AUCKLAND EXTRACTS.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue VI, 29 January 1848, Page 190

AUCKLAND EXTRACTS.

Serious Affray,— By the Dove, from the East Coast, we learn that a somewhat serious quarrel lately took place between a native and some Europeans at Hick's Bay. The native referred to, who, if our informant be correct, is a notorious character, struck one European (not the man who had offended him) a blow on the head with a claw hammer. The wound was so serious, that the man's life was despaired of. The resident missionary, the Rev. C. L. Reay, attended him with care, and the means he employed were providentially successful in preserving life, but the unfortunate man has totally lost the use of one side. The majority of the natives were highly indignant at the conduct of their countryman, and were disposed to hand him over to the authorities for punishment. Mr. Reay reported the case to the Government, but no notice ha 9 been taken of it, and now the ill-disposed abettors of the fellow who committed the assault, taunt Mr. Reay with the unsuccessful result of his communication, and are assuming an attitude towards him rather unfavourable to his future peace, if not to his safety. This matter should be inquired into.— Southern Cross, November 27. The Late Murders. — It has been rumoured during the week that the murderers of Lieutenant Snow and his family have been discovered. The principal is said to be a native of the Ngatiruru tribe of Waikato, named Ngamuku, and two others, his accomplices, of the Ngatitematera tribe, of which Taraia is chief. We sincerely hope that this report is true ; if so, there will, in all probability; be no difficulty in taking Ngamuka, as the principal men of Waikato will exert themselves in order to his being given up. The capture of the other two, however, is a more doubtful question, as Taraia cannot be depended upon. In the present critical state of affairs, it requires no little discrimination and knowledge of the native character, to discern between those who are our friends and who are not. There are wheels in motion around about us that few have any idea of, and the authorities, who ought to be the most vigilant and the best informed, are perhaps the least watchful, and the least acquainted with what is going on. The Governor may perhaps possess a more than ordinary share of sagacity himself, but even his wisdom will not serve to fathom the secret workings of the native mind, and he has no one about him sufficiently acquainted with the natives, upon whom he can confidently rely for information. We have this week received intelligence that can be depended upon, respecting the machinations of a certain chief, who has been for some time past a sort of State prisoner— on parole. We have always expressed our opinion of the impolicy of taking him prisoner, but we have also admitted that, having been once captured, his liberation would be attended with more hazardous consequences than even his arrest. As a proof .of his deep-seated feeling of revenge for the indignity which has been put upon him, we give his own message to the chiefs of certain powerful tribes in our neighbourhood, whom for several reasons we do no not think it proper to specify by name. The parties were earnestly invited to come and see the prisoner, and the invitation was enforced by these words : — " Kahore aku kai, ko te kai ma ratou kei nga karito o Waipapa : he taru maru noa te Pakeha, me tc puwba nei ano te nga wari." We forbear to translate the foregoing highly figurative sentences, but their ominous import will be plain to the Maori scholar. We know that many good meaning people would advise the suppression of any intelligence that might create an unfavourable impression of the safety of our position in the minds of our friends abroad, but we consider our real security to be of more importance than the mere maintenance of a favourable impression, What with the conflicting feelings occasioned by the late murder, the latent revenge of an indignant chief, and above all, the evil effects of Earl Grey's instructions, our rulers should combine at this juncture the utmost prudence, with the most sleepless vigilance. They may disregard our warning voice, but we have discharged our duty, and though they may continue secure and supine, we shall not relax in our watchful observation of every movement, and manifestation of feeling amongst the natives. — Ibid., Dec. 11. Native Labour.— There are at present employed on the Government works upwards of 110 natives from all parts of the country, belonging to upwards of sixteen different tribes, and connected with the most influential chiefs. These natives are.employed at all kinds of work; some build the barrack wall, others dress the stones, in a style, too, equal to any European workman, while others make mortar, or execute labourer's work in general. They also quarry the stones themselves, can blast them, or use the wedge to split them, with equal dexterity to any European, and their work is done without almost any trouble to the overseer, and in the most orderly, peaceable, and satisfactory manner ; keeping the same hours and arrangements as other workmen. Indeed, so efficient are they, that we heard with much surprise, that there is not present a single European labourer in the department, notwithstanding the great amount of work now going on. The natives have thus been employed for about a year, but it is right to mention that only about thirty of the number mentioned, have steadily remained all that period. Nevertheless, the supply is easily kept up, and they are so readily taught, that the new comers are not found to give much additional trouble, as they are first put to inferior employment and gradually advanced as jhsir practice and information increases. Their wages vary from Is. 6d. to 2s. 6d. per day, according to merit ; with which arrangment they are perfectly satisfied, perceiving the relative

