THE Wellington Independent. Saturday, February 19, 1859.

Wellington Independent, Volume XV, Issue 1325, 19 February 1859, Page 3

THE Wellington Independent. Saturday, February 19, 1859.

THE '-WHITE SWAN'S" MAIL. We have papers from Auckland to tho llth, from Taranaki to the 12th, and from Nelson to-tho 16th instant, brought by the steamer While Swan, which vessel arrived in harbour on Thursday afternoon.

H, M S, Iris, Captain Loring, had arrived at the Bay of Isiunds and was daily expected at Auckland. The Governor intends visiting Wellinglon in this vessel, and His Excellency's arrival may therefore be looked for shortly. The Bishop of Wellington sailed from Lontion in ilie John Scott, on the 12th November for Auckland. In the pub lished list of passengers, the names of several fur this port are recognised. Wo extract the following advertisement from iho Southern Cross, for the information of contractors. We presume a copy of tbe specifications has been forwarded to Wellington.

Colonial Secretary's Office, Auckland, 10th February, 1839. fJENDERS will be received at the Public Works Office, Melbourne, until 12 o'clock on Tuesday, Bth March, 185.9, for Nine Hundred Telegraph Posts of Timber kuown in New Zealand as Totara Wood.

Specifications may be seen at this Office. Tenders to be endorsed " Tenrlei for Nino Hundred Telegraph Posts of Totara Wood," and address (if by post prepaid) to the Honorable the President of the Board 0 f Land and \Voilts, Public Lands Oilios, Melbourne. The Victorian G„veininent will not necessarily accept the lowest oi any tender.

W. GisßmiN-E,

Under Secretary

The following is the new route of ihe While Swan. She will not return to the Manuku_, but to the Wait-mat-,—and her route for the future will be by Hawke's Bay, -Wellington, Canterbury, and Otago, returning to Wellington, crossing to Nelson and back, and so up tlie East Coast to Auckland-

Tbe Cross is publishing a serie3 of leaders ou the "' Enfranchisement of Native Lunds," ftud strongly advocates ihe uf the Government an'tndouiug its pre-emptive right of purchase. as lit Lie appears to be done in the.Auckland Province, inwards effecting land purchases, as in our own; .Willi a view to overcome the unwillingness of the General and Imperial Governments lo this measure it proposes an extensive agitation, and in order that its readers may become thoroughly acquainted with ihe effect of the disease it endeavours to cure, the present position of the Auckland province, is fearlessly described in the following terms :—

" What is the present position of Auckland? How, for the future is she ,: to make both, ends meet?" How have the imports been paid for, until now ? Spe.ikiu? in rough numbers, sufficiently approximate for the purposes of argument, it may be said that about thirty-three per cent, of the imports have been balanced by exports to that amount; and that about as much 'nore has been covered by tho military and commissariat expenditure.' The remainder was covered by the capital introduced by new coiners. But that resource is now dried up. There tire poor people in abundance comingout, tempted, by the delusive, piomises of tlie present land regulations, for whom hard times are in store, and scanty work; hut those who bring money into the country, who are in a position to employ labour, are leaving one after the other for the South. For they can get no land to settle on. It is superfluous to mention names, the fact being notorious."

A Presbyterian Church bad been opened at Papa Kura; it is spoken of as reflecting credit on its arohitect, and the people of tbe ueighbonrhood are congratulated on their possessing " so fine an ecclessiistioal edifice,'* with its" tasteful belfry." But how anything of the sort has been erected for the money, is a matter in which we feel much interested. " The church is calculated" we are told *' to eoutain about 220 persons, and the whole work, (including a commodious vestry, comfortable seats, and a very neat pulpit platform,) has been executed at a cost of £270, To meet this sum there have been realised by subscriptions, £204; by opening services, £34 10s.; in all, £338 10s., shewing a smalt debtof £31 10s, to be liquidated." This church is indeed a very miracle of cheapness, and our Scotch friends would make the rest of the colony their debiorsif they would allow il to take a leaf out of their book.

The November mail was forwarded by chance sailing vessels from Sydney to Auckland niid New Plymouth.

Ttio barque William Watson from London, out 110 days, with cargo and'passotiger.s, Juul arrived after a very s-tis-faot-ry. voyage. :

A life-boat for Munukau is shortly expooted from England.

Mr. Cameron'has been very successful in his horse tatniug experiments. Tbe Provincial Government advertise for v loan of £20,000 for harbour ir_provetnonts and £15,000 for city improvements ' ' .'. , ' Tbo anmvo'rsnry regaita, on the 31st January, was all that could be wished;

; Dr, Hochslelter appears io be well employed, aud Auckland seems very loth to spare his service elsewhere. Tho New Zealander, remarks,

The most noticeable thing is the extreme anxiety betrayed by the Examiner to have Dr. Hochstetter invited to change-, the'scene of liis g'eolojrical exploration fiom Auckland tv Nelson; evincing; it strange, want of practical.acquaintance with the amount of labour to be performed

a making sucb an exploration"-in a" new and extensive country like this province, which presents at almost overy tUrn some new feature of interest to tlie _t:irOpcan geologist.- We have very many more noteworthy districts we-wish to show our German guest before we can willingly part with him. , .

The report of tho Sydney Mint on the Auckland coal is by do means satisfactory. It appears to be mainly adapted for gas purposes, and when used, for house purposes, water must be kept from it; a somewhat difficult matter. We hope that future seams may stand the test more favourably, a3 that ju3t experimented upon is not such as the steamers on our coast would use if they could help it—a disadvantage from which the whole colony must suftcr '

At Taranaki, the Provincial - Council had been opened, mainly with a view to perfecting the leave to Capt. Moorshead, of tho sea beach on which the iron sand is found.

At Nelsrtn, ihe arrival of 21fi ounces of gold from ibedi.r»in g s,is the principal feature. A - meeting had been called relative to lighting tba town with gus—-no-thing like taking lime by the forelock.

Since the above was in lype we have received an advertisement relative to'ths Tender for Totaru Posts. The specifications can be seen at the Custom House here.