THE Daily Southern Cross.

HI Ii.noIi. 'in' i ■ 11 'u . i"i .'urv r a A tll'J'.vfl, 1 b'.iLOll- In ••! I'l S" I" I I <IM

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 1873.

Jx spite of the do-nothing policy which, it would soem, some poition of the City Council aims at in the matter of water supply to Auckland, the subject is unquestionably foicmg itself on the notice of the public, and must be foiced on the notice of the City Council, until they act, and pioduce the necessary water scheme. It any reader should inquire, " Once moie upon the water '" we reply, " Yes, once tnoie," and again and again shall we refer to it, until the City Councillors take some decisive step, and choose to net as trusted representatnes of the people ought to do on a question of \ it.il importance to the health and comfort of a large community. The unfortunate dispute us to the source of supply has caused long and vexatious delay, n©t unlikely to be interminable, unless a vigorous expression of public opinion shall cause its cessation. The time has come for that expression to bp with no uncertain sound. On Monday the Domain water supply failed through Seccombe's puraping-appaiatu-, giving way, and fiom the lack of rain for some time past. The result was that the town yesterday u as without water from this customary source The shipping at the port was unsiq 1plud, and vo-uous steamers had to I'urthftv tank-water for culinary purposes, while vessels could get none f<,i the use of their crews, and steamers

wcie actually delayed iu their departure Localise of this want of water. Noi is tlii-> all the evil. The risk of lire with no water to <)uenoh it is a contingent calamity wbicli may agiin occur, by a low weeks' diy weather and the breaking down of Seeconibc's engine. And yet the City Council is dallying; and disputing over tlu- 1 1 lathe value of two schemes — the pumping schuino .indth.it hy natiual giavitation, vegxvdin^ which the foremost scientific uuthoiities all over the world have long ago decided. A very gia\e responsibility re.^-ts on the City Councillors, and we take leave to warn them that this policy of delay in making up their minds, from whate\ei cause it may aiise, has been too long continued ; has too long proved an obstacle in the way of that decision which ought months ago to have been anived at. It may be true, as a conespondont asserts, that blame rests with the Fio•uncial authorities, seeing that they, together w ith the Pi o-\ mcial Council, did not secure what ought to have been secured— the consent of that Council to the bringing of the Auckland Waterworks Act into opetation But, although the Provincial authorities are certainly to blame for this neglect, none the less is the City Council open to rename fur the mo.sl unbusinesslike delav which has mmked their dealings with a question the importance ot which cannot be overrate d. It was published some weeks sinco that the Provincial Executive purposed holding a shoit scesion of the Provinci.il Council, partly to remedy the impending failure of the Education Act, and partly, we had hoped, to bring the City Waterwoiks Act into operation. Wo feaied at the time the news was too good to be true ; and so it has proved ; and therefore, so far as the Education Act is concerned, so much the worse will be the effect of the neglect to make due remedial pnnisions when the threatened collapse arrives. Hegardmg the Waterwoiks Act, this omission can be easily repaired in the course of the next month. The Piovincial Council having unwisely, and re^ai dh'Sb of tho necessities of the city, the welfaie of its inhabitants, and the due protection of property from the possible ravages of lire, failcel to biing tho Waterworks Act into operation, the Assembly would, we believe, readily remedy this neglect. All that is necessaiy is foi any Auckland member to bring in a bill to the following effect . — A Bill to Amend Tho Municipal Corporations Water woika Act, 1572. lie it enacted by the General Assembly of New Zealand, in Parliament assembled, and by tho authority of the same, as follows : — * ] Ishort titlo. 2. The I'oiporation of the City of Aucklanel is hereby exempted from the operation of clause one a (1 \) of The Municipal Corporations Waterworks Act, 1S7'2, which Act may be brought into operation in that ( 'ity at any timo by proclamation of tho Governor. The passing of such a bill as this is all that is required to enablo immediate to be taken by the City Council in the direction so necessary for them to proceed in with tint promptitude which has been so singularly absent fioin their movements towaids any definite result, except that of prolonged and unseemly disputation. This course is necessaiy if anything is to be done during the present year in tlu> way of preliminary preparations. The Provincial Council cannot now sit before the meeting of the Assembly — even if the Executive desired it. After that closer, the elections will be in progress ; and more loss of time would arise 4 ; whereas under the amendment above proposed the Governor could at once give full powers to the City Council toact foritself. But the Council must waive all futile and unscientific, or rather too complicated, scheme's", and the pumping project must be sent to the limbo of exploded fallacies. Those who are favourable to the pumping scheme have failed to answer the question as to cost. It has been stated that for working expenses, including coal, labour, tear and wear of machine) y, the annual outlay for pumping alone would be from £.'5,000 to £1,000, if not more. We showed some time ago that, taking only the lower figures, if this annual outlay were capitalised, it would represent at the least a capital of £00,000 absorbed iu perpetuity, before the cost of a yard of pipe was provided for, or a stone of the requisite reservoirs laid. Business men know this well ; and yet we find this pumping question fought over, but we never find its supporters attempting to meet the strong argument against their pet scheme which thepe figures present. Months ago it was suggested that a concession should be made to some company to procure ail efficient water supply. The granting of such a concession would remove from the Council all tho trouble and the causeB of dispute as to locality or otherwise, inasmuch as a company would take care to be swayed ouly by the question of cost, and would disregai d all ouside interests. They would be found to fulfil certain conditions as to .supply and rate, and the observance of such conditions it would be tho duty of the City Council to enfoice. There has been fir too much delay hitherto. Danger to health, to life itself, danger of fire — these are the actual and contingent evils which a good watei .supply would certainly abate, if not wholly remove The City Council is the body responsible to the public. It epidemic disease should ari.se, traceable to bad and insuflicient water, or should a great fire occur in the heart of tho city, while theio is no proper provision fe>r its subjugation, we can fancy the .strong public censuie which would fall on those .vho .Hand in the way of the long-looked-for and necessary toon of a good water supply for the inhabi tauls of Auckland.

