AUCKLAND.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume I, Issue 31, 10 April 1866, Page 2

AUCKLAND.

By the courtesy of the purser of the s.s. Airedale, we have Auckland papers to the 7ch instant. We extract the following : — The last week closed with the severest gale, preceded by the heaviest fall of rain that has occurred in this colony for several yenrs before. The damage done to property, both by sea and land, has been considerable, and is not the less severely felt that the flood by which it was caused was occasioned by the complete block up of the sewers, owing to the incautious throwing and laying about timber aud other debris. Nine small craft were sunk, and several larger ones damaged. The gale subsided on Sunday forenoon. Some idea may be formed of the extent of the. flood, from the fact that three fire engines, each manned by a dozen meu, were pumping the water out of three cellars in Lower Queen-street, from Friday evening at 8 o'clock, until 2 o'clock on Sunday morning. The losses are variously stated, but the following figures are accurate :— Messrs. Owen and Graham, £1,500 actual loss: S. H. Smith, £4,000 (goods damaged); Copeland, £400 (injury to stock and trade); Phillips (goods '

damaged), £2,000, actual loss, £200 ; Mrs. Cates, £130 (actual loss); Quick, United Service Hotel, £150 ; Hyams, storekeeper, £30. A great number of large storekeepers in Lower Queen-street, state their losses in round numbers from £50 to £100. The first portion of the 43rd Regiment have sailed for England in the Maori, and numbered M7B souls ; 278 rank and file, 15 sergeants, 7 drummers, 18 women and children, 6 officers and their ladies. Flax Preparation.— On Thursday, Mr. M'Millan made experiments in tiie preparation of New Zealand flax, in tlie presence of the Superintendent, Dr. Pollen, Mr. Carleion, Mr. Oweu, Dr. Goklsbro', Dr. Corbett, and other gentlemen. The experiments were successful. Mr. M'Millan used a common oval boiler, and the ilax was boiled, with an admixture of cow dung in water, for about two hours. It was then taken out, and rubbed between the hands in cold water, which effectually stripped the fibre, leaving it clean and maiketable, fit for cordage manufacture. Interview op tiie Governor with the Tauranga Natives. — The p.s. Sturt arrived at Te Papa on the 25th instant, about three hours after H.M. s. Eclipse, Captain Fremantle, with his Excellency on board, at 9 p.m., being, as I understand, about to leave here in a few miuutes,T simply write these few lines to acquaint you that his Excellency Sir George Grey landed at 10 a.m., under a •j-uard of "honor. Colonel Hamiltou was in attendance to receive him, along with Cols. Lyons and Harrington, and his Honor the Superintendent. The Governor proceeded to Colonel Hamilton's quarters, aud at 11 a.m. met the natives, about 400 iu number. His Excellency, in conjunction with his Honor tlie Superintendent, after about three hours and a half, succeeded in obtaining 50,000 acres of laud, being one-fourth of the Taurauga block. This in itself is very satisfactory, particularly so after all the bounce which the natives have shown, and were inclined to show at the meeting. The Governor, however, after he had been worked up to.the highest pitch, plainly told them that, if they did not quietly aud peaceably assent, he would seize the whol* of Taurauga. The colouy is indebted to his Excelleucy and his Honor tho Superintendent for this achievement, which will place this interesting and promising district open for settlement. — 6*. Cross. William Thompson, of king-making celebrity, appears in a new character this week, as the 'supporter of European law in his district, and as engaged iu leasing his laud to European settlers, whose energy and capital will, ifc cannot be doubted, soon render the hitherto almost useless plains of the centra! districts of the island sources of wealth both to themselves aud the colony at large. It appears that the claim of Thompson to part of the run he wished to lease was disputed by another chief, aud it is a cheering indication for the future that all parties seem lo have been quite ready to appeal to a European tribunal ,to settle the question. The decision was against Thompson, so far as part of the laud was concerned, and that chief appears to have acquiesced in the decision with a frankness which does him no small credit. Sir George Grey is reported to have gone inland to Rotorua, but there is no clear information to be had as to his purpose in taking the journey. The country through which lie would have to pass would be principally, no doubt, that of the loyal Arawa tribe, and therefore it is improbable that he would run any risk. The conclusion of the trials of Maoris for the East Coast murders has at last been arrived at. In all 2D men have had sentence of death passed upon them for these crimes ; but it is not probable that a. very large proportion of theso will suffer the extreme penalty of the law. Four of these men are sentenced for the barbarous murder of Mr. Volkner, at Opotiki, and 16 for that of the seaman Ned aud Mr. Fulloou, at Whakatane, while nine have received seutence on the charge of being accessories to these murders. — N. Z. Herald.