OUR AUCKLAND LETTER.

Otago Witness, Issue 1622, 23 December 1882, Page 28

OUR AUCKLAND LETTER.

(from our own correspondent.) December 7th.

The area of the Native difficulty is about to be greatly contracted by the new steps resolved upon by Mr Bryce,. Wahanui, as might have been expected from all who knew his naughty and imperious character, did not deem it consonant with his dignity to furnish any reply to the letter of the Native Minister. Mr Bryce, instead of falling back on the old state of things, as has been done by former Native Ministers, has at once proceeded to take other action, which cannot fail to show the Kingites that each successive offer will embrace less liberal terms, and impose upon them more onerous obligations. With the occupation of Kawhia, and' the proposed settlement of the Government block at Mokau, the Native difficulty will enter upon a new phase to any hitherto experienced^'and is simply the beginning of the end, as it cat> only be a prelude to the enforcement of the'-right of passage through the King territory by road and rail. The land (Charlton's) at Kawhia was secured by Mr Rolleston's foresight during his term of office as Native Minister, as he saw the importance of getting the site for Government and public purposes, as it abuts on deep water in the best part of Kawhia Harbour. The land at Mokau, 60,000 acres, was bought nearly a quarter of a century ago by the late Sir Donald M'Lean, but the Government have never felt strong enough to enter in and take possession. Its occupation and settlement will put another nail in the coffin of Kingism. The Kingites can take no objection to these steps, inasmuch as the Government is simply taking its own, but they cannot fail to see, all the same, that 'in so doing Mr Bryce is repeating the policy

which Sir ; George Grey enunciated to the Waikatos in 18(52^-" I will not cut down the tree of Kingism, but I will dig round it with my spades, and it shall fall." One of Mr Bryce's " spades " now at work is Mr Fenton, late Chief Judge of the Native Land Courts. His mission in Waikato is to induce the Kingites — either in hapus, subhapus, families, or individually — to come in and settle on the confiscated territory offered to Tavvhiao, but refused at the Whatiwhatihoe meeting, on which it was proposed to settle the returning rebels. A number of the Kingites have como in to see the land, and it is believed that their organisation will be disintegrated slowly, but certainly, in this way. They are well aware that this is about their last chance of getting back a portion of their ancestral lands forfeited by rebellion. They also see in the settlement' of the Orewhero Block, some two years ago, by parties of returned rebels, how much advantage they have lost in not getting suitable locations, as those now offered are inferior in quality of soil and position to the Orewhero reserve. Major Harris has been stamping his coustituency — explaining his action as a memberahd representative during the late session of the General Assembly. Some sarcastic comments have been made upon the fact that he should have chosen to do so immediately his opponent, Mr Win. Buckland, had left for the South with the cricketing team. ,It was well known that Mr Buckland intended to make matters warm for Major Harris, when he came to address the electors, over certain promises the latter had made during their contest for Franklin North, and possibly the gallant major exercised a wise discretion in making a political reconnaissance of his district during the temporary absence of the enemy. When lie came to explain certain statements made in the Assembly, it turned out, as had been suspected, that the telegrams which " he had received from his constituents " to oppose the North Island Trunk Railway Bill were sent, not even from the three tailors of Tooley street, but by the chairman of his committee — a political shoemaker in the rural village of Otahuhu. With regard to his promise on his departure to Wellington that "he would give the Whitaker Ministry a fair trial," the worthy major explained, with more ingenuity than ingenuousness, that he had done so as he understood the phrase, and that was that he gave them '• the benefit of the doubt " in any measures they brought forward. Still, Major Harris did not present a very flattering picture of the Opposition, svith which his sympathies united him, for he remarked : "In previous sessions he had been accustomed to work with a party having one head. Last session the Opposition was hydra-headed. At one time one leader was spoken of, and at another time another leader pointed to." Some degree of surprise was felt here at the sudden resignation by Mr Compton of his post as chairman of the Harbour Board, in the midst of a career of usefulness^ and with the extensive schemes of harbour improvements with which his name was associated still in embryo. However, the. work has been taken up where he laid it down, and the Board have made a judicious choice of a successor out of the number available in Mr Graves Aicken, who is also a city councillor. He has superabundant energy and "go" in him, and has the reputation of being a shrewd, practical business man, and taking an active part in the directorate of the Auckland Tramways Company and other local enterprises to benefit the community or develop the resources of the country. He is generally regarded as our coming Mayor, and with his career of public usefulness — the lastest phase being his election, as already stated, to the chairmanship of the Harbour Board — coming events may be said to throw their shadows before them. At the invitation of the Government the citizens have accepted the control of the Hospital and adjacent public charitable instittutions, with the proviso that the Government will meet any deficit arising in the funds at their disposal. The experiment will be watched with much interest, as hitherto the efforts in that direction in kindred institutions have not been of a very encouraging nature. Conflict of authority, dissensions in the management, and mutual recrimination, have been the leading characteristics. All parties seem agreed that so fafr.as the Hospital is concerned, one result will be not rentrenchment, but increased expense. In the matter of charitable aid, notwithstanding the sternness and vigilance of the relieving officer, abuses creep in, and numbers, there is reason to fear, are unfairly a burden upon the public and the State, tjhe charity of both being abused. Things are greatly 'improved, however, of late years in the matter of public relief. It is not now possible for young ladies attending Government "At Homes," or persons in receipt of English annuities of £150 a year, or owners of coasting schooners, to get a place on the list of recipients of rations for the destitute. Still the line might be drawn closer, especially where the recipients need never require public rations but for three reasons—first, beer; second, beer; third, beer. The recent scene in the Auckland Presbytery over -the case of the Hey. Moses, Breach has caused the faithful to grieve, and' the unregencrate to snicker and say, " See how these Christians dwell in unity and love one another." Mr Breach is a most remarkable man, and has succeeded in making matters quite as warm in Auckland as at Taranaki. In a singular letter which he published •in the Press before the meeting of the Presbytery, he remarked that "his preaching days were over," and no one will be disposed to doubt the accuracy of the statement. One member of the Presbytery, Dr M'Leod, " got his ' Highland blood up " on seeing Mr Breach retire, as he conceived, with what was practically the honours of war, and hankered to have a parting shot at the retiring divine "in the interests of Church purity and discipline," but his ecclesiastical coadjutors " sat upon " him. The remarkable scene which took place during that process showed that if the reverend fathers could control the affairs of the Church, they could not control their own tempers and passions. l)r M'Leod is clamouring for an apology in regard to the insinuation thrown out in the Presbytery by the Rev. Mr Runciman, that "Dr M'Leod, being a Highlander, cowld not do harm to anybody !" Sidney Taiwhanga, since his return with the Maori , Embassy, has been the observed of all observers. The Natives are much interested in his mission, and are never weary of hearing the narration of the wonders he has seen, and the details of the projected English Land Company and of the annuity scheme. private secretary waited upon him almost as soon as he had set foot upon the wharf, and requested him to come up to Waikato at the March meeting and explain affairs to Tawhiao and the Kingite chiefs. Sidney has agreed to do so, but in the first instance he will address the Ngapuhis. Old Parore of Kaipara, who advanced the funds to defray the expense of the embassy, is so far .satisfied with the result that he has offered the great Maori agitator a free house and land to come and reside with his tribe, in order to watch over and advocate the interests of the tribe. According to Sidney's own statement he has been work" ing out the annuity scheme in the recesses of hia fertile brain ever since 1870, as he foresaw