Tx has been frequently remarked that the usual clas^ of non-professional entoitainments popular in Auckland is not of the most improving or intellectual cli.u uhr. ZNIusic, reoil.itions, <uid hhort .uldit ssim on hum <'ll:un'ouq subjects pioluibly will be found among the staple of the monUl aliment provided,

I ami, v>hue the pioceedings are cunducted with decoruin, as is usually the die, a von enjoyable hom in;iy uc a- ( sioiuilly be sjx'iit. Hut there is a dei ewkd lack of the liighcrcl.i^s ur'subjoet.s, | which, tii-aii'd in o judicious and agreeable manuei, might tend to expand the miiulb of our young people, and «^i \ o them* a t.iste for moie intellot tu.il studies. Frequent endeavours have been made to induce oui local savans and others to make appearance, but hithcito, it must be admitted, with very indifferent .success. Tot it cannot bo denied that we huve a number of gentlemen amongst us well able to deal with the higher i cla.s3 <>f literature, and. with scientific" .subjects, in a manner to vendor those subjects entertaining and acceptable to mixed audiences. Mi. Severn veiy pointedly made allusion to this at tho conclusion of his, lectuie last Friday night, in the Hall of the Young Men's Christian Association, ami hia observations on the apparent want of zeal a\ ei e win inly received by the audience. , Taken in. connection with this cii cumstance, and bearing in mind that so far, \vhere\cr .scientific lectuics, piopeily conducted, have been delheied in Auckland they havo proved a great success, ihne is suiely sutlicient reason for assuming that a fair iield exists here for the cultivation of science, and a better class of hteiatiue, much beyond what has been attempted heretofore. Doubtless, there aie numbers in Auckland — as elsewhere — to whom a light jest or u .stock anecdote is more acceptable than a discourse on natiual science, and who do not much concern themselves as to inquiry into the principles of physical nud chemical laws ; but time and place may be found for both these kinds of recieation. We object only to the all - but - total neglect amongst us of the more substantial and improving class of mental leUxation. For many reasons it is desirable that greater eilbit should be put foith in this direction by the better educated of the community, with a view to interesting the young ot both sexes, and inspiring them with a taste for knowledge of a usiful and piactir.il character. it cannot be denied that this would be a worthy object. Much good has been effected in tins way in the laiger cities of Australia, and especially in Sidney and Melbourne. A course of lectures on scientific and general questions treated practically is delivered annually in Melbourne in connection with thelni dustnal and Technological Museum in that city, and these appear to be increasingly attended by numerous and appreciative audiences. In Adelaide also this class of entertainment is Bteadil/ growing in popularity The lectures thei o some time ago embraced a cousideiable vauety of subjects in ait, manufactures, geology, history, music, biogiapliy, natuial philosophy, Xc. ! Now why should not these examples be followed in this city ? We have here our Scientific Institute, Mechanics' Institute, Di-ncvoleiit Societies, Agricultural, \eeliinatisatiou, Tempeiance, and Choial Societies, and many others which it is needless to enumerate, and most of A\hich aim moie at amusement than instruction. Why .should not these institutions .se\eially and conjointly have their course of lectures each season, in which subjects of an interesting and iniprowng character would be bi ought under the attention of the public in 'in attractive form ? It is possible without difficulty to combine the two elements. Tn the College and Grammar School scientific apparatus has recently been obtained, and we believe that experiments ill us tiating the principles of natural philosophy and chemical science have been found to yield great attraction to the pupils, and to instiuet while it gratifies their sense of wonder. By thia means the objects for which some of the useful institutions we have named exist would be legitimately promoted ; the minds of the young, rnoie especially, would be enlaiged and eoirected on many subjects of piactical importance, and the tastes of the community generally would be impioved. The Young Men's Christian Association, it may be observed, is the only organisation in Auckland which lias adopted the course here recommended ; and the conductors of that institution, it is known, have no reason to complain ot the success which has attended their efforts. Only we want a little more practical science, and the popularity of Mr. Severn's lectures shows how such things can be made to " draw."

