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Waikato Times, Volume I, Issue 13, 30 May 1872, Page 2

The Defence Minister inspected the Constabulary station at Hamilton on Monday and expressed himself satisfied with their efficiency. The Hon. Ronald M'Lean has promised a quantity of \vho:it, oats, and barley for seed to the natives oi Tamahere. If they deserve any present from the Government this is certainly the hest form in which to confer it, the cost being trifling compared with the result, it" they only take the trouble to cultivate it. "We hear th it a c ach will shortly run t iree times a week between Hamilton and Alexandra. This will be a great boon to the Alexandra settlers and a great convenience to us, mora particularly as we are informed by our correspondent, that the Orderlies passing between Hamilton and Alexandra refuse tacarry our papers. Despatches from the Agent-General were received in Wellington by the Suez mail, which state that the prospect of obtaining a large immigration from the United Kingdom is exceedingly good. Dr. Featherstone says :—" I have received numerous applications, ami the tide of immigration seems fai'-ly to have started. The ship Hatcione and a German ship will leave for Wellington in April, with between 200 and 300 immigrants each. Other ships follow for other ports. A considerable number of immigrants leave in May." The. Agent-General has also completed arrangements with a large German firm for the direct shipment of Germans and Scandinavians to New Zealand ports. Advices were also received that a large quantity of railway plant and material isjjbeing shipped for various ports, fully sufficient for the I'equireuients of the works about to be commenced. George Lees, avi apprentice, who absconded from the service of Mr. Gilinore, of Ngaruawahia, has been arrested in Whatawhata and is now confined in the gaol at Ngaruawahia. Mr. Message's tenders for the erection of bridges over the Mangakowhai and Kaniwhaniwha Creeks have been accepted. Most people in the Auckland Province are aware that a coal-mine exists on the banks of the Waikato, but only those who have paid a visit to the workings can form any idea of its richness. On Tuesday last we inspected the mine under the guidance of Mr. Bradley, "Of the Waikato Coal Company. In place of, as we anticipated, having to descend an indefinite number of feet into the bo wels of the earth by means of a cage, we Were agreeably surprised to find that the mode of progression provided for man by '' Dame Nature " was all that was necessary to enable us to inspect the hidden treasure. After walking for some distance along a rather low tunnel, we reached ! a large black chamber. When our eyes became ■ accustomed to the intense darkness, which the candles we carried seemed only to render perceptible, we discovered similar chambers branching off in all directions. These chambers are about lSfeet j high, and about the same in width We walked | down two or three of them and carefully inspected ! the walls. We could find no sign of anything but | coal, unmixed with any foreign substance. We were ! informed, and have every reasoa to believe the | statement, that there are many millions of tons of the black mineral, which has work vl such wonders in the world, yet to be extracted from the mino. The existence of this immense dep ■ it of coal should be sufficient to convince the sceptical, if any exist, j of the advisability of pushing ou the construction of ! our railway as rapidly as j>ossible.