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Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1884, 22 October 1874, Page 2

The Gross, which ought to be an authority on the subject, has stated that Sir Donald McLean may be expected in Auckland in a few days, but we do not think that our contemporary's information can be correct. Sir Donald intends, we believe, to come by Hawke's Bay and Taupo, passing through the Arawa country, where extensive land purchases have lately been made, and where there are a number of matters unsettled, requiring the attention' of the Native Minister. He intends also to visit Tauranga, aud there,also several day 3* workawaits him. We do not see that Sir Donald McLean can be here before. December, and- as Ohinemuri cannot be opened till he comes, or at all events will not be opened till he comes, we need net expect anything to be done till January next—and we shall only he too thankful if anything effective is done then.; Te Hir.i has lately, we understand, consented to enter iuto negociatious with Mr Mackay as to his position in contemplation of the country being opened, and has indicated what pieces he wishes reserved from European occupation, and what he wishes to bo set apart as cultivations for himself and his immediate relatives. There seems to be no doubt that Tukukino, Hohepa te Bewhihi and others who have strongly opposed the opening, will go with Te Hira, when he consents, These people when they' came over from Whakatiwai took a large quanity of goods up with them" to" Ohinemiiri, and to several of them were paid sums of money. Whether or not there is gold in Ohinemuriremains to be seen, but at all events there is some fine Kauri bush on the hills, which will' soon be utilised, if-the country were ; opened. On one of the bushes, Waitekuwa, money been paid for several years, but the party who advanced the cash lately sold to the Government, so that, when the country is opened, the kauri will be the property of the Government.

A telegram irpm Wellington informs us that the native members of the Armed Constabulary force are coming to Tauranga. About forty or fifty natives have been drilled at the Mount Cook Barracks, and apparently - the whole of them are to be brought to'Tauranga. The only reason we can conceive for this proceeding is that the Kingites have been forcibly preventing the coustrueticn of . roads from Cambridge to Tauranga, and also from Cambridge to Taupo!We had concluded that the Government had decided to sit down quietly under this native interference—as they have done so frequently befpre—but unless it is intended to continue the road in spite of the' Maoris, we cannot see why these Armed Constabulary men should be moved to Tauranga.

Captain Goldsmith returned" list night from Waikawau, whither he had gone in order to have pointed out the line of a tramway proposed to be made to connect a coal seam with the sea. Owing, however, to telegrams received from one of the projectors, who is in Auckland, Mr Meek, who went down with Captain Goldsmith, refused to show the seam, It is said that some difficulty exists as to the lefiae of.the ground, but the refusal to show the place to the Mining Inspector does not look well. , Some excellent samples of coal alleged to have, been obtained from the seam at Waikawau, have been shown in Grahamstown.'

The Mangawai correspondent ,o£ the Gross writes."l have by me a slug four and a half inches in length, and au inch wide'' acros3 hia back. I fancy few slugs of such a sizo would Ij9 rebuked, to consume a.cabbage in a night,"

The shareholders of the Bank of New Zealand have every reason to be satisfied with the success of the institution. The half-jearly meeting was held yesterday in Auckland, when a dividend at the rate of 15 per cent, per annum was declared, and a balance of £13,916 of undivided profits was carried forward. For' some time past the dividend has stood at 12£ per cent., but the increased business and the increased profits have enabled the directors to increase the dividend. *** Mr R. Cooper, of St. Clement's Lodge Garden, Hape Creek, sends us a small basket of large strawberries, which thus early, and with the disadvantage of an unfavourable season, he has produced. The fruit would do credit to the height of the season.

_We have before us a copy of a plan of the lhames gold field, compiled by Mr J. At. McLaren, District Engineer, and published by r P. APulleine, under the authority of tlio Provincial Government. The copy is photographed from a large plan, 0 q a scale of five chains to an inciv which was recently prepared by the District Engmeer, .and it shows at a glance, withm a small compass, all tbe claims on the field, and is very useful for reference.

To-morrow, evening . a new body' of' local amateurs will appear On the boards at the Academy of Music, as aspirants for public favour. They will nuke their debut in a benefit performance in aid of the funds of the Cricket Club, and will be assisted by Miss Laura Wiseman.' The programme selected will afford ample scope, to the versatility of the members, b'lit we have no doubt they will render a good account of' themselves. They have adopted the best means of ..success, for they have .been assiduous in their rehearsals and have been under careful training. ' '

