PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIV, Issue 3406, 16 June 1868, Page 3

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

TfflS twenty-third session of the Auckland Provincial Council was opened yesterday, when bis Honor the Superintendent delivered the usual opening speech, which will be found in another column. His Honor admits having failed to accomplish as much ad he desired, but, by way of making ameuds for shortcomings in the past, hopes to be able to effect a great deal in the future, relying on brighter ant brightening prospects, restored confidence amongst the commercial and trading classes, and the development of tho Thames goldßeld. He admits that as yet, however, this reaction "has not produced any sensible effect upon the revenue," though he has every confidence that tha brilliant prospects will produce " a steady and progressive increase." Estimates are promised on a scale of the mo*t rigid economy, but it is somewhat curious to note that the •xact state of the accounts between the province and the General Government cannot now be laid before the Council, though it i» promised prior to the prorogation. The province is congratulated upoa the recent gold discoveries, and Kennedy's Bay is honoured with special mention. The usual motion for printing the address was moved by Mr. C'eighton, and carried. Mr. George Staines, the newly-elected member for City West, took his seat. A petition was presented from various school teachers in the province with respect to arrears of salary, and Crown grants which his Honor the, Superintendent was some time since recommended to ia»ue to such teachers as, through no fault of their own, had been prevented from serving five years in the province. Several messageo fr -m his Honor to the Council were read. Message No. 1 transmitted a copy of the Governor's reply to the address presented to him on bis arrival by the Superintendent and Provincial Council. Message No. 2 referred to correspondence with the Colonial Secretary relative to standing orders under the Compul-ory Land-taking Act. Message No 3 informed the Council that a copy of the recently published translation of Dr. Hochst-tter's book on New Zealand had been forwarded by tbe Colonial Secretary for the use of the Auckland Provincial Council. In Messages Nos. 4, 5, and 6, the following bills were submitted : — An Act to confer on the Thames goldfields two representatives in tbe Provincial Couocil of Auckland ; an Act further to amend the Licensing Act, 1863 ; and an Act to appropriate the sum of £1,304 for the establishment of a Grammar School. In Message No. 7 copies of correspondence with the Colonial Secretary in reference to the Auckland and Drury Kailway Act were transmitted. Mr. Stainei gave notice that he -would move the address in reply on next sitting-day (to-day). In reply to a question, the Provincial Secretary said the Government had no intention at preseut of introducing any "bill-* to amend the Fencing and Impounding Acts. Several notices of motion were given, and the Council adjourned at 3.40 p.m. until 3 p.m. this day.

The nomination of a candidate to serve in the House of Representatives for th» electoral dutnct of Franklin will take place at the Panmure Bridge Toll-house on Monday next, at noon, and the poll, if necessary, on Thursday the 2nd July, At the civil sittings of the Supreme Court yesterday, before h<s Honor Judge Moore, Frederick "Williams brought an action against William Avery, to recover the num of £50, due upon a promissory note. No defence nu entered to the action, and judgment therefore passed for the plaintiff. Thomas Milne Machattie sued John Sangater M«cf*rlane for the sum of £250, under somewhat peculiar circumstances. It appears that in October, 1863, Messrs. J. S. Mscfarlane and Machatiie, together with Messrs Henderson and Macfarlane, had a third : interest in a contract for supplying meat to the military forces stationed in Auckland. This thir.l interest wm sold, a* was ye*t«rday allege^, to Mr. James Williamson for the sum of * 1,500 Of this sum, £1,000 wan retained by J. S. Macfarlane and Co. (J. s. Macfarlane and Machaitin), an.l put into their business— the remaining £500 being handed' over to Messrs. Henderson and Macfarlane. In the declaration before the Court, Mr. Machattie alleged that ouly £750 —half the proceeds of the sale of the contract — should have gone into the partnership concern ; and that the remaining £250 wai giTen to' Mr. J 8. Macfarlane by Mr. Henderson for his (Mr. Maohattie'a) sole use and benefit. There being no ' evidence to this effect, however, before the Court, after the question had been shortly arejued, Mr. Hesketh, who appeared for the plaintiff, elected to take a nonsuit. This being the whole of the business, the Courc adjourned. The adjourned public meeting of the electors of the district of Raglan and Franklin is fired to be held at the Otahuhu Hall on Tuesday afternoon next, at half-past 2 o'clock, when the attendance of a large number of electors u solicited. Yesterday the members of the Auckland police force paraded in arms and accoutrements to undergo an inspection by the Commissioner of Police. Mr. Naughton minutely inspected the men, together with their arm*, &c, and found the former smart and regular in their appearance, while the latter were in serviceable condition. A good many of the members of the force have seen service in the army, and all of them are proficient in the use of arms, so that they would be found very effective if occasion should require them to be called out, '< The band of the Royal Irish, under the direction of Mr. Quinn, will perform on the lawn in front of Government House this afternoon at 3 o'clock, weather permitting. The following is the programme : — March ; overture, "De la Sirene," Auber; wallz, " Amorretten Tanze," Gungl ; selection, "11 Don Giovanni," Mozart; quadrille, "Louisa Miller," Farmer; galop, " Grand Military/ Bergmain ; God save the Queen. " ' At the Police Court, yesterday, five drunkards j ' were mulcted in the usual fine of ss. and costs for the first offence. George Scorgfe, charged' with a breach of the 85th cUuse of the Mutiny Act, was fioed in the mitigated penalty of Is. and costs. There was uo other business before the Court. Last evening the two-act drama of " Dick ,! Turpio" was repeated at the Pwnc_e , of, Wales Theatre before a v*ry fair audience, t^king J the sute of the weather into consideration The piece w«s well put uponthe stage, and the vaiious characters were sustained with considerable splat. Ihe perQ ;:formance concluded with the laughable farce of "Slasher and Crasher," the principal characters being played by Mr. Charles OBrien ,and Mr. J. H. . ' Cifford. J To-nighVMr: Charles O'Brten will take* , .complimentary benefit. He will appear in the character of * Rob Roy." An acci'li-nt, fortunately not of a serious natnre, occurred i to, Mr.,\A/ hnaon, son of Mr. ,B.- Whitson, on Saturday evening last It app'ars ihut he was riding a.ing. iStanlt-y-htr«'et.wheu hm home shied * from a' pool of vtater, and in the dnrknes* came into violent collision with a dray. Mr. Whiten wfi thrown to the ground, but fortunately, his injuries are confined to a f«vr slight contusions. The horse died the> same evening from the effects of the con*, /-euaaioik-- — ' - --'... .p '• A' meeting of teachers was bell in St. jMatthew> . j>: gchoolroom'on iSaturday last, wh«n a petition iris idopt^for,j»re»tntationtoth«Couucil,., . t .,j ] ,

