AUCKLAND HARBOUR WORKS.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XX, Issue 2322, 29 December 1864, Page 4

AUCKLAND HARBOUR WORKS.

We are glad to leai'ii, on inquiryVttiat nso time -has Leon lost in reference r to^ these, muoh required and long-looked-fo/ works, and that in reply to the advertisements-which "our readers may have notioed, no less|tKnn twenty-seven tenders were r'oceived, on'lWda^ last. Sixteon of these were for section No. 1 of- the n breakwater,; and eleven for section Nos. 1 and 2 of thefQueen's Wharf. - For the forni'er work the tender of Messrs. Amos and Oo v .has been accepted, andior^tKe latter that 'of Messrs. Mait' land. Wo"arfiinformed that the tenders, in the aggregate amount to aocrat "£^2,500, VKioh is more than £2,000 below the ■Enginecv-in-Clnofs estimates for the works. The extent of the competition 1 for these 'works -amongst < conj tractors must be highly „ satisfactory to the Superinfcendeut, aud is the best guarantee to the public that the ' plans* and i information' sub- | mittod to contractors have been carefully prepared. We are informed that' the contractors for both works are responsible men of long standing as contractors ; and as the very desirable system of cash deposits has been adopted as security, we may confidently loolt forward to a punctual completion l bf the worlcs; We shall shortly take an opportunity of giving a fall description of the works included in the present contracts. Meantime,"* we congratulate the public on the prompt measures which have been taken to accomplish these most important improvements.

His Excellency the Governor, accompanied by the Hon. Native Minister, his Private Secietary.aud Mr. Rogan, K.M., came up from Kuwau last evening by the steamship ' Wonga Wonga.' Yestciday, at 'four o'clock, the first weolcly meeting of the Council of the Northern Association of New Zealand was held in the Chamber of Commerce — Mr. W. Buckland in the chair. Mr. Cox, lion, secretary, read the minutes of the preceding meeting, which were confhmed. He stated that the ilistiiut committee had nominated sub-committees for about <-evenly districts. A resolution was adopted, itibliucting the honorary secretary to communicate with the gentlemen nominated iv England, informing them of the steps inaugurated by the association, and the objects sought to be obtained, and soliciting their c > operation, aho informing them that more detailed particulars would be forwarded, together v» ith a petition numerously sigued. The rebolution also requested the secretary to enclose a iliaft c )j>y of the petition, and any 'further information he 'could supply. A discussion took place as to what steps should be taken towards obtaining a petition from the natives for piesentation. It was considered by tome that the petition should emanate from the Maoiii themselves, while others vvera of opinion that the association should afford them every as istance in tho preparation of their petition and obtaining signatures thcieto. The meeting was nuanimons as to the importance of having the petitions from both races forwauled at tho same time to her Majeity and the Homo Government, praying for redress of the giievance of which both Eniopeans and natives had just cause to complain, [t was agreed that the district committee should an.uige -with a number of native chiefs in drawing up a petition on behalf of the natives. The committee had been empowered by a resolution passed at a pievioiis meeting to defiay any expense* attending the getting up of such a petition amongst the natives, and obtaining signatures. The names of Messrs. Bucklnnd, Cl.ukc, Cadman, and Dignan were added to the sub- committee. Messrs. Firth, Kidd, Creighton, and' Cox weic appointed a committee to prepare a manifesto, setting foith the objects of the association, to be distiibu ed among the people of the various districts of the province. Some conversation took place relative to the publication of the subsciiptiou list, and the probable cost of a.lvei tiling and pi in ting the same. It was