MISCELLANEOUS.

The rainfall during the last month (July) recorded at the Auckland observatories, was au exceedingly small one. There were 22 days on which raid fell, but all the showers put together only amounted to a total of f'{ 27"m. The heaviest rain, recorded during any 24 houia, was on the 7th ultimo, when the rainfall was 0 o.*>oin M or rather more than half an inch. The mean temperature in the shade during the daytime was 57'7 Fah,,and , tho mean temperature during the night was j i'4-1'2 Fab., thus giving a mean of 51* for the ' month. The highest temperature recorded j during the month with the thermometer j | exposed to the sun's rays was 10G 3. The nverage daily measurement of the wind was '225 miles, but on one occasion, tho 20th, the anemomoter measured -137 miles. Considering that the month of July is usually tho severest winter month wo have, the past July has been an exceedingly mild one, although ou some occasions it was disagreeably cold when the wind was blowing from the south or south west. Messrs. Fraser and Tinne have completed the manufacture of a large piston rod for the United Pumping Association at the Thames. Tho weight of the piston is about three and a half tons, and it was constructed in one casting, the whole apparatus, comprising junk, spring rings, and cover, weighing about five tons. The piston rod, it is estimated, will weigh about 2 tons, making a total a^gregato weight ot nearly seven tuna. Tho diametor of the piston is SI iuches, and the diameter of tho piston rod eight inches. The machinery was inside without a model ; Messrs. Fraserand Tinne having constructed the piston rod from a " loam." The piston is the largest ever manufactured in the Pacific colonies, and for completeness cannot be surpassed m any of the other foundries in other parts of the world. It may be mentioned that the rod is 17 feet long, 84 inches in diameter. The workmanship and the articles supplied, have, we believe, received the unqualified approval of those who gare the order. We have received from Messrs. A. Drown and Sons, of Tuakau, for exhibition at our publishing office, a couple of samples of dried tobacco leaves, and which are pronounced by all who have examined them as of really fine growth and aroma. Messrs. Brown and Sons hare had 15 years' experience in the growth of tobacco in New South Wales, but consider the climate of Auckland to excel in every way for tobacco culture. During the ten years, frmn 1864 to 1874, there wore 93,37U children of European parents born in the colony of Mew ZeaUnd. During the satuo period there wero 28,489 deaths recorded, leaving 04,881 as the excess of births over deaths. Of the above number of excess of births over deaths 13,150 are credited to the Auckland province. Mr. Dalgleisb, partner in the firm of Reid and Dalgleish, of this city, has proceeded to Dunodm to take charge of the part of their business which is more immediately connected with the Southern Provinces. They have now been nearly two years hero in connection with tha Trade Protection Society, and during that time have earned the respect of those sections of the community with which they have come in contact. On Monday Mr. Dalgleish was entertained at dinner at the Northern Club, as a mark of the esteem in which be was held, prior to his departure for the South. The number of steam-engiues on the Auckland Goldfields for mining purposes is tims given:— At the Thames 45 engines, 1283 horse-power ; at Coromandel S engines, 220 horse-power ; total, 53 engines, 1303 horse-power. Our Alexandra correspondent writes on the 15th August :— There has been a great number of up country natives here during the last week with pigs and produce for sale. A large part of the wheat and maize is not yet disposed of. The natives are very keen in their dealinq, and keep our storekeepers continually on tho move to head each other's J'a'sT bid, there being great competition amongst them. The last lot of wheat sold realized Gs. 9d. per bushel. The friends of Dr. Coughtrey, late of the 1 Chile,' will be glad to learn that he has obtained a professorship at the Dunedin University. The football match at the North Shore on August 8, between the Auckland and North Shoro Clubs was the best contested game of the season. The game was brought to an abrupt conclusion a few minutes before time being called, by the bursting of the ball, aud resulted in a