SOUTHERN ITEMS.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 13, Issue 1107, 7 December 1869, Page 3

SOUTHERN ITEMS.

The Sturt has landed at Patea the materials of three block-houses, which are to be immediately erected between Patea and Waihi. Each block-house will form the centre of the ten-acre allotments of bona fide settlers. In reference to Mr. Fox's visit to Wanganui, the Herald says :— " A friendly disposition seems to be growing up among the hitherto 'neutral' natives, and the Government are leaving no stone unturned to arrive at a common agreement by which a permanent peace may be established." At half-past 2 o'clock on Friday morning last a smart shock of earthquake was felt at Wanganui. The funeral of the late Mrs. Marion Reynolds, mother of Mr. W. H. Reynolds, M.H.8., and Mrs. Macandrew, took place on the 15th ult. The deceased, who came to the colony about nineteen years ago. had attained the advanced age of 85 years. The funeral was largely attended. " Bumours (says the Evening Post of Wednesday last) have been ' current in town to-day of fresh discoveries of auriferous quartz at Terawiti. Some stone brought in has been subjected to a testing process with, as is said, satisfactory results, but no reliable information as to the mode of testing, or the quantity of gold procured, has as yet reached us. Several people have gone out to Terawiti to-day, to see for themselves if there is any foundation for the rumours flying aboui. Captain Morshead has informed, the Taranaki Herald that during last week, his bees have performed a feat hitherto unrivalled even in New Zealand, a last year's hive having swarmed four times in eight days. The swarms, ho assures us, were all above the average size, and are now carefully housed, and can be seen by anyone. As might naturally be expected, the non-arrival of the English mail by the Bangitoto has caused a good deal of dissatisfaction, and the Government are blamed for allowing the contract with M'Meckan & Co. to lapse. The Lyttelton Times says : — As will be seen from our latest telegrams, the Bangitoto has arrived at Hokitika without the English mail, which, we are kindly informed, was telegraphed as having arrived at Adelaide just as tho steamer was leaving Melbourne. This is exactly what might have been expected. The subsidy hitherto paid to Messrs. M'Meckan, Blackwood and Co., has ceased, and they will, of course, run their steamers to suit their own convenience. No one can blame them. The blame rests with those members of the General Assembly who voted for the resolution to do away with the subsidy. They ought to have considered whether the colony is in a position to take the step which was taken, with, apparently, so much haste. In the present case, we have the pleasure of knowing that our portion of the, English mail would lie in, Melbourjie till the next steamer was ready to leave, probably a week after the sailing of the Bangitoto. We don't even get the satisfaction which would be afforded by a.te,legraphic summary of ,the news. And all this has to be suffered because a. paltry saving of seven or eight thousand, is o| paramount importance ! We do not remember to have met with a more striking instance of being penny wise and pound foolish." A meeting of shareholders in the N.Z.S.N. Company was held on the afternoon of the 30th ult. at the Athenaeum, to consider the following resolution — " That the New Zealand Steam Navigation Company be wound up voluntarily." Mr. Bishop occupied tho chair, and in a few words introduced the resolution, which was seconded by Mr. William Allen, and, after some observations from Mr. Mantell and Mr. Taylor, was put to the meeting, and carried by a majority of three-fourths of those present. It was then proposed that the present • directors should be appointed liquidators, and a long discussion took place as to whether liquidators could be appointed at this meeting, Mr. Taylor and Mr. Hunter contending that a motion brought forward for that purpose required 7 days notice. The motion was eventually withdrawn, and the meeting separated.— Post. Seventeen pounds of stone from the claim of the Perseverance Company at Collingwood (Nelson) which was crushed recently at the office of Messrs. Curtis Brothers, yielded more than half a pennyweight of gold, or at the rate of about 3| ounces to the ton. A well known Nelson settler, Captain Fearoii, died at Motueka on the 21st inst., -from paralysis of tho brain. The deceased gentleman was greatly respeQted, und, his funeral almost assumed tno aspect- of n