agreed to advertise tho list of subset ibeis once iv the daily papeis, and tho secretary was instructed to communicate with the proprietors of the ! tluee daily papers regauling the cost of adveitising and printing for the association. This tei minuted the proceedings, of which a report is given in another column, The much-required Fan mure Biidge over the Tamahi river has made some little progiexs, we perceive, fcince it v/as commenced uuder the direction of the Provincial Engineer-in-Chief, Mr. Weaver. The tixflie is evidently on the inciei'-e, from the fact that a conveyance was kept waiting at the ferry yesteiday fully threo-quaiteis of an hour, owiug to the stoppage of traffic, and the slow process of ciossing. About 30 yards of the piles have been laid for tho new bliilye, but cousidei able Jelaj lia«, we ivnderitaud, bcou incurred by the scarcity of piles of sufficient length for the purpose, which have at length been brought from the Biy of Islands. The contrnctois for its erection, from Mr. Weavoi's plans, aio Me^sis. McNeill and Wilson, but owing to tho abo\e - stated cause they have evidently not been able to make as satisfactory piogiess with the work as they would wish. The work will require some twelve months yet to complete from its extreme length. The measurement of the bridge is 578 feet, with 20 feot width of roadway, and 40 fuct clear width of curval opening. When complete it will be a model of engine"! ing skill, we have no doubt, if tho plan is carried out in woikmanlike style, which we ha\e eveiy re.yon to believe will be the case. On behalf of the public who ate inconvenienced by tho piesent antiquated process of crossing, and for the sake of tho advancement of thu distiict, we trust tho utmost attention will be paid to hastening its orection, so that it may be completed in the contract time. Between Pinmure and Howick there is a considerable amount of pasluie and ar.ible land, the cuitivatiou of which woidd be gieatly encouraged if this bridge was finished, and the means of access to town improved thereby. The fields yesterday looked in a prosperous condition, and some fine crops of hay were being got in, while othcis n ere in course of making, favoured by the sunlight and he.it of the past few days. The coal mines at Taupaii, on the Waikato, continue to be very profitably woiked, under the able management of Mr. W. Rowe, inspector of mines. Several bianchinq shafts luve been'struck from the main line of shaft, and extensive chambeis dug, the superincumbent mass x ot , earth being supported by wooden pillars. Tramway lines have been laid from lihe vaiious chambers to the shoot, which has > been iecenfcly?erected, and enables thewoikmen to'fill tho coal-tfunkeiaof thejrtoamera very speedily,. We regret that,owing tothelateheavy ia?n», oneof theside-shafts fell in, and somo eaith at the mouth of another ; but workmen were engaged, and the shafts are being set to rights,. These accidents did uot, however, interfere with the working of the other shafts. Tho box and- shoot fwill hold lflO tous, so that a large supply w'll always* be kept "for consumption on the river. Tho toal seauiris in some places ten feet thick, and tapers off to^a%ickneis of 'A'few- inches towards the top of the mountain. The quality of the coal is improving as the seam'is farther worked. The steamer 'Novelty' made four trips to the Flagstaff, North Shore, yesterday, but th» greater number of pleasure-seekers having returned to bubinesi7 "ho went over* very light on each occawiou. During the whole day only about thirty or forty persons took passages by her. In tho Police Court yesterday, several drunken Bases were treated in the usual Ynanner. Peter Stuart was charged by Thdirias'&tkiu with » breach of tho Impounding Act,; the Court dismissed the case. Richard Dumfries, the escaped convict, from*" Mount Eden Stocffade, Wat brought before -the 'Bench; on leplying that he had nothing to say as to the various charges of .robbery aud assault preferred agaiajglghim, he. \v» s commit ted f oi-ttfal at the next criminal ■easiom oftheSuFcmeiCwrt,;,^ 1 'V#£#2^^- * ' inquest ohithe remains pfj» sea/aringman,* found drowned iwthe waters.of ihe^WAiieinataj^was heft at Pjvlm«?s Hotel yesterday, l)efovesDr.;Philaon, "'-7 ~-'u .'' - .■<<; " t - im> ' - )>. .. i

