New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK’S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, July 12, 1851.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 620, 12 July 1851, Page 2

New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK’S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, July 12, 1851.

By the Government Brig we have received Auckland papers to the 28th ult. We regret to learn from them the loss of the French frigate Alcm'ene between Kaipara and Hokianga on the 3rd June, including the loss of twelve lives. The officers and crew of the vessel were kindly received at Auckland, and the authorities had by a liberal hospitality done all in their power to alleviate the severity of their misfortune. The discovery of gold in New South Wales had had the effect of raising the price of provisions at Auckland; flour being £3O per ton and bread 9d. per loaf, and other provisions in proportion. Meetings had been held at Auckland with a view to adopt measures to counteract this rise in price, and it was proposed, among other steps, to establish a public bakery, to bring down the price of bread to an equitable rate, and to recommend the Government to prevent, bv restrictive measures, the exportation of provisions from the colony. A ball had been given by the Auckland Lodge of Masons to the Lieutenant-Governor and Mrs. Wynyard, at which were present the officers of the late French frigate Alcm'ene, and those of H.M.S. Fly: the ball appears to have passed off very agreeably. The Border Maid, a schooner af 90 tons, bought by the Missionary Society at Sydney and presented to the Bishop of New Zealand, arrived at Aucklandon the Bth June with the Bishop of Newcastle. It was proposed to change the name of the vessel to the Southern Cross, as more appropriate to her present destination. Lieut.-Col. Bolton had been appointed a member of the Legislative Council of New Ulster. News had been received from Sydney to the 28th May, giving further accounts of the discovery of gold at Bathurst; we have extracted from our contemporaries the most interesting intelligence relating to this subject, as also the latest accounts of the Kafir war, received through the same channel. A new journal, published every fortnight, had been established, called the Auckland Independent and Operatives’ Journal, but no number has yet reached us. We observe also that the Southern Cross has been enlarged in size.

In our report of the proceedings in Council on Tuesday our readers will find in Mr. Bell’s speech, on the second reading of the Building Societies Bill, a clear and able description of the objects of these useful Institutions. The Bill passed through committee yesterday.