AUCKLAND.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2361, 26 October 1870, Page 2

AUCKLAND.

(PROM OUR OWN' CORRESPONDENT.) October 12. The infant child of Mrs Costello, was accidentally scalded to death, whilst the mother was lifting some boiling water oft a ftiv ;it upset over the child who was playing beside her. At th'! Thames, Helen Wakefield Collett, fifteen months old, was run over by a dray and killed. The Letitia, schooner, from Tahiti, reports that the French arc actively engaged fortifying Papeete. The German consul was commanded to -haul down his flag, and refused to do so until he hah been officially informed of war having c mime need. The French have employed 1000 natives to construct fresh batteries. There are four batteries already erected, each mounting from 12 to 14 guns. The French Admiral's flag ship Astro Jias sailed for Valparaiso, in search of German vessels. A Thames paper lias reported that To Kooti was within fourteen miles of Ohiuemuri, that he had attacked a party of friendly Natives and shot them down, and that he bad succeeded in coming to an understanding with the Maori King. The Government have no information of the matter, aud it is believed to be a mere canard. The Hauhaua of the upper Thames recently held a meeting at which they expressed their determination to oppose the sitting of the Laud Court at Oiiinemuri, and the attempts to open that district for gold mining. Arrived—Excelsior, from Tonga ; Letitia, from Tahiti. October 15. The brig Harmon is still at Hokcrangi, loading timber. At the impiesb on the body of Mrs Costello’s child, a verdict of “ Accidental death” was returned. The survey of the Manukau Bar has been completed, aud the outer channel is found to ho in much belter condition than has been generally supposed. The channel is deep enough to admit the largest man-of-war afloat. Bishop Cowie and Mr Moorhouse arc passengers from Wellington by the Lord Ashley. Tho Chamber of Commerce met to-day, and discussed a proposal from Greville’s Telegram Company (New Zealand Branch) to establish a “ commercial r. om ” in Auckland in conjunction with the Chamber. The Chamber, the Mercantile Community, and the New Zealand Insurance Company, are favorably disposed towards the proposal. The newspapers support it in articles. Mr Archibald Clarke is again a candidate for a seat in the General Assembly. The so-called “ great native meeting” at Tokougamutu ended in nothing, as usual, Only twenty friendly Arawas attended the meeting. The plant of the Imperial Crown Gold Mining Company lias been sold by auction for the sum of 1.2,700. The Lord Ashley has arrived with a consignment of wheat in excellent condition. At a meeting of the Chamber of Commerce, reference was made to a flaw in the new Gold Duties Bill, which prevents its coming into o;.crat : on until Jan. I, 1871. It was contended that, ns the old Act had b -en repealed, no duty was legally leviable in the interim; and that the imposition of duty would be a virtual breach of faith, inasmuch as the bulks bad purchased largely for export in anticipation of the reduced duties. Captain Dakly spoke indignantly as to a statement which be attributed to the Colonial Treasurer in effc t, that if any difficulty arose from the flaw in the new Act, the Government could remedy it by issuing a proclamation forbidding the Collector of Customs to permit gold being exported unless the old duty had been paid upon it. Captain Daldy contended that this was contrary to the intentions of the Legislature, and moved a resolution to this effect, which was carried. Intelligence received to day from the Ohinemuri district states that a party of Te Kooti’s foil wens are within fourteen miles of Ohinemuri. Te Kooti himself is said not to he with the party, hut his actual whereabouts is not given. Mr Clarke (Civil Commissioner) and Mr Packly had an interview with the Upper Thames Natives, and it is said have induced them to cons-nt to attend the Native Laud Court at Shortlaud. To Hira himself is expected to att nd. The Novelty sailed to-day for Sydney, and the Storm bird arrived from the South. October 15. A meeting of shipmasters aud owners was hehl last, evening, at which it was determine,d to establish a Marine Insurance Association. The meeting was adjourned. Mr Vogel, Colonial Treasurer, has published a letter in tho morning papers on tho gold duties question. He says, the Act was intended to come into operation on the Ist October, but Mr Gi lies, Superiu. tendent of Auckland, having represented that the financial arrangements of the Province would bo injuriously disturbed by the reduction of duty before the end of the year the Bill was re-committed, aud Ist Jan , 1871, substituted for the Ist October in the third clause It escaped notice that a cor-re-ponding alteration was required in the first clause. After the session the oversight was-noticed, and it became a question whether payment of export duty on gold might not be altogether evaded from Oct. Ist, 1870, to Jan. Ist, 1871. The AttorneyGeneral was c insulted, aud being of opinion that it “ was not the intention of the legislature to suspend the collection of the export duty on gold,” ha advised that, should exporters of gold attempt to take advantage of the oversight in the Act, the powers given under the Customs Act should he used to stop the export of gold altogether by proclamation, tho Customs authorities being at the same time directed to permit the export ou the old rate of duty being paid. The Hamburg schooner Sawni arrived in the Mauukan from the Navigator group, having come in to escape capture by French cruisers.

Judgments against thirty or forty gold mining companies were obtained in the H.M, Court yesterday. In the Supremo Court, the rule for writ of attachment against John Lmulon, for non-payment of costs in the celebrated case of Kavanagh, No. 14 has lieen made absolute. The Nil Desperaudum arrived yesterday, from Lyttelton, with grain ; also' St Kilda, The Supi rintendent is op a visit to the Thames, where ho will to-day meet a deputa. tion from the unemployed respecting work. i lie bye-laws of the Mining Board are to be brought into operation. The water supply at the Moonatauri is insufficient. The Long Drive have obtained 240 omiees from

specimens, and the Shotover have lodged 241 ounces from their late mushing. The New M00n 43 ounces. A passenger by the Lord Ashlcv. named George Macrae, died suddenly yesterday in the street. He is a married man, and arrived recently from Wellington. Commercial. —Flax is quoted at LIS for the very beat sorts, all others being unsaleable, wheat os, barley 2s (Id. The teas by the Lord Ashley come to an indifferent market, the Waverley’s shipment being stdl in the market. Otago soap was sold yesterday at 22s ; Canterbury oats at 3s 3d to 3s (id* B>nk of New Zealand, now issue, are quoted at LH 2s (id ; Long Drive , LIO 10s; NlOcin&Uuns, 12;s o*l ; All .Nations, ].«. \ Shotover 10s; Dauntless and Sunk to Kup, 4s. The All Nations pdd a dividend ot 4s per scrip. A share in the City of Dunedin, Tararu, has been sold at LBOO October 1/. The Superintendent has met a number of unemployed miners, ami promised to find work for fifty men. Work has alrei.ay ircii found for fifty married men in Ane.dand. Raglan advices to the Southern Cross state that the King Natives have warned oft Mr Moore, who has been for some time past in charge of he Wesleyan Chapel at Aotca The same letter says that the natives in the Waipa district are engaged making a large number of war canoes. _ The letter warns the Government that vigilance is necessary. Thomas Richmond Steward, of the ship Excelsior, is to he brought up to-day on a charge of defrauding the Customs. Strenuous dibits are being made to get up an annual race meeting. Arrived. H.M.S.S. Blanche ; Wave, from Timaru ; Dunedin, from Oamaru ; Merlin and Kcnnilworth, from Fiji; and Jessie, from Lyttelton.