous traps we should be inclined to designate them, and, in the dark fraught with imminent peril to all passengers. But last week, a rotten plank gave way beneath the foot of Mr. Ridings, and, but that that gentleman was walking slowly at the lime, the probability is, that his leg would have been broken. On Saturday evening, we are told, a man and woman (perfectly sober) fell into this canal opposite Mr. Bucklaud's shop, and were severely cut and bruised. Indeed, it is a dangerous and a disgusting nuisance throughout its fetid course ; so unbearably so, that we implore the auchorities to lose no time in clearing its channel, walling up its banks, and covering in its aromatic stream. Footpaths are sadly at a discount in the streets of Auckland. A letter, dated 15th December, in lat. 32° S. lon. 39' W. t has been received in Auckland, from H.M.S. Dido, which sailed hence on tbe Ist of November. On the 28th of that month she rounded Cape Ho»n, and on the 2nd of December, anchored in the Falkland Islands. Her ruti, it will be seen, was one of extraordinary speed.