AUCKLAND.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VI, Issue 451, 28 November 1849, Page 3

AUCKLAND.

H.M.« Fly, 18 guns, Captain Oliver, retamed to port yesterday from Wangarei. We regret to learn that through an accident one of her crew was yesterday removed to the Colonial Hospital, suffering from lock-jaw, caused by a splinter running into his foot. — Southern Cross, November 13. Hkke. — We are informed that this celebrated chiefs health has for some time past showed symptoms of breaking up ; and that he is now considered to be in a very precarious state, from an affection of the lungs. The Phormium Ten ax. — While our fellow colonists in the South are, as we have seen, laudably busy in efforts to render more available the source of wealth to New Zealand which its flax presents, the important subject is far from being disregarded in our own district. We have lately heard with pleasure of the success which has attended the efforts of Mr. Holman, of Wangarei, to prepare the article by an easy and cheap process which brings it into a state — not of great fineness indeed — but such as secures for it a ready sale here at Mr. Robertsons Rope Works, and will, there is reason to expect, command a market at Sydney and other places. We

mayjidd, that amongst others who have tamed careful attention to the matter, Dr. Carter, of this town, has for some time been engaged in experiments the issue of which is likely to be made public at an early day, and which promises to combine the two great essentials of cheapness and productiveness. His plan, we are informed can be worked with ease by a single native, and can produce a large quantity of prepared flax at almost no outlay beyond the original price of a portable and not expensive machine.—New Zealander, October 17.

Water Mills erected by the Natives. —During the very few years which have elapsed since the first water mill belonging to natives was erected at Aotea, the roaories have manifested an anxiety to obtain these very useful machines, and a willingness to make efforts and sacrifices in order to procure them, which afford highly gratifying evidence of the progress of industrial civilization among them. It will be remembered that at the late sittings of Council the Governor presented- a return of six flour mills erected at a cost of about £1160, within a circle of fifty miles round Otawhao. Another is now in course of erection in the upper district of the Waipt, on the Mongapa, a tributary of that river. The Ngalimaniapoto tribe has long been scattered orer a great extent of country; but several portions of the tribe are collecting at Mohoaonui, where they intend to reside for the future in a body. It is an interesting fact that one of the first things to which they are directing their attention is the erection of a mill for the purpose of grinding their wheat, which they are growing in large quantities — | (a good exchange for the rotten maize which they have been accustomed to eat!) They are raising the necessary fund by general contribution, each division of the tribe supplying itsproportion. Last week,oneof the chiefsleft £7, the produce of his pigs sold here, in the hands of a gentleman in this town, to be paid over to his friends who are shortly expected to purchase the stones. Mohoaonui is a fine position for a native settlement; and though it is at least 200 miles from Auckland, there is a water communication the whole distance, except the portage from Manakau into the Waikato. It is connected with the Wesleyan Mission Station at Waipa, and will be under the religious care oi the missionary at that place.

Friendly Islands. —The following brief narrative of an occurrence at Tonga has reached us from a source on which we can rely, and may interest some of our readers. About' two or three years ago, a Frenchman landed there, and notwithstanding the general reluctance to admit foreigners amongst the population, was not prevented by King George from residing in the island. It happened, however, that, —from what cause has never been satisfactorily ascertained —his bouse was burned down. The man then went to Tahiti and, after some time returned, making a demand for 600 dollars as compensation for his loss. The captain of a French vessel of war which arrived had also been influenced by his representations, and strongly favoured his claims. Although King George and his people were by no means of opinion that he had any right to compensation, and although his character and conduct had not been such as to secure for him much personal esteem or regard, the King and his chiefs determined that, for the sake of peace and with a view of getting rid of one whose presence amongst them was the reverse of agreeable or beneficial, they would make up the amount and hand it over to him, which was done accordingly. These are, we believe, substantially the facts of a transaction which rumour might easily magnify into a new French aggression in the Pacific. That the French may be for various ends, willing to make such aggressions as they perpetrated in Tahiti, we have little doubt; but, so far as we can learn, there was nothing in the affair at Tonga beyond what we have now stated. —New Zealander, October 16.