Tn tho Provhv ml G'ormiincnf Ga~.<H* published yesterday the statements of the affaus of tive goldmuung companies are ui.iilo pubho, aa required by the law The companies are tho Caledonian, (J olden Ciown, All Nations, Long Drive, and tho Kuuinui Hill Tunnel Company. The aggregate nominal capital of tho five compauies is £194,329; the amount of paid-up scup given to shareholder is £187, HO ; and the ,igi;iogate amount of dividends \ aid is CS.'JO, 77'5. Pity it 18 that all tho mines at tho Thames aro not able to show equally good balancesheets. In the matter of dividends tho Caledonian beads tho list with i.38l,S7O; Golden Crown, tiL'o.SGS ; tho Long Drive, -€79,'.) 10 ; and the All Nations, £40,0').-) The f^th company has declared no dividend After tho usual batch of drunkards had been disposed of yasteiday at tho Police Court by his Woiship the Mayor, aovei.il cases of oflouces against tho City By-laws weie called on, and some of the defendants were dismissed with a caution, and othcis punished with a fine. A Noith Slime assault case, in which twenty-two witnesses weio re.vly and willing to swear to "tho truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the tint!)," was, foitunately for tho feelings of those compelled to attend tho Court, withdrawn by the mutual consent of both paitics to the suit. Not vory long ago it fell to our lot to record the death of one of the juvenile Princes of England, through an accidental fall from asecond-stoiey window. It would appear that rnisadventuies of this uatuie aie not attended with tho bamo fatal consequences in Now Zf.iland. Whether this i-, owing to thesupi'iior lreshness and oLsliutv of the colonial atmosphere, or to the yie.iti i Vitality and self-reliant tendencies of colonial youth, we cannot sa> ; but a case in point has just been brought, under oin notice, whoio a child, smiotliiic or four yeirsold, a few days ago F* 11 from tho upp. l window of a two-atoiey house, and veiy soon attoi it reached thegiOiind it was able to walk away to all appearance as if nothing unusual had ocourred.

Go\oinor Fer^iiison's hi other ariived tit Wellington, l>y the 'Jubilee' from London, mi M'uuliy, to nlicve Captain Maehell, A D.( . Tlir> latter goes to Mjlboumo as A D.C. to (Jov -liior JJijwcn. H is lopoitod tint it 13 the intention ot Major l'nt to go home. The piocess of the decomposition of pyiites and other sulphides, and tlie cunoua com. biuation of salts evolved thereby, can (saya our correspondent) be noticed with exceeding distinctness and also felt in some of the old workings of the Thames mines, but especially m those of the Kuranni. Persons interested in such matters would find it worth their while to pay a visit to one of Nature's laboratoiies disclosed in tho old twentyfathoin level worqings of the Kuranui, where the decomposition of the white iron pyrites, with which the country abounds, and the production of that article of commerce, sulphate of iion, is proceeding night and day, at a very rapid rate. Clusters of the sulphate crystals in all stages of formation, from a fluffy, white deposit to the sea-green ritieous salt, the sulphate itself, bestrew the sides of tho workings. Great heat is evolved by the decomposition — to such .1 degieo indeed as to be almost unenduiable in cei tain odd cornel s removed from the contial hue of ventilation. It is not improbable that gold may be freed by the decomposition ot th" sulphides,andthat hereafter tho working of much giound, now rejected as woithless, may be found piodtable. A horse, said to be the property of Mr. Webb, fell down a well last evening at the roar of Mr. G.Stamcs's establishment, Upper Queen-sticct. With considerable difficulty tho hoise was raised to the top of the well. The rope, however, suddenly parted, and the horse again fell to the bottom. On the animal being successfully raised it was found that it had suffered considerable injury, and was not expected to live. Madame Cora gave her second performance at the Prince of Wales Theatre last evening before a crowded house. She was just as successful as on the previous night, and her character as a magicionue may be said to bo fairly established. Her tricks were vociferously applauded, more especially the "Cou'jhof tho Angela." The presentation of the pn/.ea occupied nearly an hour, and much laughter and amusement were occasioned when the winners of the bag of flour and the Yankee broom received their prize. Deforo the performance began thore was a good deal of shrieking and whistling from tho occupants of the pit, and the uproai ultimately became so great that Mr. Bush, tho propnctor, had to threaten to give the distui bers of tho peace in charge before they would desist. Our Hamilton correspondent writes • — "A numeious and highly respectable meeting of setters took place at the Koyai Hotel on Satin day t.