public one, so great iwas the attendance from all parts of the province. V; . • It is well known (saysthe lndependent,) that watercress has, for a long time, been a serious nuisance in the rivers near L Ohristchurch, impeding the navigation, and interfering with, the proper flow of the . . water. Various schemes'have beeh; Suggested and tried for their destruction; and, J . if we mistake not, a number of swans were atone time imported, in the hppe that | they would consume the cress and prevent its spread. A Canterbury gentleman, , seems however, to have hit on a plan of turning the now worse than useless cress to a very useful purpbse. This gentleman, a Mr. Florence, jun., writes to the ■Lyttplton Times stating that he has sueceede4 in manufacturing fine specimens of ; paper from watercress. - . DKPAiTtJBEOFDs.^EATHBBSTOM-; I—The1 — The Tararua was advertised to start punctually at one o^clock yesterday, and long before that time the wharf' in the neighborhood of the steamer's berth was densely crowded. -'-The.. General Government/had given a holiday to its employes, the Banks had closed for a portion of the day, and 'most of the business firms were content to permit a temporary suspension of business All the ships at the wharf and in harbor, were gaily dressed with flags, while a good deal of bunting was displayed from various buildings in the town and the wharf flagr staff bore all the. flags which it could accommodate. The Volunteer Artillery Band were stationed On the wharf, and enlivened the proceedings by discoursing some excellent music. Shortly after one o?clock His Honor, accompanied by Mr. , Brandon and other friends, arrived, and at once went on board. There was animme- ; diate rush after him, an 4 the amount of hand-shaking which £c had to perform during the few minutes, which elapsed before ; the steamer castoff, wassomethingastonish- , ing, and must have proved rather .fatiguing to his Honor, who however appeared deeply affected by the universal feeling of respect and attachment which was displayed. As i the Tararua left the wharf, Mr. Borlase. called for three cheers for his Hom#, ' which were given with most hearty good will, and as heartily renewed when Dr. ' Featherston appeared on the poop and waived his farewell acknowledgments.. A large number of persons went on board the Lady Bird^and accompanied the Tararua beyond Point Halsewell, where three parting cheers were given, the band at the same time playing "Auld Lang Syne." -The Tararua then put on steam, and soon left the Lady Bird behind. The latter vessel then turned round, and made a tour round Soames' Island. — Independent, . Nov. 30. * Me. John Knowles. — The announcement that Mr. Snowies is about to go to England in the capacity of Secretary to the Home Commissioners has occasioned a good deal of surprise amongst those who have regarded him as one of the established institutions of the province. But the first feeling of surprise over, and the natural, but selfish regret, that the province is for a time to lose the t services of one of its best and most trusted servants, laid aside, there is but one opinion as to the extreme suitability of the appointment which has just been conferred upon him. When the Home Commissioners were first appointed, the Government selected Mr. Xnowles as the most suitable person to fill the office of secretary, but Dr. Featherston objecting that they could not both be spared at once, then the idea was temporarily abandoned. As soon however as the Provincial Council accepted the proposals submitted to it relative to the conduct of affairs during the Superintendent's absence, the offer was renewed, and as the Council had consented" to make the office of Pro-' vincial Secretary a paid one, it was felt ? tli at Mr. Halcombe would be able to c-.nJuet the provincial business without L\ir. Knowles' assistance. "With Dr. Featherston's full, approbation, . Mr. Knowles then accepted the new appointment, and will, if possible, leave for Mel- . bourne by the Hangitoto on Thursday next, proceeding thence to England by_ a sailing vessel. He will probably arrive at home a few weeks after the commissioners, but as Parliament will not be sitting, and ministers will probably be out town when they arrive, the delay will not be of any consequence. Of Mr. Knowles' ; business capabilities it is needless to speak, for they have for years been patent to every inhabitant of this province. Few 1 men in the colony possess a wider range of official and general knowledge regarding its affairs, and his connection with the New 1 Zealand Company, when with Mr. Dillon ' Bell he was engaged in fighting its battles with the Colonial Office, renders him not 1 altogether unacquainted with the traditions and practice of that department. The commissioners and .the colony are 1 alike to be congratulated on having obtained Mr. Knowles' services in England.