NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4243, 26 October 1874, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

SUMMARY FOR THE MONTH. SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER, 1874. (For transmission hy the A.S.N. Co.'s chartered steamer Macyreyor, via Auckland and San Francisco .] Monday, October 26. The incidents of the month, calling for special notice, have been few, and these of no great importance. His Excellency returned to Wellington on the 15th Inst., after visiting the West Coast and Otago. The weather for months past has been exceptionally severe all over New Zealand, and on this occasion tho Governor was not more fortunate than he was on his first attempt to examine the wild scenery of the West Coast of the Middle Island. He intended to proceed in his own yacht, the Blanche, in company with Her Majesty’s ship of tho same name. The two vessels were in company in Nelson Harbor, and they left that port together. In Blind Bay, however, they met with heavy weather, and were forced to seek shelter. After a time His Excellency resolved to send the yacht back to Nelson, and to proceed by the Blanche. The yacht met with very severe weather in Cook Strait, and had her boats stove. H.M.S. Blanche made the trip round the Coast, going into several of the Sounds. Sir James Ferousson had with him as a guest Mr. John Gully, the well-known artist, and though it rained nearly every day of the voyage, Mr. Gully was able to fill his scrap-book with sketches of the coast, which will, no doubt, see the light in due time as finished pictures. His Excellency left the Blanche at Port Chalmers, returning to Wellington by the N.Z.S.S. Taranaki. H.M.S. Blanche followed a few days afterwards, and has since sailed for Sydney, from whence —it is understood — she proceeds direct to England. The date at which tho Marquis of Normandy, the new Governor of this colony, will arrive, has not yet been announced. It is understood, however, that he will in November. Sir James Fergusson will meet Iris successor there. It is not known whether Sir James will go home by the Suez or by the American route. Lady Fergusson and- family, however, will sail from Wellington for London by the ship Halcione, which is now loading, and is expected to leave early in November. The family of the Hon. Mr. "Vogel proceeded to Melbourne by the s.s. Otago on her last trip. They will there join the Premier, and proceed by the November mail steamer via Galle to England. The Premier has written from Melbourne to the newspapers here stating that the Ministry considered his presence in England indispensable, in connection with the submarine cable project and loan operations, and also with the management of the Immigration Department, and stating that he will be again in the colony before the meeting of the next Parliament. Since the recess numerous meetings with their constituencies have been held by-members of the-Huuso of Representatives. Major Atkinson addressed his constituents in - Taranaki, and Messrs. Buckland and May met theirs in the province of Auckland. Mr. Curtis has spoken at Nelson ; Mr. Cuthbertson in Southland, and Mr. Wales in Dunedin; the members for Canterbury have not been idle ; and the result has been a very general expression of opinion in favor, not of the abolition of the provincial system in the North Island only, but absolutely. There is not the slightest doubt that if the Government should see fit, next session, to enlarge the proposal they will then be expected to make, so as to embrace the whole colony in their proposed amendment of the Constitution, they will be cordially supported by the country. We print in another column a summary of a petition Sir George Grey is understood to have forwarded to His Excellency Sir James Fergusson on this subject. Sir George has evidently been misled by a canard that the chief object Mr. "Vogel had in view in visiting England was to induce the Imperial authorities to pass an Act through the Parliament of England to bring about the desired amendment of the Constitution of New Zealand. Mr. "Vogel, it is almost needless to say, had no such object on his programme. Sir George Grey entirely misunderstands the situation, and his argument that, Parliament not being in session, there is no properlyconstituted authorityin existence at this moment in New Zealand to originate or discuss an alteration of the Constitution, is of no value whatever. The proposition was plainly put to Parliament during the past session, that it was desirable to abolish provincialism in the North Island. The House of Representatives adopted the policy of tho Government by an overwhelming majority. Since then every constituency before which the question has been placed by its representative or representatives has Jnot only sanctioned tho policy of the Government, but has gone farther and supported the entire abolition of provincial institutions, in the Middle as well as in tho North Island. The Government are pledged to submit their proposals to Parliament when it next meets. If they then moot the approval of members it will not have boon without full discussion, and the consent of the constituencies; if they are disagreed with, there will be an appeal to tho country; for there must, under any circumstances, be a general election at the close of the next session of Parliament. Sir George Grey, therefore, is entirely in error in his statement of tho case, and deprived of this support his representations to the Secretary of State for tho Colonies bear no weight whatever. It will be conceded to Sir George Grey— the author of the Constitution of Now Zealand—that in tho earlier years of tho colony’s history provincial institutions worked very well. Coaches were useful things before railways were thought of. So the Constitution of Now Zealand was a model in its time ; but that time is past, and what the colony now requires was embodied in tho resolutions on the subject agreed to by tho House of Representatives in the late session. Nothing less than the extinction of provincial institutions in tho North Island—to be followed, possibly, by the wiping out of those in the Middle Island also—will satisfy tho country. A strong central government, with undivided authority, and extended powers of local administration, is what the colony wants, and must have. Mr. Reynolds, _ tho Commissioner of Customs, has visited Auckland during tho month, chiefly with a view to tho inauguration of tho training, and wo may also say, reformatory ship there. Tho schooner Southern Cross, and tho mis-

sionary buildings in Auckland, the property of the London Missionary Society, wore lately leased for tho purpose by the Government, and the experiment is looked forward to with interest and anxiety. Sir Donald M'Lean, the Native Minister, has since proceeded, accompanied by the Hon. Wi Katbnb, by the steamship Luna, to Napier and the East Coast. -The next Mayor of Wellington will be elected (in December) by the voices of the people, under the special Act passed in last session of Parliament. Mr. George Hunter was solicited to allow himself to be put in nomination, and it was generally understood that if he had done so there would have been no opposition offered. Mr. Hunter, we regret to say, has not seen his way to consent to the request. No other name has as yet been mentioned with any show of authority. The various parties of observers of the forthcoming transit of "Venus are now, or within the next few days will be, at the stations assigned to them. The French are on. tho seldom-visited Campbell Islands ; the Germans are on the Auckland Islands ; the Americans have by this time reached the Chatham Islands ; and tho English party are at Burnham, in Canterbury. Imprisonment for debt was abolished in this colony on the Ist of the present month. When tho new Act came into operation, there were, fortunately, but a very few people in a position to take adynntftgo of it. The s.s. Tararua sailed at noon on Sunday, for the South, in the teeth of a strong adverse gale, with the Suez mail, via Melbourne. The Albion with the Auckland mail via Suez, and West Coast mails by the same route, leaves Wellington this evening. The N.Z.S.S. Wellington sails to-morrow for the North, carrying the San Francisco mails, which will be placed on board the s.s. Macgregor at Auckland, from whence that vessel will sail on the 30th, via Honolulu.

