DEATH OF GENERAL TAYLOR AND MAJOR TIGHE, AT AUCKLAND.

General Taylob died on June 27th,, at West Tamaki, aged 77 yeara. The New Zealand Herald says :—

"General Taylor went as a cadet to Madras in 1806. His commissions date as follows: —Ensign, 3rd July, 1807; Lieutenant, 27th August, 1811 $ Captain, 4th September, 1822; Major, 25th September, 1835; Lieutenant-Colonel, 13th June, 1840; Lieutenant-Colonel Commandant, 4th September, 1849; Colonel, 28th September, 1850; MajorGeneral, 25th November, 1854; Lieutenant-General, 28th March, 1865. This distinguished officer served with the 39th regiment (Madras Native Infantry), with the Kurnool Field Force in 1839, and with the expedition in China in 1842. As Brigadier he commanded the Saugor and Nurbudda district (Central India) from 1849 to 1855, and came to New Zealand on sick leave after a continuous service of nearly 50 yeara. Eeturning to India, General Taylor finally retired on furlough and settled in this country in 1857, since which time he has been a resident at the Tamaki. General Taylor was born on the 2nd of December, 1790, and was the third son of the Rev. Dr. Taylor, of St. Enoch, Glasgow, well known as a distinguished preacher in that city, and for many years one of the Chaplains (for Scotland) to his Majesty King George the III."

Major Tighe, Commandant of Militia and Volunteers in Auckland city, died suddenly on June 25th, aged 70 years. An inquest was held, when the Jury returned a verdict that deceased died from natural causes. The funeral took place on Sunday, June 28th, not less than 6000 or 7000 persons being present. The New Zealand Herald has the following : — " The late Major Tighe seems to have been a man alike respected and beloved by not only his own immediate relations, but by all with whom he came in contact. Born a soldier, and brei a soldier, he lived and died a soldier. The rolling drum and the shrill bugle alike heralded his birth and his death. Accustomed from early childhood to the din of warfare, to the rolling volley and the clash of steel, the profession was to Michael Tighe the natural and in-bred bent of life. His father was slain in action, and the boy was accompanying the army at the time. Surrounded by every influence to dravr the boy in that direction, he joined his father's regiment, and served in it for no less a term than forty-seven years." The following is the order of the funeral proceseion which is described as a mournful and imposing one:— Firing Party of the Auckland Eifle Volunteers. The Volunteer Eifle Band. Naval Volunteer Band. The Band of the 18th Eoyal Irish Eegiment. The Auckknd Naval Volunteers. The Auckland Artillery Volunteers. Capt. Tole. o*§ Capt. Dinnin. Capt. Hardington. « m Captain Heaphy. B O dipt. Morrow. ® £ Capt. Horan. zn Chief Mourners: Captain Dv Moulin and Son, and His Honor J. Williamson. Former Members of the 53th. Eegiment. Auckland Volunteer Cavalry. Citizens of Auckland; Commissioner Naughton and the City Police, Non-commissioned Officers of the Volunteer Corps. Officers of Volunteer Cavalry. Eifle Volunteer Officers. Officers of Naval and Artillery Volunteers. Men of the 18th Eoyal Irish Eegimont. Officew of the 18th Eoyal Irish, Eoyal Artillery, and Commissariat. Private Carriages. Citizens in large numbers.

Thb Tauranga Record, after a twelvemonth existence, ceased to publish on the 29th.

A building, used as a malt house in Carlyle-street, was destroyed by fire at Napier on the 15th June.

The Wuimea Escort arrived at Hokitika, on June 25th, with 2500 ounces of gold.

Two petroleum companies are about to be wouud up—The Taranaki and the People's.

Fatal Boat Accident.—The Southern Cross of June 29th states: —" A melancholy accident, resulting in the death of two persons, occurred on Wednesday, the 17th instant, at Kaipara (Auckland Province).. It appears that on the date in question Mr. Jesse Davis, of Paparoa, a settler named Porter, and two sons of Mr. Thomas Kirk, of Auckland, named George and Harry, proceeded in a boat to Pahia, the two latter on their way to Auckland, to catch the cutter that was to bring them hither. They landed safely at Pahia. Mr. Day is then decided upon returning to Paparoa, and asked George Kirk to accompany him us ho wished to take a quantity of shells to convert into lime for use on his farm. They accordingly left Pahia about 4 o'clock tho same evening, the wind at the time being gusty. They were last seen on the Paparoa river about dusk, and, as Mr. Davis had not returned to his home at a late hour, alarm was excited, and a search instituted, resulting in a discovery the fallowing morning of the boat lying on the beach, nn i the bodies of its late unfortunate occupants flowing at a short distance from it. How the accident occurred is not known, but it is surmised that the boat, being somewhat heavily laden and the weather rough, had taken in water over her bows, which the shells precluded from bailing out. Mr. Davis leaves a wife and three children to mourn their loss."

