MONTHLY SUMMARY FOR THE ENGLISH JUNE MAIL

Timaru Herald, Volume V, Issue 110, 16 June 1866, Page 5

MONTHLY SUMMARY FOR THE ENGLISH JUNE MAIL

Since the date of our last monthly summary for England, there has been very little native intelligence worthy of record. His Excellency the Governor returned to Wellington unaccompanied by William Thompson, who refused to go to the capital at present. His Excellency had, what is considered to be, a satisfactory interview with William Thompson ; but did not see any men of note amongst the hostile tribes.

A great meeting of natives has recently been held at Hangatiki, at which about

GOO fighting men were present, being representatives from the various disaffected tribes. Thompson did not attend the meeting, and by his presence m the Thames district, prevented a great bulk of those natives from attending. It is understood, on the authority of the natives themselves, that it was resolved by the meeting not to accept the confiscation of Waikato ; not to resume the war now, but to be prepared for it at a favourable opportunity. But there is no doubt that the supplies of the natives are very limited, and that for some time they must pay more attention to cultivation than war.

The removal of British troops from the colony will soon he an accomplished fact, as two other regiments are about to leave Auckland for Australia; and the head-quarters of the remaining troops are for the future to be at Wellington. During the month past five natives have been executed at Auckland for the murder of Messrs. Volkner, Fulloon, and others, on the East Coast of the North Island. This action on the part of the authorities will doubtless, m a great measure check the commission of such horrible crimes m future; and more especially will it have the good effect of shewing to the Maoris that British law accepts of no plea of Maori custom as any excuse for committing such atrocities. The other prisoners were sentenced to penal servitude fbr life. In our last summary we intimated that the General Assembly was to meet on the 2Sth of May. Since then, a proclamation has been issued by the Governor, calling the Assembly together on the 30th of the present month. Mr. Stafford's Ministry has received an accession of strength by two gentlemen of note joining it, — Mr. Francis Jollie, the member for Gladstone, and Mr. John Johnston, of Wellington. The former gentleman will take the Treasurership, and the latter, we believe, goes m without office. The office of Post-master-General has been taken by Mr. Paterson, of Dunedin; and Mr. Hart, of Wellington, is Acting Attorney-General, but without a seat m either House.

The Panama service commences on the 24th instant, when die first boat will leave Wellington. Fresh contracts have been entered into by the General Goyemment for the inter-provincial and inter-colonial mail services, commencing on the Ist instant, which will effect a saving over the old contracts of nearly £32,000 per annum. In addition to the four inter-provincial services, there is a steamer between Otago and Melbotirne, and one between Melbourne and Sydney. Two or three old settlers from this district have taken a through passage to the old country by the pioneer boat.

The Right Rev. Bishop Patteson and the Rev. Mr. Palmer left Auckland recently m the missionary schooner 'Southern Cross' for the South Sea Islands, with fifty natives of the islands, from the college at Kohimnrama. The New Zealand Steam Navigation Company have declared a dividend of 10 per cent, on the half-year ended 28th Fehruary. This will he welcome news to English shareholders. This Company recently lost their first steam vessel, the ' Wonga Wonga,' on the West Coast.

The Bishop of New Zealand has recently made a tour m the province of Otago, where he succeeded m raising £1,000 for the Otago bishopric endowment fund. His Lordship met with great success on the gold fields.

The Provincial Engineer has made the following return of the progress made at the Lyttelton tunnel during the month of May :— At the Heathcote end, 43 feet, and at the Port end 65£ feet; total, 1 chain 42£ feet. The amount driven up to May 31, is 50 chains Gs£ feot at the Port end, making m all 110 chains 311 feet, or 2430 i yards. The total length of the tunnel is 2838 yards; the remainder therefore still to be driven is 407£ yards. The Supreme Court Sessions commenced on the Ist instant. There were three cases sent for trial from ibis town, namely, DOyly for libel, Patterson for maliciously wounding, and Kent for forgery. The first case was not brought forward, an apology having been tendered and accepted on the eve of trial. In the second