REVENUE OF THE COLONY. The New Zealand Gazette of the 15th, contains a statement in detail of tho colonial revenue for the quarter ended September 26, 1874. There is not much delay, therefore, in the publication of tho return. The total Consolidated Revenue for the quarter was £355,434, which is made up as follows ; Customs .. ’ £'-37,313 Stamps 2-J .5.4 postnl .. .. .. .. .. 14,603 Telegraphic .. .. .. 12,901 Judicial fees and fines -. 0,779 Fees —registration, &c. .. .. 8,695 : Incidental 3SO We have omitted tho shillings and pence in the foregoing summary, as we do in all subsequent tables. The figures quoted show the enormous progress the colony is making. Putting out of sight the very large income from Customs duties, we have, in tho stamp duties, postal and telegraph fees, sure indication of an active and progressive community. Referring to the statement in detail, we .find the following as the contributions to Consolidated Revenue by the respective provinces. Thus : Auckland £74,434 Taranaki 2,503 Wellington Hawke's Bay .. . • •• •• 12,977 Nelson -2,596 Marlborough 2,097 Canterbury Westland 15,733 Otago 115,084 The provinces, therefore, should he ranged for the present in the following order, so far as contributions to the Consolidated Revenue are concerned : —lst, Otago ; 2nd, Auckland ; 3rd, Canterbury ; 4th, Wellington, which is within £10,552 of Canterbury on the quarter. Nelson, and the smaller provinces, follow a long way behind. The Customs Revenue collected in the several provinces during the last September quarter show the distribution of trade pretty accurately. Wo quote : Auckland £62,177 Taranaki 1,493 Wellington 39,193 Hawke's Bay 9,846 Nelson .. .. ** .. .- 18,330 Marlborough 1,880 Canterbury 44,748 Westland 12,733 Otago 93,372 So much for tho Consolidated Revenue with which tho Colonial Parliament has to deal. Let us now turn to tho statement of the LAND FUND For the same period, namely, up to September 26, 1874. This large branch of the revenue is appropriated by the Councils of the respective provinces. The total receipts, under all heads of income, were£27B,o7l; and there were paid over to the provinces the following amounts, inclusive of £23,497 credit balances on the 30th of June last, of which £22,050 belonged to Otago : Auckland ~ . - .. . - £2,930 Taranaki 41 Wellington 15,423 Hawke’s Bay 7,399 Nelson •• 5,625 Marlborough 1,085 Westland .. .. .. .* 3,032 Canterbury 117,080 Otago .1 M 0,077 In gross, therefore, £300,846 was handed over by the General Government to tho provincial treasuries throughout the colony, in the shape of land fund, which includes goldfields revenue and gold duty, as well as territorial revenue. To form a correct estimate, therefore, of the revenue of the colony in the rough—for it does not at all give anything like the revenue in detail, as in Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, or Tasmania—we shall combine tho General and Provincial revenue. Thus : Quarter. enl*ed September 20, 1874. Consolidated Kovcnuo .. .. £355,434 Land Fund .. .. .. .. 300,846 Total ' .. •• •• •• £650,280 In other words, tho revenue of tho colony, which passed through the departments of tho General Government, during tho last September quarter, was at tho rate of £2,025,120 ter ANNUM. Now, this largo sum does not nearly represent the revenue of this colony of three hundred thousand odd inhabitants. There aro its railways, for instance, which will return a not income of something like 15 per cent, in Canterbury and Otago, and thoro are besides the fruitful streams of local taxation which flow into the provincial treasuries. Indeed, wo should not exceed tho mark wore wo to estimate tho revenue of Now Zealand, plus local rates, at three millions for tho year 1874-75. SIR GEORGE GREY ON CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES. Sir George Grey once more appears upon the Now Zealand political arena, and wo must admit that his appearance altogether alters tho general features of tho agitation for Constitutional amendment. Our telegraphic column contains what we accept as a faithful summary of the memorial which Sir George Grey has felt it to bo his duty to address to tho Governor, but there are manifestly important connecting links omitted. Now, wo should bo sorry to prejudice tho case which Sir George Grey makes, but as wo road it, wo think it is incomplete. No doubt, it makes tho best possible case

for tho provincialists, but we fail to see how the abolition of provincial institutions would result in the establishment of a form of government “ repugnantto that of “ Great Britain.” Surely this is a rather fine drawn obj ection. Granted that, should Provincial Government be abolished, tho colonists would only be represented in one branch of the Legislature, the Crown nominating the other branches—the Governor and Legislative Council how would such a constitution be repugnant to that of Great Britain 1 Do the people of England elect the Sovereign 1 Are the Peers nominated by popular suffrage 1 In what branch of the Imperial Legislature are the people represented save one—the House of Commons ? There may be something in the other arguments of Sir George Grey— and we don’t say there is not—but the argument to which we have referred is quite untenable. We regret that the text of Sir George Grey’s petition is not before us, but we shall return to the subject. It would be a poor compliment to such a man, were his solemn protest passed lightly by at such a time. There are few men in or out of New Zealand of whom we entertain so high an opinion as we do of Sir George Grey, and although we may differ from him on some points, yet we feel pleasure indeed in the fact that at last he has broken silence, and has taken his proper place as a leading, if not the loading, colonist of New Zealand. GOLD IN NEW ZEALAND. New Zealand is a rich gold-producing country. This is not one of its least attractions to the adventurous in the mother country, who may be desirous of emigrating but are in doubt where to go. The last published Gazette shows that there has been exported from this colony, up to September 30, 1874, from the Ist of April, 1857, no less than 7,510,493 ounces of gold, worth £29,222,845. This is an enormous output of the natural wealth of the country. The gold is not confined to any single province, however. It is very generally distributed over the colony, as thefollowingfigures will show : Total Export to September 30, 1871. Auckland .. .. 