James Tratfordj -a miner, whose case as an ■applicant for relief has been before the Miners' Accident lleiief Fund Committee..for some ' time, and who was refused .assistance from the fund at i the Monday last;.on ;the ground that at the time the: accident occurred he was not a subscriber to the fund, has made the following statement- to us in regard • to - the matter. Ab it is one of general interest," we insert it here: —Heliad no. recollection ofwhen he first became a subscriber to the fuud/ biit it must be more than two years and a-half ago, ■He was then working in Dixim's.'No. 1 miae,' and paid, up regularly until the Saturday'bc' fore; Christmas last, when, work was discontinued in the mine. Mr Lowe, the manager, retained Tratford's card with Others, and informed the men that at anytime if they paid subscriptions he . ; would receive them. Tratford, ;from time to time, paid his subscriptions in lump sums 4s at a time, sometimes more, and sometimes less; but the last, previous to his accident," was 43, Subsequently an accident occurred to him while working in the Old Whau mine. 'He cut his foot with an adze while dressing timber.. The day after the accident he sent a'note to Mr Lowe by his son with 6s, ' stating that if there was any more than that amount of jiia subscriptions due he .would send it., In the same note he specified the nature of the accident, Mr Lowe sent back the money, with a note stating tliat he'could riot receive it, and that any person a month in arrears' with their contributions were- not entitled to relief from the fund. Subsequently Tratford attended three meetings of the Committee, and on Monday last they cime to a decision that no relief from the fund could be afforded to him, as he was not a subscriber. In reference to the : previous payments, of i lump sums as subscriptions,'. Captain liichards, the Chairman, • stated ■ that Mr Lowe was perfectly justified ' ini 'taking overdue contributions prior to the accident, but not on the day the accident occurred or subsequently. Tratford states that Mr Lowe having retained his card he had no means of knowing how his subscriptions stood, but he was perfectlycognizant of the fact that he was moro than a month in arrears. He, however, took it for granted that his contribution would, be. received in a lump sum. as before. Comment on theso facts, are needless. We .regret" that Tratford, who has a family dependent on Kim, has been so unfortunate as to allow hii subscriptions to run iu arrear, but we do not see how the executive" committee of the Miners' Accident Relief Fund could have acted' otherwise than they have "done in-this case, The rules laid down for their guidance are clear, and they cannot go outside them.

The inquest on the native woman killed at Kohimarama was continued on Tuesday, when several native witnesses were examined. Dr Goldsbro', who had made a post mortem examination, deposed as follows :—Death I believe to have been caused by physical injury or violence inflicted on the neck, producing ture of the., ligaments between some .of ;the joints,, aud consequent, injury to the'.spinal marrow. The result of such violence, ant) in* jury would be instantaneous paralysis 'Of all parts below ;the seat of injury, and speady death. I' think' a violent twist of the keek would be sufficient to occasion such injuries as I have described. A. fall also from'a height might occasion them. — To Sergeant-Major Pardy: A simple fall could not occasion"such results. Had . the injuries resulted from a heavy or violent fall, there would hive been external marks.—The Coroner having addressed the jury, pointing out that the evidence was purely of a circumstantial nature, asked the prisoner if he wished to nuke any statement, at the same tiiue cautioning; him in the usual manner. The prisoner reserved his defence. After a.short deliberation, the jury returned a verdict of "Wilful Murder' 1 against.-the prisoner, The verdict of the jury having been communicated to the prisoner througlu the interpreter, he was formally committed, oa the coroner's warrant, to take his trial at the next Criminal Sessions of the Supreme Court.

Several fine new shops and-buildings have been erected on the site of one of the resent fires. in. Queen-street,.. near,, Wellesley-streefc, Auckland, aud have greatly improved tlie" city. One of the handsomest shops; fitted up in the best London style, is that of Messrs Hewii and Co,, Avho,'carry on business also at the .Thames. The 'Gross in referring to the building says:— " Standing at the corner of Queen and Wellesleystreets it has three entrances, one,.the principal, on the corner ; a second, leading to the second floor from Queen-street; the third, the wholesale entrance to the shop from Wellesley-street. The size of the shop itself is 36ft by 22ft, with double plate-glass windows, the principal one facing Queen-street and the other, or provision one looking on to Wellesley-street;' These windows are supplied with gas from three 10light enamelled reflectors, od fluted glass,'-with I extremely handsome gilt mouldings. They ' afford 3' very.brilliant light, and set forth the I beauties of a gorgeous teapot, in gold aud colours, depicted on the. glass. The- shop is further lit by two handsome bronze gaseliers suspended, from; the ceiling., •, The principal counter extends the length of the shop, and is of rimuwood, French-polished to . the . highest possible extent. As a speciman of colonial wood and colonial workmanship we doubt if there isi another as handsome in Auckland; in kct itis'more adapted'to a faucy shop where dainty goods are sold to lady purchasers, than to the requirements, of a grocer's store? The ceiling is of kauri, and divided into deep'panela beautifully carved and polished, and around the cornice is a riband of . emerald (green), bearing in , gold letters , the ( name , and business, of the firm. A smaller counter on the. other side of y the shop, 'beneath the provision .wintlow,- is devoted to the produce portion of the trade. An enclosed: counting house stands at the back of the shop, haviug groundglass windows, with economic proverbs culled from 1 ' Poor Richard's' Almanac. 1 The cellar'beneath is of the same dimensions as the ahop£ : dry, lofty, and well lit. It contains two lifts s for raising bulky goods into the shop above, and is capable of storing 200 tons of ;merchiindise. Over the 1 shop is a magnificent room, the whole area of the building, and it is reached from Queen-street by means of a broad staircase/ springing from a passage wide and lofty, The room is lit with seven windows, and, u extremely lofty j; it, communicates by means of a short flight of stairs, terminating with a stain ; a gallery 50 feet in length, fitted up as a photographer's Operating room.; ; ; The total contract; for Mr Hewin's premises was taken by Mr Jv Watson, for £1,500, tha architect being , Burrows. •.'{■...