\enintj last, fer tho pu- pose of tuning the pieliminary steps for laismg a W.ukato Mounted llitfe Corps. R. "\V. 11ammoud, Esq., presided. A committee was appointed, with power to add to their number, consisting of Messrs. E. W. Hammond, Samuel Seddon, \V. Hunt, F. Pilling, and John D. V. Hunt." A correspondent takes exception to our blaming tho city authorities for their not hawng an efficient water supply. He considers we should put the blame on the light shoulders, and instances the trouble and e\poiis* 1 the City Council incurred in obtaining a Water Bill and the nocesaaiy bori owing powci'i, and lefers us to the proceedings of tho Provincial Council, by which it will bo seen that not only wore country mcmbeis persuaded to oppose the necossaiy Water Supply Act, but many city members voted against the measure, and presented numeious petitions in which it was distinctly stated that a water supply was not lcquned, and thi3 statement was signed by somo hundreds. Sounding a^d the fixing of tho site and bound.uiea of tho proposed dock, on the west siile of the Quccu-stieet Wharf, weio mado yesti'idiy by tho Engineer to the Harbour Boaul. It is cicdibly ropoited that Messrs. Brogden have engaged a number ot hands m Auckland for w oik upon the Southern railways. The wages have been considerably iuci eased, the sum stated being 9^ per di( in. A sum of 12 IU. per week la not bid wages for navvies, and if such wages aie long maintained foi luboming work above ground the effect will likely be felt before long upon tho supply of labour on the goldlields. The school-house being built at tho Hakai u, ostensibly for the good of the Mangawai district, but actually for the few inhabitants residing outheHakaiucreek,is at a standstill, the reason given out being that the contractor wants more shingles. £Jow, to my knowledge, the shingles have been ready foi cuting quite a fortnight. The tmc reason is th.it tho Pukokaroro Highway Board claims the school-house, and hay petitioned to bo allowed to take possession, aa the Jlakaiu township is thiovvn into that diatiict for highway purposed. Now the Pukekaroro highway distuct is only another name for the Kaiwaka di->tuot,whcio they have a good school-house and masters' house complete, which 13 too fai for the Hakarn and Mangawai children. Why cannot Mangawai bo in the Ilakaru educitional distnct .' 1 should like the cbaiiman of the Pukekaroio Highway Koaid to state \\ liy he did not stop tho Hakai u school lommi ttiu.it the commencement fiom building ; and also if the claiming of the school-hou^e has anything to do with tho opposition that the owner of tho Budge Inn (in embryo) met with from all the Jial.aru people in obtaining his license. — John Williamson, fc-sq , has gucvtmsly offended numbers of the eleetois in this distuct by not meeting them at all anywhere. Secondhand messages will not d ). It ho has anything to say to us, let it come fioin his own mouth oi in his handwuting. Wo are independent. — [Couespondent.] There were two persons in the lock up last night, one of whom, F. (J. Janes, was charged with. embezzlement, and the other, William lteilly, charged with using threatening language. Thoy will appear at the Pohee Comt this morning. State of hei Majesty's Gaol, Auckland, for tho week ending June 14, 1873 : On remand, 1 male, 1 foinale , awaiting trial, 1 I males; penal servitude, 30 males; haul labour, 51 male", 2(5 females ; impiisonmeut, 3 males ; in default of bai), 3 males ; debtoi s, 2 male3. Received during the week, 12 males, 3 females ; dischaiged, IS males, 2 females. Totul m gaol, 110 males, 127 females. The Essay and Discussion Class met last evening at tho Young Men's Chustian Associatiou room?, Wellesley-street. A paper was read by Mr. Eastwood on " Tho Lite and Tunes of Queen Elizabeth," and at its conclusion a vote of thanks was accorded to Mr. Eastwood. The mombtis of tho Devonport Literary Society met last evening at the Chuich of Kn»laud school-room, North .Shore, and a delate took place on the question " Are cornfields or goldfields most condiicivo to tho piosponty of a colony ?" Mr. John Williamson wa3 a passenger to Taurauga yesteiday by the s s. 'Southern Cioss ' Ho intends to address the settlers in that district. The directors of the Auckland and North Shore Feuy Company hold a meotiug to-day. Messis. Mascheld and Company's tender for i'2,230 tor building a siator boat to the ' Tdkapuna ' was accepted. The Odd Fellows' Hall, now in course of erection in Lome-street, will, when complittd, be an oinanieiiL to the locality. It la a tine laijje b:iek buildiug, and tho contiaetoi expects that it will bo ready tor use m ibout a month from the pieseut time. A sale of tho fees chargeable for tho supply of watei t-i th-> in th<^ harbour for the six month? i-oniinem-iny 1st July prox. will bo lield by Messrs. B TonUs and Co., at their in>it, on Wednrsd ly, the 25th in8t. Mr. Uuoiijo T. Wilkuiboa is gazetted auditor of tho Paiawai Highway Diatriot, '• vioe Mr. Isaac Ryall Oakley.