910,203 6zs. .- £3,228,648 Wellington ... .. 30 ~ .. 120 Marlborough .. _ 42,845 „ .. 106,094 Nelson .. .. .. 1,372,248 „ .. 6,443,670 Westland .. - 1,872,014 „ .. , 7,397,808 Otago 3,312,493 „ .. 12,986,505 7,610,493 ozs. £29,222,845 Few countries in the world can show results like these with a population, at the present time, of little over 300,000 persons. But if we consider how few of the industrial population - even were engaged in mining pursuits, the result will appear all the more startling. We think, indeed, that a knowledge of these facts in the United Kingdom would have a marked influence in diverting the stream of voluntary emigration to New Zealand. Coming to die return for the last September quarter, we find a falling off in the gold export, as compared with the corresponding quarter of 1873, amounting to £96,538. This, however, is attribut- ; able in part to the severity of tho season, and to the demand for labor on public works. There is no evidence whatever that tho supply of the precious metal is being exhausted. Indeed, the export from Otago for the past September quarter is considerably in excess of the export during the corresponding period of 1873, and wa may add, that the quartz reefs of Otago are now paying handsome dividends to the fortunate proprietary. The following was the gold export for the September quarter, 1874 Auckland .. .. 19,414 OZ9. .. £79,823 Marlborough .. CSS , t .. 2,590 kelson .. .. 20,435 „ .. 81,095 Westland .. .. 19,734 „ .. 78.933 Otago 26,542 „ .. 106,453 86,783 023. £349,494 Now, if we take the September quarter of the present year as an average for the twelvemonth, wo have an export of gold for the year amounting to £1,397,976. This is peculiarly gratifying, because it shows the largo resources of the country, and its perfect ability to bear the demands upon it in prosecuting the public works and immigration policy.

NATIVE MATTERS. There is a feature in the management of Native affairs, since 1869, which is not the loss important because it has not been generally noticed. We refer to tbo union of the Defence and Native Department under one head. Up to 1869, when Mr. Fox took office, with Mr. Donald McLean in charge of Native affairs, the Defence Office was independent of the Native Department. In fact, our departmental system was modelled as nearly as possible after the Imperial pattern. New Zealand had its War, or Defence Office, and its Native or Foreign Office ; and many and frequent were tho conflicts between the two. The intelligent diplomacy of the latter was often rendered abortive by the policy of brute force adopted by the former. There was no unity of purpose; —no attempt to combine the forces at the disposal of the departmental chiefs, for the single and necessary duty of pacifying the country. The Defence Minister was invariably a believer in repressive measures; tho Native Minister was usually of a pacific turn of mind, and endeavored to allay, as much as possible, tbo irritation of tbo Maori people. But as tho former had the moans of keeping the game afoot, and lost no opportunity for ploy, the Native Minister gradually came to bo looked upon as a useless appendage to the Government. “What has ho to do 1” was a frequent, and not unreasonable inquiry, in tho dark days of misrule to which wo refer: “What aro the Native Minister’s ‘ 1 duties, now that we are at war with the “ Maoris, and shall continue tho struggle “ until wo civilize them off the face of “ the earth V’ A difficult question to answer truly, and one that was practically left unanswered until 1809, when Mr. Fox’s Government was formed, and tho warlike traditions of the past were wholly ignored by the man, of all others, most capable of dealing with tho difficult problem before tho country, namely, how to subdue the Natives without incessant and yet retain all the advantages which our race-superiority enabled us to obtain, in peace and war, up to that period. Very wisely, wo think, tho Native Minister made it a condition that lie should also have the control of the War department, and with equal wisdom, his colleagues acceded to his request. Tho Native Minister was no longer a cypher, pushed into tho back-ground by tho Minister for War. Ho took his rightful position, and in a remarkably short period of time indeed, had so far restored the country to its normal state that the Defence Office, as a distinct department, and the Defence Minister, as a political chief, have together disappeared. But capable as tho Native Minister is, and eminently successful as lie has undoubtedly been, we question very much whether ho could have accomplished what ho has done if tho former departmental arrangement had been continued. Tho new Defence Minister, whatever his personal feelings might have been, would very speedily have drifted into tho traditional policy of the Office; —a policy

which may be likened to the preaching of a very earnest Waikato missionary, as described by ah observant Maori'disciple would have had no alternative but to fight. It was the business of his departmoßt. —lf, was created for that purpose. It had at its'disposal a large force of armed men, for whcfin.it was necessary to .find employment., Tito Kowaeu was ih hiding on the West Coast; Te Kooti was still at large, and the Poverty .Bay massacre unavenged J Reports would have poured in from, all quarters, in which the “ threatening movements of the “ enemy” would have been minutely recorded. No maii could have resisted such pressure upon him. He must do something to save fhe colony. He would stand on the defensive, most likely, by carrying the war into the enemy’s country. But by the new arrangement, the control of the New Zealand army was given to tho Native Minister, a man profoundly versed in Maori usage, who interpreted the war correspondence of the one department by the reports of his Native agents in the other. The result was soon apparent. War ceased, money lias saved, the Maori people were reconciled to us, roads were made into the interior, in every direction settlement was extended, lifo and property became safe, and the reign of law