INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4146, 4 July 1874, Page 3

INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

NORTH ISLAND. WELLINGTON. A number of men in the employ of Messrs. Pell and Parker, the contractors for the second ten miles of the AVanganui-Manawatu Railway, have arrived at Wanganui from Nelson, and will commence operations immediately. Another batch will shortly follow, and the progress of the works will be urged on expeditiously. It is understood that the greater portion of the contract will be sub-let in small jobs, as most of the hands have worked together previously on the West Coast goldfields, and on railway formations in the Province of

Nelson. Six acres and a-half of land at the Hutt, upon which stands the Masonic Hall, were sold by Mr. George Thomas a few days ago for £225, Mr. George Crawford being the purchaser.

The Natives in the neighborhood of Waingongoro, says the Wanganui Herald, are going in for four-horse coaches, three or four of which are now owned and driven by aboriginal JehUs, who exhibit considerable skill in the handling of their teams. The Wanganui Herald reports the death of Mr. Peacock, at Manawatu—a young man who had settled on a small farm, and who had received a £IOOO instalment of a legacy of £12,000. He was found dead in a field after having been missed for some time. Trade at Foxton is increasing considerably. Early in the past week there were four sailing vessels loading there the Lyttelton, the Mary Helen, the Hunter, and the Bose of Eden. The Government wharf is only forty feet in length, and the consequence is that great interruption and delay occur. Wanganui is progressing rapidly. The Chronicle reports that a large amount of building is going on. During last month a number of cottages were erected, and ten or twelve new houses, some of them of large dimensions, are now in course of erection. A correspondent at Palmerston furnishes us with the following notes as to the progress of that township and its district : —“ The enterprising firm of Richter, Nannsted, and Co., who have purchased the new steam-engine and Cornish boiler from Mr. Hugh Owen, of Wellington, have had it set to work by Mr. James Wilson, engineer, of Molesworth-street, who has given the firm great satisfaction by his workmanship. The engine is of about 14horse power, has a cylinder of 12 1/2 inches diameter ; the boiler is 5 feet 6 inches diameter and 16 feet long ; the engine was manufactured by Messrs. Wright and Edwards, of Melbourne, and is of very simple construction, and makes 110 strokes per minute without the slightest vibration whatever, and is in all its parts very strong. The above firm are also putting down two circular saws, and also a vertical breaking-down saw; and seeing the rapid progress Palmerston is making, there is a bright future in store for them, as the demand for timber is very great; in fact, far in advance of the supply. It is also the intention of the above firm to supply the district with doors and sashes ready made, an article very much required, as the settlers have either to go to Wellington or Wanganui for them. The firm have about one of the finest totara bush sections in the district. Besides this, Mr. P. Stewart is pushing on with the railway from here to Wanganui through the bush on to Feilding, and over some of the finest land in the Province.” WANGANUI RAILWAY BRIDGE. (From the Chronicle, June 17.)

A most substantial piece of -work is about to be undertaken in tbe shape of a railway bridge across the Wanganui, tenders for the erection of which have already been sent in to the department at Wellington. The site of the bridge will be some two miles above the present one. It is designed on Howe’s truss principle, and the plans show a composite structure of wood and iron, similar to many of the railway bridges built or about to be built by the General Government in different parts of New Zealand, which all proceed from a common design furnished by the Public Works Department. The bridge itself, without the approaches, will measure 600 feet in length, the distance being covered by five spans of 120 feet each. There will be four piers, each consisting of two cast iron cylinders, seven feet in diameter and seventy feet long. These cylinders will be sunk in the ground to a considerable distance ; those belonging to the two northernmost piers to a depth of 23 feet, and on the other side, to a depth of 26 feet. They will be filled with concrete, on the top of which a packing of totara will be placed, for the superstructure to rest upon. The cylinders will contain 321 tons of iron altogether. The superstructure will be partly composed of wood and partly of iron. A lower beam of malleable iron will be covered by an upper one of totara and jarrah ; and the permanent way will be supported by iron cross bauds with totara or jarrah stringers. Each span will be a separate and distinct structure from the rest; one end of it being fixed and the other resting upon rollers ; provision being made by this ingenious contrivance for the expansion of the iron by temperature, and the effects of a passing train. The width of the bridge, over all, will be 25 feet, and of the roadway, 14 feet, sufficient to allow of one line of rails being laid down. The roadway is 32 feet above high water and 24 feet above flood mark. The approaches will be of a massive description, more especially the northern one. This is intended to consist of a concrete abutment 132 feet in length on the ground surface, and carried down 13 feet beneath low water mark, until the solid is reached, where it will rest upon 110 piles each 33 feet long. It will have a rubble facing below the water. The southern approach will be 220 feet long, but of much smaller dimensions otherwise. It will also be formed of concrete, and rest upon 44 piles of either totara, rirnu, or black birch, the contractor being allowed his choice. The total length of bridge and approaches will thus be 952 feet, and if the contractor executes his task with as much skill as has been displayed in the preparation of the designs, a bridge will be placed over the Wanganui river creditable to the Public Works Department and of an enduring benefit to the inhabitants of the West Coast. LAND FOE SETTLEMENT IN WELLINGTON PROVINCE. MR. CALCUTT’S REPORT. At the opening of the Wellington Provincial Council, last session, his Honor the Superintendent placed before the Council correspondence which had passed between him and the Hon. the Minister for Immigration on the subject of setting aside blocks of land for selection by immigrants on deferred payments. As a sequence to that correspondence Mr. Calcutt, as representing the General Government, and Mr. Holdsworth, as representing the Provincial Government, proceeded to visit those parts of the Province in which suitable blocks of land were supposed to be available. On the return of these gentlemen it was understood that they had a highly satisfactory report to make as to the quantity and quality of land available for the purpose in relation to which their inland tour was made ; but, as no report had been officially made on the subject, we were not at liberty to communicate particulars of what might be casually gleaned as to their impressions of the country through which they passed. Since then indication has been given of the character of Mr. Calcutt’s report, and, by permission of the Hon. the Minister for Immigration, in compliance with a request made, we are enabled to publish the report as it was presented. It is brief, and cautiously written, but there is no doubt that Mr. Calcutt has had reason to be thoroughly satisfied with the district which he visited, as a piece of country of valuable resources, and eminently suited for settlement, with proper precautions taken as to the manner in which settlement should be promoted. The report is as follows ; Wellington, 28th May, 1874. Sir,—Referring to the letter of his Honor the Superintendent of Wellington of date 24th April last to yourself, relative to setting apart land for immigrants and to your answer thereto of 29th April, which letters you did me the honor to request me to peruse, and referring