The tendci of Mr. Masettcld, engineer, was ycbtertky accused by the North Shore Kciry Comp.inj , for tho building of tho new steamer. Ah.' AFa&eli. Id his also to fit her with her machinery, >fcc. Tn a previous issue we gave a few pailiealars of the piopo«ed neu steamei, which, if turned out according to the plau«, will be a most commodious aud serviceable bo.it. Wedding-cake is a veiy nice thing. 'Che cutting of the weddiug-cake is one of the most important paits of the marriage festivities, while the receiving of portions of the same rich but un\\ holesome compound 13 looked upon with pleasure by old men aud maidens, and by young men and childien. The old, even though they dare not taste it, are reminded by it of tho happy days ot early wedded l'fe, and, peihapd, of one who shared those goldcu hours, but who la now youe to lest in tho quiet chuichyaid. Tho young, m addition to the actual enjoyment Hhich it impaits to their rash palates, seem itauoutwaid and wsihlc sign of the realisation of " 1 fe's young dicam," and place it beneath their pillows with tho expectancy of a isious ot lo\o appealing in then sleep. But theie is one section of the community to whom, horrible as it may appear, wedding - c.ike is an unmitigated nuisanc>\ Tho class to whom we lefer are the postal authoiities This symbol of love and all that is lovely brings them moro troublo and annoyance than anything else contained 111 the numerous missives which pass through then haucK In tho first place, lctteis containing weddingcake are continually getting smashed, and the consequouce is .1 general atiekme&s imparted to the whole lot of letteis contained in the bag , then agaiu rats aud mice, who would not otherwise be fond of coireapordence, alwajs make a dead-set at wedding-cake. We are informed by the Postmaster that, on several occasions, leUera received ovei night have been found in the morning meio shells, then savoury contents having been completely demolished by tlirse venniu. of com-jo, tho recipients of th" mutilated enclosures aio very indignant, and write letters to the office ou the subject When the fact of weddingcako bem^ 111 letteis is known, mevnues ate now tikeu to protect them by locking them up in a safe , but this entails a degree of troublo which really ought not to be given to oificers who aio aheady fully employed. Let those then who are dispensing their sweet souvenirs think of some other method of sending them than by post, unless they make use of voimin-proof cases for the purpose. Caidboaul is of no use whatever. It may be amusing to our readeis to give the list of article-) which by the law may not be sent by letter-post. Although wedding-cake is notspecifieally mentioned.itisincludedas a compound of substances that are. The list of piohibitcd aiticlos is as follows : — "Glass 111 at v ->hape or form, razors, scissors, needles, knnes, or a>iy other sharp instruments ; leeehes, game, tibh, meat, or vegetables , bladdeis or othci vessels containing liquids ; gunpowder, lucifer matches, or anything winch is of a combustible or explosive natuie." A reeent visitor to the Kawau furnishes the JJtii/ of Plenty Tiuift with the following hat of some of tho most valuable contents of Mr George Grey's libiary : — " A manuscript Bible, 1,200 years old, -said to be the best 111 the woild, and a Testament 800 years old, both beautifully illuminated ; a Coptic manuscript of St. John's Gospel, grotesquely illuminated, and curiously bound in wood ; au Abyssinian manuscript of the four gospels, also illuminated ; W. Cax ton's works, tho first printed in Englaud, in 1400; and the only manuscript in existence of the New South Wales language, compiled by the Rev. L. E. 1 hrelkeld and a native, and presented to Sir George 111 1So7. This work was subsequently unsuccessfully claimed by the New bouth Wales Government." To the Editor: Sir, — J left Auckland in the ovouiug in the s s. ' Southern Cross,' and was much pleased with the good ordei , cleanliness, and attention on board. We arrived