THE PROVINCES.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume I, Issue 1, 5 March 1866, Page 4

THE PROVINCES.

AUCKLAND. Estimated Ways and Meaxs of the Province of Auckland for the Year 1866. — Customs thre'eeighths,.£6l,Boo; land revenue, £5,400; provincial revenue, £9,400 ; pilotage and harbor dues, £2,500 ; interest and sinking fund on harbor trust debt, £85,000 at 8 per cent., £6,800 ; interest and sinking fund on city trust debt, £21,000 at 8 per cent., £1,680 ; tolls,' Tamaki bridge (probable receipts), £500 ; tolls, Great South Road (probable receipts), £2,580 ; ditto, Otahubu, £500 ; ditto, Drury, £300 j - tolls, Onehunga wharf, £200 ; contribution from Waitato settlement funds to cover increased expense of ordinary, establishments, £3,500 ; repayment of assisted passages, £2,500 ; miscellaneous, £500. — Total, £98,160.— Weekly News, February 24. The Charge against the Accessories. — The twelve Maoris charged with being accessories in the murders of Mr. Fulloon and the crew of the .'Kate' were brought up on remand, before Mr. R.M., at the new Gaol, on Tuesday. At the conclusion of the last sitting, Horomona Poropiti ■ was interrupted in his declaration. At the trial.yes'^•terday,, Horomona resumed, taking up his statement : exactly at the point where he had left off. He said I went to Henrietta. She spoke-to ihe, "What was J that you said to ..them ?.'J I said, "I spoke to them

rthe child .of Benoett." She replied it?" I said;??' Don't you understand the going of that boat ?" She agaio'asked, "What is it?" I then? replied, " The Europeans will be Mlled, as the boat is gone." Shetheu said, "O, my brother!" I went to one side. This ends my statement. That word tbat says I directed the Europeans to be killed, I deny ; I did not give such an order. [This concluded the examination of the accessories.] —lbid. Gum atxd Flax pkom the Waikato. —A gentleman who has lately travelled through the Waikato district gives us the following information with respect to the native trade in flax and gum:— "At this time there are upAvards-o|£two hundred natives busily engaged in diggirigirfor kauri gum in Waikato. It is spread thickly over the low grounds and in many places within the distance of one mile from the river Horotiu. It is said that" one active and industrious Maori can. if not called off by any other business, cl>'g from two to three hundred-weight daily, immediately upon the banks of the Mangawara Creek. On the borders of the swamps the soil is of a spongy dark color, except here and there insulated patches of manuka (tea-tree). This kind of land contains the heaviest gum, of a superior quality. The Mangawara possesses great advantages over all other creeks in the whole district, by reason of its uniformity of breadth and depth. It runs in a westerly direction into the Waikato, at the foot of Mount Taupiri. Flax, which engrossed the chief attention of the old traders, abounds in the district, more particularly the Tihore, the fibre of which, when properly cleaned, is considered equal for its length and fineness to any grown in the north of New Zealand. Little has yet been done by the natives since the breaking out of the late war at producing dressed flax for sale. Some natives have now turned their attention to the preparation of this article, which promises at some future time to become one of our main exports. It is the opinion of persons who have been for many years familiar with the flax trade, tbat it may be prosecuted to great advantage in Waikato, providing sufficient encouragement is given to the natives. At Maungatautari great labor is bestowed by the natives on the cleaning process, which is done by scraping off the outer skin of the flax by means of a piece of iron hoop attached to a wooden-horse — constructed especially for that purpose of flaxdressing. Mr. J. W. Young and Co.'s river steamer ' Waipa' the other day took down a large quantity of kauri girni to the Bluff from Ngaruawahia, dug in the district. The natives, it is said, have already sold one hundred and seventy pounds worth of gum to the traders on the river Ilorotiu. Mr. R. Simpson's store at Ngaruawahia has been doing a brisk business in the flour trade with the gum-diggers since the commencement. The natives of the district conduct . themselves in. a most straightforward manner in all their dealings, and express a wish to continue to live on friendly terms with the storekeepers, who do their utmost to give satisfaction.'"' —lbid.