also to your verbal instructions to me to report on the general nature of the land to be shown to me by some officer to be appointed by the Provincial Government of this Province, I have the honor to state that, accompanied by J. G. Holdsworth, Esq., Crown Lands Commissioner for the Province, and Mr. A. W. Carkeek of the Provincial Survey Staff, I travelled from Wellington via Featherston, Greytown, and Masterton through the Wairarapa to the commencement of the Seventy-mile Forest, thence to the Scandinavian settlement at Mauriceville, on to the Manawatu river; thence through a portion of the Napier Province to the Manawatu Gorge (crossing which river at this point this Province is again entered) and on to the Town of Palmerston, and to report as follows: 1. That with the exception of two open plains of about 800 acres and 400 acres respectively, situate in the Manawatu Wairarapa No. 3 Block, the whole of the country pointed out to me is dense forest.

2. That from the commencement of the Seventy-mile Bush (nine miles from Masterton), forty miles of which are in this Province, the whole of the land may bo said generally to be very good soil—the greater portion excellent— while some of it, in my opinion, is as good as possibly can be found anywhere, or can in anyway be desired, consisting, as it does, in a material degree of deep loam resting on limestone. The general outline and contour of the country is excellent for the purposes of settlement, possessing every natural advantage of water supply and for the making of good roads, and with the single exception of the land being at present heavily timbered I can imagine no piece of country better fitted for the settlement of a large number of persons. That such will be the case, and that too within a comparatively short time, if the lands are judiciously opened up, I have no doubt whatever.

3. The timber in the forests consists mainly of black, red and white pines, totara, rata, tawa, and hinau. This timber, so soon as roads and railways permeate through the country, will of itself be of considerable value, and should if possible be saved from the universal destruction going on in the few settlements already existing. l am aware that the practical solution of a large question of this kind presents difficulties ; nevertheless, I think some plan might be devised to save so large and valuable a portion of the Crown property. The day is not far distant when the timber now growing on these lands would, properly utilised, realise millions of pounds sterling. I venture respectfully to outline my view on this matter for any consideration you may deem it entitled to, believing, as I do, that under proper regulations the expenditure to be incurred in making roads and railways through this fine portion of the country would be nearly, if not wholly, recouped by the sale of the timber growing thereon, and thereafter the land sold by the Crown for as high or possibly in some instances a higher price than it would now realise. In the Province of Canterbury lately bush land realised forty pounds sterling per acre. lam quite sure that no private person or Corporation would part with the land at a nominal price with the knowledge that hundreds of thousands of pounds sterling would be lost by the wholesale destruction of these splendid forests. Another question during my journey presented itself to my mind, namely— Seeing that the railway to Masterton is now under authorisation, and parts, thereof under contract, I venture to point out how desirable it would be to, if possible, make the present partially newly-formed main road (known as Munro’s track) a railway or tramway at once, instead of, as contemplated, a metalled road. The formation now making by the General Government would, I have little doubt, ’with some slight alteration, be available for rails, and the bridges also, while the cost of metalling the road (not yet done) from the scarceness of stone along the road, would go far towards the cost of rails, and the extra value thus given to this naturally splendid piece of country would in my opinion —in which opinion I am heartily seconded by Mr. Holdsworth—be very considerable to both sellers and purchasers. No piece of country in New Zealand that I have seen deserves a railway better than this.

4. In the absence of a proper survey of the country it is impossible for me to give in this report exact boundaries of the land proposed to be selected ; indeed, to do this with minuteness and great care, through a virgin forest, would entail the employment of a somewhat large staff of surveyors, linemen, and others, and at least three to four months of time in a different season of the year to that of nearly mid-winter ; but so satisfied am I from personal observation of the general character and formation of the country through which we passed, together with information given to me by Mr. Holdsworth, Crown Lands Commissioner; Mr. Baker and Mr. Morrow, General Government Surveyors ; Mr. Munro and Mr. Stewart, Engineers in the Public Works Department of the General Government ; and Mr. A. W. Carkeek, of the Provincial Survey Department ; (to all of whom I tender my thanks for the hearty manner in which they supplied the information in their power';, that I have no hesitation whatever of assuring you that, subject to the surveys being made either as I may direct, or, which I should much prefer, under the immediate direction and supervision of Mr. Heale, or other competent officer of survey under the General Government, sixty thousand cres of good land can be got within the limits of the line colored blue on the plan herewith, and twenty thousand acres from between the Orowa and Pohangina Rivers, adjoining on the one side the Feilding Block, and running between the two rivers until the area computes to twenty thousand acres. This piece of land is not on the plan herewith. It is not necessary, as the description here given is sufficiently concise as a direction for the survey. In mentioning one block of sixty thousand acres as a portion of the eighty thousand, instead of three blocks of twenty thousand each, I apprehend no objection will offer itself. This course has been forced upon me in the present state of the non-survey of the country, but if any importance be attached to the point, the permanent survey can be so arranged as to make the matter coincide exactly with the terms of the letters upon which this report is based. The country included within the blue color on the plan exceeds to a considerable extent the area required ; indeed some part thereof has been sold to the Scandinavians, and, possibly, other persons, while there are also a few Native reserves therein. This large area has been taken by me simply to give to the Crown surveyors ample margin to ensure a selection of sufficiently level and undulating land as shall equal what I have described. After survey the excess will revert to the Province. More than this cannot in the meantime be done.—l am,

