AUCKLAND.
The Government Gazette published yesterday contains the usual returns for the last quarter. The Auckland Revenue for the quarter ending 31st of December, amounted (including the Parliamentary Grant of £2,500) to £7,759 Os. lid. ;— the Expenditure «as £4,062 10s. Id. The total value of Exports for the quarter was £11,097. The total number of immigrants was 138; total of Emigrants, 180, of whom 130 went to California. The official list of persons who have taken out Depasturing Licenses is given ; and there is the notice from the Commissioner of Crown Lauds, appoint* ing (in confornvty with the provisions of the Ordinance) the places and times for the election of Wardens. The elections are to take place as follows : — for the Hundred of Auckland, at the Commissioner's office, on the 7th of February ; for Onehunga, at the Village, .on the 6th of February; for Panmure, at the Villag", on the Bth of February ; for Howick, at the Village, on the 9t>. of February ; for Otahuhu, at the Village, on the 11th of February ; and for Pupuke, at Mr. Mellivin's, on the 12th of February. We have on a former occasion, pressed upon the consideration of the holders of Depasturing Licenses, the importance of choosing as Wardens, men of intelligence, experience, and acknowledged integrity. As the day of election approaches we shall probably take leave again to call their attention to the matter. — Net* Zealander. Besides the direct and obvious advantages which California offeis to this colony, there are others more indirect, but not ,lejs,s_ valu_a-_ ble which are now open to us, if we use the proper means of rendering them available. It is well known that the Bay of Islands before the British Government took possession oi the country, was a place of considerable importance, supporting a large community mainly by the profits, derived from supplying the whalers in the Pacific with refreshments and outfit of all kinds. No sooner had regular government been established however, with all the paraphernalia of a Customs establishment, than the whalers gradually abandoned the country, and sought their supplies in other places where they could go in and come out, without being interfered with, and where they could exchange their oil, tobacco, or other stores, for such refreshments as they might stand in need of. So complete has been the destruction of this lucrative branch of trade, that where formerly 30 or 40 sail might be seen in harbour at one time, there were probably Dot more than half that member of vessels visited the Bay of Islands during the whole of the last season. In fact the intercourse with these vessels has all but ceased, and the once flourishing settlement of the Bay of Islands is now all but extinguished. After New Zealand, the Sandwich Islands came to be the favorite resort of the whalers, though many of them chose the Navigators, the Friendly, or the Society Islands, while others again proceeded to Sydney. The events of the l»«t eighteen months, however, have again disturbed the rendezvous of these vessels. A fortunate combination of circumstances now affords us a fresh opportunity of inviting them back to our shores ; and in
such increased numbers, as to form a commerce of the greatest value to us. We do not make these speculations* without the very best reasons for doing so ; a short statement of which, we trust, will prove both interesting and satisfactory, coming, as they have done, (though at second hand.) from the Captains of various whaling vessels who have visited some of the northern harbours this season. From them we learn that about 500 whalers visited the Sandwich Islands last year, and that 50 is the largest number likely to call there fhis season — and for the very obvious reason that the crews leave the vessels and take the first opportunity of escaping to California. The late French disturbance is stated to have done much injury by disheartening the residents in producing such a state of doubt and uncertainty as to the ultimate fate of the place, that they no longer take the same interest in preventing the crews from escaping as formerly ; added to which the loss of about 11,000 inhabitants — carried off by measles and influenza — has acted most unfavourably upon these islands. At the Navigators again, the wars amongst the natives have so destroyed the islands that provisions are not to be obtained. Tahiti has been destroyed by the French in a similar manner, and that once flourishing settlement is now little better than a ruin, tire' whalers driven from it, and its commerce destroyed. Even at Sydney, however superior in some respacts for its ample supplies of all kinds, the owners of whalers — if not the captains and crews — have great objections to their vessels visiting that port, as the temptations to spend money and run into all sorts of extravagance are too great to be withstood. New Zealand is the best, indeed almost the only resort left for the whalers, and already we perceive signs" of their return to it. The record of the vessels is very imperfect however, as they do not come so far south as the $ay of Islands, resorting chiefly to the more northern harbours of Wangaroa and Monganiii, and frequently not coming further south than the North Cape, .where they lay off and on, sending their boats on shore for such provisions as they may want. As many as seven vessels have been seen at one time so occupied, and when they cannot find there the supplies they want, some of the natives accompany the boats to another settlement about 6 miles to the southward, called Paringa-ringa, where they geneially meet with abundant supplies of pigs and potatoes. Monganiii is fast coming into repute as a convenient and suitable port for whalers. We have just heard that on Sunday week last there were no fewer than six whalers in harbour, besides seven small coasting vessels. At this part there are constant supplies of both fresh me t and vegetables — mutton and pork are supplied at 3d. per lb., beef at 4d., and potatoes at £4 per ton — md here, as at the other ports, the ships can come with the greatest safety, so far as their men are concerned, as the natives would at once pick them up, if they attempted to leave their vessel. Nothing appears to be wanting in order to secdre the return of the whalers, but to remove all restrictions upon them, imposed by our customs regulations. Why should we, for the miserable attempt to collect £50 or eveji jfilOO per annum oiL custom duties, drive away thousands, and even tens of thousands of pounds, which would be expended by these vessels if they came to our ports, and were permitted to purchase their supplies with oil or other stores which they might have on board, without being asked to pay these obnoxious duties. — Southern Cross, January 8.
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New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VI, Issue 469, 30 January 1850, Page 3
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1,160AUCKLAND. New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VI, Issue 469, 30 January 1850, Page 3
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