ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 7, 3 June 1843, Page 3

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

To the Editor of the Southern Cross. Sir, — I beg to call the attention of the authomios of Auckland, through the medium of your valuabls paper, to the highly dangerous state of the uncovered drains in Queen-street and Shortland Crescent. A few days since, I had the misfortune to meet with an accident in consequence of an uncovered drain, near to Governor Hobson's Hotel, by which I wa3 most severely bruised on the head and face, and narrowly escaped with my life. This is by no means a solitary instance of such accidents, as others of your readers can tes'ify, and loudly calls upon the improvers of our streets, to make secure to passengers the avenu 3 of our town. I am Sir, Yours most respectfully, A Citizen of Aucklvnb June 2nd, 1843. To tJie Editor of the Southern Cross. Sir, — The Auckland Chronicle of the 6th instant contiins, under the head of " Extracts from the latest Blue Book," a letter signed " F. Mdthew, Surveyor General ! !" Had that letter been written by some OBsCuae, pawning place hunter, it might have been treated with contemptuous silence, but, when it emanated from one holding <he high and imporant •iffije of Surveyor General, it becomei the paramount duty of every resident, and well-wisher of the Bay of Islands, to point out the inconsistencies, and to correct the errors contained therein ; they being such, as are more calculated to mislead a stranger, than any ever yet published ; to the incalculable injury of the first ostensible settlement in New Zealand, viz.- — " Kororareka."— Mr. Mathew in his survey for tbe parpose of selecting a suitable spot for the Government to establish themselves ; very naturally directed his attention to Kororareka, " being," as he observes in his report. " The principal, and indeed, only settlement yet formed at the Hay of Islands !" — (The reason of its being the " Principal" settlement, arises from the many peculiar advantages it possesses over any othsr spot in the Bay, and was chosen by men of many years' experience on ths coast, who were thoroughly acquainted with every harbour, bay. or inlet) and " where" Mr. Mathew continues: "Tne great majirity of European population were concentrated." But Mr. jVlitbew says, " He" conceived it (Kororareka) had so many formidable objections, " it was wholly unfit for a principal settlement. That the extent of land which it would be possible to render available for Building purposes is absolutely insignificant ! 1" — Yet, in the very same letter Mr. F. Mathew actually confesses that, "In the very centre of the town, comprising the most important part o" the frontage on the Bay," a very considerable extent I could be had oy a negotiation with the natives, and, " which would afford ample space for the erection o/all necessary Government buildings, and leave a number of very valuable allotments for sale ! ! !'' The latter remark* are absolutely and literally correct ; but, how they are to be reconciled with the former statement, " That the land in extent (available) was absolutely insignificant," is at present a mystery. The extent of land, Mr. Editor, must, indeed, be very "insignificant," which, (from the report of a very able Government Surveyor, who has made a recent survey of Kororareka) is capable of £recting a town suitable for 20 to 25,000 inhabitants, allowing spare for " Broad and well formed streets" scouting all ideas of *' Narrow and irregular Byeways ! !" A town too, which nature has most bountifully supplied with the very purest water, and brick-earth that are to be met with in the colony. Mr. F. Mathew must have been exceedingly unfortunate at the time of making his survey, as to have had such a season which enabled him to make discoveries, no one else ever did, either before, or since ; viz : Ist. That the water of the Bay is '• shallow." 2nd. That the beach is impossible to be landed upon with " safety." 3rd. That it is exposed to the north and north-westc-rTy winds. As regards the first, I will briefly state, that at this moment there is a vessel of 350 tons lying within 60 yards of the very houses on the beach, drawing 12 feet when hauled in, and at low water can be approached within 10 yards, with 3 or 4 boats lying between the shore and the vessel ; be it observed, the depth of water is equal, all along the beacb. As to the uiisafety of " landing" it is not in the recollection of the oldest resident, or Captain visiting the beach, that an accident has ever occurred to any boat in landing. A. boat can be run '» head on" to the beach without the slightest possible damage accruing from it, and when a foot-board is applied to her bows, the most timid person can walk out of the boat on to clean and dry shingles ! without fear or inconvenience,

and as to its exposure to north, and north-westerly vmds, the Bay is land-lock'd, forming two thirds of a cicle, back'd by a range of hilU, extmling from N.N E to &S.W., anS'W subject Wy to the south. or south-west winds, with a fetch of about li or 2 miles. It is wcli known tbat the severest gale, or indeed, it might be termed lmrricane, which has visited New Zealand, occurred on the istMirch, 1-40, at which time the Harriett, whaler, wa9 driven on shore from -her anchorage in " Tipuna," became a total' wreck, and if was a miracle h»r cew were saved, and-op the river several abipa dragged with two anchor* down 5 while at Kororareka six ships were then lying m perfect safely, and rode out the gale without cv m one dragging her anchor. The fact it, as Mr. F Alathew expresses : "No conceivable circumstances can retard the improvement, or prevent the Bay of Isa ds becoming a place of primary importance," and it is much to be regretted that Mr. F. Mathew was f ver inaucert to urge the propriety of the Government purchasing Mr. Clcndon's property, in the very face of his own acknowledgement, that Kororareka possesses not only more than sufficient space for the purposes required by the Government, but would leeve for sßle a number of very valuable allotments ; also, that it was the spot where a great maj.iityo the European population had concentrated. That very circumstance alone, one might suppose, would have caused Mr. F. Mat hew to reflect whe her old experienced Capains, accustomed to visit the Bay for twenty or thirty years, were not the best judges of good anchorages, at least, in the Bay ; and if they had made choice of Koiorareka, and Mr. Mathew himself, acknowledges, there is sufficient land for Government purposes, what could be the cause of that gentleman doiug Kororanka so much injustice as to rtcommend anothei spot i Again, Mr. Mathew was not unacquainted with the fact, that the idea of Mr. Clendon's property ever being fitting for a township, - wss univers.l'.y repudiated, foi, (as Mr. Mathen was aware,) Mr. Clenrfon had endeavoured to dispoie of it by auction, as (he lk township of Kent," but io little was thought of it; only a few allotments were sold, and at a very low price. Mr. Clendon subsequently expressed his conviction that the property was wholly unfit, and never could be made a township, and re quested as a favor, that ths few who hud purchased at h.s sale, would receive back their money, and give him up the land, as he wished to live upon his property, as he had done before tli« sale, quiet and retired, and not have merely a chance neighbour :— the parties who consented to give up their claim, had no sooner done co, than to their astonishment it was ascertained, that Mr. P. Malhew had negotiated for the property on behalf of the Government, for a township ! ! 1 Mr. Matbew, must also remember, his own suggestion to the inhabitant! of Kororareka, that the sooner their town was surveyed and laid out, the batter it would be for all < arties, and he hud no dout t »f they would apply to his Excellency, an order would be given by him, (his Excellency) to have it done 5 and the inhabitants consequent^ made the application, and received for answer, that as soon as Mr. F. Mathew returned from Auckland, it should be attended to. There the matter ended. For it was never more attended to, which caused a total iu«pension of all improvements in Kororareka, that were then goiDg on with rapidity and earnestness, unequalled beforeor since!— l bhallmake no further comment upon the motives or causes of such proceedings, but conclude with the>earnest hope of shortly witnessing a change of men and measures, which alone can make New Z. aland what it ought now to be — a nch and fljurishing colony ! I am, Sir, *„, REgIDENT . Kororareka, May 18, 1843.