in M-jrcuiy liiy before daylight, and ran alongside an excellent wharf, with railway aud tiuck to carry baggage, &c, to the Whitiaugi Hotel, which is at the end of it in a garden well s'ocked with ornamental trees, shrubs, flowers, &c, &,c. I went up to Gumtown, about eight miles distant. Tho scenery around is very f:ne. Gumtown is a selection of rather indifferent shantie3. It was in fact ouly a tiading station i»x a short time till the gum is exhausted IIowevor was informed that £1,000 a week has been paid out frequently. It was easy to 8eo by tho appeal ance of the buyers theie that they were men of Luge "ideas," who would drive a business wherever there was an opening Theie are a few settlers round the Bay, who seem to ~'C getting on slowly and suiely. All spoke highly of the climate : the highlands to the south-west break the winds fiom that quart* r, which are sometimes injurious in other parts. In short, a person wanting a change of air would not hit on a better locality to rurahse in for a few weeks — easy of access by steam, good hotel, and model ate chaiges, good boating, sea fishing, &c — Your obedient servant, A CoN'vrwr Reader. The Provincial C mncil of Canterbury has unanimously resolved that in its opinion it is inexpedient that any alteiation should be made in the law lelating to the New Zealand Univeisity wheieby the benefits aii3ing from that mstitution should be monopolised by any particular province or provinces. At Chnstchurch, a man named Dearden has died flora the effect of a coach accident on the (Queen's Birthday. At the inquest tho j 111 y returned a verdict of manslaughter against the driver, Thomas Osborne Cusp, for having riiivcn an overloaded coach without break or breeching down a steep slippery incline, at the bottom of which the coach was capsi/ed. injuring deceased and other passengers. This should bo a warning to our local Jehus. The Mahia correspondent of the HawL>\-, liaif llcrahl «ivos the following translation of two native letters, showing tha political movement ou foot among tho Heretaunga natives: — "To P.iora te Apatu, of Te Wairoa — Fuend, — Salutations to you. May God pieseive you, in Jesus Christ Youi house is rotton, and tumbliug in ; but, if you wish to preserve it, abandon the pakeha Government, and join us Maoris, aud let us go back to the laws of our aneestois. — IIevakk KooRA(Matua) " — "To Ihaka Whanga, of Nuhaka. — Friend, — Salutations to you. Let not your heart lead your thoughts away from us, where they perhaps aie now, but be kind to us, and have regard for your children.— HaraW1R4. " The coirespondent adds : — " After old Ihaka had road his letter carefully over and over again, the old chief laid it on one side, and said to thoso around < him, ' This m«aus mischief, and all the kmd- , ness that I can show them is a good fetd,' and let thorn go their \va.y. We have had troubles enough with tho King and the Hau- j ban movements, and (I am speaking for myself) 1 will stay wheio I am, aud let me advise you all to do the same. Evil will como of it. I can see the flood arising. Henare Koura is daily expected heie, with numerous followers from the settlements down the coast. Hig object m commg, it is said, ia to get a position signed to be sent to Parliament, collect money, and form a Maon Union, so that wheu all efforts fail, to do what.' Guess." Papers nro to be laid before tho Otapfo Couneil relative to tho detenco of Otago fiom external aggression. If the port could bo defended at an outlay of £150,000, the expendituio would bo justified, said the Supeuutondent m his address to the Council. Tho salary of the two Maori Ministers is stated by the Wellington coirespondent of the Prest to be £'UH) each The kci'osinc experiments made at Adelaide from Coorong caoutehouc wero very successful ; 120 gallons per ton woie obtained. Teuders for littirg aud n pi icing buoys, &c , in the haibjiu will be iccaved by the Harbour J3oard up to noon 0.1 tho 24th lust. The price of gas in Greyinouth is 16s. per 1,000 feet.