&C,, Thomas Caloctt. The Hon. the Minister for Immigration, Wellington. AUCKLAND. The necessary works for the proposed line of telegraph to connect Auckland with the Bay of Islands and Holdanga, are proceeding, under the management of Mr Floyd, T.E. Electrician to the Telegraph Department. It is proposed, by the Provincial Executive, to increase the pay of the police by the economical amount of fid. per day. - The men work seven days in the week, and for that they are now to receive 45a. 6d. The sum of £750 has been placed on the estimates for the encouragement of forest planting by Highway Boards. The New Zealand Herald gives an interesting account of Lloyd’s Rope Factory, in the suburbs of Auckland. By this it would appear that a large quantity of very excellent rope is locally manufactured. The sum of £IOOO has been placed on the Estimates by the Provincial authorities for the removal of the cemetery, which is too near the heart of the city and near to which there is considerable mortality, said by the medical authorities to be duo to the effluvium arising. The Provincial Government have requested tenders for the construction of twenty-five immigrants’ cottages. These cottages are required to be built of wood, with corrugated iron roofs, and to contain each four rooms. They are to be so constructed that they can

be taken to pieces and removed to auy part of the Province for temporary use. According to the Treasurer’s late statement, the revenue of the Province of is estimated at £92,000; the expenditure at £II,OOO, showing an excess over revenue of £23,000, but this is more than met by an advance of £40,000 offered by the General Government as against land sales, on condition that it shall be appropriated befox-e being borrowed, in oi'der tlxat the pui-poses to which the money is to be applied may be known. About one o’clock on the morning of Sunday last, the general store of Mr. C. Bell, Chxu--chill, was totally destroyed by fire. The circumstances ax-e thus recorded in the, Waikato Times : —John McCandless, a ropemakex-, employed at the mill, first discovered the fire. He lived in a cottage about one hundi-ed yards distant from the store. A heavy clap of thunder and a particularly vivid flash of lightixing awoke him about one o’clock. About a quarter of an hour afterwards he heard a noise, which he took for a steamer coming up the river. He got up to look out, and saw that the roof of the store was on fire, and very soon the whole building was consxxmed. The loss is estimated at £I2OO.

Resolutions of rather a novel character-, on the subject of education, have been moved in the Provincial Council by Mr. Swan. They are :—l. “That a respectful address be presented to his Honor the Superintendent, requesting him to ask from the General Government a sufficient sum, as an advance, to cover the grant to and expenses of the Education Board, until the Legislature has time to pass a General Colonial Taxation for Educational purposes ; as also to advance a sufficient sum to cover the payments heretofore made by the Provincial Government to the Education Board.” 2. “ That the General Government be asked, through his Honor, to bring before the Legislature a Bill providing that there shall be raised a sxxm sxxfficient to meet the educational reqxxix-ements of the Coloxxy, upon the basis of population, by a tax on property and income, or otherwise.” 3. “ That each Province shall be allowed to carry on its own system of educatioxx, so that the Legislative shall not be required to deliver any opinion on the different systems now in force by virtue of Provincial Acts.” 4. “ That the money raised for educational purposes by the Colonial Legislature shall be distributed to the several Provinces of the Colony in a capitation on the basis of population.” In its account of gale [on Sunday and Monday week, the Southern Cross gives the following as the amount of damage done to the coastex-s in pox-t;—Elly, schooner-, scxxttled and swamped; Alice, cxxtter. swamped; Lee, cxxtter (belonging to Captain Casey), loss of anchor and stem smashed in; Dxxsty Miller (belonging to Messrs. Low and Motion), scuttled to save her from breaking to pieces, alongside wharf ; oyster boat, Ida Zeigler (beloging to Mr. A. AVelby), exxxxk ; Tartar, belonging to Mr. T. Henderson), swamped. The Clara, cutter, was also scuttled, it being impossible, from the heavy hax*d sea bx-eakixxg on board and the force of the wind, to keep her at her anchox-age. The Triad, belonging to Mr. Henderson, was also sw-amped. The cutter Rose had her staysail and jib blown away, but sustained no other damage. The Good Templar yacht, we are sorx-y to say for the cause, came to grief, coming in contact with one of the other coastex-s, and in the collision losing her bowspx-it and topmast head. Insurance, of course, was not effected on any of the vessels which were swamped or scuttled ; they being under the prescribed tonnage, the insurance authorities have declined to effect policies. In the city and suburbs some damage of a trifling nature was done. Decayed vex-andahs were tom away fx-oxn thensupports, signboards cast here and there, while in many a sheltered nook lay lai*ge nxxmbers of sheets of corrugated iron, which had been stripped off vex-andahs and other* erections. Large numbers of fences wex-e blown down in all directions, especially in the Newton district. There were also some large blue gum trees levelled with the ground. The chimney stack of Cousin and Atkin’s coach factory was knocked down, and one of the windows in St. Paul’s Cathedi-al was blown in. A considerable number of windows in various parts of the city have suffered to a greater or less extent. In the suburbs the damage done seeems to be similar to that done in the city. The Poverty Bay Standard states that Mr. Stubbs, the manager of the Gisborne Petroleum Company, informs it that several new oil springs have been discovered on the company’s ground, about half a mile due south from the old springs. They appear to be as prolific as any hitherto found. As briefly reported by telegraph a case was heard in the Thames District Court lately, before Judge Beckham, in which the plaintiff sued the defendant in the sum of £IOO for detention of a letter. Both parties are named Patrick Donnelly, and the plaintiff, is the person who commenced a few weeks ago, an action against the Resident Magistrate foxfalse imprisoxxment. The plaintiff’s solicitor in the action for false imprisonment was Mr. MacConnick, of Auckland, and that gentleman forwarded a letter to the plaintiff regarding the case, addressed to “ Patrick Donnelly, Miner, Thames.” This letter w-as a very important one, and was fraught with interest to the case then pending. It was delivered to Mr. Patrick Donnelly, Manager for the Golden Crown Company, who opened it, and seeing that it was not for him, forwarded it at once to the residence of the plaintiff, who is a miner in the Italian Company, and lives in the AA r aiotahi Creek. Between the posting of the letter at Auckland and the delivery to plaintiff, more than a month elapsed, and the plaintiff charged defendant with retaining the same ; hence the action of yesterday. Evidence was given that no delay had occurred on the part of the defendant. At last plaintiff’s solicitor accepted a nonsxxit, with costs £l3 2s.

