The New=Zealander.

New Zealander, Volume 5, Issue 385, 22 December 1849, Page 2

The New=Zealander.

Be just and fear not: Let all the ends tliou aims't at, be thy Country's, Thy God's, ami Truth's. SATURDAY, DE C ely! BE & 22, 1849.

By the Shamrock from Launceston, we have received a few Hobart Town papers, but the latest intelligence, (Nov. 6,) is a fortnight older than that which had previously arrived by the Esperanza.

The wretched condition of some of the leading thoroughfares in this town, has been even more fully apparent than before, since the commencement of the summer, — (as, notwithstanding its frequently wintry appearance, we must call the present season). A few months ago, the hapless wights who plunged from one depth to a deeper still in High Street, West Queen Street, and other places, had, no doubt, painfully conclusive and practical evidence that gulphs not only existed, butabounded there, in such close proximity that no skill of man could escape them all ; but as the ground became dry enough to disclose the far down bottom, they obtained ocular demonstration of the perils it had been their lot to encounter, and whilst they rejoiced that their bones were still unbroken, might regard the immense

holes in the streets through which they had daily or nightly walked, with feelings akin to those of one who (as described hy Maturin's Bertram :) " Scam with a giddy eyo the air-Lung height, From which he leaped, ami lives by miracle" The manifestation of the perils they had passed through, was completed by the effect of the torrents of rain in suddenly filling up the aforesaid holes with overflowing floods, producing altogether a slate which might well stimulate our ingenious and industrious townsman, Mr. Robertson, to hasten his construction of the " amphibious machine " on which he has been for some time engaged, — and which he designs to realize, as far as practicable, continuous locomotion, over land and through water. During nearly the whole of last winter, what a treasure would such a vehicle have been in the streets of Auckland ! But, according to the old " saw," — when things are at the worst, they begin to mend ; and we now advert to the subject not so much in the way of complaint or remonstrance, as to express our gratification that the Authorities \ have shewn signs of life in the matter, and probably that there will not be the necessity which some have apprehended, that the inhabitants of certain localities should, on the approach of next winter, lay in stores of provisions sufficient to last out the rainy season, or, if they must come out of doors, provide themselves with ferry boats, pending the completion of "the amphibious machine." Seriously, the repairs of High Street have been commenced in a business-like manner, which promises that the evil will, there at least, be satisfactorily and permanently remedied. The importance of that thoroughfare, as leading to some of the principal places of public resort, gave it just claims to precedence ; but we trust that other thoroughfares will in their turn receive due attention. West Queen Street having been repeatedly named, let us say a word or two on behalf of Wyndham Street, which runs parallel with it, and is obviously likely to become the principal passage from the centre of the town, to the populous and extending neighbourhood to which it conducts. A tolerably good foot-path was made in that street last winter by the private contributions of its inhabitants ; but the road for horses not only continued always bad, but was often absolutely impassable, so that carmen were compelled to go round by Government house in order to get to Ilobson street from Queen street \ Even within the last two or three weeks it was distressing to witness the struggles of unfortunate horses vainly striving to drag an ordinary load to its lop. We need not say that much inconvenience and some pecuniary loss must have resulted from all this to the householders in the vicinity. We may suggest as an additional reason for doing something to improre Wyndham Street at present, that, a considerable number of the allotments to be offered at the approaching land sale, are in and about Hobson Street, and that a promise to improve the road conducting to those allotments — or, what people of a suspicious or sceptical turn of mind would deem more satisfactory than any promise, an actual viakinq of the improvement so much needed — might operate in no inconsiderable degree as an inducement to intending purchasers. If High Street, West Queen Street, and Wyndham Street were put in really good repair, although many things would still remain to be done, a gieat step would be taken towaids the removal of a serious and wholly indefensible local grievance.