! that Sir Julius Vogel's Public Works and Immigration policy, would lead to the complete colonisation of the North Island, the subjugation of the Maori people, and the absorption of their land. Mr Larkworthy, at a later period, it seems, had also been pondering over a similar scheme to that of Sidney Taiwhanga, and on the latter perusing the draft of Mr Larkworthy'3 scheme, which was handed to him for perusal, he found that they took a common platform, and co-operation became easy. Sidney's domestic affairs, however, have not gone so well with him as matters political. He has had a lively time of it at the hands of his European spouse, for in this instance the prophet has no honour where hia virtues should be best known. The meeting between the two was characterised by more warmth than politeness. Sidney is highly indignant that she should have posed as a deserted and destitute wife. He threatened to appeal for a divorce, and this brought the fickle Sarah to her bearings* The last episode in the career of this strangely-assorted couple was their leaving for the North after a vain appeal on her part to the Maori patriot to pay her passage to her relatives in America, Sidney says that the scandal caused by her indiscretions has tended to mar his chance of a seat in the Assembly at the next general election for the Northern Maori electorate,, and he plaintively remarks that he has held visions before her eyes of sharing the honorarium and a trip to Wellington, but all to no avail. Sydney has been actively engaged during the past fortnight in the Kaipara- district in explaining to the Natives the English Native land scheme, preparatory . to unfolding his plans at the Waitangi Native meeting. He has used his good offices in the Northern Wairoa to get some of the old chiefs to consent to the passage of the Kaihu Valley railway-line through their properties, pointing out to them that it would pay them well to give the land gratuitously, as the remainder of the block would be greatly enhanced in ' value through European enterprise and colonisation* Sydney's sensible advice has been so far taSb by the chiefs that no opposition will^e raised, and he regards his success in this matter as the first fruits of his English mission. There is, however, one fly in hia pot of ointment. He is greatly distressed and indignant over the statements made by the London correspondent of the Otago Daily Times, and considers that he has met the fate of most patriots in being unappreciated and misunderstood. By the last mail he has sent a reply to those statements to Mr Chesson, secretary of the Bank of New Zealand, and to Mr Larkworthy, of the London agency of the^Sank of New Zealand. Considerable difference of opinion still prevails among the Volunteers as to the new regulations. At the Thames it is stated the practical effect of them will be to break up two companies at present efficient and well-dis-ciplined. Mr Bryce has been appealed to to relax the code to suit local exigencies, but as his great desire is to have uniformity in the Volunteer -Force throughout the Colony, it is very doubtful whether any consideration, will be extended to the request. In Auckland also there is reason to fear some of the corps will be blotted out of existence. The recent land fever seem 3 to have cooled off considerably, paper township after paper township failing to go off. Working men are beginning to find out that a first deposit, with weekly payments wholly contingent on continuous employment, or else forfeiture as the penalty of non-payment, is not such an attractive and easy way of securing a freehold after all. There are other causes at work, The recent land sales have absorbed the spare cash of the working classes, and the supply has outrun the demand, enough land having been cut up in Auckland during the last six months to settle a population of half a million at the very least. Several joint-stock companies to promote the development of the' resources of the province, or enterprises which will absorb surplus labour and.capital, have recently been formed. One of its latest, the Northern Boot and Shoe Manufacturing Company, held its first annual meeting the other day, declared a 10 per cent, dividend, and is now placing its reserved shares on the market at a premium of 20 per cent, on the amount of caj>ital paid up per share. Eng« li^h skilled labour is to be imported in order to compete with the Southern factories, and to cut into the Southern trade. Matters are rather quiet on the .Thames Goldfields, and especially in the share market, owing to a number of speculative individuals having got hit in the recent spurt, particularly in Prince Imperials, which have swung back from £4 10s to £2 4s per share, or a depreciation on the whole mine of about £50,000. The gold returns generally are, however, excellent, being over 5000oz for the month, of which the Imperial contributed a third. At the beginning of the year work will be started in good earnest on the foreshore at Grahamstown, and the blocks of ground, in some cases virgin and in others which have remained idle for years, will be developed. Mr Miluer Stephen, who alleges he is possessed of the apostolic "gifts of healing," is at present in Auckland, en route for Napier. It is his intention to visit Dunedin,so that the Dunedinites will have an opportunity of judg. ing whether he can successfully maintain these claims. To hear a pleasant old gentleman, with one foot in the grave, gravely inform one that " virtue goes out of him which will heal nearly all manner of diseases," and that he has simply to say to the sick " Be ye healed," and to the halt and lame " Arise and walk," is a sensation not to be experienced every day. In the way of amusements there is little to repord. The Juvenile Pinafore Company of Darbyshire and Stanley have done a fair business only, Pollard in his previous tour having tak^n the novelty and gilt off that sort of business. They proceed South iq a few days, and it is rumoured Martin Simonsen will shortly open here with an opera company. Auckland is scarcely populous enough to sustain opera companies all the year, round, so that if Mr Simonsen comes on at the present season he will probably pay for his experience. The new; Catholic Bishop, Dr Luck, is losing no time in reorganising the affairs of hia diocese. He announced at the outset that his first object would be to bring a Catholic education to the door of every Catholic child, so that a brisk competition by the Benediotine Brothers with the State schools may be shortly expected. As a first step the large buildings erected by the offerings of the faithful during Father Hennebery's temperance crusade as a Catholic Boys' High School, but which has remained closed up— a sort of " white elephant " — since his departure, is to be at- once utilised. The old St. Mary's College, at the North Shore, which in years gone by was filled with Native pupils, but for long has been desolate, will, in all probability, be made into a Catholic Industrial School, and the Catholic boys withdrawn from the State institution, the girls having been removed two or three year's back. Renewed efforts are to be put forth in respect to the Maoris, for the Eoman Catholic missions, like those of the Anglican and Wesleyan Churches, have been subject to the same process of decay and decline. It will thus be seen that jthe new prelate is imparting his own character for energy and zeal to all the agencies unde r

