LATEST NEWS FROM AUCKLAND.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXII, Issue 2659, 9 April 1868, Page 4

LATEST NEWS FROM AUCKLAND.

Our files by the Taranaki are to the 4th inst. public demonstration. A public meeting was held in Auckland on the 3rd inst, the object being to agree to an address to his Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh, expressive of the loyalty and attachment of the gettlers of the Province towards his house aud himself personally, to congratulate him upon his escape from the fate meant for him by the wretched per son who attempted his life, and to express abhorrence of the crime which was so provi dentially averted. The Brunswick Hall was crowded. Amongst those present were: — The Hon. E W. Stafford, Colonial Secretary ; the Hon. J. 0. Richmond. Commissioner of diatoms and Native Minister; His Honor Mr Justice Moore ; the Hen. Colonel Kenny, M.L.0.; The Superintendent of the Province, and Mr Whitaker; The clergy were represented by Archdeacon Lloyd, Dr. Maunsell, Dr. Kidd, Eev. Mr Heywood, Rev. Dr. Purchas (Church of England); the Very Rev. Dr. McDonald, V.G Rev. Walter McDonald, Private Secretary to Bishop Pompallier ; Rev. Father O'Huru, the Rev. I Father Hoyne, the Rev. Father Reilly. j (Roman Catholic) and Rev. Mr Buller. Mr Whitaker in an able aud eloquent address moved the following resolution : —" That the j inhabitants of this province have heard with the deepest concern and sorrow of the recent attempt to take away the life of his Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh, during his visit to the Australasian Colonies, and they desire to take tlr's the earliest opportunity of conveying to his Royal Highness their participations in the general feeling of abhorrence which that act has caused in the mind of the people of these colonies." Mr Patrick Dignan seconded the motion which was carried by acclamation. The Hon. Mr Stafford, His Honor Judge Moore and other gentlemen having addressed the meeting the following addresses were adopted. •' May it please your Royal Highness : — "We, the inhabitants of the Province of Auckland in the Colony of New Zealand, in public meeting assembled, desire to express to your Royal Highness our abhorenee of the murderous attempt made on your life, and to assure you of our heartfelt satisfaction and t_n_.ltfulnt '89 to God that your life has been preserved through so great a danger. I "As loyal subjects of our most gracious j Queen, we have looked forward with the most lively feelings of satisfaction to your Royal Highness's proposed visit to New Zealand ; and should you adhere to the intention of coming to this colony, we shall feel it our duty, and will afford us the greatest gratification to give your Royal Highness such a reception as will fully manifest our loyalty to the Throne, and our attachmet to the Royal Family." " Most G-iucious Sovereign, — " May it please your Majesty :— " We, your Majesty's loyal and dutiful subjects, the inhabitants of the Province of Auckland, in the Colony of New Zealand, in Public meeting assembled, desire to express our extreme indignation at the maliguant | attempt recently made on the life of his Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh, aud our heartfelt sympathy with your Majesty in the painful circumstances in which, your Majesty has thereby been placed. " While we have heard with profound emotion the intelligence of the danger to which his Royal Highness was exposed, we are deeply thankful to God for his preservation, and look forward with hope to his rapid and complete recovery. " We gladly embrace this opportunity of renewing our assurance of attachment to your Majesty's person, aud loyalty to the Throne —sentiments which are entertained by none more warmly than by tlie inhabitants of this portion of your Majesty's dominions. " That this meeting desires to express ils sincere sympathy with the people of New South Wales in their grief at the attempt to assassinate his Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh whilst their guest. " Three cheers for the Queen were then given, the National Anthem was sung, and the meeting dispersed." OPOTIKI. " The New Zealand Herald of the 4th contains a letter from its special correspondent in Opotiki. Information had been received that the rebel natives had attacked the friendly natives at Punawai, and brutnlly murdered one of them. A force was despatched under Major St. John, to the place, and the murdered native was found lying outside his whare. The deed had been evidently the work of no novice at the art. The breast was cut down and then across in quite a systematic manner, and the heart taken out, leaving the other parts unmutilated. '• The force went in porsuit of the rebels, and on the lltli came in sight of the pah, which being in an unfinished state, the rebels abandoned. Books belonging to Mr Volkner, and other property was found belonging to poor Moore and the surveyors who were driven in some time ago. A scouting party of the Arawas had been attacked, but on the Constabulary coming up (he enemy disappeared. A rebel was shot by the Arawas. He had no less than seven bullet wounds in him." GOLD FEOK TnE THAMES. The s.s. Tauranga arrived at Auckland on tho 3rd. Mr Hunt, a passenger by her, brought up a large parcel of gold, weighing about 1000 ounces, which was lodged in the Union Bank of Australia. This is the result of a crushing from 20 tons quartz, taken from Hunt and Co's claim, which is a most wonderful yield, being at the rate of 50 ozs to the ton. About 300 ozs from other claims also arrived by the Tauranga, making a total