ability of each other as readily as an European. In their habits they are very orderly, and even exemplary. We believe that only one case of drunkenness has occurred, and no instances of other misconduct. Every morning and evening they have worship among themselves, and on Sundays they duly attend the church to which they may be attached. Some are Episcopalians, others Roman Catholics, and some Wesleyans. With the exception, we believe, of one or two, they can all read and write, acquirements which three or four weeks are quite sufficient to enable them to attain. In their dress they also conform to that of other workmen, but their wages are chiefly expended in the purchase of articles of clothing, to send as presents to their relations in the interior of the country; for true to the native character, they must give away the greater part, or even the whole of their earnings! The custom is universal, arising from innate disposition generally, but now in many instances the result of habit; still it is an amiable and praiseworthy trait of character, and one to be sought for in vain among any European nation. Another excellent feature in the management of the natives on the ordnance works, is the practice of the overseers of calling things, as far as possible, by their English names — such as all terms used in their work ; thus teaching them gradually to acquire our lan-' guage, an object of the greatest consequence. There was at one time a school established for teaching them after working-hours, but we are sorry to hear was broken up because the clerk of the works and the overseers had not sufficient time to superintend it. The experiment altogether is one of the most interesting description, and proves at once what might be made of these natives with proper management, so that we may look forward, and that at no distant day, to obtaining any extent of labour, even artificer work, from the natives, at a moderate price, as the colonists may require ; nor ought we to conclude this notice without stating that the engineer department, we believe, will most readily assist private individuals by permitting some of the native workmen we refer to, upon application, to work for private individuals, to enourage which, as much as possible, is the wish of the Government. — Ibid., January 1.

The Governor and the New Charter. — His Excellency the Governor will, we believe, take his departure for the South to-morrow, in H.M. Steamer Inflexible, proceeding by way of the Bay of Islands and Taranaki. Our readers are aware that it was originally his intention to have sailed some days ago, his baggage, &c, having been conveyed on board, and the zealous Captain Hoseason, though suffering from the effects of a fall from a horse, having expressed his determination not to allow personal inconvenience to interfere with public arrangements —but it seems that, at the eleventh hour, his Excellency was reminded that he could not with propriety leave Auckland until after the Ist of January, as the New Charter would then come into effect, and if he left before that period, as Lieutenant- Governor, the Old Charter would expire while he was at sea, and the new one come into force without his having taken the oaths of office as Go vernor-in- Chief, consequently that there would be a sort of interregnum, a vacuum in the administration, which would be rather anomalous. Hence the postponement of his Excellency's departure. The ceremony of taking the Oaths of Office, under the New Charter, will take place to-day, on the lawn before Government House. Nothing has yet been said officially about the elections, though, as our contemporary the New Zealander so nearly resembles what a Government organ usually is, as not to be easily distinguished from one, we may presume that the allusion to this subject in its columns last Wednesday, is founded upon good authority. The New Zealander says, " the elections will not take place until after his Excellency's return ;" why this should be so we cannot say, unless it is in order that the southern folks may have the honour of opening the ball. We are comparatively careless about the matter, only we think that as the elections must take place now the Charter has been proclaimed, it would be more seemly if they were brought to a termination before the Governor leaves the settlement. — Ibid.

Sale of "Spirits Ordinance."— The ordinance prohibiting the sale of spirits to the natives, has been proclaimed to come into operation on New Year's Day. It moreover limits the sale of wine and other fermented liquors to a quantity not producing intoxication. It should be well understood that this law will not be confined in its operation to publicans only ; for it is distinctly stated, that to supply or give intoxicating drinks to the natives, contrary to the provisions . of the ordinance, will subject the party to a penalty. Whatever difficulty may have arisen in framing an ordinance of this nature, an experiment it may be, we are certain that no right-minded person can avoid seeing the excellent object it has in view. It may appear to some that a law of this kind is unnecessary, inasmuch as the native inhabitants are not generally fond of intoxicating liquors. We answer, that if they were" unfortunately addicted to drunkeness, no law would be powerful enough to check its brutalizing effects. It would then be something like locking the door when the horse was Btolen. We feel much pleasure in testifying to the great sobriety of the natives of New Zealand generally; and therefore think that, as appearances of a departure from their usual abstinence from drink are exhibiting themselves in the towns, an attempt to stop its progress should- be at once made. Prevention is better than cure : indeed, a cure would be almost altogether in their ca»e out of the question. It is our duty then to warn all persons, whether selling spirits or not, from subjecting themselves to penalties by a breach of this law ; for not the slightest lenity