A Wesleyan church is to be established at Poverty Bay. A fire lately occurred at the Hoteo Block, by which a cottage and adjoining shed, the property of two brothers, Edward and Walter Whiteford, were completely destroyed. These young men had, it appears, taken up certain grounds under the Homestead Act, and by great energy and perseverance had nearly completed all the conditions which the Act requires. In addition to the loss of the building, their clothing, guns, books, &c., and a valuable cow, which was in the shed, were also destroyed. The fire took place while the brothers were at Port Albert, some fifteen miles distant. Another fire at To Awamutu occurred on Friday in the building at the rear of the Criterion Hotel. The hotel had lately been sold by Mr. Canny to Mr. Costello, and was at the time of the fire occupied by the former person. Mr. Canny is a considerable loser by the occurrence, the whole of his clothing, furniture, and X2OO in notes, having been burnt.

An amusing incident occurred at Poverty Bay the other day, which affords a practical illustration of the old adage, “A little learning is a dangerous thing.” It is thus related by a correspondent of the Hawhc's Bay Herald :— “ A Maori called upon one of the settlers with an order upon him for £35, purporting to have been drawn by a well-known Maori chief in the district. The document may bo translated as follows Juno 13, 1874. Friend, lena hoc. This is my letter, asking you to give the money to Hori, for which ho has been asking you lately. Now, this is my consent—that you should give £35 as a gift to him. Do not give him £4O, but at the £35 stop there. But you must pay it to him at once when you receive this letter. Enough. Pita te Hdiia.— Mr, Chambers, upon whom the order was drawn, thought ho had better not pay Mr. Hori the £35 at once, and told him that ho would see Pita to Huha, the ostensible drawer of the order, before parting with any coin on his behalf. Pita to Huha, when questioned on the subject, denied all knowledge of the order, and Mr. Hori was brought up yesterday charged with forgery, and remanded until the 24th inat.”

The rapid strides which Poverty Bay has made in the march of progress during the last two or three years speaks well for tho energy displayed by the settlers. “ It is, however, anything but cheering to tho majority,” says a correspondent, “toknow

that, being at the tail end of the Auckland Province, our wants find little or no consideration at the hands of the Provincial Government, who reap no small sum from our Customs returns, land sales, &c. Our population is increasing, and the demand for labor of all lands is greater than the supply. Instead of the few straggling stores, a couple of hotels, a score or two sledge houses, and a I’espectable homestead or two dotted here and there, in Gisborne a year or so ago, we are beginning to look as if we lived in a town. Footpaths are being formed. and metalled in our principal street by the Highway Road Board ; private residences and business places are every week being erected in and near the town ; fencing, ploughing, building, road-making, and clearing operations are being briskly carried on all through the country, _ and everything bears the appearance of life and activity. The Presbyterian Church is in course of erection, and I believe we are shortly to have two other places of worship built—one for the Homan Catholics and the other for the Episcopal body. Clarke’s hotel, with 17 rooms, and Whitson and Co.’s brewery, which will shortly be finished, will make handsome additions to the architecture of our town. If in one or two lines of business, we could induce opposition to come into the field, monopoly-would be a thing of the past.” A very important item of news is forwarded to the Herald by its correspondent at Maketu. The result of the Te Puke Native meeting has been the sale of over 10,000 acres, and the leasing of 20,000 acres of good land, to the General Government, nearly all of it ready for occupation, and the settlers of which will have •water carriage through the whole of the block. An immense casting was successfully made one day this moth, at Messrs. Eraser and Tinne’s foundry.- It was a piston for the Thames Pumping Association, and when completed will weigh between 3J and 3J tons. The piston-rod, weighing about two tons, has also just been forged under the steam hammer, and is now in the lathe being finished. This firm have also in hand the boilers and engines for the new steamer Emu.

A Tauranga telegram in the Auckland papers states that, not only have many earthquakes been felt at Rotorua, but that the geyser at Wharearewanua is actively throwing •up a column of water sixty feet high. The following return, recently completed, has been handed to the Bay of Plenty Times by Mr. Hopkins Clarke, Native Census Enumerator for the district of Tauranga (including Motiti); —Males: Under 15 years, 162 ; over 15 years, 500. Females : Under 15 years, 169; over 15 years, 414. Total, 1245. In 1869, the number of Natives resident in the district was estimated at 1100. The late census, therefore, shows an increase of 145. It has frequently been asserted that the climate of Auckland is too cold for the successful culture of the orange-tree. It would seem, however, that the irresistible “ logic of facts” is about to settle the point. The Southern Cross notices that there was lately exhibited in the window of Mr. E. Baird, seedsman, Victoria Street, a very substantial proof that the sweet or Lisbon orange can be grown in the neighborhood of Auckland with great success and profit. The proof consisted of a small branch of an orange-tree, containing no fewer than fifteen large-sized oranges. It was grown by the Rev. John Warren, of Onehunga, in the open air, without shade or shelter of any kind. Captain Porter, who has returned to Gisborne, is reported to have stated that he has opened negotiations for the purchase of a large block of land between Tologa Bay and the oilsprings, the Natives stating that they are quite willing to sell to the Government. HAWKE’S BAY. The resignation by Mr. Edwin Bamford, as Deputy Sheriff of Hawke’s Bay, is gazetted. Mr. Ormond, the Superintendent, has been able to report to the Council that, after paying all claims, there will be a balance of £34,334 at the credit of the Province.

