AUCKLAND.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume X, Issue 480, 17 May 1851, Page 51

AUCKLAND.

~~,-k\*, — — — • — We h«tlN**eceived Auckland papers to the 23d of April, brought to Wellington by the Fly. From a hasty perusal of their contents, we are able to furnish the following items of news :—: —

Tbe published Statistics for the settlement inform us, that last year it had in cultivation 243 acres of wheat, 795 acres oats, 1344 acres of barley, 103 acres of maize, 376 acres of hay, 267 acres of garden, 1,067 acres of potatoes, and 5,078 acres of pasture: total, 8,082 4 acres. The stock numbers — horses 725, horned cattle 6,803, sheep 3,281, goats 345. The same document informs us that at New Plymouth there were last year 846 acres of wheat grown, 153 acres of oats, 153 of barley, 6 of maize, 263 of potatoes, 119 of turnips, other crops 426* acres; garden 684, pasture 1,182: total 3,217 acres. The stock in the settlement numbered—horses 57, horned cattle 1,147, sheep 1.934-, goats 69. The Committee of the Agricultural and Horticultural Society have published an interesting Report of their last year's proceedings, together with some other useful information. The Meteorological observations show that in Auckland, during the year 1850, there were 183 days without rain, 146 showery days, and 36 wet days. The highest temperature was 87, in February, the lowest, 34, in July. The William Hyde, which sailed for London 01 the 9th of April, took home, as produce of the colony — 53 tons of copper ore, 48 bales of wool, 1 parcel samples of wool, 17 tons of flax, 9 boxes kauri gum, 1 box curiosities, 1 box native mats, and 360 loads of timber. Among the passengers were the widow and family of the late General Pitt.

In the Government Gazette of April 21, Lieutenant- Colonel Wynyard is appointed Lieutenant- Governor of New Ulster (vacant by the death of General Pitt) until her Majesty's pleasure shall be known.

There lias been a slight native tumult at Auckland, which for a shore time wore a rather threatening aspect. A native of the Ngatipoa tribe stole a shirt from a shop in the town, and the constables, in apprehending him, met with some opposition from the members of the tribe who happened to be present. In the course of this disturbance, a chief was knocked down, beaten, and lodged in the lock-up by a native constable, and this was instantly resented by the whole tribe present. The chief who had been thus severely handled, was shortly after liberated from confinement, but many of his people had in the meantime taken their departure home in their canoes to muster their friends, and three days afterwards a large body of armed men returned to Auckland, and landed in Mechanics' Bay. In this emergency the Govern"or-in-Chief acted with great coolness J 'artd decision. The troops and the pensioners stationed at Auckland were instantly ordered to be in readiness, and his Excellency proceeded to Mechanics' Bay and demanded of the chiefs tbe reason of their unlawful proceeding. They stated that they had no quarrel with the Europeans, but as one of their chiefs had been assaulted by a native, they demanded that this man should be given up to his tribe to be dealt with according to native usage. The Governor informed the natives that be could not listen to such a proposition, and gave them two hoars to depart, telling them that if they bad not left at the expiration of that time, tbe artillery should open fire upon them from the land, and the guns of the Fly froia the river. Although it was at the time low water, and the heavy war canoes had to be dragged a longdistance across the mud fiat, the natives prudently set to work, and before the two hours had expired not a canoe remained. It is satisfactory to find that the affair ended so well, but as every settlement in the North is not equally protected with artillery and bayonets, we are strengthened in the opinion we have always held, that settlements in the north, where no such protection is given, are too much at the mercy of the large native population by which they are surrounded, whose hostility may any day be provoked by a drunken broil, or even as at Auckland, in an attempt to vindicate the laws.

We copy the following from Bell's Weekly Messenger, of the 4th of January :— Viscount Campden, who with his lady, has recently been added to the list of noble converts to Rome, is the eldest bon of the Earl of Gainsborough, and consequently nephew to the Hon, and R«v 8 . berardlvioel and Baptist Noel. Lady Campden is thr daughter to the Earl and Countess of krrol.and grand daughter of William IV. The surplus wheat crop of Canada this year is estimated at 11,000,000 bus belt.