OUR HOME LETTER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XX, Issue 6590, 1 January 1883, Page 9 (Supplement)

OUR HOME LETTER.

whatever bo its social DECEM • > the aonths in the > -which contains the amount of new; interesting co , Lv closing forms no eeeption to the ra le Some members c the House of .-Representatives have *Idressed their constituents, but then speeches have Wn of merely local merest, and tnere has been a truce in poiics. Ministers have taken no step of importance, and indeed are, most of thm, absent from the seat of Governiues at their homes, enjoying the Christina holidays. His Excellency Sir William Jervois, who has been nomiated to the Governorship of New Ziland, is expected in Wellington abon the middle of January. All the Jisisters will then bo assembled at the sat of Government to meet him. Faourable anticipations prevail througbut the calony of the Governorship f Sir William jgpvois, who is kno to be a man of ability, and who is h;hly esteemed in South Australia, whre he is at present Governor.

We need not recpitulate the steps taken by Mr. Bryc to establish intimate and friendly elations with the Kingites, and how awhiao, the Maori Sing, rejected thj very handsome offers made by hinj on behalf of the Government. Sincrour last summary, the Government live determined to occupy lvawhia. 'lis harbour is situated on the west iiast of the provincial district of Auckland, between Manukau and Taraaki. It is a good harbour, suitable jr a harbour of refuge, and giving Piess to a considerable district of t'erjle country. But during the war it jas closed against Europeans, and the European traders who were settled tfre had to leave. Since then, the naiyes have Irdd it entirely. One of he early traders, Mr. Charlton, piichased a piece of land having ceep water frontage, and a few jars ago this was put up for puUi: sale, and was bought by the Gcernment. It is now intended to survejthe land for a township, and to buci the harbour. The resolution of the bvernment to occupy the land was comianicated to Tawhiao, who returned an aswer making a kind of formal protest.lt is not anticipated, however, that theiatives will offer any resistance, and a >ot-ing will have been gained in the ver heart of the King country. The Mive Minister, Mr. Bryce, who ha, been in Auckland during most of the time since the rising of Parliaunt, is now at his home at Wangaui. He went by Taupo and Muriotu, where for some years there has btn a native difficulty. There is a diffenee amongst the natives as to the vnership of a run which is leased b several Europeans, and one part; of natives has prevented the bol clip for two years from being aken away. It is stated that Mr. 3ryce has so far arranged matters tat lie has obtained the consent of the i.tives to release the wool. Gn the vole, our relations with the Maoris re friendly. The Court which has ben sitting at Cambridge has adjudicate upon large areas of land, which will ion pass into the hands of contribute to the settlement of t.j interior of the North Island. Conderable progress is being made in tli direction. Encouraging discoveries ( gold have been 'made in the Te Ar<ta district, and these are greatly assiing in the occupation of the country round. In our last summar- we explained fully the position of \e colony with respect to the establishment of a direct steam service. Since iat time the New Zealand Shipping vimpany have advertised their to put steamers on-the direct .rvice." The British King, of 3559 tor, is to leave London on the 20th of J;*uary next, '• for Wellington and Lyttelia, and is to be followed by the iSritli Queen, which is to leave about \c end of April. Tiie company have siwn great enterprise in this matter. \e vessels -will be fitted up with reJgeratiug apparatus, so as to convey '.eat and dairy produce. It is anticiped that this* direct steam communiccon will be of great advantage to the cony, by promoting an excellent class ; immigration, and by finding a mcset for the surplus produce of the colny. The Parliament, in its last sessio, authorised the Government to advrtite for tenders for a direct service with a subsidy of .£20,000. Certai conditions, however, were to be hposed, which it is thought shipownerstill aot be inclined to submit to. Hwevsr, there is no doubt as to the irryhg j out of the enterprise of the Nv Zta- | land Shipping Company. | The transit of Venus, 011 D'ember 7, was successfully observed troughout New Zealand. The sun roi with the planet half across its disc, 5 that the great object of the New Zealtd stations was to note the points of gross. The American Government sentai expedition, consisting of Mr. dwin Smith and Professor Pritchett, icompanied by two photographers, an they took up their position in the Audand Domain. Fortunately the mining was clear, and the American asonomers were able to observe the tmsit till the planet emerged from thsun. They also took seventy-four jotographs. The party sent out bjthc English Government, under C6nel jDupman, took up its position at Irnham, in Canterbury, and were ilso successful in their observations.

Sir Julius "Vogcl, who was so lo* a prominent character in the liisto' of New Zealand, lias been paying aisit to the colonies in connection witlihe establishment of the electric ligh'he being a director of a company wich holds several patents. He has Jen several months in Melbourne, lining been delayed by illness. On arring at Dunedin, where he first took pa in public life, Sir Julius was entertaied at a banquet, and at Wellingtoi.be was invited to a public lunchcoi at "which a large number of his old friids •were assembled. Sir Julius Vogel spits of returning to the colony, but at resent will take no part whatever iri politics.

A cablegram has been received frni England stating that a commission '£is about to be sent out to inquire ito the affairs of Western Polynesia, ud the working of the " labour tra'V and that it was to be composed of P' l ' Arthur Gordon, lately Governor of jij i and of New Zealand, of Admiral 3P S " kins, and Sir Samuel Wilson. It p s caused great astonishment here thatr^ r A. Gordon. should be appointed.

Jligh Commissioner he has had the!

ministration cf the law, and his administration has given great dissatisfaction to thecolonists of Fiji,andtoallengaged in the island trade. It is hoped that there is some mistake in the announcement, and that it is intended that Sir Arthur Gordon shall be a witness only before the commission. Within the last few days, intelligence has been received that Mr. J. T. Mackelvie, whose munificent gifts of works of art to the city we have several times acknowledged, is sending out 105 pictures, chiefly water-colours. These are to aid in the formation of an Auckland Art Gallery, for which we have already several paintings of great value. Operations are to be commenced immediately for the erection of the sugar refining works at the North Shore, near Auckland. The place is to be erected by a Melbourne company, who will bring the raw sugar from Fiji. The establishment will employ a largo number of people. Mr. J. E. Macdonald, who has for several years held the important position of Resident Magistrate and District Court Judge at Auckland, has received the appointment of Chief Judge of the Native Land Court, in succession to Judge Fenton, who has held the oflice since the constitution of the Court in 18G3- Mr. Hugh Garden Set.h Smith, an English barrister, who has not been long in the colony, has been appointed Resident Magistrate and District Court Judge in place of Mr. Macdonald.