HOW THE NEW GUINEA EXPEDITIONERS WERE SOLD.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume 6, Issue 594, 8 January 1879, Page 2

HOW THE NEW GUINEA EXPEDITIONERS WERE SOLD.

Wellington, January 6. Soni3 months ago certain representations were made here by an American shipmaster regarding a valuable trade to be developed on the N.E. coast of New Guinea, and which he said he had been m for some years, exhibiting at the same time a number of specimens of the produce. In consequence of this a company was formed, who purchased his vessel, the Courier, and fitted her out with trade, and took two men to leave behind as a port of traders. She left here on the 27th September. On the 25th October sighted Cape King William, and by evening was within a few miles of the entrance to Astralobe Bay, a gulf about 30 miles long and 20 wide, but utterly destitute of shelter or anchorage, but with 75 fathoms of water within a quarter of a mile of the shore. They were several days occupied looking for an anchorage, which they subsequently found on the west side of Astralobe Bay, due south from Dampier Island. The country proved totally unlike what had been described. It was exceedwild, barren, {and mountanous,| and thickly wooded with inferior looking timber. The natives were very numerous, and almost entirely naked, short of stature, black, and of inferior physique. They were exceedingly friendly, but no women were seen, and they were evidently hidden away m the bush. The natives seemed to be very poor, and none of the canoes, which were extremely numerous, had anything but a few yams and cocoanuts. A sample of ginger and sugar cane were thejonly other native products. The natives appear to have no wants, not coveting iron, clothes, beads, etc. They had no notion whatever of trade, and nothing to offer m barter. The weather was excessively hot, the thermometer being 92 m the cabin at 9 p.m. After further explorations, during which little of interest was discovered, the vessel left on the 15th November on her return to Wellington, arriving here the other day. The Hon. Mr. Waterhouse's sale to the Hon. Mr. Martin comprises 34,000 acres land fenced, 33,000 sheep, 700 head of cattle, 40 horses, implements, buildings, &c. The price was £85,000. The criminal sessions .opened to-day. The calendar is light. Sarah Hannah Jacobs, who pleaded guilty to attempting suicide, was released on her husband's recognizances for £50, to come up for sentence when called upon. The Hon. Mr. Fox denies the authorship of a letter m an English paper reflecting severely on members of the House of Representatives. A meeting of footballers is called to consider letters relative to the visit of an English team to the colony. The post mortem on M'Elwain, who died on Saturday, shows that the cause of death was rupture of the heart. Some samples of Mokau coal have been analysed at the Colonial Laboratory, the result giving 87 per cent of combustible matter, and a little over two per cent of ash. The evaporative power is that Ub of coal will convert 71bs of water into steam. This Day. The Premier returned m the Hinemoa this morning. The Chronicle thinks the 'question of Secular Education will be make a party question next session. Government are making careful enquiries regarding the /feeling throughout the colony on the question. They will support secularism, and the Chronicle thinks the Opposition will take denominationalism. ,

Auckland, Yesterday. The Taranaki cricketers played m the Domain to-day, against fifteen colts. The Tai anaki team made 158 m their first innings. The colts' first innings closed for 40 and their second for 71. The Taranaki thus won m one innings and 48 runs. To-day an.inquest was held np*on the body of Mrs. Brydon, at Papakura. She died suddenly on Saturday, at her own home. She was seized with a sirong desire to vomit as ii troubled with bile; took some mustard ami water as an emetic, and was shortly afterwards found dead m bed. The cause of death was disease of the heart. This Day. When Peacock was elected Mayor, recently, to the vacancy caused m Council, it was advertised to be filled up. A day was fixed for the nomination and one for the election, m the usual "way by the Returning Officer. On the day of nomination only one person was nominated, ex-councillor D. Goldie, but the Returning Officer declined to declare him elected, and postponed the declaration until the day named for the election. This action will cause Goldie to be absent from one of the meetings of the Council, at which most important matters are to be discussed. The Returning Officer's ruling has caused a good deal of angry discussion, and Mr. Swanson, M.H.R., one of Mr. Goldie's nominators, submitted the case to the Attorney-General to-day, who replied by telegraph as follows: —"I am of opinion that the Returning Officer should have declared the candidate elected on the nomination day, and that if he has not done so, he might be prosecuted for penalty under section 44 of the Regulations of Local Elections Act, 1876."