AUCKLAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 2302, 14 April 1898, Page 24

AUCKLAND.

(Fbom Our Own Correspondent.)

March 24.

Autklanders are jubilant over the news which has been received that the Admiralty is considering a suggestion to make * grant to the Calliope dock. There is little doubt this is due to the action of Mr J. H. Witheford in London, as for ye&rs he has, as an old member of the Harbour Board, pressed tha matter repeatedly upon the attention of the Admiralty. The Calliope is equal to the requirements of the Australasian squadron, and cau take the largest vessel in the squadron, or, indeed, thai has beea in these seas ; but ifc hac nob the machine shops, cranes, steam hammers, and barracks for housing ccewa necessary while repairs are being eJlested to men-of-war. It is anticipated that any grant would go in this direction, and bo devoted to equipping .the dock so a& to make it a refitting bas« and naval arsenal. Auckland Citizens scarcely hopes to deprive Sydney of the position of being the naval headquarters 01 the Australasian squadron, bus Ihey hope to see Auckland occupy tha same i elation to the New Zealand division of the squadron. The facb oi' a grant beiug mads to Auckland would ba oi great importance, as iucrgi&iug the prestige of the port, nukiug is the headquarters of the flaefc in New Za^laud water/, and would greatly increase Imperial expenditure here, to the advantage of every trade and every class of the community. Another result would be to increase the efficiency of the dock, and to attract to it a custom from commercial vessels of the mercantile marine which it has not at present, for in this as in other matters nothiog succeeds like success.

During tbe ptst month the output of gold on tho Thames goldflslds has been. very satisfactory. Next mouth, the Rev. J. Campbell's works at Ta Arch*, for carrying out ths thermohyperphoric mode of treafcmenfe of refractory ores, will bo afc work, and if the process realises his anticipations: it win lvvnlnfeisnisa matters on the Thames Peain.'ul*. Professor Black is still going on wi!h his experiments in solving certain problems as ts treatment of ores by the perrnangunvte process, and is sanguine of success, belitving that science will yst wring from Natu'e iha secret cf thoroughly winning Ler goldeu treasures in the Hauraki district. Notwithstanding tho satbfactory yield of gold mining speculation jb stagnant, the number of shares forfeited or claims wound up, which were floated during the speculative mania of the late mining boom, effectually deLerriqg the most optimistic fiom. having another little flatter on tho Mining Exchange.

A number of our young men left in the steamer Cape Otway fur the Klondyke goldfields, although it can scarcely be said distant hills look green. Some of them actually gave up from £3 to £4- a week, eight hours a, day of I&b3ur and practically their own masters, despite the entreaties of their relatives. Judging from a lock at the miscellaneous assortment on the Cape Obway she will not ba a " happy ship," and her subsequent voyage will be watched with interest. No less than five stowaways were tjken eff her, and five more were said to be " planted" s^out the boat who

could nob be discovered, although the police | went to tho vessel three times- and searched her. j The naval authorities, ife is said, cabled that three or four naval deserters were supposed to be aboard. None were found, bub there isJ reason to believa that one man-of-warsman got I safely away. Ont3 stowaway was run cf? the j vessel an hour or two before she sailed, owing | to his incautiously coming on deck in the hope j o? "irrigating kis thorax." Among the pas- j sengiMS were a syndicate of young daughters of I La 82118 France, who, having done well on the j West Australian goldfields, were in high hopes j of exploiting the K'ondyke districb. Mr Cuthbertson, the well known civil engineer and explorer, also p»ssed through in the Cape Otway. Ho leave 3 his wife and family at Vancouver, and pushes on to the field, to carry out his mirsion of acquiring for an Australian syndicate the fullest and most reliable information concerning tha extent and resources of the Klondyke goldfields. Ha informs me that he hasafree hand, and will give his views without fear or favour, so that there is a prospect of getting accurate and reliable information on the subject, which may bo of service to the New Zealanders and Australians who are bent on trying their fortunes in that parb of the world. As showing the miscellaneous character of the Cape Ofcway's passengers, one of them had, he stated, been editor of an Australian sporting paper, down on his luck, through mining speculations. One of tha stowaways, on being taken to the police station, took off his waistbelfc, and slowly fitagcred oat of the bsit sovereign efcer sovereign.

Heavy rain and hail between Saturday and Monday morning has been disastrous for harvesting in the Southland district. CAPITAL AND LABOUR. A fellow tob&ggans down hill— that's capital; another fellow pulls the sledga up — that's labour. Capital and labour produced the celebrated DERBY tobacco.