The lxmiulanes and dates fur clouting «.i liool ooniimttcfj foi the following educational distiKt-5 aic announced in the Piovin- • tol (7azet(< — Kaitaia, on tho 12th July; Unroll, on the 12th July , \\ liaiehiue, 12th Jul.> ; OpotiU 10th Jul> , Mang.iwai, 12tli July ; Matakana, 9th Juh , Mahurangi Heads, 3th Ju!> ; M.mgapai, 5th July; Whangaiei, 12th Julj , Maungakaiainea, 2UthJuly. A meeting of squatters, lepresentmg three millions of sheep, besides cattle, has been hclil ax Sydney, at which all tho unallotted in the Sydney Meat-preserving Company Mcie taken up. The latest mauufactme staited in Otago is that of a preparation called Poole's Cathaitic H.iawaah Tlio "we," of the Otago Dadij YVw., having tested the thud, iecomnienda it. .Suiely that ought to bo enough to save all further advertising. The Tasmaman Press is jubilant at tho progiessiveness shown by Tasmania in the tact thathei cattle-bieedeis are now able to entnely supply her own wants, and it is hoped that tho days of imported beef and mutton aie now o\er. Mr. Joseph Rands is gazetted auditor of the Hamilton West Township Highway Diatuct. The appointments of Mr. J. H. Mandeno to be member and chairman of the Haugiaohia District Board, of Mr. John Knox to be member of the Hamilton West Highway Uoaid, of Mr James Parr to be chairman and of Mes^is.Hoar and Jenuinga to be memhois of the Maketu Board, are announced in tho Piui tnuul O'azetle. Mr. E Perkins, of Alnertland, and Mr. Samuel Wells, of Auckland, are gazetted collectors of rates for the District of Albertland North. The Provincial Gazette contains a statement of the affairs of the Caledonian G M. Co. for the half-year ending 31st May, 1873. Also, a statement for the same period of the aflairs of the (!olden Crown, All Nations, Long Drive, and the Kuranui Hill Tunnel companies, in accordance with section 133 of the Mining Companies Act, 1872. Mr. (rerard Krafft, in the Si/</nn/ Mail, says, respecting dogs :—" The whole of the earth's surface, from Pole to Pole almost, is inhabited by doga. Cortainly none have been found on the Antarctic continent ; and it is only lately that they vrero proved to exiit aboiiginally in countries south of the equator, such as the Falkland Islands, New Holland, and New Zialand. The Falkland Island dog is very much like our dingo, but the New Zealand or Maori dog is considerably smaller. I often doubted tho existence of such a creature in New Zealand, but my friend Dr. Julius Haast, F.K.S., has convinced me of the dog's presence during the moa-age. I use the expression 'moa-age,* because 'stoneage ' in New Zealand would comprise only a very recent period, whilst ' moa age ' means many hundred centuries ago. Dr. Haast was kiud enough to forward to the Australian Museum a very fine series of moahunters* relics, consisting of remains of several kinds of gigantic birds (none of which, however, are in a fossil state), of sandstone knives, flint-chips, fragments of whale-skeletons, and of the remains of the small ' Maori dog.' The statement of some casual observers, that dogs were introduced into Australia at a rather recent date, has been sufficiently refuted by their remains being found in a fossil state in the Wellington Caves, and in other parts of New Holland. I believe dogs did not exist in Tasmania ; and a statement made by me to the effect that the dingo was once an inhabitant there is erroneous." The " young men of Bathurai," it seema, as well as the young women of that lively township, got a wigging — a very deserved one, it must be confessed, in this case — from his Honor the Chief Justice at the late assizes. An old man had come to his death by some means amongst them, and, with natural simplicity, his Honor said that there wore other old men with almost equal cause of complaint against those rude young larrikins Even he himself, " Chief Magistrate of this colony, for whom anyone shonld make way," was not safe in the streets from them. "These young meD," complained the aggrieved and jostled chief magistrate, "not only do not make way for me, but they will turn their backs on me, block up the pavement so that I cannot pass, or poke a cigar in my face." Well, it must be admitted that this is very rude indeed. No nervous, unprotected old female could have been worse treated, or have made more plaintive complaint of it. Let us hope the young men of Bathurst will be more gallant the next time that the chief takes his walks abroad in their agreeable neighbourhood. It is notified in the Provincial Government Gazett' that the offices of the Provincial Government will be closed on Friday, on the occasion of the opening of the new Market. The Deep Sea Fishing Company of Christchurch are pushing on vigorously with their smoking operations, and intend exporting to Australia, by doing which, in addition to an almost unlimited demand, they receive the bonus offered by Government on the fish exported from the colony. The Alexandra correspondent of the WaU lato Times writes to that journal as follows : " A piece of news casually came to my knowledge on Saturday last, the long suppression of which from publicity can only be accounted for by the danger that friendlies living amongst the rebellious run in conveying reports to us on native movements. A man, upon whose information we can rely, told us for a fact, that immediately Nuku heard that Mr. Mackay was under appointment to meet Itewi at Te Kopua, he gave instructions to six of his followers to arm themselves, and proceed to a point on the road between Alexandra and Kopua, and to shoot Mr. Mackay,aud his soldier as they returned from the interview with Kewi. Luckily the meeting was over, and the parties had returned before these icoundrels had arrived ; but they had so to sneak down on their mission that they could not gather information to satisfy themselves that they were too late, and, to ahow their devotion to their master and taste for their task, they remained in ambuscade for a whole day and night. " "..Egles," in the A uslrahuian, writes: " On visiting-day at Toorak, Victorian Government House, a week or two since, Mrs. A. was about inscribing her name in the visitors' book, when she was accosted by another lady, who had also been performing the ceremonial call. ' Would you, ma'am, mind writing my name for me in the book 1 I don't write very well myself. My name is Soapsuds.' ' With pleasure,' was the courteous reply ; ' shall I write Mrs or Miss ?' 