draw, neither side scoring anything. On Friday afternoon, July the 31at, a man named Edward Little was discovered dead in a closet adjoining the Pitt-atreet school-room by Mr. Wilkinson, the chapelkeeper. The deceased had been for some time past living on the Eait Coast and at Tauranga, where he occupied the position of native school teacher and occasional correspondent to the Auckland papers. He fre. quently gave way to drink, and wat often for days together in a state of intoxication. Drunkenness and its usual results, exposure, and an inability to take solid food, ended in the melancholy climax which on Friday afternoon brought to light. It is supposed that the unfortunate man died from sheer exhaustion, brought on hy literal starvation. Little was a man of good education : he had gone through one of the English Universities. He came up from Tauranga about a fortnight ago, and entered the Provincial Hospital, whence he was discharged at the end of last week. Subsequently he was apprehended by tho police for having no risible means of support, but liberated on promising to go into the country, where he could procure employment. Ou the finding of the body the police were immediately communicated with, and the body removed, under their charge, to the Naval Hotel. When found he had no clothing on but a Crimean shirt. — An inquest was held on Saturday, August 1, at the Naval and Family Hotel, before Dr. Philson, coroner. Thejuiy having been sworn in, viewed the body, evidence was taken which went to corroborate the above statement. —Hugh Keunedy.M.D., being sworn, said he had examined tho body of the deceased, which he found cold and stiff. Death had apparently taken place about four-and-twenty hours previous. The probable cause of death wa3 serous apoplexy, arising from intemperance and also want of proper nourishment, accelerated by cold and exposure. The deceased had the appearance of being a rictim to drink. —The jury returned a verdict in accordance with the medical testimony. A. correspondent of our Tauranga contemporary writes :— "The final obsequies of the much-respected chief Rawiri Tuaia took place on Tuesday, the 18th instant, about 11 o'clock, in the Te Papa cemetery. The grave was selected near the fencing, abutting on to the ' brave' who foil at the Gate Pa and Te Ranga. All the hapus of Tauranga were represented, and concentrated on the wharf to meet the mournful cortege as it arrived from Whareroa. JSuoka te Whanake had charge of the boat containing the corpse, and Hori Ngatai with Parira, Hamiora Tu, and Tupaea's sons wero present on the occa•ion. On the coffin reaching the end of the wharf, it waa received by Mr. Hopkins Clarke, of the Native Office. The pallbearers selected were gentlemen to whom the deceased was well known and respected for his bravery and humanity : — Messrs. S. L. Clarke, Thomas Wrigley, A. Warbrick, and Captain Turner. The natives seemed much affected, and everything passed off quietly, though there could not have been less than three hundred prosent." The own correspondent of the Thames Advertiser supplies that journal with the following : — The Government are about surveying the proposed new road from Rotorua to Cambridge. It is supposed the distance is forty-five miles. The natives are busy removing their dead from the lands sold to the Government. According to the ropoit on tho goldfields of INew Zealand by C. E. Haughton, there wore 28 mining disputes adjudicated upon in the Wardens' Court, at Grahamstown during the year ending the 31 st of March last. Tho aggregate amount olaimed in these cases was, £994 14s. 9d. and £524 14s. 9d. was awarded, with £93 12s. as costs. In the Coromandel district there were 11

cases similarly disposed of. Iu these an aggregate of £2,230 was claimed, and only £1 03. recovered, with £77 lGs. costs. It is reported that the total number of shares in the new Colonial Bank applied for , in the «'olony is 170,000 ; and it is said to be the intention of the directors to rcrer^e the balance — 30,000— of the number placed upon the market. According to Mr. C. E Haughton's annual report of the Goldfields of the colony for the year ending 31st March last, there were 01 companies in the Grahamstown district, under the Mining Companies Act, 187— Those companies had a nominal capital of £1 850,9 It, and a paid-up capital of £5"2,Jt78. To the shareholders in these ' companies