THE FLOODS.

We announce with regret that considerable damage has been occasioned in this settlement by the late heavy rains. To the kindness of a gentleman, whose professional duties have led him to inquire into the extent of damage sustained by the public works, we are indebted for the following particulars: —

THE TOWN.

Owing to the heavy and continued rain which fell on Monday afternoon and night, the Maitai rose to a greater height than we had previously experienced, and the bridges across it, which had withstood, with some small exceptions, the Violence of former floods, have suffered greatly. That in Bridge Street had the street work (which replaced a pier removed last summer) swept away, and the foundation of the centre pier, which, for want of a proper pile engine, had not been properly piled, having given way, it sunk, carrying the roadway with it about two feet below the level, and is consequently impassable for carts. It will require rebuilding ; and it is intended to span the river at once, it being but 71 feet wide. The centre pier of Nile Street Bridge has sunk, though not so much as to impede the safe passage of carts ; but it will eventually require removal. The centre pier of Mill Street Bridge has likewise sunk about 18 inches, and is impassable for carts ; it will also require removal. Several of the small private foot bridges have been swept away, as well as some of the fencing of the land bordering on the river. Harley's Bridge, at the bottom of Colling svood Street, appears to have escaped with little or no injury. From the loose gravelly nature of the beds of the rivers, piling, either for bridge or fence work, has very little effect unless carried to a great depth, and will foTm the chief difficulty in throwing bridges across our rivers. In Brook Street there has been much damage done by the flood depositing large quantities of gravel on cultivated land* and sweeping away portions of the road. Some of the houses built of clay have suffered greatly. The works in progress for straightening the course of the stream, and thereby insuring a speedier delivery of the water after rains, have also been injured by the flood carrying away the embankments and the stream resuming its former course ; but that will be speedily i remedied on the fall of the water. The tide does not appear to have risen to any thing like the height it did at the last flood, and consequently did no damage.

THE COUNTRY.

The damage sustained in the country has been considerably less than had been anticipated. The Wairoa rose to a greater height than it had ever been seen before ; but beyond the carrying away the ferryboat, we have heard of but little mischief done by it. The Waiiti inundated large patches of cultivated land in the neighbourhood of the village of Wakefield, as well as various parts of Waimea South. It appears, however, that the water did not remain at its greatest height above a couple of hours, and that, excepting in very low spots where it had accumulated from previous rains, no great amount of damage was done. In the latter instances the losses sustained have been from potatoes rotting in the ground.

We have heard with much pleasure that a properly constructed ferry-boat is about to be built for the Wairoa, and a bridge thrown across the Waiiti. As the boat will be sufficiently large to carry a loaded bullock cart, communication with the whole of

the Waimea districts will thu&be open at all times for every description of conveyance. The exact spot for the ferry is not decided upon, but we believe it will be pomewbere between the ford near Mr. Duppa's and that leading to the Messrs. Tytler's, but nearer to the latter.

Notwithstanding the augmentation of the police force, petty robberes are more frequent just now than the? have been since

the formation of the settlement. How is this ? A friend informs us that a few nights since a barrel of beef was rolled away from the front of a store on Auckland Point; no policeman was at hand ; but, shortly afterwards, on passing the house of a publican, two of them- were seen with their ears at the key-hole. The public, however strange it may seem to the Police Magistrate, are beginning to think that the protection of property is at least as essential to their welfare as the fining of publicans.

The I-don't-know brings intelligence of the Deborah having visited Banks' Peninsula, and of her proceeding thence to Otago.

We have received a few Auckland papers —the Southern Cross of the 23d of March, and the Times of the 19th and 26th. So long a time had elapsed since our latter contemporary had favoured us with any of his effusions, that we had consigned him to the fate which has befallen so many of his predecessors. We were sincerely happy to find that such was not the case, but while wishing our contemporary a long life, we must express a hope that we may never be again misled by "a similar cause.

The papers contain but little news. The sitting of the Legislative Council was postponed till the 3d of May. The Government Gatette contains a proclamation, giving settlers the power of buying land of the natives, under certain restrictions, and subject to the approbation of the Governor. We must defer extracts till next week.