Boiling-clown, has closed for the present season at West Clive. Mr. K. P. Williams has lately boiled down at his establishment there 295 sheep from Mr. Collins’ run at Patangata, with the result of a net weight of tallow of Iflcwt. Oqr. 21bs. The first hundred were fullmouthed wethers, and averaged 671bs. tallow per head, the total average of the whole 295 sheep being 53. libs. The skins and hides avail net from 4s. to" 4s. 6d. each. This is a very satisfactory result, and it is worthy of observation that these sheep were not bred and fed on a rich flat of alluvial soil, but on the high land at Patangata. A sale of Crown Hands was held at the Crown Hands Office, Napier, lately. The lots comprised in the aggregate 11,867 acres. The lots on the runs of Messrs. Couper, McKinnon, Duff, and Ormond were knocked down to the applicants at the upset price of ss. an acre, as were also certain applications in the Wakarara district. The lots on Mr. McDougall’s run realised Jd. above the upset price. The lots on Mr. Gollan’s run, part of application 2076, averaged 9s. 3d. ; ditto application 2161, 37,110 acres, 9s. 4d. In the township of Porangahau, 48 J-acre sections were put up ; most fetched the upset price of £2 10s., but a small portion went as high as £3 11s. A large concrete woolshed is in course of construction on the station of Mr. J. Chambers, of Te Mata. A seaman, named A. W. Creighton, was lost overboard from the schooner Pacific, on her late passage from Mercury Bay to Napier. He was steering, and was knocked overboard by the mainboom through the jibbing of the sail. The Hon, Mr. Peters has sold 7200 acres on the Glengarry run, recently purchased by him at 10s. per acre, to Mr. Couper, for the sum of £14,400. Tire inland road to Poverty Bay is said to be progressing favorably. The whole is being done by Native labor. The Wairoa end has been pushed forward to the Waihau Hakes ; the Poverty Bay end has not, he understands, been commenced yet. The Natives have executed the different contracts entrusted to them expeditiously and well. The Times, which lately introduced the practice of publishing several columns of news in the Maori language, says :—“Wo continue to receive letters from the Natives expressive of their appreciation of our endeavors to place them in possession of the current nows of the day, in all parts of the Colony, and some of these letters contain suggestions of a really practical Icind.” His Honor the Judge has called attention to the loose and careless manner in which the records of previous District Court proceedings had been kept. Mr. Wilson, for the plaintiff in the case of Cashmoro v. Maney and Peacock, required an important document bearing on the case, which had been mislaid owing to the culpable negligence of the officers of the Court. His Honor said, when the grandchildren of those present would come in future to investigate the titles to their properties, they would bo surprised to find that, perhaps, no records had booh preserved in the Courts. His Honor thought that generally Napier was a peculiarly happy place, as the people seemed quite contented to let things progress in an oldfashioned and dreamy style. The Provincial Government propose to spend £3OOO on the road from Petane to Wairoa, in the northern part of the Province, and £2OOO in aid of a bridge over the harbor of Wairoa.

The Inspector of Schools in tho Province, in a lengthy and exhaustive report, states that the total number of schools at present in active operation is 22, viz.—3 boys' schools, 3 girls’ schools, and 3 mixed, distributed as follows : 1 mixed and 1 boys’, 1 girls and 1 mixed in tho country districts. These are constructed by 22 paid teachers (19 male and 3 female). Tho total number of scholars on the books is boys, 533 ; girls, 133 ; total, 971. The total average attendance is 730, being 128 in excess of the average number of last, year, including 46 Scandinavians. Several private schools have also been opened during tho year both in town and country. Messrs. Mcllardy and Co. arc about to establish meat salting down works at tho Slaughter-house, for tho supply of homeward bound vessels.

TARANAKI. Mr. Hulke has brought into town some large pears which were grown in his garden. They weighed on an average two and a-half pounds each. Mr. William Mumford Burton has been officially appointed English Emigration Agent for the Province. A Masonic banquet of an unusual kind has been held in New Plymouth. It having become known to .the brethren in the Province that Brother P.M. Newland, Mount Egmont Lodge, No. 670, E.C., had just completed his half century as a mason, it was decided to celebrate so remarkable an event by inviting him to a banquet in Freemasons’ Hall. Accordingly on Wednesday evening last, about forty of the brethren sat down to a sumptuous repast. The chair was occupied by Brother P.M. Carrington. Brother P.M. Newland in returning thanks for the great honor done him by the brethren, informed them that he was initiated in the Robert Burns Lodge, London, on Ist May, 1824, and had from that time, he believed, faithfully adhered to the craft, never having had the slightest reason to regret his connection with the Order. THE LATE CAPTAIN KING. The following memoir of the late_ Captain Henry King appears in the Taranaki News of June 10 : The half-masted ensign on Mount Eliot, on the afternoon of Saturday, June 6, announced to the people of New Plymouth that a chief had fallen, and the intelligence soon spread over the town that Captain King was dead. The deceased officer has far exceeded the ordinary bounds of human life, being at his death in the ninety-second year of his age ; he was also the last survivor of the battle of St. Vincent. After fighting the battles of his country he came out to Taranaki, a hale old man of fifty-eight—an age at wliich most men seek repose—to fight the wilderness. Since then he has lived a second life of thirty-three years amongst us. For several months it has been evident that the vital force of the once strong old man was nearly spent. On Saturday, 30th May, just a week before he died, he was seized with paralysis of the throat. On the following Tuesday he revived, was cheerful and even jocose, but this was but the last flicker of the flame of life, for he, speedily relapsed into a state of unconsciousness, which ended in death. Captain Henry King was born at Torquay, Devonshire, England, on April 7, 1783. He entered the Royal Navy as midshipman on board the Namur, Captain Sir James Whitshed, on December 27,1793, being at that time but ten years and eight months old. On February 14, 1797, he was present at the engagement off Cape St. Vincent, the Namur forming part of the fleet under the command of Admiral Sir John Jervois, afterwards Lord St. Vincent. This victory was obtained with only fifteen sail of the line, four frigates, a sloop of war, and a cutter, over a Spanish fleet of twenty-seven sail of the line. The English fleet consisted of six three-deckers, eight of seventy-four, and one of sixty-four guns ; the Spanish of one four-decker of one hundred and thirty-six guns, six three-deckers of one hundred and twelve guns each, two of eighty-four, and eighteen of seventy-four guns. In this action Collingwood and Trowbridge were present, and Nelson signally distinguished himself. Mr. King served five years in the Namur, distinguishing himself by many acts of daring in connection with cutting-out expeditions. He left his ship with the rank of third lieutenant. He next served in the Canopus, Captain Sir G. Campbell. Here at the recommendation of his captain he was promoted to a second lieutenancy. His next ship was the Ambuscade ; and the next the XTnitti, Captain Sir Patrick Campbell. He was invalided from this ship, having his leg broken by a top-tie falling upon him. On his recovery he was appointed to the Sea Horse, with the rank of first lieutenant, and served in her in the Potomac during the American war. While on this service the Sea Horse was appointed to convoy a fleet of merchant vessels, laden with corn, cotton, and tobacco, through the enemies’ fleet, from Alexandria to England. This service was so satisfactorily performed, that Mr. King was rewarded by being promoted to the rank of Commander. This appears to have been his last important service in the Navy. After the lapse of many years, he obtained the rank of Post-Captain. On his retirement from the service, Captain King went to reside in his native Devonshire, where he soon became actively engaged in the canal trade. On the establishment of the Plymouth Company for colonising New Zealand, he purchased land, and came out to this Province in the good ship Amelia Thompson, Captain Dawson, landing at Ngamotu on the 3rd September, 1841.

