AUCKLAND NOTES.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2119, 19 October 1875, Page 3

AUCKLAND NOTES.

(feom ottb owh cobbespondent.)

Auckiand, Monday, The Representation Bill.

And as it was expected, Auckland once more sold itself in the person of her Wattemata and Franklyn representatives, Messrs Buckland and Yon der Hyde. As for Mr Luckie no one can blame him for tue " conscientious " course he took on the occasion of refusing to vote for the amendment giving another member to the Thamesjgoldfieldv seeing he is a Nelson representative. The action of Messrs Yon der Hyde and Buckland is rather remarkable, and it is to be hoped that their joint conduct will not be forgotten if they should come forward as candidates for any seats in the Province at the next general elections. Speaking of the Waitemata , brings me to another phase

of their conduct as members. It "will bo,'recollected that owing to a being lodged against Mr-yon tier Hyde's retui£i,,he not being a naturalised in New Zealand, his seat was^^henjustf returned—declared vacant and a fresh writ issued. On the nomination day Mr Ton der Hyde was asked ■whether lie was in favor of ■Coromandel havibg a member, and if elected would he SUppOrta proposition in that direction. He answered in the affirmative, and intimated tha^% would,; do all in: his power to gain for' the district-w,ha^ it sought and; was fully entitled to. However his action has not, beeti ■in ■■ unison/with.his pledges, and some „.undercurrent must be the reason^of. his sudden conversion. The action ,9C himgelf .and Mr Auckland cannot in any way be looked upon as tending to promote the future prosperity of the province of Auckland. Some person's: assert; that Mr Buckland's connection with the Government as a

seller of land, the danger of losing his

seat owing to the Disqualification Act, or the employment !6f~ his son on one of the branches of the southern lines of railway;' haS had something 'to do with the course he adopted; but lam not one that would attribute^ such conduct; to the "honorable" for Franklyn.

"VVith.Mr Yon der Hyde the causes are perhaps different. He is the representative of a firm having* a strong, connection with the TJnion Shipping Company, of which Mr George McLean, M.H.R., is one of the principal directors. Mr McLean is an ardent government supporter, and possibly, when fche new Ocean Mail Service is established, the

interest of Mr George McLean will help Mr"Von/'der Hyde's firm in getting the agency,' the more especially as he voted with the Government at a time when it was hard pressed for support, and when he Had but slight chances of being again re-elected for Waitemata.

The Amalgam Robbery at Ooro-

mandel.

, The Auckland, Thames, and Coromandel police are still engaged instituting enquiries as to the late gold, robbery from the strong box; of the Tokatea company, at its Whakaroa Creek battery. First, the local police were called in ; th'e'ri' Detective Brennan from Grahamstown, and lastly; one of the Auckland talent. I h«ar the greatest difficulty connected with the tracing of the property and the apprehension of the offender or offenders is to'be found in the fact that one of,those who are. closely shepherded hy the local authorities and known as a •• fence," or receiver of stolen property, was in Auckland when the felony was perpetrated. It was lucky for the unfortunate fellow that it was so, otherwise his residence would be sharply watched, and search warrants obtained to see if the stolen amalgam was in his possession or dwelling. At the time the Auckland public were made acquainted with the facts relating to the loss, Inspector Thompson-was in Wellington, but he returned a few days ago and proceeded to Coromandel, returning, I have heard, ■witfi' but little success. Ko one will question the right of any police officer doing what he can to trace the principal and seconds connected with any crime against individuals or society ; but when an official, attached to the Arms Act Department, who seems to have had but very, little to do for months save aiding Major Keddell in the miners 1 rights enquiry, and going about the country and to Wellington at the public expense, goes into a district for aiding those engaged in the detection of crime, I am; inclined to think that it does not look very complimentary to the ability of Mr Bullen and his detective, or to Major Keddell and his local preservers of the peace. I was sorry to hear from a Coromandel visitor that Mr Thompson was so unsuccessful in his special mission, but it could not be otherwise seeing that his position and the object of his visit was known to the Coromandel people before he had |been many hours.in the township. My belief is that with the suggestions of Major Keddell the Coroxsandel police will bring the offence home to,the parties concerned before many days..

t'e,lTaf«ftunato Cyrus Haley. eemg the impartial review you gave in one of your issues at the commencement of this month of this man's untimely end atDunedin whilst being pursued and killed when attempting to get away from lawful custody, I am induced to send you the original of a letter written in his own hand as far back as 1871. Tour readers well recollect that after his being a short time in possession of a portion of the New Zealand Insurance Buldings he was burnt out and all his property destroyed. • Subsequently Haley endeavored to regain possession, and when the portion burnt was rebuilt he interviewed Mr Thomas Russell, but without success. Therefusalof re-entry was a severe blow, to the deceased, and from that time his animosity was never appeased until his action was the means of placing him in the felon's dock and receiving a Jife sentence for his crimes Halev is no more, but his death carries with it a permanent moral which should be remembered in all time, to come. Many of tis read the number of crimes committed in America for alleged grievances, but happily such a state of things is nowhere to be found in any portion of the habitable globe governed by our beloved Queen, but I pause here, anil can state that many— aye, very many thinking people arc under the firm conviction that if. another session of the Wellington Assembly disclosed the same amount of fcyranuy, cruelty, jobbery, Oppression, and corruption, as the pages of Hansard and

the reports of select committees have brought to light, I fear very much that scenes and crimes horrible to contemplate would be the inevitable consequence ; and that instead of the .colony being \he great, glorious and free country whichitis one day certain to come.itwill tur_n out a second 'Frisco, where the more'unscrupulous are the more prosperous, the moire cunning the more favored, the more powerful the more despotic^; in fact where crime is looked upon as a nominal offence, and double dealing, "spotting," misrepresentation, offers of bribes, &c, *c, are considered as the highest indications ; of intelligent, powerful, prosperous, wealthy and j •rising citizens and colonists. . I The letter will bea" out the opinion entertained by persons who during life had transactions with Haley as to his straightforward business habits ; and as many a harsh word has been littered against him, no one will I am sure be inclined to follow, m the same strain now, when it is recollected that his bones are now lying in a portion of the " Silent City." The following is the letter:— Parnell Risej Auckland, | 23rd March, 1871. Dbae Sir, —When I was in Coromandel in November last you were kind enough to lend me a £1, which I returned to you a short time afterwards by P. O. 0., but I have not yet heard from you as to whether you received it or not, will you please say so by return? .1 hope you are getting on well at Coromandel. I intend coming over again in a week or two.—Yours faithfulty, Cyexjs Haley. Mr , Coromandel. The writing is a good business hand, and its author, was evidently a man who must have received a very liberal education.