his control. Ho is a man of courteous and unassuming deportment, and is making himself popular with all classes of the community. A rather warm controversy has been going on in the Press over the presentation of a bouquet, in the form of a floral cross, by -Bishop Oowie to Bishop Luck, through the medium of two young ladies, on hia arrival. Some ultraProtestants regarded the incident as a proof that Protestantism and the Ark of the Covenant was in danger. The cream of the joke is that, from private explanations in circulation, Bishop Cowie is as innocent of the affair as any clergyman in his diocese. The flowers were certainly cut from his garden, and possibly tied up by Episcopal hands ; but so far as any presentation on his part waa concerned, he was guiltless of the whole transaction, which, it is rumoured, was the "handiwork of two of the Roman Catholic domestics in his household.

Mr J. T. Mackelvie has again made another splendid donation to the Auckland Museum of paintings by the old masters, and of literature relating to the history of New Zealand. Another old colonist, residing in the Mother Country, has also followed in this gentleman's footsteps by making valuable gifts to the above institution. The art treasures forwarded by Mr Mackelvie have again raised the question of an art gallery in which Co place them.- Two of our citizens have offered £500 each, and if their public spirit finds anything like a hearty response in the community generally, the erection, of such a building should be an accomplished fact at no distant date. Mr Mackelvie has gone to infinite trouble and considerable expense to obtain every work which has been published in relation to New Zealand, of whatever character; so that the collection, which now numbers several hundred volumes even in its incomplete form, will be of great value and service to the whole Colony. Such instances of disinterestedness and thoughtfulness are but too rare on the part of successful colonists returning to Europe, and therefore Mr Mackelvie is the more enj^led to the gratitude of the people of Auck-