MIDDLE ISLAND. OTAGO. The Dunedin City Council have resolved to extend their borrowing power for gas and water supply to £250,000. The No. 2 (Dunedin Scottish) Company of Otago Volunteers has been disbanded, and the commissions of the officers have lapsed. At a special meeting of the Dunedin City Council, it was resolved, by six to two, to accept the offer made to the Corporation by the directors of the Water Company for the sale of their works. In the Provincial Council, an animated debate, a resolution proposing, inter alia, that, “in order to provide special security to the General Government for repayment of the loan, an area of 2,070,453 acres of waste land be set apart,” was carried. Tenders have been called for the erection of a passenger station at Dunedin in connection with the Clutha and Port Chalmers railways. Prom the plans it appears that the structure will be of a permanent nature, and. of considerable size. The building itself is to be 206 ft. in length, by 25ft., while the jdatform, which will project at each end, will be 400 ft. long by 18ft. Messrs. Wilson and Co., of the Otago Foundry, have just completed a rock-boring apparatus for Messrs, Strachan and Hunter, contractors on the Lawrence and Tokomairiro Kailway. The machinery comprising it consists of a six-horse boiler, which drives an engine and air-pumps. ■ Of an experiment the Guardian says :—The rock-drill was fixed upon a temporary frame, under which were placed two solid blocks of stone, each 2ft, Sin. in thickness, one of which was from Port Chalmers, and the other consisted of Bell Hill bluestone. With an average pressure of_ 451 b. of air a hole was put through the former in ten minutes, and through the latter in about seventeen minutes.

The Provincial accounts for the past financial year have been laid before the Council. The estimated income was exceeded by about £IO,OOO, the figures being : Estimated income, £182,713 ; actual receipts, £192,309. There was an increase on all heads of purely provincial revenue. £25,000 had been estimated as receivable from the sale of reclaimed land, but nothing was taken on this head, and it forms an item in the estimates of income for tho current financial year. £81,743 was set down as receivable from General Government repayments, whereas £59,808 was actually paid into the Provincial Treasury. On tho other hand, £300,680 was received from laud sales, etc., the estimated receipts being £255,000. There was a balance in favor of tho Province, on tho 31st of March last, under all heads of account, of £103,655. Mr. M. SpeiToy has been appointed subTreasurer of Otago in the room of Mr. Oawiu, resigned. The Southlauders apparently desire improvements in tho railway arrangements. A deputation consisting of Messrs. Gumming, Daniel, and Wood, Southland member's of tho Provincial Council, and Mr. James Waddell, of Campbelltown, waited upon his Honor tho Superintendent. Tho object of the deputation was to induce tho Government to run an extra early morning train on tho Bluff and Invercargill railway, and to convert a compartment in each carriage on that lino into a first-class one, there being no first-class accommodation at present on tho lino. His Honor replied that the whole subject of the management of the Bluff and Invercargill lino would be considered

by the Government in connection with resolutions passed at a public meeting recently held at the Bluff, and which resolutions had been laid before the Government. He thought that the alteration of the carriages, as suggested by the deputation, was very necessary. At the last meeting of the Otago Institute, the rapid disappearance of the native quail within the last ten years was alluded to. Mr. Bathgate said an old settler had informed him that the ground-lark had increased in this Province since settlement—especially so in clearings. The extinction of quail had been attributed to burning the grass, but that could not account for their total disappearance, as they disappeared where the grass had not been burnt. The chairman said quail were so plentiful eighteen years ago in the Province that one could not ride five yards without the quail rising up before the horse, but now whereever he had lately travelled in the interior he noticed that they had totally disappeared. The Corporation of Dunedin have purchased the water-works. The terms on which the purchase was effected are thus stated by the Times: —“For the first 4400 shares, £l7 10s. each is to be given, equal to £77,000. For Col. Kitchener’s shares, the same price is to be given, making £10,500. For the 050 shares issued under the Act of 1871, the dividends on which were limited to 10 per cent., £l6 each are to be paid, being equal to £10,400. For the balance of that issue, consisting of 850 shares upon which £3 have been paid, a premium of 30s. each is to be given, making £3825. The total amount, therefore, to be paid by the Corporation to the Water Works Company, is £101,725. The necessary majority of the shareholders have already signified their willingness to accept the above terms, which the Corporation is prepared to concede. Payment will be made to the shareholders, either in cash or by debentures of fifty years’ currency, bearing interest at the rate of 6 per cent.” Mr. G. Jones, proprietor of the Britannia Pottery Works, at the Grove, near Tokomairiro, has discovered a very fine seam of superior blue clay within a few yards of the works. Pipes made at the works from this clay present the appearance of blue metal. A new kiln, on an improved principle, is to be erected specially for the manufacture of stoneware. The Meat Company at Woodlands are going on very extensively with preserving. About fifty bullocks are slaughtered every day. The hands are working from 7.30 a.m. till 8 p.m. It is not intended to continue the work later than July, as sheep and cattle get lower in condition by that time. The Presbyterians at Oamaru intend to build for Mr. Todd a handsome church, which will seat 700 persons, and cost £4OOO. The Times is informed that a valuable discovery of copper ore has been made in the Roxburgh district. Four new railway goods trucks, recently constructed by Messrs. R. S. Sparrow and Co., are now used on the Dunedin and Port Chalmers line.

