SUMMARY FOR HOME READERS.

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 23, 28 January 1888, Page 6

SUMMARY FOR HOME READERS.

AUCKLAND. tf,g, t

Stab office, 28th January, 1888. While the people of New South Wales are bringingtoaclo3etheh week'srejoicingsove r the centenary of Australia,we are preparing in Auckland tocelebrate our Anniversary Day the usual grand regatta on Monday, 30fch inst. This is the 48th anniversary of the colony of New Zealand, and already the. Government are being reminded that they ought to be taking preliminary steps fpr the celebration of our Jubilee two years hence. This is epecially true if it is thought that an international exhibition would be the best way of marking theauspicious occasion ; but it is not likely that such will be the mode adopted, as the four chief cities could not possibly be got to agree upon a site for an exhibition. Four exhibitions would solve the difficulty, and the Auckland one might well take the form of an International Maritime and Fisheries Exhibi tion, as has been suggested. For the other centres, Christchurch might appropriately have an Agricultural and Pastoral Exhibition; Dunedin, an Exhibition of Mining and Manufactures; ■while "Wellington, the legislative capital, might have a Universal Exhibition. Whatever shape our Jubilee "celebrations may take,it is to be hoped they vyjll be on such a scale as to attract the attention, of the world at large to this colony. Our fifty years record will be a magnificient one, showing a progress in population, wealth arid importance far surpassing that of New Sputh Wales during the first fifty years.

New Zealand was represented at the Sydney celebrations this week by the Governor of the colony, Sir Wm. Jervois, who went to New South Wales in H.M.s. Nelson, the flagship of Rear-Admiral Fair.fax. Prior to leaving for Sydney tne Admiral and the squadron of five warships spent a week at Wellingtpn. . This colpny further shared in the New South Wales centennial rejoicings by observing Thursday last as a public holiday. Several members of the New, Zealand Parliament, including Sir Wm. Fitzherbert, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, were at Sydney during the week, and the New Zealand press was represented at the centennial banquet by Mr T. W. Leys, editor of the Auckland Stab.

During the week, an Intercolonial Postal Conference, attended by delegates from all the colonies, has beep sitting at Sydney, considering important matters connected with mail and cable subsidies, intercolonial postal and telegraphic rates, etc. Sir Wm. Fitzherbert, with Mr Gray, Secretary to the Post Office Department, are the New Zealand representatives, and the former is said to have very ably placed before the Conference the views of the New Zealand Co^ vernment in favour of the projected Pacific cable, and against renewing the subsidy to the Eastern Extension Telegraph Company. Sir William is not a "plenipotentiary," as he has not power to bind the colony tci any agreement, and as most of the other delegates appear to be in a similar fix, the Cpnference will probably prove to be purely consultative; but it will still have important results because of the opportunity it gives for the different colonial Governments arriving at a good understanding which will pave the way for closer federal action in the matter of mails. and telegrams. It was at first expected that Sir John Hall, who has been on a visit to Australia, would have acted as the New Zealand delegate to the Conference, but he had arranged to leave Sydney before its opening and has this week arrived at Wellington. Mr Owen Jones, the representative of the Pacific Cable Company, has come rather late for the Conference, having only reached Hobart two days ago. Ministers are still holding frequent, meetings at Wellington in connection with their measures of retrenchment in the public ex? penditure. They are reported not to. be quite unanimous in their views qn tjie matter, and they have incurred some discredit by issuing a series of Civil Service re--gulations and afterwards withdrawing them under the pressure of £he parties affected. On'tlie whole,'however, the Cabinet is expected to achieve some solid and permanent reforms, securing even greater efficiency than hitherto in the public service for a less cost. Two Ministers are suffering from illness—the Hoja Mr Fergus havipg an attack of rheumatism, while the Hon. E. Mitchelson has for several weeks been confined through a neuralgic attack.

The very successful floating of the last instalment of the city of Auckland loan in London has raised somewhat sanguine anticipations of the prospects of the Government loan of a million, which, according to report from London, it is contemplated to place on the market in March next. Meanwhile, a curious objection is being raised, that the Act of Parliament passed last session, prohibitingfurther borrowing by the colony for three years, is so faultily worded that it will prevent the floating of this million loan or the special loan for the North Island Trunk Railway until an amending Act has been passedv There is probably nothing in the 'objection, but *vny case it will lead to but a short delay, as" there will undoubtedly be an early session of Parliament this year.

