Chap. XV. FLOUR-SHIPS FKOM VALPARAISO. 419 
vice of the Government ; and that a sale by auction of 
allotments of land in the town of Auckland had been 
advertised for March next. 
Two vessels had arrived at Wellington from Val- 
paraiso, loaded with flour ; and the price of this article 
of food was reduced to 20/. per ton from the high 
price which it had hitherto maintained. One of these 
vessels, a Chilian bri^, had called at the Bay of 
Islands ; and Dr. Fitzgerald returned in her with the 
appointment of Colonial Surgeon and Health Officer 
for this settlement. This was the first case of one of 
the original colonists from England being thought 
worthy of a Government office. It has been related 
that the Company's surgeon had to perform its duties 
in a recent case of the most vital importance. The 
duties of Harbour-master, by no means a sinecure, 
had also been performed by Captain Chaffers, with a 
salary of 300/. per annum from the Company; but 
this appointment was not recognized by the Lieutenant- 
Governor. 
On the 12th of December, the ship London had 
arrived from England with 250 emigrants and passen- 
gers. Among the latter was Mr. Frederick Alonzo 
Carrington, who held the appointment of Chief Sur- 
veyor to the Plymouth Company before mentioned. 
This body had bargained to receive from the parent 
society a district of 50,000 acres, including a site for a 
town to be called " New Plymouth," and to be distri- 
buted in the same way as the preliminary settlement 
at Port Nicholson. Mr. Carrington was deputed to 
confer with Colonel Wakefield on the subject of select- 
ing the next most eligible site within the territory 
claimed by the Company on either side of Cook's 
Strait. 
We heard with pleasure by this opportunity that 
2 E 2 