began. Wa think it right to bring these facts prominently before.'the public, and to trace them to their .true source the political sagacity and administrative talent of Sir Donald McLean. He has still a great deal of work to do before ho can retire upon his laurels ; but from our knowledge,of what he has done in the past, wo may sifely trust him to do tho right thing in the future. NATIVE LANDS. A notice appears in yesterday’s New Zealand Gazette, of tho intention of the Governor to negotiate for the purchase of certain nativolands in the North Island, under tho provisions of the Immigration and Public Yorks Act, 1871. The block, as described in the schedule, embraces a very large extent of country in Auckland pro vin(e, lying on both sides of the Firth of Thames and Piako river, thence by the confiscated boundary of the Waikato to the Tauranga block. It is impossible to over-estimate the value of this extensive district,, , It includes valuable mineral aid timber land, besides having a large uvailable area for agriculture. Indeed, some of the richest and most accessible land in Auckland is included within Ihe boundaries of the block as described in the Gazette. It was time tho Government issued this notice, because the territory in question has been overrun b f land-sharks and speculators, who desired to secure, for their own ad vantage/ a territory which, if thrown open for ho mi fide settlement, would support a very large industrial population. The notice, however, puts a stop to the proceedings of these enterprising gentlemen. After tho publication of the notice in the Gazette, “it shall not be lawful for any “ one to purchase or acquire from tho “ native owners, any right, title, or inte- “ rest, or contract for tho purchase or “ acquisition from the native owners of “ any right, title, or interest, in the lands “ specified in such notice, unless the “ notice be cancelled by the Governor.” No doubt we shall hear a great outcry from the North, on the publication of this notice becoming known, and the direst consequences will be predicted on account of this interference .with private enterprise ; but no ■‘brie, wo think, can doubt the wisdom of j the course pursued by the Government, j These lands are wanted for settlement. In the hands of the Government they' will not be held for speculative purposes, which would be the case were private persons to acquire them. When we say that the much-coveted Ohinemuri district is included in the block of laud described in tho Gazette, our readers will be able to recognise its importance. Wa trust Mr. Mackay, jun., will soon bo able to complete his negotiations with, the native owners on behalf of the Government. When the land in question has become the property of the Crown, an impetus will be given to settlement in the Northern districts which must make itself felt throughout the colony. NATIVE RESERVES. A report of an' interesting nature has just been issued respecting the receipts and expenditure o£ the Nelson and Greymouth Native Reserve Funds. The report is by Mr. Alex. Mackay, and by it we are informed that “ the aggregate sum collected from various sources on account of the Nelson Fund during the above-named period, added to the balance in hand on the Ist of July, 1873, computes a total of £1,794 16s. Id., while tho expenditure for the same period was £1757'55. Id., leaving a balance to the credit of tho fund of £37 11s. Out of the sum expended, £BO9 16s. 7d. has been spent in various ways for the behoof of the Natives having a beneficial interest in tho estate ; £Bl3 ss. 2d. for purposes in connection with its administration; £504 3s. 4d. for salaries; and £IOO towards the construction of a school for the Natives of the Wairau.” The sale of a section in the Town of Nelson, to the Provincial Government, for a site for a public school, had been effected for the sum of £2OO, and tho amount had been paid to the credit of the fund. It appeared that “ the amount of income collected on account of rents payable to the Greymouth Fund during the past year was £3900 2s. 6d., and £lB9 was realised from the sale of laud in the Upper Grey, making a total of £4149 2s. 7d.; this added to the sum of £4562 os. lid. on hand from last year, augments the amount to £B7ll 3s. Cd. The expenditure to the 30th ultimo amounts- to £3BOO 14s. Id,, leaving a balance of £4910 9s. stl in hand. Of the amount expended, £2929 2s. 2d. was spent on behalf of the Natives, £592 Bs. 7d. for expenses in connection with tho estate, and £279 3s. 4d. for salaries. Out of the first-mentioned item, £SOO was expended as authorised in the purchase of 1000 acres in the Upper Arahura, at the instance of tho Natives, who were desirous to acquire the land for the sake of 'old associations, as it is supposed by them to contain tho remains of the mythical canoe that originally conveyed tho Pounema to the West Coast ; £142 was also spent for the erection of a school and master’s house at Arahura ; and £252 for a breakwater to protect the property there from the eucroachment of the river. It was supposed at the time that three ■wingdams would bo sufficient to protect the banks, but since tho breakwaters have been erected the necessity for another is evident, and the District Engineer has recommended that a fourth should he added to make the work complete. Considerable damage bas been done to tho banks of the river in other parts of the property by tbe heavy flood that occurred in April last. The main road to Christohurcli, through the reserve, has been destroyed to such an extent that the Provincial authorities decline to mako auy further expenditure on it, unless tho present damage is repaired at the expense of the Native Reserve Fund. According to an estimate made by the Provincial Engineer, the expenditure of a sum of £560 would ho necessary to effect this object and to protect tho river banks; and even that amount may be found inadequate.” Tho Natives who own tho- laud having expressed their assent to a reasonable expenditure being incurred to protect the property from further inroads, it ■ was recommended “ that an arrangement should ho made with tho Provincial Government, after a properly organised plan has been decided on for carrying out tho work, to have it put in hand before tho summer floods take place.”

