The Express.
London, England, 1853-03-26 00:00:00

STATE OF NEW ZEALAND.

A letter from Auckland, doted Oct. 25th, nye:—
" I am sorry to inform you that geld was discovered about
thirty miles from here, at a place called Coromandel Har-
bour, some few days ago. It was very doubtful at tint
whether the reports were trite, until his Mlegelloncy,
Lieutenant Colonel Wynyard, sent Major Nugent (her
Majesty's 68th), who is native secretary, and Mr. John-
son, interpreter, to the spot. These gentlemen wen accom-
panied by seven respectable merchants of Auckland, who
formed part of the Auckland Gold Committee, who all
returned from the above-named place on the 23rd inst. with
specimens of gold. At present I am happy to say wily a very
small quantity has been found some in quarts and
black sand. The land belongs to the natives, who have
prevented IMO Europeans from digging for gold. If it
should turn hat to be found in @effluent quantities to yield
allhaadioine profit by working, I. consider it would be the
most unfortunate discovery ever nude in this colony, and had
the Auckland people offered a reward of 6001.f0r the discovery
of coal is place of gdd they would have shown more sense.
We are now beginning to teel the advantage of the Aus-
tralian colonies finding gold, and should our late disoovary
of gold turn out not worth working, in a few years we shall
be in a far more healthy and prosperous condition than any
of the other Australasian coloaies. The gnat advantage
we have in New Zealand over the other colonies sad the
southern settlements of New Zealand is, an immense native
population, which are chiefly in this vicinity, and which I
consider the backbone of New Zealand ; and, to give you
some idea of their value during the lest sin months, they
have imported, along with Europeans, but of their own
growth, near upon 50,000 bushels, besides maize and bun-
drWa of tons of potatoes. One settlement alone at
lLa
whea, en .the Waikato and Waipa river, last yeulM
2,600 acres under cultivation, and five water-malls, which
on an average cum 6001. each. At Taurongs, is the
Bay of Plenty, the natives own sixteen moderate sized
seimonen ; to fact. the Mosquito fleet (as the
small vessels are called) belonging to the natives about
here, would astonish many of our southern settlers. I
have no doubt that during the next year 100,0001. will be
made by the settlers and merchants about here—viz., in
Kanai timber and houses fur Melbourne,wbich timber does
not grow 30 miles south of Auckland ; salt pork, hams,
bacon, wheat, maize, potatoes, unions. &c. We have now
nearly 1,000 tons of produce waiting to be exported to the
colonies, and canntt get ships to carry it thither, although
we have eight ships, barques, and brigs, besides schooners,
belonging to Auckland. The enormous exertions made the
last 12 months by the settlers here are almost incredible.
We have now about 16,000 acme of laud fenced in, and the
greater part in produce fur the colonies; and I may say
that the natives have far more land under cultivation, with
the idea of their galena.; very high prices for the produce
for the colonies. People here complain about the dulneu
of the times, but it is many years since Auckland was M so
flourishing a condition, and without the assistance of one
sixpence of the parliamentary grant, all of which has been
spent at the southern settlements. We have only just re-
ceived the news of the New Zealand bit having passed the
House of Commons, and it is an far satisfactory to find that
the evil is much less in its present form than we had reason
to fear it would have proved, frum the powerful influence
of the New Zealand Land Company, and with the rapidity
with which the bill must have been carried through its
various stages. If, however, the tax, instead of being one-
tenth, had been maimed one•hundredth part the, pro-
ceeds of our land sales, it would no less become our duty to
resist by every constitutional means its imposition upon
'this province."