MONTHLY SUMMARY FOR Europe and America.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 63, 15 March 1900, Page 5

MONTHLY SUMMARY FOR Europe and America.

OUR HOME LETTER.

AUCKLAND, N.Z., Thursday, March 15

The military spirit is still strongly prevalent throughout the colony, though the news of Cronje's capture and the relief of Ladysmith allayed the feverish excitement that previously existed concerning the progress of the British advance in South Africa. Since our last summary was published New Zealand's Third Contingent of 250 men and horses has been despatched from Christchurch, the Fourth Contingent of 250 men and 350 horses leaves Port Chalmers about the 24th, and the Fifth, of 500 men, -will leave about the end of the month, and it is hoped their port of departure -will be Auckland, which contributes about 100 men. The Fifth Contingent go as a reserve, with eirnilar contingents from Australia, to relieve the British troops in South Africa, the cost of this contingent being wholly borne by the Imperial Government. There seems no end to the number, of men available for service in the Boer war, and had there been need thousands of men could have easily been sent instead of hundreds.

Auckland has been favoured recently with the presence of His Excellency the Governor and the Countess of Eanfurly, who has had for his guest Eai-1 Beauchamp, Governor of New South Wales. The Premier, the Right Hon. j. J. Seddon, Hon. J. G. Ward (Minister of Railways, etc.), and Hon. Jas. Carroll (Minister of Native Affairs) have also paid us a visit. Tlie presence of such distinguished visitors lent considerable, eclat to the departure of the Auckland section of the Fourth Contingent. Subsequently the Governors and Ministers met the Maori King-, Mshuta, at his home at YVaahi, in the Waikato, and Ministers, going on to the Upper Thames mining- district, were present at the turning,of the first sod' of the Paeroa-Waihi -Railway,. a work of considerable importance in the future development of that, portion of our goldfields. His Excellency the Governor goes South to take part in the send-off to the Fourth Contingent, after which he returns to Auckland, and will remain here till Parliamentopens, probably in June. .

Mailing' matters !are progTessising satisfactorily on the average, although the quotations for stocks on the Ex-chang-e are not calculated to give that impression. The Thames-Hauraki 11^, started its pump at the rate 614.500^-allGns per minute during the iaoht^, and work is now being- done beJftw' the 65Q fect ; -leye|rso: that-ppei'a-tjops fellould soon' be commenced in the\Nq. 11 level. The question of drainage contributions seems likely to be settled shortly, the Thames Drcij^Lege Board having agreed to pay to the Thames-Hauraki Company £5800 upon the latter undertaking- to unwater the field for twelve months. All that now remains is to allocate the contributions to be paid by the various companies benefited, which will probably be done by the Warden. The definite settlement of this dispute will, when, completed, benefit Thames stocks, as the uncertainty -has caused them to decline considerably in price, May Queen/for instance, being sold as low as 2/4, although the 618 tons of ore ■won from that mine -this month yielded bullion worth £1691 18/1. The Victoria Company is taking- steps to acquire, a foreshore-claim with the object of b-oring- to 1500 ft, to aseertam if the same strata exists at that depthwhich carried rich gold in the Upper levels. At. Coromandel the Hauraki Group and.the. New Four in Hand nave continued their steady returns;' ivhile at Gumtowh work has practically stopped pending: completion of •titles. Test parcels of ore from the Kapowar field have further illustrated the richness of the new find, as far as surface show-is concerned. The Welcome Jack Company is now breaking a ■parcel, which is expected to yield fully £30 per ton. The drought hA resulted in less bullion being- obtained this month from the leading- Ohinefiuiri mines, owing to a shortage of water in the creeks used to provide motive power for the mills. The return ! from the Talisman Company was, however,- an exception, the average Talucper ton of the ore treated being about £4. 8/. Crushing is now proe.eedWg at tlie newly erected battery of the Tairua Broken Hill Company, and also at the Grace Darling. The Maratqto Company's- new battery will be completed "this Wotith] 'mid good progress'is being- made with the erection of the crushing plant for the Barrier Keefs Company at Great Baxrier Is-, land. . •■■•■■

