AUCKLAND. {From the New Zealander, February 6.]

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VI, Issue 485, 27 March 1850, Page 2

AUCKLAND. {From the New Zealander, February 6.]

Intelligence from the United States bad been received to the effect that no left tban forty million feet of assorted timber bad been shipped for California. This is in substantial accordance with "^Panorama's" last letter ; but, no doubt there will be found a paying market for that supply, and far more. Flour, potatoes, and onions continued to command a prompt and jtooply remuneratire sal*.

The vast influx of immigrants, which had ex - perienced no check, maintained — and is likely for tome time to maintain — a steady demand for provisions. Vessels which had been detained by the desertion of their crews were getting away, the sailors hating wearied of the hard and jofttn unprofitable labour of the diggings. H. M. Frigate Inconstant had also aided some British vessels in departing, by patting part of her own crew on board of them. Gold continued to abound. We ntver doubted that it was to be had by the more fortunate portion of the adventurers who had made up their minds to pay the price for it. But as we have repeatedly said — Gold may be bought too dear. There were six steam-vessels plying on the Sacramento— one, the Senator, of 700 tons. The mutineers of, the U.S. schooner Eiving (of whose rising against their officer we published an account some weeks ago), had been taken prisoners by Commodore Jones, tried by a Conrumartial, and sentenced to death. Only two — the ringleaders — were executed, however ; one of these was hanged at the yardarm of the U.S. , frigate Savannah, and the other at the yard-arm of the E'.»ing. Their punishment is said to have made a strong impression on others who might have felt inclined to follow their example of insubordination. We subjoin from the Polynesian of December 15, a short but important article on the assembling of the Call for nian Legislature, to which wt referred in a summary in our last : — " California. — The rapidity with which political matters move in this new State is as amazing as every thing else connected with its more recent history. Its present political position could have been anticipated a few years ago, no more than the discoveries of gold with which its soil is so abundantly impregnated. This day, (December 15th 1849,) the first Legislature is to meet, and thus the constitution so recently adopted commences its practical operation. The old and imbecile government of California, as a province of Mexico, is superseded by a new one, as full of vigour and energy as tbe ancient one was of venality and inefficiency ; and men have come upon the stage of political action, and are taking a part in the enacting drama, who, till, now, were unknown to fame, but who judging from the ability displayed in the drafting jo£ "m. Constitution will come up to the exigencies of the times like men who have something to do, and know how to perform it. Accustomed to self-government, they know how to govern themselves anywhere, and truly they have an arduous work before them. They have, as enjoined by the Constitution, two senators to fleet to tbe Congress of the United, States; to organize the executive department of the State Government ; a Secretary of State to appoint, in conjunction with the Governor ; Comptroller, Treasurer, Attorney-General, and Surveyor-General to choose by joint ballot; to organize the Judiciary of tbe state, and to elect a Chief Justice and tyro Associate Justices. The duties of the first Legislature, as enumerated above, would be sufficient to occupy a long session, but added to these, it is enjoined upon them to perfect a Country and Town Organization throughout tbe entire State, and to establish a system of State Taxes for the permanent support of the Government. Other important matters, demanding immediate attention, will press upon them, in regard to which the editor of the Pacific News remarks : — " * Among these are the questions of adequate provision for Public Education, of tbe organization and disciplining of the Militia of the State, of Public Improvements within the State limits, and of such Legislation as may be deemed proper on the subject of existing Titles to lands in the State. These questions may not come up in form before the Legislature at this first session, but some of them are doubtless destined at no distant day to form the ma^n local . issues on which the parties in the State are to be organized and arranged against each other/ "

Vessel Ashore. — We regret to have to report that during the heavy gale of Friday last, the Hawaiian schooner Ilia-mama {Greyhaandjf Captain^Churcb, of Honolulu, in making for this port, was driven upon a ledge of rock* running out from the west head of the Tamaki, where she bilged, and went over nearly on her beam ends. A vigorous attempt is being made to float her off, in which, we are glad to find, there is every prospect of success ; and, on inspection, we trust that the injuries she has sustained, will be found less serious than were first anticipated. The Ilia-mama is one of those remarkable vessels whose performances give her a peculiar interest. Built at Baltimore, on the celehrated model of the clippers which have made the name of that seaport famous, she proved herself equal to the most noble of any of her sister-craft, and was consequently early em-

ployed in services where her extraordinary speed gave her advantages over every competitor. On ons occasion she made a passage from New York to Valparaiso, round the Horn, in the winter season, in 60 days. In the Pacific she saw some service in privateering, which was put a siop to by her capture by the Peruvian Government, who had her for several years under their flag, equipped as a war schooner, under the name of the Galga. From their agents in San Francisco she was purchased by her present owner, Mr. Risely, in September last, and had only performed two successful trips among the Sandwich Islands, when she sailed for this port for a cargo of produce. We regret her loss the more on account of her not being insured, and from the fact of her having undergone repairs to the extent of nearly £2000 a short time previously to her disposal by the Peruvian Government. A finer model ot a vessel has never been seen in our waters, and convinces one at first sight of her extraordinary sailing capabilities. Her passage from the Sandwich Islands has been the quickest ever made to these colonies, having been performed in 31 days, out of which her logbook shows her to have been becalmed 8 days, during which she i did not make 600 miles. The chief cause of this accident may be attributed to the want of « pilot station on Tiritiri-matangi, which island the vessel passed in safety. No Charts of the coast, or of Hauraki Gulf, being procurable at Honolulu, Captain Church was obliged to make for the harbour without these preliminary requisites. Having run close on the buoy recently laid down on the sunken rock off Tiritiri, and fearing that he had got into a channel, be took the Eastern passage between Motou-tapu and Waiheki, having cleared which he stood over for the mouth of Taraaki, in beating out of which he suddenly came into shoal water, and one of the heavy squalls, accompanied with thick showers, ha* ving come at the time, before he could come to an anchor, or put the vessel about, she had touched the reef, upon which she lay a considerable time before heeling over. — Southern Cross, Janl 29.