SOCIAL. We understand that the Marquis of Normandy may be expected to arrive in New Zealand about the end of November, to assume the Government of this Colony. His Excellency returned to town on October 15th from his cruise on the West Coast. In this second effort to visit the wild and majestic scenery of that part of the Middle Island, Sir James Eergusson was almost baffled once more by the severity of the weather. It was found desirable to send back the, yacht Blanche from Nelson, and she made a rough and perilous passage across. Proceeding by H.M.S. Blanche, the bad weather continued, only one dry day having been experienced. The Blanche visited Milford Sound, where, in "Freshwater Basin, she was moored by the stern to a tree. She next entered Anchorage Cove, in George Sound, and afterwards Richard Sound. Whilst there the shock of an earthquake was experianced. The Blanche then (on the 6th instant) proceeded to Dusky Sound, and from thence to Port Chalmers. Sir James Eergusson came thence by the Taranaki. By the s.s. Otago, on October 19, Mrs. Vogel and family sailed for Melbourne, where they will join Mr. Vogel, for the voyage to England. Miss Vogel accompanied Mrs. Vogel. Dr. Pollen, Sir Donald McLean, the Hon. Mr. Richardson, and other friends of the Premier, and many lady friends, attended to wish good voyage to Mrs. Vogel. The following letter has been addressed from Melbourne, under date the 7th instant, by the Premier to the Lyttelton Times :—“ I observe in your paper, as well as in some other of the papers published in New Zealand, strictures upon my, approaching visit to England. A very large number of persona in New Zealand will, I am glad to think, receive without question any personal assurance I give them. I shall feel indebted to you if you will allow me, through your columns, to give to them the assurance that I am proceeding to England, because I entirely believe that by doing so I can boat serve the colony. I may be permitted to observe that there can be little of personal pleasure in the very short visit I am making. I shall be back before the commencement of the next session. It will, I presume, be conceded that the Government are best able to judge of the necessities of the case. Not only are the cable negotiations of the largest moment to New Zealand, but it is imperatively requisite that I should confer with the AgentGeneral upon the subject of immigration and upon other subjects.”

Mr. Hunter, we regret to learn, does not see hie way to comply with the prayer of the requisition addressed to him, asking him to consent to be nominated for the mayoralty. While we regret Mr. Hunter’s decision, we cannot but hold him excused for declining an honor which, though meant as a deserved compliment from his fellow citizens, involved a large amount of work and serious responsibility—for it is not to be denied that the affairs of the city are in a state which requires the hand of a “ still strong man” to bring them to order. The public, however, have already made large demands upon Mr. Hunter’s time—of which he has been no niggard. He is one of the members of the House of Representatives for the city ; he is a member of the Provincial Council; one of the Provincial Executive ; a director of the Patent Slip Company ; a director of the Public Hall Company; he takes an active part in the management of the Club, and his name is associated, in some active capacity with a variety of other public, or semi-public associations, all of which call for time and attention. Mr. Hunter, therefore, has done, and is doing his duty to the city. Now that his determination has been made known, we trust that the choice of the public will fall upon some one of the citizens who is capable of bringing to order the disorganised staff of the Corporation, and seeing that the business of the city—the seat of Government —’3 done. A very sad accident occurred on Monday forenoon. Mr. P. Poster, chejuist, Manners Street, was riding on the Ngahauranga Road, in company with a young lady. They were going at a pretty fast pace, and at a turn of the road suddenly encountered Hr. Taylor, who was driving into town, and also going at a quick rate. Mr. Poster' was unable to get out of the way, and Dr. Taylor could not avoid a collision, the result being that one of the shafts of the trap struck Mr. Poster on the right leg below the knee with such force that the bone was not only broken but the limb almost cut off. But for Dr. Taylor’s aid Mr. Poster would have bled to death. • He was brought into town to his residence in the course of the day. Drs. Grace and Prance attended, and it was at once seen that the limb must be amputated, and it was at once done. Mr. Poster died on Priday morning the 23rd instant.