'The remarkable expansion in rail *",?y revenue chronicled in Mr Cad- : Mian's Statement last ■ .year will be eclipsed by the returns'for 1899-1900. Tlie'increase in revenue then realised notwithstanding substantial reductions in rates, was quite 'unprecedented, but already to the third .°f February, with two months of the J'^ar io run, there has been an increase ; tj»s year- of £ 128,573. Every line in I 'he colony contributed to this total i e ,xceptfld the three disjointed lines north of Auckland —Kawakawa, on there was a decrease of £439; a decrease of £248; arid Kaihu,. a decrease of £1,877. The i lalling^ff at Kawakawa is. easily comprehensible; owing-^tb- the. exhaustion. 'pttheßiay of Islands coal mine, but ]n view-of the' activity in the' timber stfet gum trades we cannot explain the decreased returns at Kaihu and Whangarei. The increases on other lines fe as follow:—Auckland, ' £7,700; Wellington-Napier, £22,666; HnrunuiBhjff, £93,228; Grey-Brunn.er, £4,455; .■■Grey - HoKitika, £270; , West-port, :.■■* 1,236;.Ne150n, £454; Pieton, £1,729 (shillings. and pence omitted). Total 'toeases,' £131,138; decreases, £2,5G5. -,"et increase, £128,573. This extraordinary growth must be . regarded : /^'th t.hVptnipst satisfaction, by every.- . c- It'is:a sign of national prosperi % aud development : and', the large ' iVP^s^will • enable' the1 Minister ;of >RaHway S 'lo'make still: further'con-

Earl Beaehaump, ■ the Governor of New South Wales, and his private secretary, Captain Smith, left for Sydney by tho s.s. Westralia on March o. On reaching- Queen-street wharf the Earl was received by a guard of honour, the band playing- "God Save the Queen" as he stepped from his' .carriage. Captain llipgrave of the' Westralia received Earl Beauchamp at J the gangway, and conducted him to! his cabin. Captain- Dudley Alexander, \ private secretary to Lord Kanfurly, j accompanied Earl Beauchamp to the j steamer.

The cheerful anticipations of the success of the Paeroa-Waihi railway ■which was expressed on March 2 at the ceremony of cutting- the first sod of the' line, seem justified by all practical considerations. It would not, we think, be too much to say that there is no place in the colony at present- where a line of the same length—some 12J miles —is more necessary, or promises to pay better. For it will open up a district whose yokl producing capac'.ty is. celebrated throughout New Zealand, and which is only waiting for improved means of communication to be an increased source of wealth. As soon as the train is running between Paeroa and Waihi, coal will take the. place of timber'at the mines, and the freights on the amount required of the more substantial fuel, will themselves go a long- way to pay the expenses of the line. One company alone will take 150 tuns a week to keep it going. There is already a pretty large population connected with the mines. The Waihi itself employs some 700 men. The industrial population inevitably attracts an agricultural one to supply its daily wants, and thus in a very short time a coitsiderable community is called into existence, -whose varied requirements are not to be met by primitive methods of conveyance. Apart from the benefit it ■will confer on the mines and the immediate district through which it passes, the new line is valuable as.marking the commencement of a line of railway communication between the present Auckland section of railways and that part of the East Coast -which has Tauranga and. Gisborne for its ports.

The Auckland athletic team.accomplished a remarkable performance at the New Zealand championship meeting at "Wellington on Feb. 17. The four Auckland representatives between them annexed S championships, and scored no less than 57 points, easily whining the champion banner, heedless to say the news of their, brilliant victory was received with the greatest satisfaction in local athletic circles, and numerous telegrams of congratulation were sent from Auckland to the -uetcrious team. George Smith's brilliant feat in carrying off four championships in one day is unparalleled in the record of New Zealand championship meetings, and stamps him as an athlete .of remarkable calibre. Smith was much distressed alter bis third victory, and it was feared he would not be fit to start in the fourth race, the 440. hurdles, but he Started, and ran a very plucky race, winning with a bit to spare. Jladill established a new record foithe colony in the hammer throwing, covering 136 ft 4*in. His previous best was- 121 ft 3in. His performance in the weight putting, although not up to the record", is" nevertli'efesrtire best accomplished at a championship meeting in this colony. LaurieV.jump of. sft Bliu is the second best done at a championship meeting. Dickey, although unsuccessful,.also performed very creditably, though judges, who saw him in training consider he was not at his best oil Saturday.