OUR LETTER HOME.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9011, 26 March 1888, Page 9

OUR LETTER HOME.

flrn political news during the month is boost nil. Ministers have, during the -eater part of the time, been in cabinet (j, 1 Wellington, effecting the retrenchments which are absolutely necessary in ii, public service to bring the expenditure down to the necessary point. This, ~ may be conceived, is a very difficult a!) c! unpleasant task. But the Ministers seem to have gone heroically to work, and have resolutely cut down the Apartments. A very sensible curtailment has been made in the expense of £[» Education department. The saving, j. wever, from these retrenchments will ,-it have much effect for a time, for in some cases the officers discharged have jo receive compensation allowance and pensions. But the colony is as strong fi s ever in the determination to bring down expenditure to income, and to i; ;,r once more, as soon as possible, on (ho safe course of steady progress, without borrowing. Last session, an Act v as passed enabling the Government to borrow a million, and authority was Already possessed to go on the market for the North Island Trunk Bailnay Loan. It was found, however, ('oat by a slip in the wording of one of the sections, the Government were prohibited from placing on the market nnythim? except the Trunk Railway Loan. The mistake was a merely technical one, but in a matter of this sort absolute accuracy must be attained. It was at tirst intended by Ministers —at least so it was reported— to raise at once the North Island Trunk Railway Loan, but. on further consideration it was resolved to defer the whole matter, rind not to attempt to raise any money till after Parliament had met and discussed the situation, and amended the l.ov. No official intimation lias yet ';-en made as to when Parliament is to ■■■■. X, but it will not be later than the •-: week in May. Ministers will now '.- busily engaged in preparing for the f,y:k of the session. In all probability {... iv will be no great political change curing the session. For the tirst time for many years there is no eager comzation for office, and there seems a ct'aeral opinion that the end of the session will see the Atkinson Ministry still in office. There has been manifested throughout the colony lately a decided hostility to the property tax, not so much because of its direct burden, but because of its most injurious indirect effects upon nil enterprise. In all probability an effort will be made to have it removed, even it the Government have to somewhat increase the tax on tea and sugar. Major Atkinson, however, has a positive ariYvtion for the property tax. It is his own conception ; and, as he has no knowledge of business or commerce, he cannot see the injurious indirect effects v: the tax. There have been no political addresses of late by Ministers : but it i? said that the Premier will visit the Southern portions of the colony soon, and will address meetings at Dunedin find Christehureh. On March 7, Mr. Frank Lawry addressed his constituents of the North Franklin district, and received a vote of thanks and confidence. When we wrote our last summary 'the following ships of war were in the haibour: — H.M.s. Nelson, Calliope, Diamond, and Swinger. On February is. the Diamond left for Hobart ; the Calliope, for Lyttelton ; and the Swinger for Wellington. The Nelson remained in Auckland harbour till March -24, when she left for Sydney with Admiral Fairfax. During the time Admiral Fairfax has been here, he has occupied Government House with his family. He has visited a number of localities in the vicinity of Auckland, and has been present on several public occasions. He has also made a trip to Rotorua and Taupo, and the district of te hot springs. The officers of the feet have also enjoyed themselves, and rarious treats have been given to the seamen. We hope to see several of the ships of Avar on the Australasian .Station soon again in Auckland harbour. On March 15, the Russian corvette Rynda came into the harbour. She is aider the command of Captain Avellan, and the Grand Duke Michaelovitch, a cousin of the reigning Czar, is on board as a Lieutenant. The Grand Duke is .at present on a visit to the Rotorua district. The usual courtesies have been shown to the Russian commander land officers. The ship's band, which is a very tine one, has performed in the Albert Park to a large attendance. 1 We have no great change to report in the state of trade and commerce. [Business throughout the colony is 'believed to be sounder than it was, owing to weak firms having been pressed out. The prices obtained for wool are pood, and even the frozen meat trade Las paid better than before. The harvest has been gathered in splendid condition. All these are great factors in any revival of trade and prosperity, but we can scarcely expect anything approaching to what is termed in American phraseology "a boom," till it is manifest that the finances of the colony are in a sound position. We think that a considerable revival may be expected in mining in this part of the colony. ►Splendid reefs, containing gold and silver in large quantities, have been opened, but in most cases it has been found impossible to deal satisfactorily with the quartz by any of the processes hitherto in use here. Some time since a LaMonte furnace was erected, but it was not a financial success, md the work had to be discontinued, swing to the want of certain materials required for fluxing the ore. With the experience which has been gained, other methods are about to be < tried. Mr. Parkes, of London, who is the inventor and patentee of a process now in use for smelting in England, is now on his way to Auckland. The machinery necessary to test his process on our ores is to be erected at Kopu, at the mouth of the River Thames, a central place, to which ores from all parts of the peninsula may easily be brought. During the last few weeks there have been in Auckland several gentlemen from Australia on business, and amongst them Mr. W. R. Wilson, a gentleman of great experience in practical mining, and who is one of the largest proprietors Of the Broken Mill mine, which lately has yielded such great results. Mr. Wilson paid a visit to the Upper Thames, and Examined several of the mines in that locality. On returning to Auckland. lie made an offer to .Messrs. Firth and Clark, the owners of the New Find mine and Wairongomai battery, of £25,000 for four-fifths of their interest, tlwy to retain the remaining fifth. Alter some delay the offer was accepted. Mr. Wilson also purchased the Silver King mine for £4000. The great importance of this purchase for the district is that we shall have the best skill available directed to the ascertaining of the method of dealing with our ores. ' Sir J. B. Thurston, so long connected with Fiji, and who has lately been Ppointed Governor, was entertained f> a banquet on the 3rd of March. **0 his speech His Excellency discussed '** some length the position and resources of the colony, and stated what «e proposed to do to advance the intents of all classes. Sir John has a trough knowledge of the colony, -nd, as Fiji is still under the Crown, as power is very considerable. , It will no doubt interest many of our .rtJtne readers to learn that Sir George «'GV has sold the island of Kawau, near Auckland, where he has resided for a •"Umber of years, to a purchaser from Melbourne. The island has become, *'l known from the accounts of travellers who have visited Sir George ,

Grey there. It will be remembered, in especial, that Mr. Froude spent some days there, and lias described its scenery in " Oceana." Sir George Grey means to proceed to England, and it has been mooted here that lie should be appointed Agent-General. The extended term for which Sir Dillon Bell holds office lias nearly expired, and there is a general consensus of opinion that it is requisite at the present time that New Zealand should be represented by such a man as Sir George Grey, who is possessed of singular powers and capacities to direct the attention of all classes in England to this colony. The annual meeting of the New Zealand Rifle Association has been held during the month at Oamaru, when volunteers from all parts of the colony contested for the prizes ottered. The championship prize in rifle shooting was won by Major Purnell, of Whangamii, Private W. Hutchison, of Duneclin. being second, and Lieutenant Okey, of Taranaki, being third. For the championship with the carbine Lieutenant Ross, of Napier, was first, Gunner Moore, of Otago, second, and Gunner Lumsden, of Auckland, third. In all probability Gunner Lumsden would have won the championship had he ' not unfortunately placed a shot on the wrong target when changing range.

Keen interest has been taken in the news from Europe during the month, especially in the news as to the death of the Emperor of Germany, and the continued suffering of the Prince who is now Frederick 111. The German residents in all the colonial cities displayed signs of mourning, and sent home telegrams of condolence. During the month several old and respected colonists in Auckland have passed away, and in especial we may mention the names of the Hon. James Williamson, General Gossett, and Mr. K. McLean.