case, Patterson was acquitted ; and m the third case, the prisoner Kent was convicted, and sentenced to two years imprisonment. On the 24th ultimo the first of a series of Grand Provincial Steeplechases came off near Christchurch. The ground was well selected and but a short distance from town, but the course run on was rather circumscribed, although measuring upwards of four miles, and containing thirty-eight jumps, some very difficult. A good many people were present, more than could be reasonably expected, owing to the unpropitious state ot the weather. There were three events on the cards, namely, a handicap of 250 sovereigns, a selling steeplechase of 70 sovereigns, and a scurry steeplechase of 20 sovereigns. For the first and principal race there were sixteen entries, and the number of acceptances were fourteen, of which thirteen came to the starting post. This race was won by Mr. W. Bowler's Jessie, Mr. J. Page's Musician being second. The selling steeplechase was won by Mr. R. Ray's Lottery, and the scurry by Mr, Moorhouse's Statesman. The great scarcity of female servants all through the colony is occupying public attention, and various suggestions have been put forward to relieve the necessity ; but it is probable that both Canterbury and Otago will be enabled to introduce female domestic servants from England, by hringing them out free of expense. The Canterbury Government; has for some time past been offering free passages to the Province for single women j but the supply at present is not nearly equal to the demand.

During the last month, the long 1 looked for election of Superintendent has taken place, resulting m a large majority for Mr. Moorhouse, the popular candidate. The election m this town passed off without any undue excitement, and was most creditably conducted by all parties; Mr. Moorhouse polling 90 votes, Mr. Travers 20, and Mr. Lance 5. The elections south of the Itangitata will all take place the end of this month, or early m July. Mr. Leslie Thomson is a candidate for Timaru; Mr. E. G. Stericker, for Seadown ; Mr. J. B. Sheath, for Mount Cook ; Mr. Ormsby, for Geraldine; Mr. Ernest Gray, for Waitangi ; and Messrs. Buckley and Major, for Waimate. It is announced that for the Waitangi district Mr. Gray will be opposed. Although two gentlemen are m the field for the Waimate, it is now generally supposed there will be but little of a contest, as Mr. Buckley is almost sure to be returned.

There has been nothing whatever done towards the furtherance of any public works during the last month. The Road Boards are still without funds, and there is but little prospect of any relief from the present depression. The ratepayers have to find the funds which should have come from the public chest, having been previously voted and apportioned to the Road Boards, by the Provincial Council. The dressing of flax for exportation is occupying the attention of numbers of people m the province of Auckland. Mr, M'Millan, who discovered the process of cleansing the flax from the gum, has also invented a machine whereby large quantities can be cleansed m a da} r , so as to make it a payable article for exportation.

The accounts from Taranaki of the sinking for Petroleum are very encouraging. One company, not having gone through the trachite which they met with last week, have made very little progress, their rate of sinking heing only about three inches per day. But the slowness of the work is more than made up tor by the increased indications of oil, the stuff brought up m the bucket being saturated with it, and the bottom of the bucket now containing oil, a circumstance which had not occurred before. Men experienced m boring artesian wells, regard tins indication as a certain sign that the spring will be reached at an early period. A sample of the oil having been sent to Auckland, to a person that wrought at the oil wells m Pennsylvania, m order to obtain his opinion of it and to have a portion refined, information has been received that the oil is of better quality than any he ever saw m the States; and it contains so great a per centage of oil that it is easily refined ; and, that he, himself, will undertake to refine all the oil the company may obtain, for 3d per gallon. This tallies exactly with the information contained m the letter of Sydney Gibbons, F.C.S., on the subject.

On the 22nd ultimo an instructive and interesting lecture was given at the Mechanics' Institute, by the Rev. Mr. Copeland, a missionary connected with the Presbyterian body, on mission enterprise m the New Hebrides. The rev. gentleman dwelt strongly on the utter darkness these islands were plunged m, and earnestly called for more laborers to assist m the good work of evangelising the heathen. A liberal subscription was made at the close of the lecture.