Various guesses have lately been hazarded as to the identity of the peijspQ, who will receive the Agent-Generalship after Sir F. D. Bell, who is expected to resign at the end of the present year. A Wellington paper is" inclined to believe that if the present Ministry weather next session there will only be one in the running for the appointment, and that is the Premier, Major Atkinson himself. Jt has long been rumoured in well-informed circles here that this is the goal of his ambition, and' that he would moat willingly abandon his political position hece to represent the colony in London. If he, survives next session, Ministerially, there will of course be nothing, to. prevent his ap-, pointing himself to office, nor will such a, step be at' all "without"^ precedent. An, officia}.contradiction has lately b,een given to a published statement that' it had been, contemplated to. confer th& appointment upon Sir Robert Stout. ' j

The' Auckland city valuation has now been completed, subject to appeals and decisions thereon at the meeting of the Assessment Court, to be held in February. The returns are as follow :—

The number of new rateable buildings erected during the year is not given, and, }t is evideot that but for these additions the cross valuation would have been considerably, less. It will he seen that the reductions have been chiefly made in the North, South, and East wards, where high values rule, and that the suburban wards, PonW nby, KaraDgahapo, ajs Graffon, more

nearly approach the values of the previous year. The total valuation for 1885-6 was £328,458, as against £288,524 in the pre: vious. year, showing an, inprease of close on £40,000. The present assessment is an increase of £25,344 on that of 1885-6, when, the great boom in property took place, so that the redaction has not been so severe, as might been an.tieil}ate,d,

There has, been a general redaction in. the valuation of properties in the suburban boroughs, owing to the depressed state of the tjin,es. Probably even, these will be still further reduced 'when the time for appealing arrives. Newmarket shows a decrease of £1,842, and Parnell £1,6,40, while Newton shows an increase of £602. In 1887 Newmarket was £14,019, and now is set down at £12,177. In tne same year. Parnell was £28,500, and for the present year is fixed at £26,860. Last year's valuations fpr Newton, were £.£9,343, while this year's has been increased to £20,035.

A somewhat extraordinary rumour w,as , lately . |?u,FS§ nJ fts ■ •Wellingtpn, to the" effect that the Gqverninent have been seriously considering a scheme fpr contracting with the Impgria.l Government for the |an 4 as'wejl as fgr.th.e n.aya,l defence of the colony. The proposal is said, to be to ask the Horse Guards to supply four batteries of artillery and a regiment of rifles at a certain sun} per head, and to entrust to. these forces the manning and protection of the fortifications, and, to disband all colonial forces—permanent and yqlum teer. In supporfc ( pf such a. plan, it is argued that the Imperial force would be more e,fficienfc fcjjfln a.ny colonial fprce of equal number, and that the cosjt of the men in the army, whether infantry or artillery, is much less per capita. than the cpsb of the permanent fprce which it is necessary now tq piairjtftin in connection with the fortified ports'. As, if fR strengthen this rumour, the commander of t}ie ¥&Yt Zealand forces, Sir G. S. Whitiqore, and Major Boddam, an, English offio§? who held an important position, .have bpth Vfsigned within the past two we^ks ; but it is considered uplikely that any such pjan as is sketched above js seriously contemplated, nor would a scheme of nature be at all likely $o meet with popular approval-

The return of offences in Auckland c}ty and suburbs for the last year has just been compiled by the police authorities, and forms an interesting study. The number of persons, apprehended during the twelve months was =§,157, as against 2,200 in the preceding^ thus showing! a decrease of '43, while the' number of summons, cases fell off from 534 to 529. The decrease is, however, more than covered, by the pffence.s under the Contagious Diseases Act last year. During the twelve months just closed, there was an increase under the head pf drunkenness of 83, cases, borough bylaws of 49 : indictable assaults, 7 ; indecent assaults, 3 ; larceny, 24 ; Industrial Schools' Act, 12 ; Lunatics Act, 14 ; malicious injury tq property, 9; Police OHenee3 Act, 34; Property Assessment Act, 9; Publip Works Act, 6/; rpbbery with violence, 10; weights and. measures, 10; perjury, 5.. There were decreases under the head of the following offences |— Common assaults, 61 j assaults on cons.tables, 19 j breaking and. entering, 21; breaches of peace, 1: Contagious Diseases Act, 76 ; drunk and disorderly, 7 ; employment! of females, 12 ; Foreign , Seamen's Act, 20 ; forging and uttering, 19) forcible entry, 5; larceny from a dwelling, 7; Licensing Act, 17 ; Public Health -Act, 10; threatening language, 43.