1 Well, please 'tn, I'm puzzled which. I'm divorced.' Mrs. A. grappled boldly with the difficulty, and wrote ' Mrs. Soapsuds,' when she was again obliged to appeal for further information. ' What address shall I write ?' An imposing-looking pasteboard, four inches by two, was at once produced, and imparted the tradesman-like information that ' Mrs. S. carried on the business of washing and and ironing, combined with crimping and clear-starching — terms moderate, orders punctually attended to — at No. 1,201, Little Bluebag-street, Carlton.'" On the subject of the native difficulty the Australasian writes : " We can well understand that a verj' strong feeling exists amongst the Waikato settlers as to the necessity of taking prompt and decisive steps to punish this outrage. They are endeavouring to urge this necessity upon the (Government, but are, [it is reported, quite ready, if the Government is backward, to take tho duty in hand themselves. It is to be hoped that the Government will act with firmness in this emergency, and will proceed without delay to adopt the needful meamiies for enforcing the law in }the excited district, and for avenging at any cost the crime that has been committed. It would be a precedent \ ery unfavourable to any future security if the Maoris were to find that it was possible to murder thp occupants of disputed lands, and then obtain safety in tho King's district beyond tho reaoh of the Government."

The South Austialiitn Instituto (an organisation justlv famous for tho capacity of it' uovel-readcis) announced an examination of candidate*, winch, if creditably passed, would confer cutain ad\antages on the successful With due formality six evamineis weie appointed, at a cost of the guanas each. A considerable sum was expended in printing, but when the day of trial came there wore but three candidates, contributing two guineas each for admission, Tho game was scarcely worth the candle A now industry has been st-irfcod iu Tiniini, namely, the manufactuie of tooth and Iwui brushes. Mr. floury Wnght is ollicially pioclaimed auditor of the Kussell Highway District The following extiaet from a letter fiom Pans, relates to tbo domgs of the "Black Caps " of Paris— a hand of boy murdorcra, led by a youth of 17 ---" Two pensioners of an asylum here for decayed gentlewomen have recently disappeared, one after tho other, and are supposed to be among their victims ; several men have disappeared in th« same mysterious way. Six week ago, a member of the French bar, who had omo to Paris on business, left his hotel in the evening foi a stroll along tho quays. Nothing nioro was Keen or heard of him, though the police niado all possible offoits to discover what had become of him. lie was taken out of tho Soino a few days ago, strangled, and pieiced with stabs of a knife. An English manufactuier, who had come over here on business, has also disappeaied. A French officer, fished out of the Heine a few days ago with his throat cut, and various stabs cm his body, is probably another of their victims. Tho idea of being stcaltlulj lassoed and killed without the possibility of uttering a ciy, of being attacked at any moment without any possibility of escape, has tilled the pooplo herewith such horror that many do not date to venture out after dark, especially as the feiretings of the police now seem to point to the existence of other bands of similar character. It is certain that Parts, go clean and bo safe under the empire, is neither clean nor safe under the present icgime. " The Journal of ffoiniin'rsr tolls us that, though tho theatrical managers of Now York aro not the pioneers in tho movement against advertising by pl.-icards and handbills, yet their combined attack upon that absurdity and nuisanco is tho most important yet attempted. Tho shrewder merchants and business men who havo anything to pell, tho editoj goes on to say, long ago found out that the only cheap and effective meant of advertising is in the newspapers ; that ten dollars well spent in that way is equal to a hundred scattered about aimlessly in plastering dead walls and gutteis. When bo largf> a borly of men as tho asso( latiou of theatrical managers givo their aid to tho work of reform, wo may expect soon to see the last of bill-boards and all other modes of attracting public attention outside of newspaper columns. Van Amburgh made himself the " Lion King" by carefully extracting the claws of hi3 lions and tigers, and cauterising the toes afterwards. A girl 12 years old, named Clara Jetty Davis, poisoned herself with micr powdeis on April 27, at Hamilton, Victoria. Whilst lighting the lamp she broko the glass, and, in dread of the punishment she would receive from her parents, swallowed two powdeis. After six houra' intense suffering, she expired.

The annual geneial meeting of shareholders in Messenger's G.M. Co. is advertised to bo held in the- Mechanics' Institute, Grahamatown, on the 7th July.