MAIL SUMMARY FOR Europe and America.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 257, 8 November 1901, Page 6

MAIL SUMMARY FOR Europe and America.

OUR HOME LETTER

AUCKLAND, November 8

The see'nd session of the present Parliament hs:s just ended, and members are on the way to their j homes after an arduous four months' I ia'uonr. in which very little of imperTariec l'-ii>- been done. Provision !:.:< hiydn made for large expend iiuru ua ■!■"!'(■..'.e and public works, and tAie i ;,;.'...,;; troiitin>ic:i bright. The Pro- ;.! :• [■<•!•( utly Ktaitd Unit the revenue' - ;.> flr.-st Kt'vi'ii months of the A i far wa- .CUT,OOO in excess ■ !;';..■ rirvuMi'j uil he corresponding :•:: ■! in ir'ii-i, and that a substantial :; ■;■.;■ for the year was already as- --.--.■:.. One uf tin- last Acts of Par- !...,.'■.,:. v»us lo pass a Llill increasing 1:..' i.cjiiorariu of members of the 1.0u.:i! of Kt'jjn.\-:unvatives from £240 to fc.'JOO, and o!' members of the Legislative Council from £150 to £1200. In Auckland much dissatisfaction, has been expressed with reference to the allocation of the railways vote. For the North island Main Trunk Railway only £100,000 was set down, against about double that amount which would be requisite to meet the, promi.se of the Minister that the line would be completed within four years from the end of last session. For the Kawakawa-Grahamtown line the Minister proposes the sum of £15,000; for the Helensville-Northvvard another £15,000 is set down. The votes of £100,000 each to the Otago Central and Midland lines are but a fresh proof, if proof were needed, that Auckland is required to wait for her just dues till the utmost wishes _ of the ail-powerful Southern constituencies are gratified. The railway to connect Auckland with Taranaki is similarly treated, a sum of £12,000 only being set down for this important work, and no provision is made for commencing- from the Northern end to open up the fertile Ohuru Valley. On the other hand, £45,000 is asked for the Blenheim-Waipara railway, notwithstanding that the total population of the County of Marlborough is only 6518 persons, and this railway can neither prove remunerative nor stimulate settlement to any important extent. Public Works votes, submitted in the Ministerial scheme, absorb £2,197,334, of which railway authorisations to the extent of £607,500 are asked for, £561.000 of this amount to be expended in the current year. The House of Representatives on October 28 passed a Public Loans Bill for £1,250,000, the increased votes being £600,000 for railways, £400,000 for jolling-stock, and £200,000 for land settlement.

The Public Accounts Committee, reporting on the petition of the Midland railway debenture holders, recommended: "That the sum of £110,000 be offered to the receiver for the debenture holders on condition 'that he gives a receipt on behalf of the debenture holders, setting forth that the colony has dealt equitably and justly, and that he is fully satisfied on their behalf; that a sum of £20,000 be offered on similar terms to Mr Dalston, on behalf of the shareholders; that a Bill be passed this session to give effect thereto, ■with such conditions as may be deemed advisable to completely safeguard the interest of the colony; that each debenture holder and each shareholder shall give a receipt to the receiver and attorney for the company for the money, stating that the colony has dealt equitably and justly with him, and that he is fully satisfied." These proposals met with very strong opposition from some members of the House of Kepresentatives. The Bill was considered to-day, and a report of the discussion appears elsewhere,

The New Zealand Government, actIng on the unanimous advice of the various chambers in the colony, has, decided not to attempt any retalia-, tory measures with regard to the Federal tariff, the general opinion being that fresh markets could bi{ opened up elsewhere for the products on which, duty is to be levied. A conference of timber merchants was he^d at Wellington,. and on their adTicca measure was passed through) Parliament empowering the Gover4 nor, by Order in Council, to levy a duty of 3/ or less per superficial foot on * logs, squared logs and flitches. The duty will not be levied unless the Commonwealth Parliament agres to the proposed timber duties.

Mr Spreckels has not yet written accepting the terms of the New Zealand Government for the conveyance of the English and American mails.^ He has been advised to accept thej terms, which provide for a minimum subsidy of £15,000 and a maximum of £20,000, by his New Zealand? agent, and as he would receive mail advice on Monday last, a definite reply is expected at any moment. One of the most interesting items of news in the colony for the past two or three weeks has been the New Zealand tour of Major-General Sir Hector Macdonald. This famous soldier was in the Auckland district at the time of writing, being away on a flying visit to Eotorua. His trip through the colony from the Bluff northwards has been a triumphal progress. He was welcomed everywhere by cheering crowds, by military parades, by Highland pipers, and by enthusiastic gatherings of Ms Scottish fellowcountrymen. At Dunedin he got an especially royal welcome from the Highland portion of tne community. At Wellington he was entertained at luncheon by members' of the General Assembly. The Premier occupied the chair, having- on his right the guest of the day. Captain Kussell was in the •viee-chvinr. Only two toasts were honoured, "The King" and "Our Guest," each proposed by Mr Seddon and honoured with enthusiasm. The general, in his reply, said he would not fail to make known to the rank and file of the army the great honour done hiift in New Zealand. He had, he said, taken an enormous interest in the colon V an^ in everything connected with il, for the reaspn that a gTeat

number of his own countrymen had settled here. He was astonished at the progress made, and thought the pioneers must have been very longheaded men. He urged members to jealously guard the great possession under their care, and pointed out that in defence matters the best rifles, the best guns and the best engineering talent were at their disposal if they chose to make use of them. At each city visited the General inspected the Cadet Corps, in which he displayed great interest. He is to remain in Auckland till next Monday evening, when he leaves for Sydney en route to India.