While we are on the subject of local improvements, we are reminded of a matter to which we have more than once before made reference ; we allude to the convenience and advantage to the public which would lesult fiom a repetition in the town of the signals at Mount Victoria. Supposing the code to be perfect, (and there is no second opinion as to the excellency of Marry at's system), and supposing the signal master's performance of his duty to be accurate in all its parts, (and we are informed on competent authority that the new signals are now given with great correctness) , still the bulk of the inhabitants can derive little or no benefit from the exhibition of them, for the good and sufficient cause that they cannot see — so as to read — them. As the Governor in the Critic has it, — 11 The Spanish fleet tbou canst not see—became It is not yet in sight !" Now it has been urged that the Authorities should provide for such a repetition of the signals here as would, by bringing them into view, make them a real source of general information ; and we do not all dissent from that opinion. But the Authorities have not done it, and there is no reason to suppose that they have any immediate intention of doing it. Then, why may not the inhabitants do it for themselves 1 A very small contribution from each of the men of business and others who feel an interest in the arrivals in our harbour, would suffice to procure the services of a person to perform the duty ; and it would be a cheap redemption of the time now lost by many in straining their eyes to discover what vessel is approaching, and discussing the probabililities of the case, when, after all — in a majority of instances, the object of concern turns out to be only a schooner from the coast. If any should demur to the employment of a

man for such a service, on the ground that he should be supported by the government, — (as a worthy correspondent of our own last winter, in the plenitude of his proud patriotism, protested against our suggestion that the public should for their own benefit repair the streets before their doors,) we have only to confess that we still think it rather Quixotic to continue voluntarily subject to an annoyance, which it is within our power easily to remove,* from any expectation of good to be effected b]d continued endurance of it, and our consequent murmurings against official parties, who, we think should remove it for us. And, if we may be allowed to hang a weighty moral on so slight a peg as the comparative i trifle which we have now suggested, we ] would say that whatever benefit some may anticipate from theorizing about abstract political questions, and vital changes in the constitution or at least the administration of our public affairs, there are many quiet and unostentatious modes of obviating practical annoyances and securing practical advantages, by a little prudent, good-humoured, and liberal effort amongst ourselves — altogether independently of what our rulers may or may not undertake on our behalf, — which we at least are utilitarian enough to believe it would be our wisdom to attend to. At all events, while the ono (the maintaining a theoretical opposition to the real or supposed faults of our political system,) is done, the other (the direction of practical regard to local amendments, which, without any " mere oratory," may be effected by ourselves,) certainly should not be left undone.

Mr. Holman's Process of preparing the " New Zealand Flax."— We are gratified to learn that a few influential gentlemen in the town and neighbourhood are taking steps to present Mr. Holman, of Wangarei, with some substantial token of approbation of his simple and effective plan of preparing the Phormiwn Tenax, and especially of the good example which he has set to experimentalists by making nosecrct of his process,— but, from the first, affording the public every facility to become acquainted with it in all its parts. We understand that he has this week brought to town a considerable quantity of his prepared Flax, for which, as usual, he found a ready market.

"Straws from the Gold Coast," supplied by a correspondent of the Polynesian, who signs himself "Panorama," have excited considerable attention, as being amongst the most entertaining and instructive, and (so far as can be judged from internal evidence, and corroborative reports) amongst the most trustworthy of the numerous accounts of Californian life and adventure, with which the journals have teemed. Up to our last dates from Honolulu, eight of those letters had been successively published. Of these, the only four which had reached us — the first and second, and the seventh and eighth of the series—were transferred to our columns in the course of last month. We aie now enabled to fill the hiatus, having received the intermediate communications. We insert two of them r to»day, and shall give the remaining two in another number of the New Zealander. Although the information which they contain is not quite so recent as some that we have published, it is, notwithstanding, far from being uninteresting, and may be the mote acceptable to our readers just now when there are no arrivals to afford us means of laying before them what may be called fresh Californian news. The particulars respecting the foundation of cities which may at no distant day occupy a prominent place in the world's view, may not only gratify curiosity at present, but, by and by, be found invested with a degree of historical value, — recorded as they here are by an intelligent eye-witness.