can be expected to be shown towards those who infringe it. History unfolds to us the disastrous consequences which a love of strong drink has entailed on the aborigines of other countries. The dreadful effects of such an acquired propensity among our own natives, would be sorely reflected, sooner or later, on ourselves; and this, if we feel no higher motive, should urge us to assist in carrying out the intention of the ordinance both in letter and in spirit. — New Zealander, December 25. Thb Late Murders. — In our last numbe 1 * we mentioned the anxiety of the natives generally to bring the murderers of the late Lieutenant and Mrs. Snow to justice. Since then, the Buspected Ngamuku, with Taraia, and a number of other natives, have appeared at Government House, and from his now being at liberty, we may conclude that he has sufficiently exculpated himself in the eyes of his Excellency. It would, however, prove much more to the satisfaction of the public, if all examinations of this kind were made at what we conceive to be the proper place — the Magistrate's Court.— -Bid. H.M.S. Calliope. — The Calliope has undergone a thorough refitting and cleansing, and is now nearly ready to receive her crew, who have been encamped on the North Shore during the process. — Ibid., January 1 .

A Single Combat at Waterloo. — A powerful Highlander, Lieut. John Stuart, made himself conspicuous by a hand-to-hand encounter, which, had he been less active and resolute, must have proved bis last. During one of those lulls which occur in all general actions, Stuart and his men lay, in skirmishing order, behind a hedge. About sixty or a hundred yards in front of them, lining in like manner a ditch or hollow, a body of French tirailleurs had taken post, and each party contiuued for a while to watch without molesting the other. At last a French officer rose out of his own ditch, and either because he really desired to encourage his men, or for the mere purpose of bravado, advanced some space in their front, waving his sword. It would have been easy enough to pick him off, for the Rifles needed no instruction as marksmen in those days; but Stuart would not permit that; on the contrary, his orders were — " Men, keep quiet !" While he himself sprang through the hedge, and ran to meet his French officer. The latter did not shun the duel. He, too, was a tall and activelooking man, and in his rapier he had a decided advantage over Stuart, who was armed with the very crooked sabre which it was the fashion in those days for officers of the Rifle corps to carry. The combatants met, and so badly tempered was Stuart's weapon, that at the first pass it broke off, not far from the hilt. The Frenchman saw his advantage, and prepared to use it He flourished his sword, as if in dtfiance, and made a lunge at his adversary's body, which, however, the Highlander received in his left arm, and before a second thrust could be administered, the two men closed. It was the struggle of a moment, and no moreStuart bore his enemy to the earth, and with the. broken pieces of his sabre slew him. — Gleig's Battle of Waterloo. Brazilian Tea. — The avenue [of the Botanical Gardens at Rio] which leads up from the entrance is planted on each side with the pine-like casuarina; it is on a piece of ground about an acre in extent, on the left-hand side of this avenue, that the tea-plants grow which were imported from China by the grand-father of the present emperor. It was thought that the climate and soil of Brazil would be suitable for its cultivation ; but the success of the experiment has not equalled the expectations which were formed of it, notwithstanding that the growth of plants and the preparation of the leaves were managed by natives of Chin* accustomed to such occupations. In the province of San Paul, a few large plantations of tea have been established, that belouging to the Ex-regent Feijo containing upwards of twenty thousand trees. The produce is sold in the shops of Rio ; and in appearance is scarecly to be distinguished from that of Chinese manufacture ; but the flavour is inferior, having more of a herby taste. It is sold at about the same price ; but it is now ascertained that it cannot be produced so as to give a sufficient recompence to the grower, the price of labour being much greater in Brazil than China : to remunerate, it is said that Brazil tea ought to bring five shillings per pound. — Gardner 1 ! Travels in the Interior of Brazil Presence of Mind. — Presence of mind may be described as the power of determining what is fittest to be done upon any sudden occasion, and under adverse circumstances, and of carrying the design into immediate execution with such success as to lead one to suppose it an action of calm deliberation. It is, in short, the union of rapid thought and self-command. This power is possessed by inidviduals in very different degrees. Minds are so diversely constituted, that we often see the same circumstances producingquite opposite effect*. Thus an emergency which totally unnerves one man, is just sufficient to call the powers of another into full activity. Whilst the former cannot act at all, but seems reduced to a state of mental paralysis, the latter applieshimself with calm energy to the difficulties of the case, and escapes the perils that seemed inevitable, by an intuitive selection of the only path that could lead him out in safety. Presence of mind is more generally 'diffused among men than women; but, perhaps,, the most striking isolated examples are told of females. Most have heard of the mother, who, seeing her infant near the edge of a precipice that the slightest advance would hurl the little creature to destruction, had the presence of mind to suppress the scream of alarm that was on the point of breaking out; simply whispering the little creature's name, and at the same time baring her breast, she drew it from its dangerous position into the safe haven of her arms. When presence of mind is combined with fortitude, the compound is very admirable; and there are few things that show, in a greater degree, the power of the mind over the body. A Lamniermoor shepherd recommends the sprinkling or sheep pens with quick lime occasionally, as an effectual precaution against foot rot.