To the Editor of the " New Zealand Gazette and Wellington Spectator."

New Zealand Gazette and Wellington Spectator, Volume IV, Issue 305, 9 December 1843, Page 4

To the Editor of the " New Zealand Gazette and Wellington Spectator."

Wellington, December 7, 1843. Sir, — In the last number of your paper, is another leference to that gunpowder- which the Rev. Mr. Smale purchased at the sale of the Company's stores in May last. Now I certainly was not aware of the existence of any absolute necessity for recalling the attention of the public to that unfortunate circumstance; nevertheless, as publicity is again given to it, you will oblige me by allowing this explanation of the affair, which ought perhaps to have been given at the time, to appear in your columns. Before this settlement was formed, the Wesleyan Missionaries in New Zealand were in the habit of procuring their supplies from Sydney and Plobart Town, but now, wishing to encourage our infant colony, we have sent many of our orders here to be executed. The minister stationed here is generally willing to sacrifice his time in getting these orders executed, V-be, perhaps, knows better what will suit his brethren, than another person would. The belter part of a thousand pounds was in this way brought into Port Nicholson last year, as the merchants and storekeepers who supply us can testify. Mr. Smales, having received an order for some shirts, &c, went to the above sale for the purpose of purchasing them. On his arrival there, he found that gunpowder was the article on sale. It was packed in tin canisters, and these seem to have attracted his attention more than the contents, from their utility to a person travelling in the bush. It was going remarkably cheap, in fact Mr. Smales's impression was that the canisters was worth the money, and that the powder was given into the bargain ; so, without bestowing a moment's thought as to the propriety or impropriety of the proceeding, he bid for the lot, and the gentleman conducting the sale, willing to Mr. Smales a favour, at once knocked it down to him. This then was the way in which the " Reverend Gentleman " became possessed of so "much powder." The other parts of this affair are already before the public, and require no observation from me. That " amity, peace, and concord," mayincrease and spread amongst us as a community, is desired by none more than by Sir, Your obedient Servant, Samuel Ironside. i A similar notice to the above appeared in a Sydney paper, headed " Creditors beware " to which a wag published a reply, commencing — " Creditors be where ? " A new microscope has been exhibited at the Polytechnic Institution, the powers to which are said to surpass all previous instruments. It consists of six powers. The second magnifies the wings of the locust to twenty-seven feet in length. The fourth, the sting of the bee to twenty-seven feet. By the sixth, each lens in the eye of the fly is, so magnified, that it appears to be-fourteen inches in diameter ; and a human hair eightteen inches in diameter, or four feet in circumference.