Aboard fthe'^s; • Egmont;*w|p, wj^miwed on Sun- ( dayaf ternoon last, i found \ y t nWtlii&past the, ' Ida|ZeiglM^n?^li^day3orojng _ by tile pW6ro£%hat'V^?*^«%W evideuO^tr/ to riiow how deceased > came -into the "water/ which' • - was fthe cause of h« deatli,;^ Aground on the left side of f the head wa» thought to have" been caiisedby - the fishes, deceased Rearing evidence < since Sunday;last; orf'wlnch'day/lie'wasflasfcseen. The {j dry returned an open verdict in accordance with - these facts. -, <# / Amongst the many spirited things" which gentle* men' oonneqtediwUh. the .drama have done in,Aws^: land, the'peMritatiba iiy'Mrf.-Daniels'ta tlje Trace , , committee of a handsome onp to be run for at the approa'chingmeeting.iB'n6Uhe>M*uei}he^i!iitJhe j JMj/,.4_ V we hope, we will be ableHo $eBrd. 'Entries f or|he ,^ Drii'matio Cup will be received by tli'e secretary up to six "o'clock on Saturday evening next ; entry fee, three guitfeas.'_ £<>'>. ■ , ' < " .. '$$$$&-. A Provincial Government Qimtit was published on Saturday last. Thoonly notification of interest is one to the effeotthat Mr. Joseph Newman has retired from the .Provincial Exeontive. The annual feast of the scholars attending the Aucldatui;Episcopalian Sabbath : and^ Day. School^ ki took place yesterday in the Domain, the 'scholars ' L and teachers from the following 'schools, being present t— St. Paul's,' St'/MaryV Orphans' Home, St. Stephen's, and the Garrison Sohool, making a total of albont 700, exclusive of parehts"and friends. There were a]so present the Eight Eeverend the Bishop of New 1 Zealand; Bevi J.F. Lroyd,"R*evrMr.;ABhweU,^,-' EeV. Mr. Dudley, and Mr. Swain»on. The fife »nd drum baud of the 14th Regiment was on the grouud dunng the afternoon, and contributed much to the amusement qt ,aU present. - The usual juvenile games were entered into by the children with every demonstration of making the roost of the time permitted for] their enjoyment ; and with swings ad infinitum, scrambling and racing for nuts and sweetmeats, cricket, ring- games, and football, 'the afternoon was most pleasurably spent, until to*- was- annonnced. Ample provision had beetfmade'to supply thaiwantsof j all} and'tnt^cßaaren^ after tea^'renewed s their | games and sports until. the _ev,eniug % . They were thou re-assembled for tho purpose of marching homewards. The Rev. William Taylor, the Amerioan revivalist, preached to a full congregation in the Wesleyan Chapel, High-sheet, last evening. His ministrations will, we understand, be contiuued for a few weeks iv this city. ' ~ '. The usual', practice of the Auckland Harmonic Society will be held' in St. Matthew's School-room, this evening. A f ter the practice, the annual meeting of members will beheld, Colonel Mould, C.8., in the chair. The time for receiving tenders fortlie'Provincial" Honpital, has been extended till noon of the 4th January next. ' The annual general meeting of the Auckland Horticultural Society it announced-to be held at the Masonic Hotel, to-morrow evening, at _seven o'clock. James La\vlor, apprehended on the charge ,of iteal-,' ing a silver watch at Melbourne, was brought before tho Kesident Magistrate yesterday, and now awaits a choap passage to that place. The Theatres were well attended, last evening to i hear tho pantomime and ex'travaganaa produced by . the spirited proprietors of these places of amusement. The success of " Puss" at the itoyal, and " Graceful" at the Prinoe of Wales, wa» oomplete, practice having accomplished much of it* peifecting art on _ both stages, as the improved knowledge of parts and rapidity of changes fully testified. We predict a - long and successful rim for both pieces, which are c~i Uinly the best of tho kind produced before the people of Auokland, if not the first attempts at such productions. w