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Auckland Star, Volume I, Issue 188, 16 August 1870, Page 2

Tke following report of the cruise of tin '• Blanche in search of the possible survivors of the Matoaka is from the Wellington Independent : —The Blanche left Sydney on the 2nd July, and after a ten days' trip reached Camley harbour, Auckland Islands. Examined the coast carefully for any sign of the cast-; aways, but without success. Before leaving the Islands, the Daphne arrived, and«nade m kuown to the Blanche the object of their., visit. The people on board the schooner were I taken on board the Blanche, and landed at Port' Ross, while the Blahche went, round the island. On completing the circuit the anchor was dropped in Port Ross on Saturday, and ; they remained there all day Sunday. All the ; boats were sent out to different parts of the , coast, some of the Daphne's crew being in each boat, with instructions to light fires during the search ; but they all returned unsuccessful. The case in which supplies had heen deposited was found broken open, quite empty, . exposed to the weather, and with considerable wa' er in it. The case was emptied, dried carefully, and a fresh supply of provisions, < clothes, blankets, and other necessaries put into the box, and the whole sealed up. Everything that experience could suggest was done to discover any trace of people, and to make still more certain the heavy guns of the Blanche w^re fired at regular intervals during her stay, and the reverberations through the ' hills must have been heard and elicited some v sign of life if any human beings were there. ; - The spot pointed out as the place where the G-eneral Grant was lost, is not a care, as has 1 been the impression." The first annual report of the Mutual Life Association of Australasia to the 30th June, has been issued. The head office is in '; -yduey, and the directors report a succe?sful first year. Out ot 585 proposals submitted, .. 290 have been accepted for sums amounting i to £115,471 6s 3d. In the assurance branch premiums amounted to £6883 2s 6d ; in the endowment branch to £233 Is sd. One claim of £500 has been paid and their other claims amounting to £1,253 8s 7d. The total receipts amount to £7,168 12a lid. Tke disbursements to £3,632 12s 4d, leaving.* balance in favour of the Association of £3,536 Os 7d. Mr. William Bell, juu., has been appointed agent for Auckland. Return of sick treated during the week ending Saturday, August 13,1870, at the Provincial Hospital :—Remained last return, ?') 71; admitted since, 9 ; discharged, 6 ; died, s L 1; remaining, 73. Males, 60; females, 13. Arrangement of cases : —Fever (typhoid). 1 j syphilis, &c., 4 ; dysentery, 1; cancer, 3 ; rheumatism, 7 ; phthisis, 11 ; epilepsy, 1 i delirium tremems, 1 ; tetanus, 1 ; paralysis, ._ 8 ; bronchitis, 3 ; heart disease, 2 ; dyspepsia, 1; albuminuria, 1; stricture, 1 ; abscess . and ulcers, 8 ; wound s and contusions, 6; ' amputations, 3 ; resection, 1 ; dysuria j 2."* fractures, 2 ; nesosis, 1 ; cutaucous, 2, de-.V bility, -4. A man died 10th iast., of pul-"'^ monary consumption. In a lately published work, entitled "Lire* ; i of Eminent Sergeants at Law of the English '■-■■ Bar," an amusing anecdote is related of.: • Sergeant Whitaker. The sergeant was travelling the Norfolk Circuit. " A friend," says the author, " at one of the assize towns offered him a bed." The next morning the lady of the house asked how he had slept, and hoped that he found himself comfortable and warm. " Yes, madam, yes ; pretty well :- on the whole. At first, to be sure, I felt i-' little queer for want of Mrs. Whitaker; but;!,;' recollecting that my portmanteau lay in the". > room, I threw it behind my back, and it did ; every bit as well." The Customs authorities at the TkamtS contemplate removing their offices frond . Shortland to Grahamstown, in accotdanw with authority received from G-overnment. \hi We are glad tojlearn that the Alburn* Company have declared a dividend of fiw shilli- gs per share. One of our boys has been visiting at his Uncle Ben's. He said while there his uncle made a scarecrow so natural, it not only scared off every crow that saw it, but one crow was so '< frightened, that he turned white in the face, I went, and brought back the corn which heh«d , stolen three days before.