The Evening Star. SATURDAY, MARCH 18, 1871.

Auckland Star, Volume II, Issue 371, 18 March 1871, Page 2

The Evening Star. SATURDAY, MARCH 18, 1871.

Truth and falsehood come alike to the hand of our contemporary the mJ^S. % ew*\ if*n opportunity present.sit&Sli or having out tho old disappointment on Mr. Vogel. This weak point in the ethics of our contemporary was yesterday cruelly taken advantage of by Mr. H. 11. Hall, who had his own axe to grind. For we shall not do the injustice to the common sense of the conductor of that journal, of supposing that he would have deliberately penned such a circumstantial and positive narrative of untruths for the mere satisfaction of one night's triumph. This leader of yesterday was written by Mr. Hall, as was at once apparent from infcernaevidence, and is confirmed on informal

tion which Aye have received from the

best sources. Of course, the intention of that gentleman Avas to have something to show on his arrival in Sydney, and our contemporary, if he have received no other more substantial reAvard, will at least obtain a recognition to which he has not been accustomed, in being quoted as an authority in Australian journals, for the fact that Auckland's hopes are blighted, and that the great New Zealand trans-Pacific service has come to

grief. Mr. H. H. Hall has shown himself a .smart man. In the hurry of getting out their extras, our morningcontemporaries fell into a similar snare, and gave publicity to his statement as to the fate of Mr. Vogel's mail service; Mr. Hall's character as the " contractor for the trans-Pacific mail route" having apparently been accepted as sufficient guarantee for the respectability of his representations, and obtained insertion of a statement, as we observe, Avritten by the purser of the "VVouga Wonga, under " directions of Mr. H. H. Hall." Next to Mr. Hall's cleverness in engaging and transmitting navvies from

Sydney to San Francisco, a few years ago, to work on the Californiau railAvays, his coming over the newspapers has been about the smartest thing in Mr. Hall's history, and he certainly deserves a better success than he is likely to obtain in his struggle to overthroAV the arrangements made between New Zealand and Messrs. Webb and Co. We need not say that the leader in the Evening News of yesterday is a pure fabrication from beginning to end. The contract has been signed, sealed, and delivered, by which the magnificent boats of Mr. Webb's line are to commence the service next month ; Auckland is to be the first port of arrival and last of departure; the boats of the main line are to proceed hence to Port Chalmers; boats of the same size as tho Nevada arc to connect Auckland with Australia, and while the terms of the subsidy arc are greatly more favourable to this colony, the arrangements are in tho main the same as those made Avith Mr. Neilson, every alteration being to the advantage of Ncav Zealand.

It is really time that our " dismal " on«tamnm'fll'V WOUitt - - ms nowimgs. It must be bitterly tantalising after all the dirt he has endeavoured to throw at the Colonial Treasurer, to find that gentleman feted at San Eraucisco, travelling in semiregal state across the American Continent, Avith a state car littcd up expressly by the company for him and " his suite ;" aud to find that he has earned everything before him at Washington. We can appreciate the bitterness of the envy that must rankle in the bosom of our " dismal" contemporary, and agitate the disappointed plaee-liunters, that fret in his " cave of Adullam." But Aye Avould advise him that the circulation of untruths can serve but a temporary purpose, and we would ask him to cease opposing the interests of his fellow citizens, and to try to rejoice in the joy of Auckland.