Mr. John Quin, an old Arrow miner, has died in the hospital. He has left all his money—some thousand pounds—to hia old Californian mate, Mr. Walsh, of the New Orleans Hotel, Arrowtown.

Samples of paper manufactured from flax and New Zealand grasses, have been exhibited in Dunedin, where a paper manufacturing company is about to be established. As a proof of the rise in the value of landed property at Green Island, it is noticed that Mr. John Muir has sold some, ninety acres at £3O an acre ; and Mr. John Morrison has sold land at £l6 an acre.

Mr. A. King, since purchasing the Burnside estate, Green Island, has commenced cutting a water-race preparatory to erecting a waterwheel as an additional power for his flour-mill. The race null be about thirty chains, and about five chains of fluming will be required to carry the water to the proper elevation. The waterwheel is to be thirty-five feet in diameter. Mr, AAA H. Pearson, Commissioner of Crown Bands, Southland, in his report states that the total revenue collected at Invercargill Land Office was £113,998 10s. 6d. The total cost of collecting which, irrespective of the ordinary work in the office entailed by past transactions, amounts to £985, or a l|d. in the pound. A new paper is about to be established at Balolutha within.

Mr. Adam Begg, of Anderson’s Bay, is reported to have purchased Mr. Maitland’s freehold estate of 170,000 acres, on the banks of the Molyneux, for £52,000, stock being taken at valuation.

The contractors for the Oamaru Harbor Works have succeeded in removing the rubble lying off the seaward end of the wall, and on Tuesday completed another length of 17 feet. The cap block made in situ is the largest yet made, and weighs fully 200 tons.

A telegram received in Invercargill on Monday, via Hokitika, announced the death, on the 25th ultimo, of one of the oldest Southland colonists—Captain John Howell, of Fanlight station, Lake Wakatip. The veteran, who had been ailing for some time past, went a few weeks ago on a visit to Sydney, whence the intelligence of his decease was received as stated.

The Provincial Auditor seeems to be in a difficulty which is not yet accurately described. In the Council, a few evenings ago, the Speaker read the following conuuunication which he had received from that gentleman;—“l have the honor to transmit to you the enclosed copy of the balance sheet and statement of expenditure for the year ending 31st March, 1874, which was placed in my hands yesterday afternoon. I have to direct your attention to the omission in the document of the usual certificate of the Provincial Auditor, and to explain that the balance of the books has not yet been accurately brought out, and that, therefore, I do not feel warranted in granting such certificate. I may, however, inform you that I have examined the statement of expenditure, and believe it to be correct.—H. LIVINGSTON.” In reply to a question by Mr. Fish, the Speaker said that he was not aware of any provision in the Audit Act to meet the circumstances of the case which had arisen. As far as he was aware, no similar circumstances had occurred up to the present—certainly not in this Province. He was not in a position to give a decided answer at present, but would make it hia duty to look up the subject. The Otago Harbor Board Bill was passed in the Provincial Council at its sitting on the 12th instant. It is intended to empower a Board to undertake the dredging of the harbor, so that the largest ships may reach the Dunedin wharves, in place of discharging, as at present, at Port Chalmers. The property purchased in Dunedin for the Colonial Bank is the freehold and building in Custom-house Square, next the Bank of Now Zealand, owned by Mr. Hallenstein. In the Provincial Council, Mr. Reid has made the announcement that Mr. M’Kellar, M.P.C. for Kawarau, has joined the Executive as member for the Goldfields. The desirability of erecting immigrants’ cottages contiguous to the lines of light railway now being constructed in the Southland district has been affirmed by Mr. Daniel, a notice of motion regarding which ho has tabled in the Provincial Council.

Dr. Webster, in speaking to a vote in the Provincial Council of Otago for the improvement of the Kaikanui harbor, stated that the New Zealand Meat Preserving Company intended to establish a sugar manufactory at Kaikanui, if the facilities for shipping at that port were increased. Some pastoral country hitherto unoccupied has been found in the Province. At a recent meeting of the Waste Dands Hoard, Mr. Donald Manson applied for a pastoral lease of run 156, being 9GOO acres of newly-dis-covered country west of Monowai Lake. It was resolved that the land bo assessed, and a lease granted to Malison on the usual tG Tlio now workshops at the Port Chalmers Graving Dock have advanced a long stage towards completion. It was but a few weeks nrro that the foundations of the workshops were laid, but now, says the Daihj Times, exceptin'' a little masonry work, the walls of the building arc up, and the wall-plates laid upon them, whilst many of the principals of the roof aro ready.

Intelligence has been received in Dunedin to the effect that the stern-wheel steamer Tuapeka had again sunk in the Molyneux. Mr. Clarkstou, who spent several thousands of pounds in sinking for coal, has at last discovered an excellent workable seam of coal in close proximity to the branch line of railway at Walton Park.

The area of coal deposits belonging to the Kaitangata Company is described by the Daily Times as very extensive. Not less than a thousand square acres is known to contain the mineral. The seam now wrought is four feet three inches, and the quantity of coal produced is about 150 tons per week, which is carried by tramway to the bank of the Clutha River, whence it is exported to different parts. From improvements which are being made in the mine, it is calculated that in a short time the company will be in a position to produce about 500 tons weekly. At present the principal trade is by sea, but when the branch railway is completed, large quantities will be sent to Dunedin and inland towns.

