AUCKLAND.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 789, 28 June 1864, Page 5

AUCKLAND.

(from our own correspondent.) 17th June. H. M. s.s. Alexaader.arrived in port last evening from Tauranga. All was quiet in that district, and there were no signs of the natives carrying out their threat of attacking the position held by the forces. Neither are there any news from the other scenes of strife, so that now " Find we a time for frighted peace to pant." The absence of aH exciting intelligence has afforded time for reflection, and, amongst the geral public, there is an ardent wish that " No more the fhirsty entrance of this soil Shall daub her lips with her own children's blood. No more shall trenching war channel her helds, Nor bruise herflowrets with the armed hoofs Of hostile paces."

I need not say that Governor Sir (Jeo. Grey, is the one who most ardently desires tins consummation, and from what I have heard there is reason to believe that his Excellency is at variance with his Responsible Advisers on this matter. Th'<t there is a split in the Cabinet is beyond a doubt and the peace question is said to ba the cause. At present it would be Hie to speculate upon how the matter may end. Tlie good people of Auckland have now ample time to turn their attention to their own local affairs; and first, the state of the roads and streets has demanded their attention, and the City Board has come in fora well-merited share ■of abuse. A'vote for lending the city 1/20,000 on security of the rates, was passed at the late session of the Provincial Council- They had ao sooner got a few thosands into their possession, than they launched into some eigwnic project which would have be?n better left alone f>r a few months. In Albert street they have effected a tremendous rutting, so as to form another outlet from the wharf to various parts of the city. They have left straight perpendicular walls of clay and soil that bid fair to bury somebody or something by their fall. . Thfiir second piece of consummate folly, was to raise Q teen street several feet in the centre. This w«s a desirable project, but to commence it just as the wet set in, wa« little short of madness. Queen street is now a lake of mud with a bottom of sticky clay. Ths Jacridents which, occur would be ludicrous were they not aanoying and dangerous. I saw the other day, a horse dragging _ a heavily-loaded can. with the axles almost buried in the mud—the horse was unable at last to drag his feet out of the clay and the weight of the load precipitated him forward 'actually burying the greater part of the animal's head in the day When extric-ited it was found to be rauchu jured. A lady the other day was crossing the s-treet, or rather trying to do so,_when she stuck fast, and it required the unitel ellorts of four gentlemen to get her plae d safely on the causeway. The '"' Oaily Southern Cross" has written two or three smart leaders on the sulject, which seems to have made the City Commissioners somewhat ashamed of their doings, and they have suspended active operations until the return of summer. Even in important matters our leading men can scarcely conduct themselves decently. Last Saturday a public meeting was held to consult as to the best means of doing honor to the memory of the brave Colonel Nixon, who died in defence of the Queen's authority. Captain Holt attended as the representative of liis Excellency Sir '-ieorge Grey, and suggested that one way of showing respect would be to aid the late Colonel's two sisters who had been dependent upon him and who were left in straitened circumstances. This proposition emanating from a kiud-hearted man, as I believe Governor Grey t'i be, raised aery against him which I cannot but consider ill-timed and most unfeeling. ' . .. ~ Our Provincial Government have bsen distinguishing themselves during the past week by a most original piece of engineering. It was found desirable to obtain a supply of water for the shipping, and this could be had from the domain. Now to convey it to the Wynyard Pier, which is on a lower level, the simplest plan would have been to carry the pipes over the adjoining Iril'in the full assurance that the water would find its level. Our wissacres were afraid that water would not find its way up hill and down aerain, and felt sure that the best plan wa^ to have a gentle incline all the way. The pipes have, therefore, been laid on the sands of Mechanic's Bay which have been hitherto pretty solid, but when once disurbed will not _be so again for some time to come. There will be a grtat, disadvantage in unloading vessels with firewood in this neighbourhood. On leaving the Bay, the pipes will have to be carried through the rocks, bat how that is to b? achieved is at present a mystery. Tru'y it is an astonishirg piece of engineering, and will do credit to New Zealand. The allotment of shares in a new Banking Company, to be called '• the Bank of Auckland," took place on Tuesday last. Considerably more than ten thousand shares were applied for in the first instance. To meet as far as possible the views of all parties concerned, the Provisional Directors allotted the full number to all those who bad-applied for a small number of shares. The reduction requisite to bring down the number of shares applied for to the number actually open for allotment was effected by curtailing the number allotted to those who had applied for a large number of shares. This arrangement has considerably diminished the number allotted to two of the Provisional Directors themselves. All the shares have been freely given to the public, with the exception of a very few which have been reserved to meet engagements which may possibly he on the way from distant parts of the Province. The intelligence we receive from the Austra lian Ports makes it apparent that the supply of flour from that quarter will be below what might have been expected. We have had no very recent intelligence of the prospects of the Cahfornian crop. Should those prospects prove unfavorable, a very high price may be anticipated for bread before the winter is over. This will be severely felt by men with large families depending on their exertions. At present the price of bread is double what it was a tew months ago. For years gone by, the ports of South America used to supplement the deficiencies of the Australian markets, but it is very doubtful whether the supply obtainable from that quarter will suffice for the present emergency. The weather during the past three days has been unusually stormy, and the wind exceedingly boisterous. The cold has been more severe than has been known for years past. The oldest colonists do" not remember the wind so piercingly cold. The result is very prejudicial upon the pastures, which are barren of food for cattle. For Auckland, we shall be glad when the winter is past.

A bill to unite Nova Scotia, JNew Brunswick, and Prifice Edward Island, under one government and one legislature, has passed unanimously tbe House of Assembly of Nova Scotia.