It is not generally known, we are sure— : tliougli it may be to those who are engaged in the shipping trade of the port—that the Patent Slip Company not long ago laid down buoys, near the Slip, at which vessels can be swung for the adjustment of their compasses. These buoys are six in number, and when a vessel has been undergoing repairs and is launched, she can be at once taken to these buoys and swung. The company have put themselves to some expense in the matter, and deserve credit for their public spirit, for the convenience is one which shipping-masters will appreciate. There have for years been swinging buoys in Evans’s Bay, but they were not nearly so convenient as those to which we are now referring. The births in Wellington registered during the mouth of September were 52, being 5 more than in August. The deaths in September were 35 against 16 in August. A gradual increase in the death-rate may reasonably be expected as a consequence. of the increasing population. - The very great increase appears, however, to have been largely due to the inclement weather that has lately prevailed, judging by the increase in infantile deaths and the causes of such deaths. In August the deaths of infants under one year were 3 ; of children between one and five years, 4; and of persons five years and upwards, 9. In September the numbers of such deaths were respectively 16, 5, and Id. Of the total deaths under five years, 11 were caused by influenza, which thus seems to have been epidemic ; 3 were stated to have been from pneumonia, although in some of the cases where the death is given as from influenza, pneumonia, bronchitis, &c., also made their appearance ; 1 adult died from pneumonia. There was 1 death from diphtheria and 1 from croup, children of nine and ten years respectively. Of the adults 5 died aged sixty-six and upwards to seventynine. One person comitted suicide by drowning. On Saturday last the Hon. Major Atkinson, accompanied by Dr. Johnson, Public Health officer, Hr. H. J. H. Eliott, Immigration Agent, and a number of other gentlemen, several of whom were employers of labor, proceeded by the Government p.s. Luna to the Quarantine Station on Somes Island to inspect the recently quarantined immigrants who arrived by the Oartvale. The general health of those on the island was found to be much improved since the lauding, and only •one death —that of an infant—had occurred. The island is now beginning to present a very pleasing appearance, and in a short time will undoubtedly be comfortably sheltered and rendered a cheerful looking place of residence, by the numerous trees and shrubs which have been planted, most of which are on the slope down to Lowry Bay. A garden has also been fonuod and planted with shrubs, &c., and the visitors all expressed themselves much pleased at the very marked improvement in the general appearance of the place. Mr. Oakes, a railway contractor, has engaged twenty-four of the single men, to go immediately to the railway works under his contract at Wanganui, at a wage of Bs. a day. These men proceeded direct to their destination from the island by the first steamer, and the remainder of the Cartvale’s passengers were landed on Monday. The passengers by the Douglas, quaranteed because of measles, hooping-cough, &c., on the voyage out, will be released in the course of the week, and the ship will be brought to the wharf to-morrow (Tuesday). The following is a return of the number of patient’s in the Provincial Hospital during and ending the mouth of September, 1874 :—Ad-mitted-Males, 14; females, 2. Discharged— Males, 8; females, 4. Died Males, 2; Eemales, 0. Left in hospital—Males, 32; females, 0. Total in hospital, 88.

Dr. Diver has been unanimously elected Captain, of the Scottish Volunteers of the City. Mr. Buckley—of Messrs. Hart and Buckley—has drawn a prize valued at £l2 in the Royal Association for promotion of the fine arts in Scotland. The prize is described in the list of prizes as Autumn, Vale of Bntterwere, by R. T. Farquhar. Captain Holm, of the Anne and Jane, has received the appointment of second pilot to this port. Mr. Oakes, the successful contractor for the Pukeratahi portion of the Wellington and Masterton Railway—the amount of which is £61,979 19s.—has signed the necessary bonds at Wanganui. Bones of a moa, sufficient to form an entire skeleton, excepting the lower jaw-bone, have been found in a landslip at Mararekakaho, Hawkes’ Bay. They are a valuable addition to the scientific curiosities of the Province. The Commissioner of Public Works has accepted the tender of Mr. James Smith, lately auctioneer here, for the right of advertising at the stations of the Wellington and Masterton Railway for two years, from the Ist of January next. The coming in force of the Act for the abolition of imprisonment for debt has not caused many vacancies in the Wellington Gaol, as only two persons were in a position to avail themselves of its provisions. One unpleasant effect of the late severe weather has been an increase in the, price of beef and mutton, from the scarcity of stock fit for market. The best roast beef is now 7d., and mutton 6d. per lb. This means an increase of Id. and 3d. respectively. So much has been said as to the shortcomings of the San Francisco mail steamers that it may be well, now that the service has come to a close for a time, to look at what the ships have actually done. Nine complete round voyages have been made. Of the outward passages it is sufficient to say that the vessels invariably started to time from Sydney, and, with few exceptions, from New Zealand; and that the delays in the delivery of the mails in England arose almost invariably from faults on the American railways, or at New York or Boston, or by being placed on board slow vessels for the Atlantic passage. The time allowed under the contract for the run from San Francisco to Auckland was 615 hours, and had the steamers not been subjected to the vexatious detentions at‘ Kaudavau, there is every reason to believe that the voyages would have been performed in good time. As it is, the City of Melbourne accomplished the run in SSI hours; the Tartar in 610; and the Mikado, on her last run, under GOO hours. This will show that the time-table can be kept, even with boats not built for the service. How much more easy it will be to observe it when the new steamers are at work.

The musical public of Wellingtou is at present anxiously expecting the arrival of Madame Arabella Goddard, who, having completed, 'her second brilliant Australian tour, has decided, prior to leaving for America, to make a short tour in New Zealand. Considering the worldwide celebrity of the great pianist, whose absence from the musical world of Europe,, and especially from the Saturday Popular Concerts, must be an, irreparable loss, the residents of New Zealand may congratulate themselves upon receiving a visit from the “ Queen of pianists ;” hut there is no doubt that the success achieved by her in New Zealand will be fully commensurate with that obtained by her in Australia. Madame Goddard will be assisted by first-class artistes ; and her concerts will be under the direction of Mr. R. S. Smythe. We learn that the newfirm forwhom the brick premises in Willis-street are being built, will consist of Mr. W. Nathan, of Messrs. L. D. Nathan and Co., Auckland ; Mr. James Goldsmith, lately of Dunedin, who has gone home to buy for the firm ; and Mr. Joseph Joseph. The style of the firm will be Messrs. Jacob Joseph and Co., general merchants and commission agents. It is expected that business will be commenced early in January. The Morton, and Rangitikei Jockey Club meeting comes off on the Ist of January, The programme, which has just been arranged, includes a Handicap of 100 sovs, and Produce and Hurdle Races of 50 sovs. The total stakes amount to nearly £4OO. H.M.S. Blanche, with whose presence in Port Nicholson the people of Wellington have become so familiar, got up her anchors and steamed out of the harbor against a strong northwesterly gale, shortly before noon on Tuesday, on her voyage to Sydney and thence to England.