The Waste Lands and Immigration Committee of the Otago Council brought up the following report on the subject submitted to them for consideration;—“Your Committee having considered the subject of immigration, are of opinion that the haphazard manner in which the same has been conducted to this Province, under the Colonial scheme of Immigration, is eminently unsatisfactory, and would suggest that the system of paying agents a sum per head be discontinued, as tending to lower the quality of the immigrants. Your Committee would recommend that in future a smaller proportion of children and no infirm persons should be sent out. Your Committee are of opinion that if the immigrants were selected more from the country districts and less from towns, they would be better adapted to our requirements ; and seeing that a large number of nominations are being made by residents here, the number of agents employed in Britain by the Colonial Government might be reduced, and the management of the immigration to the Province managed by the Provincial Agent. Your committee, in conclusion, would also draw the attention of the Government to the advisability of providing temporary employment for immigrants when large numbers arrive simultaneously during the slack season of the year.” ATTEMPTED MURDER IN DUNEDIN. A case of a most extraordinary character has been heard in the Resident Magistrate’s Court, Dunedin. It resulted in a Frenchman, named Buisson, being committed for trial for assaulting his wife, with intent to murder her. The complainant deposed that she had been married to the accused, who is a herbalist, for two years, but had lived unhappily with him. She had in consequence left him for some time, and had taken situations. He had been in the habit of keeping company with a French woman, who used to visit their house. This woman had been the cause of the misunderstanding which existed between witness and her husband. The defendant promised to be kind to her in future, and she returned home. On the evening of the assault the defendant was more land to her than usual, kissed her, and called her Ms dear little wife, and on going to bed he also gave her a glass of porter, on drinking which, she at once went off into a deep sleep, her husband’s arm being round her neck. While in this drowsy state, she felt his fingers in her mouth pressing her tongue downwards; she also felt a pricking sensation in the roof of her mouth. The strong pressure of hia fingers in the back pare of the roof of her mouth awoke her. She then said, “My dear husband, do not kill or murder me,” or words to that effect. She also felt her eyes protruding from her head. At this time she w r as sitting up in bed; her husband’s fingers were still in her mouth. When she felt his fingers in her mouth, she was lying dowm. When sitting up in bed her husband said, “That will not do,” and pressed twice as hard. He then said, “ That will do.” She felt in great pain at this time, and sank back quite insensible. When she again awoke her husband was gone to his work. She got up at about eight o’clock. She felt great pain at the root of her tongue, and was in dreadful agony all that day and the next night. She subsequently saw Drs. Bums and Burrows. She had also been examined by Dr. Bakewell. Her husband used no threat towards her at the time of the assault. After witness had been to the doctors, her husband said that she had inflammation of the tongue. He at this time said that he hated her very much, and he wished she would go away. He also said that no doctors could “savey,” and that he was as good a doctor as any of them, and, referring to some words used by witness, said, “You cannot prove it.” He threatened witness that, if she said anything more about the affair, he would have her sent to the Lunatic Asylum. He appeared to be perfectly sober on the night of the assault.— Dr.'Burrows remembered May 30. On that day Kathleen Buisson consulted him professionally. He examined her, and found her suffering from inflammation at the root of the tongue. She had great pain, so much so that he had considerable difficulty in examining the throat. The latter was swollen, and yellow matter w r elled up from behind the tongue during the examination. She was in a very excitable state. He was of opinion that violence had been applied to the root of the tongue. In order to effect this violence, he thought the woman had been drugged, or she would have used her teeth to prevent it being carried so far. He thought the procedure described by the witness would produce the injury wilieh he found. If the .woman had not awoke the closing of the entrance of the air passage to the lungs w T ould have caused suffocation. —To Mr. Johnston : If he had not heard the woman’s statement he would conclude, on examination, that the case was a very strange one, as, during twenty-one years’ practice, he had never seen or heard of such a case. THE AUCKLAND ISLANDS EXPEDITION. Writing of Dr. Monckton’s enterprising expedition to the Auckland Islands, with a view to their settlement, the Riverton Western Star says :—The settlement of the Auckland Islands under Dr. Mouckton’s scheme has ceased to be a problem upon which to hang opinion and prophecies. It is now an accomplished fact that the beautiful schooner Mabel Jane, belonging to the enterprising projector, has started for her destination, under the charge of Captain Welch, a well-known and skilled navigator. She carries a number of station hands, including one married couple ; also a young bull and a selection of heifers, a few thousand feet of timber, and a large assortment of stores, tools, and implements. No expense has been spared in fitting out the vessel in the most complete manner, and she carries, besides her own boat, two kauri-built copper-fastened boats to be left at the settlement. If the weather proves favorable, we understand she is to be kept constantly running between the Aucklands and this port for many months to come, for the conveyance of stock and stores. Some think a portion of the current outlay will bo covered by profits accruing from the seals with which those islands abound. We trust it will be so, for the unflinching manner in which the lessee has overcome apparently insurmountable obstacles has commanded the respect of even the croakers, and the good wishes of all. Dr. Monckton had commenced his arrangements for establishing a post by procuring some young carriers, and it is with great regret that w T e learn from some unknown cause they died soon after then- arrival. _ He has since written for more, and when his plan is perfected, it will not be our least pleasurable excitement to receive a mail from our friends in the islands. The friends of the parties engaged in the expedition assembled on board on° Thursday evening, partook of a pairing glass, and remained till the vessel reached the bar, where she anchored for the night; and on their leaving, such cheers as were never heard before on the Aparima river were given for Dr. Monckton and Iris fellow-voyagers. The Mabel Jane sailed for the Auckland Islands yesterday morning. Mr. Kenneth .Melvor and Mr. Scott accompanied the expedition.

For continuation of Interprovincial News, see page Six.