The extended line of telegraph between Ngaruaw hia and Hamilton vru opentd on F.iday last. On J h Itt » new tariff will come into operation, the f .rke« I eing considerably lowered. The ratoa on and a't<r that d«te will be :— Between AuekLmi and Ooebunga, 1.1. per word; betwesn Aucklaud, Meruer, Newcastle, and Hamilton, I{A. yttt word ; between Auckland, Cambridge, Kihikibi, and Alexandra, 2<l. per word. The name of the tender and receiver will be charged. There wai no sitting of the Compensation Court y. aterlay, owiog to the foot that none of the native olaiiuauw, whose claims remain unheard, have yet arrived in town. The Court was adjourned until to-day. The cutter 'Margaret*' which arrived here on Saturday la t from the K»wau and Matakana, brought up a number of beagles. The doga appear to have been rtared with great care, and are stated to be of a pare breed, having been imp »rteJ from the kennels of H.R.H. the late Prince Conaorb. They are to be sold on Saturday first, by Mr. A. Bjcltland. A miner named Downey was brought in charge of two conitablea to Auckland on Friday night, in the steamer * t'aur*ng*,' for confinement; in the Lunatic Ay slum. Dowoey was very »io!eut before and after he'wai taken in charge by the constable?, and bis restraint was absolutdy necessary for safety to liie and property. The Uev. T. Norrie, of Papakura, was to conduct divine service in the new Piesbyterwn church, Shortland, on Sunday morning and evening last ; and in the afternoon at Mm. Skeen's schoolroom, Waiotahi. M»p. Heir, tue well-known actress, aud a dramatic company, are at present performing in Wellington, but may be expected ahortly to arrive in Auckland. Mrs. Heir, formerly Miss K. Cathcart, occupied at one time a prominent position on the London stage, and was engaged, first in the Auntralian colonies to star with thn late Mr. G. Y. Brooke, and has always been acknowledged by the Australian press to be the most accomplished actress that has ever appeared in the southern hemisphere. Mr. Carey will play the leading business with her during her pre<eut tour. He has bad a long experience on the stage, and is said to be the best leading actor at the present time in these colonies. Mr. B. N. Jones also accompanies th« t-oupe. He is well known as an accomplished actor. We understand that the other uoemberi of the company have more than ordinary ability in their profession, and we may therefore anticipate that some excellent entertainment will be provided for 'he patrons of the drama in this city during the forthcoming season. The machinery for the Tha-r es Crushing Company, to be erected on the Moanalai\ri Ctreek, has been made expressly to the order of Mr, James Cruickshank, who, as agent for the Thames Cruihmg Company, visited the principal machines at work in the Melbourne district, and receiyed the advice of practical men in adapting the moat approved panciplea to the machinery for this district. Tha works at Clunes, wbioh ara considered the mo*t efficient in Australia, have been t .ken as a model, and improved upon by the substitution of a double gallery of patent •team ripples atarting at the box. The jat^nt ripples are to be perpetually charged with meicury. The most notable improvement, and one which will in> part to this nmcuinery a value almost inestimable, is the addition of at«am agitators for (-charting the fine gold from the crushed material. — Advertiser.