Time was more than kept this month by the Mikado, Captain Moore, which arrived at Auckland about midnight on the Bth instant, with the San Francisco mail, which was not due there until the following day. The Mikado passed the Golden Gate on the 13th of September, her proper day of sailing, and gained a day on the mu to Honolulu. It was anticipated that she would sail thence direct to Auckland, but, for reasons which are not difficult to understand, she followed the route laid down in the contract, and lost a day between Honolulu and Kaudavau. The Mikado has brought an unusually large mail —a proof that with every succeeding month tho value of this line was becoming more and more understood in England, and also in America. The ship, it is stated, makes this voyage on the account of her owner, which wo take as another hopeful sign, seeing that she would uot have been so sent unless the owner was satisfied that her voyage would yield a legitimate profit. The Mikado and the Macgregor belong to the same person —Mr. Donald Macgregor, Provost of Leith (Scotland), and, like the Cyphrenes (which is owned in Dundee), are at the service of the Government of New South Wales, or the A.S.N. Company of Sydney. The Macgregor takes the present mail, and will probably be followed by tho Mikado. The Registrar-General’s report on the vital statistics of the boroughs of Auckland, Thames, Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Hokitika, for the month of September, has been published. The total of the births was 292, and of the deaths 121. Wellington, we regret to observe, figures rather unfavorably, the proportion of deaths having been greatly in excess of what it was in the other boroughs named, being 3’31 to 1000 of population, while in Christchurch it was 2‘42, in Hokitika and Nelson 1-41, in Dunedin P4O, in Auckland 1-33, and at the Thames 0’62. It has to be borne in mind, however, that the comparison is uot altogether an accurate one, as in Auckland and Hokitika the hospitals are situated beyond the bounds of those boroughs respectively. Of the deaths in Wellington nine were of persons who were between sixty-five and seventy-eight years of age. Of local diseases the proportion in the seven boroughs was 41-32 ; zymotic, 27‘27 ; constitutional, 18T8 ; developmental, 9’02 ; and violent, 2’48. One death is recorded from sea-sickness. Influenza, bronchitis, and heart-disease are remarked upon as having largely contributed to tbe mortality. From a comparative return for the quarters ending Juno, 1874 and 1873 respectively, by the Telegraph Department, which appears in the last Gazette, we see that the wires continue to he well employed by the public. The increase in the number of messages in the one quarter, as compared with the other, was 54,830, and the cash received was £12,461 Is., a sum representing an increase of £2003 9s. The Government, however, had used the wires less, the value of the official telegrams sent having fallen from £3524 11s. 6d. to £32XB 4s. 3d. That the use made of the wires by the public should have increased so largely cannot but be considered satisfactory. The Provincial Council of Nelson, we observe, are about to appoint an Inspector of Mines. If they make a good choice they will be doing an excellent thing ; but if favoritism prevails the chances are that the only practical result will be the addition of a burden on the revenues of Nelson.

The following appears in the Ncio Zealand Herald's San Pi'ancisco correspondent’s letter : —“A man named Kelly, a seaman, employed on board the schooner Alice Merrick, arrived from a port in the Bay of Islands for this city, has been arrested for killing a seaman named Brown on the 15th of August. The vessel arrived at Vineyard Haven. Brown was buried at sea. He was a native of Prince Edward’s Island.”