Auckland's new dock at Ca]liopq Poipt-r one of the largest in the world —is to be formally opened in the course of a few weeks, by Rear Admiral Fairfax, when one ofH.M. ships of the Australian Squadron will bedecked* There are tjwp npw in our harbour —H.M.b. Opal from Tonga, and H.M.s. SwiPgw, from New Caledonia. ,The Admiral is expeted back from Sydney ' shortly. TheOpatremains here untjlj phe yeturnof theflagship.whidh vessel hasaquantity of stores, etc., frqm Sydney, It is expected the Opal wiil be docked here, and after that go South, and thence back to Tonga again. Probably H.M.s. Calliope will be flpeked as well as the Opal, Admiral Fairfax having intimated that the first;named vessel would most appropriately *' handsel >! tjhe Calliope Dock. '

Kifative affairs are in a state of complete quiescence. ?n the E,asty?ra Ma,o.n ejte,etoijal district, the petifiqp of WiPere, against the election of Mr Carroll ha,3 iust been dismissed with posfcs, The Maon. "King," TaYrljiab, a> the invitation of the. Ngafcihuas, with about 300 people h^d a meeting at. Maungaka>va last) month, when <?hp. following . lines rrere Jaid down : — That tlie Maoris and pakehas shall be as one people obey the laws of the Que,e.n apd respect them in everj way as loyal subjects ; and that every native acting contrary to the Queen's laws sha,ll undergo the same punishment a^ the pakeh^; that all natives' avoid intoxication and "other a,buses; no objection to Native Lanojs Coiu;t, selling, or otherwise, fls }png .a.s_ it fa done legally.

It appears thai there is a probability of AustrafiaV capita} feeing used to the; mines; of the Thames. ' Mf H; $. Meyers, who formerly was in business i,n ,t]iis pto. b,uf has far the Ja.gb few years carried on business in New South Wales, Is now in Auckland. Mr Meyers paid a visjt to this city some time ago, and, having oollected information regarding the mißes, he returned to; Sydney "and communicated with, pertain gentlemen who he thought were likely, to take the matter in, ha.nd. As they were, however, somewhat sceptical regi^r^ing iSTew Zea]and ventiueSj Mr ]\J.eyers dp h'.is last visit £0/Auckland, took bacji: Vvitji him aboyt atonqf qua,rtz!i:Qrixpneof tl>e.P3^ne.s of.'tiie Upper Thames, As fchp Sydney people wjere still scep.t;iqj»l, he invited them fq t§st the qua,rtz themselves. The result appears to have been satisfactory, for tl?,e result is that Mf J. Seaver, F.G.S., M.SocE., F.G.S.A., a member of the firm of Cox and Seavec, has; visited Auckland in company with Mt Meyers- They intend to visit the Te Aroha district prior ta returniug tp Sydney. . . .

The tender of Mr C. M. Newspn, of Auckland, which was the lowest, has been accepted for the erection of Auckland Custpm House and Departmental Buildings, in accordance with the modified plans an^ specifications.:. , . ..

The Hon. E...-. Mitakelspn, Minister of- .Works, . ftQpordilig to, promise, has given, th,ei question o.f th& HelensviUe rajlr w4y extfiusion nor^h^avds his early attention, and tender fpj (jajjrying on the \xw. {isfar ; as KaukapAk^pft were, called for on Jan. 13- TheLnevv e^n.tvaot. w4U consist of §is njilas oi format>ip.n. aad ten of platelaying, including four alj?ead;y, Jormed.

Ward. ■•_ Jraffcon iarangahape Cast forth iouth 'onsonby 1887. £ 16,366 27,99j5 121,193 8&,593 67,591 50,470 370,214 1888." , Decrcasi £ £ 1S;685 681 26,3^8 1,668 517,885 3.3(58 83,429 3,169 . 62,691 4,900 47,784 2,686 353,802 16,412