New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, January 5, 1850.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VI, Issue 462, 5 January 1850, Page 2

New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, January 5, 1850.

It has been our usual custom at the commencement of a new year to indulge in a brief retrospect of that which is past, and if on the present occasion we may seem to have departed from our previous rule, it is only because a convenient opportunity will shortly offer which will enable us to consider in detail the present position and prospects of the colony. The first decade of our colonial existence has just closed, including in its history a succession of vicissitudes and trials of no ordinary kind, but which from their nature are not likely to occur again. Disputes about titles to land, disturbances and aggressions by the natives, are now more matters of past history than subjects of future apprehension, inasmuch as the native title to by far the greater part of the land in this Province has been equitably extinguished by the* Government, while the increasing civilisation of the natives every year renders the probability of disturbances by them more remote. The subjects which ought now chiefly to engage the attention of the colonists are those which have for their aim and end the development of our resources, the creation of some export which will give increased energy and hopefulness to the settlers, and promote the prosperity of the colony. Recently these subjects have occupied a good deal of attention, and we hope that the efforts which are making with flax and other indigenous products will be steadily persevered in until they are crowned with success, as the surest means of permanently increasing the European population of the colony is by increasing its exports, by revealing the hidden spring 3 of wealth that exist, and which require the accession of additional labour and capital for their perfect development.

Quantity of Rain fallen duiing the month of December, 1849 : — Oin. 6-tenths.

The following Wool circular contains the latest prices of Wool which have been received in the settlement by recent arrivals. We hope the advice respecting the packing of the Wool will be carefully attended to, as "every exertion should be made by the owners of flocks to raise tlie character in the market of one of the most important exports of this colony.

Prises Current of Colonial Wool. — Our second series of Public sales, consisting of 15,148 bags Australian 16,867 „ Port Philip 8,025 „ Van Dienaen's Land 574 „ South Australian 275 „ Swan River 465 „ New Zealand 1,614 „ Cape Good Hope 415 „ East India 43,383 „ Colonial 1,162 „ Odessa 185 „ Spanish and Portugal 233 „ German 217 „ Buenos Ayres 2,1,64^ »- Sundries 47,345 bags in all commenced 3rd inst. and terminated this day. Our attendance of both home and foreign buyers was very good, and a large amount of wool was taken for the Continent. Since our late sales, the great advance over last year's prices demanded and generally obtained at the German wool-fairs added considerable firmness to our market, inducing many parties who had almost confined themselves to German wool to turn their attention more paiticukrly to our Colonial growth ; this, coupled with lighter stocks in the hands of the trade than is generally the case at this season of the year, together with the unabated activity throughout our Manufacturing districts, has caused this unusually large quantity of the raw material not only to be taken off readily, but at an advance of about Id. average over the prices obtained in May sales. The demand was principally for good descriptions of wool, of i which the present sales contained a large quantity, and the adrance was most perceptible on good flocks. Australian and Port Phillip wool in most

instances shewed improvement in condition, while that from Van Diemen's Land, with few exceptions, requires better washing. But little South Australian or Cape wool arrived in time for these sales, but was in fair request.

Swan River wool realized fall prices. A further quantity of New Zealand wool was disposed of at good prices, considering the uneven packing in many instances — this should be avoided in future, in order to promote more confidence with purchasers of the increasing growth of this colony. East India wool was good in demand, and sold at rather higher rates. Australian — Scoured fine Is 6d to 2s Od, ditto skin Is Id to Is 3d, fine clean fleeces Is 5d to Is lOd, inferior Is Id to Is 3d, pieces and locks 7d to 9d, lamb wool Is 4d to Is 6d, unwashed fleeces 7d to B£d; Van Diemen's Land — Scoured fine Is 5d to Is 9d, ditto skin Is Od to Is 2£, fine, clean fleeces Is 3d to Issd£, inferior lsOd to Is 2d, pieces and locks 7d to Bd, lamb wool Is 5d to Is lOd, unwashed fleeces 7£ to B|-. Port Philip — scoured fine Is 6d to Is lOd; ditto skin Is 3d to Is 4d, fine clean fleeces Is sd, to Is 9d, inferior Is 2d to Is 3d, pieces and locks 7d to 9d, lamb wool Is 4d to Is Bd, unwashed fleeces 7d to Bd. South Australian — Fine clean fleeces Is 2d to Is 4di inferior Is to Is Id, pieces and locks 7d to Bd, lamb wool Is 2d to Is 4d, unwashed fleeces 7d to Bd. Swan River — Scoured fine Is to Is 4d, ditto skin lOd to Is, fine clean fleeces Is 2d to Is 3d, inferior Is to Is Id, pieces and locks 7d to Bd, lamb wool Is 3d to Is 6d, unwashed fleeces 7d to Bd. Cape — Fine clean fleeces Is 2d to Is 4d, inferior lid to Is Id, pieces and locks 6£d to 7d, lamb wool Is to Is 2d, unwashed fleeces 6£ to 7d. New Zealand — Fine clean fleeces Is Id to Is 3£d, inferior Is to Is l£d, pieces and locks 7d to 7|d lamb wool Is 3d to Is 4d, unwashed fleeces 7|d to Bd. Henry P. Hughes, Wool Broker. 78, Basinghall Street, London, 30th July, 1849.

We understand that the Fekin will commence loading for London immediately on her return from Nelson. From the amount of freight offering at Nelson and this settlement, she will meet with every despatch, and sail punctually to her time.

We have received the first number of the New Zealand Magazine, a new periodical issued at Wellington, and intended to be published quarterly. The number before us contains fourteen contributions, of these five papers relate to subjects connected with New Zealand ; the other papers are mostly of a lighter character, and intended to diversify the work. In his Address to his Subscribers the Editor states — "It was part of our original design that politics should be a leading feature of our Journal ; but, at the suggestion of m?ny of our friends, we have somewhat altered our plan by confining ourselves in this branch of Literature to such subjects only as affect the interests of the colonists generally, by which we consider we shall best be enabled to give expression to our own views, and act more in consonance with the wishes of our Subscribers." Of the papers immediately connected with the colony the first on " The Whale .and Whaling," is from the pen of Dr. Knor, who has devoted a good deal of attention to this subject; another very interesting paper from the pen of the Rev. R. Taylor, M.A., contains an account of a visit to Rotomahana, the warm water springs in the interior of this Island ; the third is on the "Geology of the Middle Island of New Zealand," by W. B. Mantell, Esq. The last article js a Review of Mr. Wakefield's Art of Colonization, by W. Swainson, Esq., but this is incomplete and is intended to be concluded in the next number. We are very glad to record this laudable attempt to establish a Periodical Literature in the colony, and hope that so enterprizing an experiment on the part of the Editor may be attended with success.