AUCKLAND.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 2, Issue 93, 2 July 1859, Page 2

AUCKLAND.

By the "Eliezer" we have papers to the 22nd ult. The convening of the council to convert the Land Act of the province into "regulations," and the "direct purchase" agitation, form the principal topics of interest. The "New Zealander" believes that the Governor intends visiting the Middle Island next summer ; which renders it probable that he will go to the South at the end of this year, and that he will not return until after the next Session of the General Assembly. The journals contain from time to time interesting accounts of Dr. Hochstetter's Geological exploration. He had just returned from a visit to Coromandel harbour, where the coal was examined and both gold fields explored. Mr. Heaphy and Mr. Ring pointed out a locality where a thin bed of auriferous quartz-grit was known to exist, and the first sliovel-ful washed yielded the usual show of grain and scale gold. Dr. Hochstetter then dug and washed a dish-ful, which yielded a quartz specimen, with a streak of gold through it of about the size of a hazel-nut, together with a considerable quantity oflarge scale gold — a most favourable "prospect ;" and in every pan-ful Washed, the gold scales abounded. His opinion is said to be that there exists a great quantity of gold not far from the locality where the specimens were obtained, but that the search should be carefully prosecuted amongst the quartz veins in the mountains rather than by digging in the alluvial deposits. The Doctor had all but completed a geological map of the Province of Auckland, and on the 24th ult., was to give, , prior to his departure for England via Nelson, the leading results of his explorations, in the shape of a lecture at the Mechanic's Institute. How short-sighted were the other provinces not to have secured a visit from Dr. Hochstetter, when they had the tyA seemingly very useful measure, called the "Local Improvements Act" was being brought into operation in Auckland. Under its provisions, the holders of property in a line of street could be taxed for the purpose of putting such street in s state of thorough repair. It is under some such enactment that Carlyle Street will ultimately have to be made, The sum of money

now to be devoted to its repair will go but a very short way. The Auckland people are not satisfied that, in connection with the new steam arrangements, the "Lord Ashley," the dullest boat of the fleet, should be apportioned to the Sydney and Auckland line. If they have reason to apprehend, in consequence, a want of punctuality, there may be some truth in the rumours prevalent here that goods and passengers for Napier will have to be transhipped, in Auckland. If so, the goods traffic can never increase to any extent, and th» utility of the line must necessarily be greatly diminished. A "New Zealand Insurance Co." for fire and marine insurance, had been established in Auckland. The new company is said to have commenced business under very flourishing auspices. The newspapers were agitating for the establishment of a whale fishing company.