New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Wednesday, July 4, 1849.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume V, Issue 409, 4 July 1849, Page 2

New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Wednesday, July 4, 1849.

Bt the Government brig we have received Auckland papers to, the. 9th ult., from which we have extracte/ia. flail an/1 interesting ac-

count of the late important events in India. A victory had been obtained over the Sikhs at Chilliawallah, which, from the long list of killed and wounded on the part of the British, appears to have been very dearly purchased, while the result is of that doubtful character, that it seems the forerunner of a long and expensive warfare. The intelligence is prior in date to that published in last Saturday's Spectator. By the Havannah the January mail had been received, and English news via Port Phillip to the 27th January, which we pub- rlish as connecting that previously received by the Mazeppa to the 15 th February. The Auckland papers do not contain any domestic news of the slightest interest. A vessel full of passengers had sailed for Caliiornia, and private letters state that several more were expected to follow. The Government brig had a long passage, having experienced very rough weather, in" which she sustained some damage. She sailed yesterday for Nelson, and will return from thence direct to Wellington.

On Monday night, Connolly a private in the light company of the 65th regiment, having armed himself with his musket, proceeded about 10 o'clock to Mr. Townsend's -house on the Tinakori Road, and having obtained admittance demanded money from the inmates. With the view of intimidating them he discharged his musket, and eventually obtained from Mr. Lowe, a lodger at Mr. Townsend's, a coat and the sum of four shillings. He then went to Te Aro, between 12 and 1 o'clock to the house of a carpenter named Levy, in the neighbourhood of the barracks on Mount Cook where he obtained a pair of trousers and two shillings. Information was given to the police the next morning at daylight, and on sending to the barracks it was found that Connolly, who had committed the offence for the avowed purpose of getting transported, had given himself up and was in custody of the guard. It appears that some months ago some soldiers belonging to the regiment wore transported to Van Diemen's Land and shortly after their arrival received tickets of leave ; these men have written to their comrades representing their present way of life as being in every way so preferable to their former condition, that several soldiers have lately committed offences with the express intention of getting transported. This is a subject of grave importance and one that calls for strong representations from the proper authorities to the governor of Van Diemen's Land. In the administration of convict discipline, it is understood that tickets of leave are usually granted to criminals who, after having se ved a portion of their time, have shown themselves, by their good conduct, deserving of this indulgence. But if convicts are to receive tickets of leave, almost, immediately after their arrival in a penal settlement, transportation ceases to be a punishment, and in cases of this kind the practice becomes subversive of military discipline by holding out a premium on insubordination and a temptation to the commission of crime.

The master of the Catherine Ann, which arrived on Sunday night, reports that the whaling brig Patriot, of Hobart Town, had been wrecked on the East Coast, during the late heavy weather. The cutter Katherine Johnstone had also been driven on shore, but she has since been got off. A small schooner called the Sisters, wbich had sustained considerable injury from being struck by a whale, had put into Hawke's Bay to repair damages.

Sale of Stock. — The following prices were realised at Messrs. Bethune & Hunter's, sale of the stock per Ajax, on Monday. 450 ewes, at ss. each ; 31 cows, from £2 to £5, average £3 7s. 6d.; 64 bullocks and steers, from £2 10s. to £4 ss.,average, £3, 165. 6d. 117 heifers, £2 each ; 2 bulls, 1 at £4; \ at £4 155.; 4 mares, 1 at £20; 1 at £16; 1 at £10; 1 at £8; 1 gelding, £11; 1 pony, £8 ss.