The trade of Wellington is increasing very satisfactorily, if the Customs returns are to be accepted as evidence. The revenue from that source in the quarter ending with September was £35,151 19s. Id., as compared with £22,551 14s. 9d. in the corresponding quarter of 1873. So large an increase as £12,900 could not possibly have been expected. An extensive landslip took place on Tuesday, Sept. 29, at the rear of Prosser’s stables, Wellington. About 200 tons of earth came down, a part falling into two loose boxes, completely crushing the roof in. Fortunately that evening two very valuable coach horses had been removed from the stalls in question to a part of the stable nearer the street, so that the damage was confined to what could be replaced without very much loss. It would seem that the large shipment of prime beef made per Otago, on Monday, to tha West Coast ports, by Mr. Gear, would not arrive a moment too soon. Meat is scares enough and dear enough in Wellington at present, but—in the words of Burns’ grace— We hae meat, and we can eat. An’ sao the Lord be tbankit; while in Westport, Charleston, Greymouth, and Hokitika the people have not had meat, and scarcely even fish, for two or three weeks past, so scarce have been “ the cattle on tho hilla,” and the heavy weather having entirely disorganised the service of the cattle steamers. The telegraph had informed us that the butchers of Hokitika and Greymouth were closing their shops for the time being, having nothing to sell; and at Westport the arrival of a solitary beast—bullock or fat cow appeared to be immaterial—was regarded as a cause of real rejoicing. How to dispose of the creature to the public satisfaction was the question, and that was done to the content of the housewives by having him or her cut up as soon a a killed, and disposed of, joint by joint, under the hammer of a popular auctioneer. On the quartz ranges of Nelson, even the flour had nearly given in before the roads became passable once more to dray or horse. We take the following from the Hem Zea land Herald of the 19th inat.: —“lt has frequently been asserted that Auckland port dues are the heaviest in the colony, but a glance at the statistics Lately published in the Gazette, being the returns for the past year, ending tha 30th June, proves the statement to be fallacious, comparing the receipts taken at Wellington with those at Dunedin and Lyttelton. We find that the port of Auckland, although having the greatest shipping returns, receives the least revenue, and is by far the cheapest port in the colony, while Port Chalmers stands in the opposite position. Wellington is next to Auckland. The following figures will speak for themselves ; —-Total tonnage (foreign and coastal) entered inwards during the year 1873-4 : Auckland, 281,710 tons ; port and light dues, £1727 ; Wellington, 162,737 tons ; dues, £2616 ; Lyttelton, 177,529 tons ; dues, £3179 ; Dunedin, 168,333 tons ; dues, £3503. A return published in the Provincial Gazette of Tuesday affords very satisfactory evidence of the growth of the commerce of the city and port of Wellington. It is under the hand of the harbor-master, and shows that in the quarter ending on the 30th ultimo, 211 vessels entered the port, as compared with 179 in the same period of last year; while .the tonnage they represented was 51,471, as compared with 40,539. There were two more ships from England (tonnage 7596, as compared with 4168), three more from New South Wales, two from Tasmania.—none having arrived from that colony in the corresponding period of last year; seven more from “ other ports,” and an increase of eighteen coastwise. Over 36,000 shares have been applied for in the new issue of the New Zealand Insurance Company. This only leaves 14,000 for allotment, out of which the applications from Australia, not received yet, will have to he supplied. Yery few shares have been applied for in Wellington. This is rather remarkable, as there can be little doubt that the shares, which can be bought foe £4 10s., will ultimately become worth £lO, and dividends be paid on that sum. For soma years the fortunate holders of shares which cost from . £3._ to £2O, have been receiving dividends on their shares'valued at £4O, and latterly they have been saleable in the market at from £BO to £9O. There was a good demand at the Immigration Barracks on Oct. 20 for the immigrants by the Cartvale who were for hire, and for tha single women especially. All of them, excepting eight or ten, were engaged—general servants at wages from 10s. to 125., and nurse girls at from 6s. to Bs. Hnless those who remain are taken up in the course of the day, they will be sent up the country. A hundred of the male immigrants were sent to Wanganui by the Stormbird, and three families, consisting of eleven members in all, were forwarded to the same place by the Manawatu yesterday. The third session of the fifth Synod of the Diocese (Church of England) of Wellington, commenced on Sept. 29, at the Diocesan Room The Bishop read an elaborate address. In it he carefully reviewed the matters that had occupied the lata General Synod ; the position of the Church of England in New Zealand in consequence of the independence of all Churches from the Church of England in those Colonies which have a Constitution granted by the Imperial authorities ; and the proposition made in England to bold a conference of all tho branches of tho Anglican Church, to acknowledge therein the Archbishop of Canterbury as Patriarch ; and to establish a Central Court of Appeal, which, although a voluntarily appointed body, would finally decide all questions amongst Anglican churchmen. He dwelt carefully upon the need of education being established upon a system which should not ignore religious teaching as an integral part thereof ; and he desired to bring before all churchmen the needs of the Diocesan Fund originated to supply the financial wants of the Church in outlying districts. He hoped before the end of the present year to have other clergymen established in places now vacant, and bore witness to the increased desire amongst the Maoris for religious services. A despatch from Lord Carnarvon, dated Downing Street, 13th August, to His Excellency the Governor, informs him that “ Her Majesty has been pleased, on my recommendation, to give directions for your appointment to the dignity of a Knight Commander of the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George.” After a lengthened hearing, occupying two days, at the Divorce Sittings of the Supremo Court, the action Dunn v. Dtmn, for a judicial separation on the grounds of cruelty, was concluded at half-past six yesterday evening. Tho substance of the issues which the jury had to find upon were whether the respondent, James Dunn, had been guilty of acts of cruelty towards the petitioner, his -wife; and, if so, whether she left him in consequence of that cruelty. After a short retirement the jury returned affirmative answers on each point mentioned, thus furnishing the grounds for tho next step, which is a motion before the Court for a decree granting the judicial separation sought by the petitioner, this proceeding being merely a matter of form following the result of the late trial The Attorney-General must have felt, from the time that the petitioner gave her evidence, that his case was a weak one, for no one who heard the simple and straightforward story, with an entire absence of any appearance of exaggeration or colouring, in which the miserable and unhappy experiences of the petitioner’s unfortunate man-led life were narrated, could doubt the truth of her evidence. The difficulties of the learned counsel for the respondent were also much increased by the manner in which his client gave his evidence, or rather had it dragged from him. His Honor made the remark that the witness was about tho most difficult he ever followed. Mr. Travers, in his reply to the address of tho Attorney-General, made a very telling and well- considered speech. In speaking of the respondent, the terms he used were most considerate. He stated his belief that his conduct had been caused by a disordered imagination, labouring under very great delusions as to family relations and occurrences. The verdict of the jury appeared to have been anticipated and concurred in by tbe public. It is stated, apparently on good authority, that District Judge Gray, of Hokitika, has retired from tho bench. It is rumored on the West Coast that his Honor Judge Harvey will ha Mr. Gray’s successor.