Illicit Distillation on thk Nklson Goldfields.—The Westport Star of Tuesday, June 30th, reports the seizure of an illicit still at Brighton, belonging to a man named Green. The still was fixed on a terrace between Brighton and St. Xilda, md in a place whore it seems wonderful that detection had not sooner taken plaoe. There is every reason to believe that distillation has been going on for some time, and the revenue defrauded to an enormous extent. Some of the spirit seized was more than 36 o.p. In fact there is every reason to believe that several casks shipped from Brighton as " ale" really contained " Kirkliston " and " Dunville's " whiskey. The ease was fully proved before the magistrate, and a fine of £22 was inflicted, which will probably be paid. At Charleston a man named Phillip Rooney has been convicted of being in possession of illicit spirits, and lined £SQ. The fine was immediately paid.

MaHMrfTiii'iifV> «*■"■*■■ *—"i-m in—■.^--» ■■■- -;;:-.- .~~p}y Gold EftJofii! *boM HoKlTlka.—Thd following figures show the quantity of gold exported from Hokitika, during the past six months of the present Jrear «~ ozs. January ~, ... ~. 7,849 February.., ... ,„ 18,330 March ... „. ,„ 14,132 April ... ... ... 12,920 May 12,154 June 11,417 Total 76,802 A large portion of the above is the produce of ths Nelson Goldfields. A Mines Lost.—The Grey Rive? Argus of July 2nd, states :—"We are informed that a miner named Hezzlegrove has been lost m the bush between Np Town and Red Jack's, on the No Town range. As he had not arrived afc Red Jack's thtee days after leaving No Town, on Sunday last 150 miners went out to scour the country in search of him, but up lo the time our informant leaving no trace of the mia* sing man had been discovered." " Twopence Halfpenny in the Pound."—Under this head, the Auckland Weekly Express, of July 4th, states :—" We were on Wednesday one of the recipients of a first, and we believe final, dividend in the estate of E. G. Steer, who some months a»o so unceremoniously took leave of bis confiding creditors, and sought " fresh fields and pastures new." It will be remembered that some expense was gone to in sending after Steer, but this will not account for the paltry dividend paid to the creditors. The assets in this case amounted to at least £300, and they were realised from goods voluntarily given up by Messrs. Turrell and Tonks, to their own loss, that firm being considerable creditors of the estate. Twopence halfpenny in the pound on Steer's debti, would represent about £20 or £30, so that, .presuming there is no further dividend, the expense of realising this estate has been about 75 per cent. The trustees of the largest creditor of Steer received £11, for £1100; another creditor of £300, received £3; and so on. We dont wish to impute blame to anyone, but surely there is room for improvement, as it regards the mode in which insolvent estates are managed. Fbanklyn Election.—The election of a member to repreeent this district in the General Assembly is causing some excitement in Auckland Province. The candidates nominated are Messrs. Swan and Buckland, and so far as the poll has been taken the numbers are:— Buckland. Swan. Newmarket 137 30 Panmure 22 1 East Hamilton 6 0 Papakura 30 1 Shortland 250 646 445 578 The polling in some of the places was to take place on Saturday last, therefore, we shall not know the final result until another mail reaches here from Auckland. It is stated that when the result of the poll afc Shortland (Thames Goldfield) was made known to be in favor of Mr. Swan, he was carriod on the shoulders of his constituents to Butt's Hotel, and that afterwards he addressed his constituents and thanked them for so ably supporting him. The following is taken from the Auckland Weekly Express : —A very handsome diamond-shaped brooch, made of greenstone and mounted with Thames gold, has been manufactured by Mr. F. H. Lewisson, of Queen-street, Auckland, to the order of Lady Bowen. From the centre diamond piece of greenstone, which is tastefully bordered with gold, there are pendant three miniature meres, ornamented with gold, and they are removable at pleasure, so that they can be attached to a necklace as well as to the brooch. This handsome piece of jewellery was made, we are informed from a design supplied by Lady Bowcn, and it is quite unique in its style. Meeting ov Tahanaki Natives. —The Taranahi Herald of June 27th, states: —" We hare just received intelligence that at a well attended meeting o" the Taranaki natives inland of Warea, it was fully agreed that the Taranaki tribe would render no assistance to Tiko Kowara and his people. Te Witi, the most influential chief present, after saying that the understanding came to in March, that there was to be an end of bloodshed had been broken by Tito Kowara, gave those to understand that if any went to assist Tito they would not be allowed to come back. He further declared that if he heard of any interference with travellers on the road, he would give up the offenders to justice. This meeting was also attended by a small section of the NgaKruanui, belonging to Keteonetea, whose disposition in this matter might otherwise be thought doubtful." Sqene in a Police Court.