MISCELLANEOUS. [From September, l to September. 30.]

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXII, Issue 2865, 1 October 1866, Page 5

MISCELLANEOUS. [From September, l to September. 30.]

On the lsfc September, the steamer brought up from Coromandel 4S9oz. sdwt. of gold. We regret to have to record the demise of Mr. James Henderson, one of the oldest and most respected settlers of the province, who expired on September 5, at his residence, Waterloo Quadrant. Deceased was aged 49 years, and had been connected, we believe, with the first Masonic lodge opened in Auckland, from its commencement. The usual monthly meeting of the New Zealand Agricultural Society took' place at the Criterion Hotel, Otahuhu, on September 4: Mr. E. Robertson, the president, occupying the chair. The reporb of the committee appointed to diaw up a memorial to the General .Assembly to ensure the better preservation of pheasants aud other game was submitted and unanimously approved of. It was resolved that a cattle show should be held at Otaiiuhu about the middle of November next. A memorial to the Superintendent, relative to improvements of the Great South Road, was introduced by Mr. A. Martin and agreed to, after which the proceedings terminated. At the monthly meeting of the Papakura Association, held on September "5, there was :v very large attendance of members. It was resolved that rewards should be offered for the apprehension and conviction of persons destroying cattle belonging to members of the association. The committee appointed to inquire and report upon the merits of the Kerikeri- limestone tendered* a very satisfactory verbal report, and were further requested to repoi c to the next meeting ilie best mode of making the limestone, already found, practically available. Mr. Abraham submitted 1 a draught memorial to be forwarded to the General Assembly, praying for tiie better definition of the law regarding the liabilities of settlers from bush fires. The first general meeting of the shareholders of the Onehunga and Mangere Bridge Company (Limited) was held on September 7, at the Courthouse Hotel, Onehunga; and was numerously attended. The Rev. A. X*. P urchas, chairman of directors, presided, and submitted a report from from the provisional directors with reference to the competitive plans, and other matters connected with the. proposed bridge.- The report recommended the adjournment 'of that meeting until the return of his ' Honor the Superintendent to Auckland, in order to ascertain definitely what pecuniary aid the Government would-'give to the undertaking. The first sale of allotments on the new township of Tauranga took place at the Land Office on September 10. The lots were put up at the rate of £80 pcr 'acre, but realised at the rate of nearly £600 per acre. - < •■ A petition, numerously and respectably signed, has been sent from Auckland to the Governor, praying for a commutation of the sentencs of death passed on Patrick' Dolan, of 'the Waikato Militia, for shooting a comrade at 'Opotiki. 'I here are circumstances in the case which ■would fully justify a mitigation of the sentence. The correspondent of the Daily; Soitthern Cross in New Caledonia writes that sugar-cane-growing is the great order of the day there, several capitalists having arrived from Bourbon, who intend going into that business largely. • > A concert inaidof the funds of St. Stephen's Orphan Home was held on the evening of September 18. The Bishop of ;New Zealand} 'Archdeacon Lloyd, and other clergymen were present. A soiree was held-in-the '©tahuhii Public Hall on the evening o Septemßef 19,-in aid" of the Otahuhu

Institute and Library. The president of the Institute, H. Robertson, Esq., of Mangere, occupied the chair, Successful experiments have been made in Aucklaud iii the amalgamation Qf the iron sand, which lies in such quantities on the West Coast of the 2Sorth Island. It is contended that by the persons under notice all further hindrances to producing the iron at a cheap rate are obviated. The telegraph between Auckland and Waikato, erected by the military at the beginning of the war, is about to be handed over to the Colonial Government under an agreement. Our correspondent, writing from Wangarei, notices the occurrence of heavy floods in that district, n)i mil lud done some damaga to the cropa. Mr. George T. Chapman, Queen-street, has just published an interesting pamphlet on "The Age of Hew Zealand, ' by the Uev. R. Taylor, M. A., F.G.S. This little work, besides being highly instructive, is brought out must opportunely, at a time when recent Uiscoveiies in the Sliddle island are directing special attention to this subject. The author makes out that New Zealand is the oldest known 1 portion of the habitable globe. A writer in the Sydney Morning Herald lately, in speaking of the condition of the descendants of the mutineers of the 'Bounty,' now in Norfolk Islimd, stated tbafc they w«re M fast ' sinking into some of tiie vices which distinguished their maternal ancestors. ' The statement was copied into the Daily Southern Gross, where it was seen by the islanders, who export most of their surplus produce to Auckland. John Adami and John Buffett, sen., write in answ.er, indignantly denying the calfimay, and pointing to the amount of their exports in wool, oil, whalebone, &0., as showing the industry of the people on Norfolk Island. The New Zealand Qaxetie of the 30th August gives the following return of the number, tonnage, and crews of vessels cleared outwards from harbours in the province of Auckland during the quarter ending the 31st of March last :— Auckland, with cargoes, 24 ships, 9,677 tons, 388 crew ; in ballast, 19 ships, 5 381 tons, 193 crew : total, 43 ships, 15,058 tons, 581 crew. Russell, with cargoes, 5 ships, 1,049 tons, 161 crew ; total, 5 ships, 1,649 tons, 161 crew. Mongonui, with cargoes, 6 ships, 1,973 tons, 172 crew ; total, 6 ship?, 1,973 tons, 172 crew. Hokianga, with cargoes, 1 ship, 321 tons, 11 crew ; in ballast, 1 ship, 96 tons, 6 crew ; totals, 2 ships, 427 tous, 17 crew. Kaipara, with cargoes, I ship, 122 tons, 8 crew ; total, 1 ship, 122 tons, 8 crew. The return also shows that from Auckland five vessels left during the quarter for the United Kingdom, and 15 for British possessions, with cargoes ; and 12 for the latter in ballast. Four have also left with cargoes, and seven in ballast, for foreign countries. The tonnage register of British vessels cleared out at Auckland during the quarter amounts to 14,726 ; ships, 41 ; crews, 565. Of these, 22 ships left with cargoes and 19 in ballast. Two foreign vessels also left during the quarter — tonnage, 332; crews, 16. The Gazette also contains a return of the estimated value of imports and exports during the quarter ended Match 31, 1866. From this return we find that the total imports amounted to £1,349,850 ; the total exports to £1,749,503. Of these totals, the impoits in Auckland amounted to £274,625; being a decrease, as near as may be, of one-half compared with the corresponding quarter of 1865, which was £547,853. The exports on the quarter amounted to £66,654, against £101,892 for the corresponding quarter of 1865. A correspondent, writing from Opotiki, the place where the Rev. Mr. Vollcner was murdered, says that numerous hotels, houses, 4c, are in course of erection, aud that the general aspect of the place reminds him of an English village. The annual meeting of the friends and supporters of the Auckland City Misaion and Children's Home was held on September 14th in the Mission-room, rurham-strtet. W. C. Daldy, Esq , presided. The attendance was numerous. The aftinual report and statement of accounts were submitted and adopted, and office-bearers and committee appointed for the ensuing year. A Co-opßrative Society for the supplying of members with articles of provisions has been established in Auckland. A steamer has been built by Captain Wing, of Onehimga, and named the * Halcyon,' which is inteuded to trade from Onehunga to the different settlements on the large estuary of the Manukau. The trial trip was made on the 13th September. A private soldier of the 57th Regiment, who had been upwards of twelve months in the custody of the rebels, escaped to the camp at Maaawapu in the beginning of Septenfber.