AUCKLAND.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VIII, Issue 699, 14 April 1852, Page 3

AUCKLAND.

By the Overland Mail we have received a few Auckland papers. The New Zealander contains the announcement (copied from the Government Gazette) of the reversal by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council of the decision of the Supreme Court of New Zealand in the case of the Queen versus George Clarke, on which Lord Grey in his despatch observes that “ as notwithstanding the non appearance of the respondent the case was heard and decided on the merits by the Committee, this may be taken as a decision on the point at issue.” At the criminal sittings of the Supreme Court William Bowden was tried for having stabbed John Dixon, formerly a soldier in the 58th Regt., and found guilty of wilful murder, the jury at the same time recommending the prisoner to mercy but giving no reason for their recommendation. Sentence was passed upon the prisoner by the Chief Justice, who intimated that the sentence with the recommendation of the jury would be laid before the Governor and Council. The petitions to both Houses of Parliament from Auckland against the claim of the New on the Land I-’und of the Northern Province had received seven hundred and fifty signatures and had been forwarded to England. The petition to the House of Lords was to be entrusted to the care of the Duke of Newcastle for presentation, and the petition to the House of Commons to Mr. Gladstone.

The following is an extract from a paper of later date:—

Severe Gale.—On Friday night, and during the whole of Saturday, the neighbourhood of Auckland was visited by a gale of unusual severitj, the wind blowing for the most part E.S.E. and mounting to a furious storm at intervals. Much damage was done to fences, young trees, &c., but it was in the harbour that the most injurious effects were experienced. With much regret we have to record the following amongst the disasters. The Shamrock cutter, 14 tons, belonging to Mr. A. Warbrick, was driven from her anchors while lying in Commercial Bay, and became a total wreck alongside the Victoria Pier, her cargo, consisting of sawn timber, was saved. I know you don’t, a schooner of about sixteen tons, was also completely wrecked alongside the Commercial Wharf. She belonged to a native chief named Tohi, residing at Makatu, in the Bay of Plenty. A small cutter belonging to Captain Lewington, now lies completely broken up in Commercial Bay. A boat, the propertv of Mrs. Osborne, was driven ashore on Smale’s Point, and received considerable damage. These are only some of the casualties occasioned by the gale. The total amount of damage sustained by the small craft in our harbour was so considerable that it will require time and no little outlay to repair the whole. The injury was confined, however, to the small vessels which lay close to the piers and wharves. The American ship Lion, from drifting a considerable way from her original anchorage, appeared to have dragged, but it was only in consequence of more chain having been paid out, and she rode out the gale in safety. We have had no intelligence from the East Coast, but we can scarcely venture to hope that the tempest passed over without producing injurious results in some places.