—On June 23rd, as a batch of vagrants were being romoved from the Thames (Auckland) Police Court, one of them seized an inkstand, which lay on the table in front of the clerk of the Court, and aimed it at the Bench (Commission Naughton and Mr. Robert Graham) wit.li great determination. Sergeant Lipsey, observing the prisoner, was successful in diverting his aim, and the missile struck against the seat, not, however, before it had come in contact with Mr. Young's (clerk of the Court) head. The Court papers, the sergeant, and other persons near were bespattered with iuk. The Bench ordered him to undergo two months and 14 days additional imprisonment for this offence. The New Zealand Herald of June 27fch, state 3 that Mr. Carleton is dangerously ill, and that even if he should ever attend the Assembly again, he certainly will not make an appearauce there during the earlier part of the coming session. A Lite Snake found in Auckland.—The Auckland Evening News of July 3rd, states: —" New Zealand like ' Ould Ireland' has been always said to be free from snakes, but there appears to be a little doubt thrown upon the matter to-day. An old soldier named John Hogan, said to be a most respectable man, in the employ of Mr. Owen Jones and Mr. J. Russel, states that he, this morning, picked up in Havelook-street a live snake, and one of the officers o the 18th, will, is said, corroborate the statement that the snake was picked up alive, as he happened to be passing at the time, and saw it; the snsike, however, died a few minutes afterwards, and was handed over* to Mr. Jones, who placed it in a bottle of spirits. We have seen the snake, and to us it would hava appeared (but for the apparently truthful evidence to the contrary) like a snake which had been kept in a bottle, and thrown out into the road, as it has that kind of' chemist shop' look, always associated with reptiles long in bottle. The statements of the parties concerned, however, would certainly prove that this is a genuine case of a snake found alive New Zealand." Serious Assault Cask at Charleston.—A very serious case of assault, which may yet terminate in the death of one of the parties engaged, occurred at Charleston on Sunday night last, at the house of a woman named Mary Ann Hayes, in Camp-street. The Charleston Herald, of Tuesday, June 23rd, says: —" On the evening in question, we are informed, a miner named George Bull, in company with other of his acquaintances, visited the house, and was quietly taking something to drink when two blacksmiths, named Michael Bohan and Whelan, demanded admittance. They were refused, and without further ceremony they burst in the door. Having forced an entrance, they called for ariuk, and were informed by Mary Ann Hajes that she had none. They are stated to have then used some offensive language to the woman, and Bull, remonstrated with them upon their conduct, was set upon, knocked down and kicked. The women tried to resoue him by dragging him into another room and locking the door. This was burst open by the assailants, and they again beat the man. The police were sent for in the meantime, and on arrival found the man insensible, and in a most precarious condition. He was not suspected to survive, but at the hour of going to press faint hopes were entertained of his recovery. The police describe Bull's appearance as horrible in the extreme at the time of their rescuing him. Bohan and Whelan were brought before C. Broad, Esq., R.M., on June 26th, when they were fined £10 each for the assault on Bull. On a second charge, that of resisting the police, they had to pay £5 each ; and Bohan for trying to rescue Whelau when he was in custody had to pay a further sum of £5." I Private letters have been received from England stating that there was a likelihood of Mr. Anthony Trollope being sent out to Australia by the Home Government, to make certain inquiries regarding the working of the Postal Service between, thosa colonies and Europe.— WsUuigton 3W* ,_.