piid-up terip to the nominal value of £1,] 35,282, had been given. In the Coromandol district there were 15 companies, with a nominal capital of £278,700, and a [ paid-up capital of £155,713. Together the I nominal capital in the two districts was £2,120,614, and a paid-up capital of £727,i'>96. A notice appears in the JS~rw Zealand Gazette of the 13th of August, that letters of naturalization under the Aliens Act, 1SGG, have leen issued in favour of Mr. Gustav Ludwig Theodore Von der Heyde, merchant, Auckland. Referring to the honor of Knighthood being confeired upon the Hon. Donald McLean, the WHlinyton Tribune, makes the following remarks : — " Sir Donald McLean ! And no worthier gentleman has ever won th« spurs of knighthood in this colony. Honour to men who discharge arduous duties faithfully and well, as our Native Minister has dotie, is creditable alike to those who confer and those who receive it. liven hia opponents (we do not say enemies, because Sir Donald McLean has no enemies) being judges, his services in the Native Department are deierving of any mark of gtateful recognition whioh can be paid to him because of their singleness of purpose, and beneficial results. Already a Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George, the Hon. Donald McLean has now been raised to tho grade of Knight Commander of that order. We congratulate the new knight en his honourable distinction, and hope he may live many years to enjoy it." The number of immigrants nominated by settlers in this province during the month of July was in all GO, equal to 51 statute adults. Of these, there are 32 males and 28 females. The flags of several of the vessels lying in port were ou August 13, decorated with bunting on the ocoasion of the marriage of Mr. John Cruickshank, of the firm of Cruickshank and Co., to Miss Rose Forsayth, daughter of Captain Forgaytb, well known in thio port, and lately in command of the ' Waverley,' brig. The bride was a passenger to Auckland on board the ' Countess of Kin tore,' on the last trip of that vessel from London. It is rumoured amongst Good Templar circles, wo understand, that a high dignitary of the order is about to visit these colonies. We have much pleasure in announcing that tho following young gentlemen — viz., Mr. James Aitken, ai tided pupil to E. Hesketh, Esq., and nephew of Mr. Aitken, land agent ; Mr. Edward Cooper, articled pupil to A. Devore, Esq., and third son of Mr. Theophilus Cooper ; and Mr. T. Hesketh, articled pupil and brother of Edwi> Hesketh, Esq. — who underwent their first examinations required as candidates for admission as barristers and solicitors of the Supreme Court, have received tho very gratifying intelligence from his Honor the Chief Justice that they have passed tlnough the ordeal satisfactorily. At the sitting of the Supreme Court on Friday, August 1, Mr. Coleman Philips was admitted a Barrister, Mr. Edward Bennett moved his admission. Wo understand that the Government have withheld Dr. AVylie's gratuity, in token of their disapproval of Ins conduct as Surgeon Superintendaut of tho ' Loch Awe,' but have paid him the amount due him as " head mouey" on the number of immigrants landed. Our Alexandra correspondent, writing on August Sth, states that a European now residing with the Maoris at Tokangamutu is distilling whiskey there. He made the whole plant he works with himself out of old kerosine tins. According to the native account he is a rather ingenious and dangerous character to be amongst them. He is said to be a good gunsmith, blacksmith, and millwright, and has proposed to manufacture gunpowder. Old Manuhiri, it is said, declined to test his. abilities in the latter direction, but he is to be engaged to build a mill for them. If he would only confine himself to this branch of his various acquirements, he would certainly do no harm amongst them. A quantity of iron landed from the steamer, and left on the beach all night, a short time since, was missing. It is supposed to have gone up the river te start the new blacksmith's shop with material. A good many canoei were down at the time. Our Cambridge correspondent, writing on August 10, says, "Native news is a thing of the past. At no timo do I recollect there being so few natives in camp, and so little money among those who do come." Mr. Leech, of Shortland -street, hat commenced the business cf silvering plate glass for mirrors.