The two Presbyterian churches in New Zealand, the Northern District and the Southland and Otago, which have been separate bodies up to the present, were formally united at Duiieiliii last week. Delegates from all parts uf the colony attended the General Assembly and a sitting of the Otago Assembly was held contemporaneously. An Act of Unity was drawn up by committees of both bodies acting in concert, and after :\iig'ht amendments, made to prevent future possible complications, was adopted by each Assembly. The finui stages of the union were completed on Thursday evening last, when a meeting of both bodies was held in

the Agricultural Hall, about attending. The Act of Union was agreed to unanimously, after which the Key. J. E. Elliott declared the union consummated. The Key. J. Cibb was elected Moderator of the United Church. The Act of Unity will be put through Parliament.

The racing season here and in Australia is now in full swing. In the Commonwealth the two principal events of the year, the Caulfield and Melbourne Clips, have been decided. In the former event Wakeful, the favourite, was defeated by half a length by the second favourite, Hymettus, a 9 to 2 ehaJice, after a record performance in the race. Hautvil-: lers, a son of imported Haut Brion, was established a warm favourite for the Victorian Derby, which he won, not without difficulty, however, from Grasspan. In the Melbourne Cup Kevenue was established the warmest favourite that ever went to the post, 6 to 4 being the price offered in a field of nineteen. He justified the confidence placed in him by winning by half a length from San Fran, the second in demand. In this colony the New Zealand Cup. the most important handicap race of the year, was won by a comparative outsider in Tortulln, none of the public fancies running into places. The Welcome Stakes vvns won by Orloff, a son of Stepniak. The Canterbury Cup was won by last season's champion two-year-old, Menschikoff, only that colt and his stablemate, San Remo, starting for the event. The Canterbury Oaks fell to Cruciform, the crack filly of New Zealand. The Avondale Racing Club held its Spring Meeting at Ellerslie last month, when Nonette, a son of imported Seaton Delaval, opened his three-year-old account by winning" the Avondale Guineas and the chief handicap race of the meeting, the Cup, thus showing superiority over those of his own age, as he was the crack two-year-old of the North Island last season. The Auckland Racing- Club's Spring Meeting is now proceeding at Ellerslie, the first day's racing having eventuated on Wednesday last, when Nonette was l'esponsible for the Auckland Guineas and Beddington for the City Handicap.

A gathering of Opposition members was held in Parliamentary Buildings on November 3 for the purpose of making a presentation to Captain Russell. The presentation took the form of three massive silver table vases, which had been specially imported from Home. They bore the following inscription: '"Presented to Captain Russell, M.H.R., as a mark of esteem from friends associated with him while leader of the Opposition in the Parliament of New Zealand." Apologies for absence were read, from several ex-members of the Opposition party and others who were unable to be present

The gold returns for the colony for October show a total of £155,030 of gold, and £4876 of silver. For the ten months of the present year the yield has been nearly equal to the whole of last year. The outlook for mining undoubtedly is brighter than it was a month or two ago. The Kauri Freeholds, Royal Oak, and- Hauraki companies are all putting on extra men, while vigorous development works are in progress at the Monowai Mines, Waiomo, where a wharf is to be erected for shipping the concentrates, the crushing power is to be added to, and the'low level extended a.nother 400 ft. by contract. At Kuaotunu the Waitaia Company is getting- good ore from tne stopes, and the Irene battery has been leased, so that regular returns should be obtained in the future. At Karangahake the Crown Mines are getting regular average returns, and the first clean up from the Talisman Consolidated is understood to be payable. An offer for the purchase of the- Imperial mine has been submitted to the directors, but so far nothing definite has been done. At Whangamata, the Mananu Company is erecting additional stampers, a step that seems warranted in the face of the satisfactory returns recently. The Woodstock Company had a clean up this month for the first time since last November, but it is feared that crushing cannot be continued during the summer season, as the water power available is required for driving the machinery necessary for the vigorous opening up of the mine. At Waitekauri a scheme is afoot for the amalgamation of the Waitekauri and Waitekauri Extended properties. The return from the Komata Reefs mine was a poor one this month, but very satisfactory reports are received regarding some of the new claims recently taken up adjacent to the Reefs. The Waihi return was the largest to date this month, and it is reported that the mine never looked better than at the present. The Union Waihi Company had a much better return this month, but work is about to be suspended pending adjustment of finances. The shaft is being sunk another 100 ft. in the Extended mine, and good accounts are received regarding developments in the Waihi Reefs. On the Exchange, Waihi. Waitekauri, and Waihi Grand Junction shares all firmed in price, tout Talismans and Koraata Eeefs were easier.