Untitled

Auckland Star, Volume I, Issue 71, 31 March 1870, Page 2

We are informed, upon reliable native authority, that the Ngatihaua native, Heta, arrived in town on the 26th instant, as a messenger from the Hauhau portion of his tribe ; that he immediately obtained an interview with the Native Minister, prior to his sailing in the Lima, and informed him, in reply to a message sent to the tribe through its head man, Tana Te Waharoa, " That they could not allow the 'wire' to be taken through their king country to Taupo or Tauranga. A'so, that they could not undertake to follow in pursuit of Te Kooti." We hear from another native source that the answer to this was a promise on the part of the Government to send 200 sheep to Tana Te Waharoa, in liquidation of some very old claim. The down pour of rain during last night has had a most refreshing effect on the state of the temperature, and generally on our sensations, though it has not improved the streets and footpaths for walking purposes. It may not be amiss to narrate a custom which we have seen in other cities. It may seem strange, but there are actually men employed to scrape together the mud off the streets with large implements like hoes, and when the mud is collected in certain places, it is carted away by drays specially adapted to the purpose. We have even seen persons with large besoms at the end of sticks actually sweeping the streets after rain, as if they had been in the inside of a house. It may seem ridiculous, and a waste of money, but we have heard storekeepers actually assert that so preventive of dust on the return of dry weather is the practice, that the cost is more than returned in undamaged goods. Of course we do not suppose that such an idea would be entertained in Auckland, and we merely mention the incident as one of the curiosities of travel. From the Police Court charge-list to-day there seems to be a lull among the tipplers,' and in the absence of the usual offering for the temple of Justice, the police appear to have made a raid on the places of ill repute. The movement is not a moment too soon, and we trust that the police will persevere till this Auckland nuisance is brought within endurable limits. Smuggling on a small scale was quietly snuffed out; the Crown Prosecutor considering that a wink is as good as a nod, and that this fascinating offence in its incipient state would be disenchanted by a mitigated penalty. We are sorry that owing to the change in the weather it was deemed inadvisable to despatch the Williams this morning to the Kawau. This will have been a considerable disappointment to many who were looking forward to a pleasant trip ; but we have no doubt another opportunity will soon be afforded, when we trust the clerk of the weather will be more kindly disposed.

A correspondent, " Fair Play," writes to us complaining of the manner in which the recent appointments were made by the Auck-, land Grammar School Board. He says !— \ "Advertisements were inserted in the local papers, calling for applications; a considerable number of gentlemen Were put to the trouble of preparing testimonials, and kept waiting on the decision of the Board, while all the time arrangements Were 'cut and dry,' and the appointments actually fixed. To my own knowledge, one appointment advertised had been promised long before, and has been filled accordingly; and I have it on good authority that the others had been similarly fixed by promise. Another officer is now advertised for, namely, a Drill Instructor. Is this bona fide or is it only pro forma ? This matter, sir, demands inquiry. It i^ an imdoubted abuse of a public trust." Last night as some boys were fishing off the end of the warf, on one of them flinging _ the bait around him as the manner is, prcparitory to the projecting it into the sea, the fish-hook, some-how misdirected, fixed itself in the th igh of a man who was passing at the time. The roar which it drew from him so frightened the boys that they all " skedaddled," leaving their tackle behind them. After some delicate manipulations in which "the man was aided by the bystanders, and which necessitated his divesting himself with groat cure, of his nether habiliments, the hook, which had not penetrated deeply, was extracted. The incident caused no little excitement and tumult on the warf. A correspondent, siging himself "A Sufferer," and whose communication we have had great difficulty in deciphering, complains of certain nuisances in Napierstreet. So far as we can make out, our Correspondent says, " The premises occupied by , as stables, are, at the present time, unfit either for man or horse to go near, for the smell that arises from the nuisance that is lying in the yard is past bearing : aud I should also wish to assert that there have been three people died within the last three days of fever caused by the unpleasant smell arising from these stables ; and there is also people living here who have got pigs and which causes a very bad smell in the neighborhood, which, I think, should, at once, be put a stop to, or otherwise it will tend to be of a serious nature in regard of the public health. So, iv concluding, I hope the Inspector of Nuisances will take a walk round this way and have the unisance removed." In Earl Granville's circular, published in the Gazette, permitting the members of the late New Zealand Ministry to retain the title of " Honorable," in tbe colony. His Lordship pays the following compliment to Messrs. Stafford and Fitzherbert :—" Tn conveying her Majesty's decision, I have much pleasure in placing on record my appreciation of the services rendered to the colony by Mr. Stafford, duriug along and distinguished political career ; and by Mr. Fitzherbert, in the able and judicious conduct of his recant negotiations with the Government of this country, respecting the adjustment of the Imperial and Colonial chums arising out of the war in New Zealand." Bankruptcy.—The Chief Justice was occupied the whole of yesterday with bankruptcy business. In the matter of John Grey—a motion to rescind a deed of arrangement—the deed was confirmed. In the matter of S. M. Green and Company, the Chief Justice made an order that the bankrupts should be examined in respect to the accounts, including the claims of certain creditors of Black's estate, resident in England. In the matter of Alexander Gillan, an alleged fraudulent conveyance, the hearing had not concluded wheu the Court rose at half-past four o'clock. We observe that his Excellency the Governor has assented to the Auckland Salt Water Bath Company Lease Act, 1870, and that T. B. Gillies Esq., and Joseph McMullen Dargaville Esq. are appointed T. Ps. for the colony. The annual tea meeting of the Parnel Wesleyan Sunday School was held in the schoolroom yesterday even'.ng. The attendance, the weather being taken into consideration, was very good. The Rev. J. Buller occupied the chair, and addresses were delivered by the Rev. J. Law, Messrs. Rowe, Wykes, Shera, and Coplaud. The proceedings were of a highly interesting nature, aud a most pleasant evening was spent. The report was a very satisfactory one, showing a balance from last year of £11 19s. Tnis, added to the collection at last Sabbath services, £4 15s. 10d., and somewhere about £10, the result of the tea meeting, gives aB amount of over £26 to the credit of the funds. We hear that the well-known chief Rapata, of Ohinemuri, has sent a letter to vshortland claiming a share in the £5000 to be awarded for the discovery of a payable goldfield in this province. The grounds of Rapata's claim are that the proclamation was for the discovery of a goldfield in any part of the province, and that he, at a certain date, gave to Mr. John Williamson auriferous specimens from Ohinemuri. Rapata, however, forgets two things—that Ohinemuri is not yet opened as a goldfield, and that it has not been proved to be payable. Therefore, till the Provincial 'Council proclaims another reward of £5000, which they are not likely to do, Rapata has no chance.— Evening Mail. Mr. Beckham sat in the Compensation Court yesterday, under late instructions from the Government, when a day—the 22nd proximo—was fixed for the production, in writing, of the grounds upon which the several parties contesting a certain award, with Jacob Samuels, of Taranaki, base their claims. The documents will have to bear on them a prima facie case, or they will not be entertained.