New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, December 1, 1849.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VI, Issue 452, 1 December 1849, Page 2

New Zealand Spectator, AND COOK'S STRAIT GUARDIAN. Saturday, December 1, 1849.

The numbers qf the Otago News received by the Torrington, do not contain any local intelligence of interest. A meeting of the settlers had been held, ostensibly for considering Mr. E. G. WakefieltVs letter, published in the Wellington papers, but the real purpose of which seems to havebeen.if we may judge from the published report, to establish a political coterie as an auxiliary" to that existing in this place under the influence of the Company's Principal Agent. From the prominent part taken by Captain Cargili, we suppose he has received his instructions from Wellington and has acted in obedience to them, but he does not appear to have met

with any great success. The meeting was adjourned for a fortnight, but on both occasions the' arguments and remarks used are reported to have been of an exciting and personal nature. The editor of the Otago News, complains of " the petty spirit" evinced towards that Journal by the Company's Agent, in witholding the statistics of that settlement, which were sent to Wellington for publication ; no doubt this measure is part of the burking system to be put in operation against him. Coal was said to have been found within ten minutes walk of of the town.

A meeting of settlers interested in the formation of a New Zealand Flax Companywas held at the Wellington Tavern on Wednesday evening when, after an interesting discussion, the meeting was further adjourned for another fortnight to prepare models of machinery and to obtain correct estimates of their expense. It is proposed to erect a machine for preparing the flax on one of the sections at Te Aro, through which the stream passes, and in which there is a fall of eighteen feet, thus affording sufficient motive power, and abundance of water for washing the flax. It was stated at the meeting that from Ingestre Street (near Mr. Masters' old Brewery, Te Aro) to the beach there was a fall of sixty feet, shewing how much available water power exists in the town itself, if it were turned to good account. The gradual fall to the sea shore shows also how easily the swamp at Te Ara may be drained, a work of public utility we hope soon to see undertaken, as conducive to the health of the inhabitants at Te Areas well as to the advantage of persons owning sections in that locality.

On Saturday last Rangihaeata and a party of his followers went^ to pay a last visit to Te Rauparaha. On reaching the ferry at Ohau, Rangihaeata demanded of the person, in charge of the ferry (the usual ferrymanbeing at the time absent) some spirits to drink, which was refused. Rangihaeata knocked him down and helped himself, and afterwards tendered utu or compensation for hi 3 violence, and the spirits he had taken.

The cutter Alpha arrived on Thursday from* Launceston after a passage of twenty-eight days. On the 23rd, or early on the mornings of the 24th November, the vessel (which was manned b\ the master and three men} then running before the wind, the master and one of the hands were unfortunately knocked overboard by the jibing of the boom, the guy of which had suddenly given way. The men below hearing a noise went upon deck when they found the boom and guy broken, and the master and the other man had disappeared. The two remaining men took charge of the vessel and brought her into port.