THE SOUTH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume VII, Issue 1840, 7 December 1869, Page 6

THE SOUTH.

Bγ the Phcobc, which arrived in the Manukau yesterday, we have late Southern files. From Taranaki we learn that the final terms were agreed to between the natives and the ilax companies, for leases of land in the Opunake country. Leasee are to be granted for fourteen years. The terms are very favourable, we believe, and the shareholders of the companies ,we should imagine, are well satisfied with their bargain. The HawUs Bay Herald of the 3rd inst. has the following intelligence, received from Wangamu :— " By telegram from Wanganui, received last evening, Mr. Ormond heard from the Hon. Mr. Fox that he had returned to Wanganui after most satisfactory meeting with the Wanganui river tribes—that Topia had undertaken to find Te Kooti and brine him m, if he were near his boundaries, and that this powerful chief had started up the l-rrer for the purpose of doing so. This is good news indeed, and most sincerely do we hope Topia will be able to carry out his promise. At about half-past 2 o'clock on the moi.iinoof the 26th idt. a smart shock of earthquake w.fls felt at Waugauui.

The N.Z.S.N. Co. is, it seeing about to be wound up at last. We learn from the JW of the 30th ult. that a meeting of shareholders iu the N.Z.S.N. Company was held at the Athenanim, to consider the following resolution :—" That the New Zealand Steam Navigation Company be wound up voluntarily." Mr. Bishop occupied the chair, and in a fenwords introduced the resolution, which was seconded by Mr. William Allen, and, after some observations from Mr. Mautell and Mr. Taylor, was put to the meeting, and carried bv 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 seven days' notice. The motion was eventually withdrawn, and t"he meeting separated. The Sturt-bas landed at Patea the materials of. three,block-houses, which are to be immediately erected between Patea and Wa ihi. Bach block-liouse will form the centre of the ten-acre allotments of bona fide settlers. The Lijttelton Timvt of the 25th ult., pays the following well-deserved compliment to the present Ministry, and especially to the Native Minister, Donald McLean, F.sq. :—" Comparing tha present state of affairs with that under the previous regime, it is evident that a marked advance has been rnade in the direction of peace with the natives. Though Xe Kooti and Titokowaru are still at large, all fear of a war-of races may for the present be laid aside. Blood may still he shed, and desultory fighting will still, in all probability, go on for a while, but there will be no such thing as a general rising on the part of the natives to drive the pabeha into the sea. This enormous boon to the colony is due, in the first instance, to the change in native policy wliich followed the change of Ministry; and, secondly, to the persoual iuflaenee exercised by the Defence Minister over the natives. It is not often that honour falls where honour is due. In tliis case the change that has been wrought in the native mind is too marked, and the effect too sudden and complete, to be misunderstood. Mr. M'Lean stands prominently forward—the saviour of the North Island. From the Otago papers we learn that a distillery has been started in Dunedin, under " The Distillation Act, IS6S." This, we believe, is the first in the colony.