AUCKLAND.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2396, 6 December 1870, Page 2

AUCKLAND.

(per greville’s telegram company reuter’s agent.) November 16. The coming elections are exciting great attention, and great preparations are being made for the coming struggle. The great watchwords of the battle are already known, and various manipulators of the electoral body arc hard at work. The' various parties are rapidly banding together under the banners of protection (yclept encouragement of local industries), “ Anti-Protection,” “Ectrenchmeut.” ' “The Immigration and Public Works Policy,” and nothing but the policy. Altogether there are indications of a very pretty struggle, in which the friends and the enemies of the present Ministry will apparently be pretty well divided. The hon. Mr Vogel who is a candidate for Auckland City East, with every prospect of success, has already explained his views so far as thirteen columns of the Southern Cross atuL Ncxu Zealand Herald enabled him to do so." Mr Gillies followed with nine columns ; Mr Eeader Wood has been content with three columns, and Mr Kerr, who belongs to the smaller fry of Parliamentary fish, has had to be satisfied with two. So far the oracles have spoken, and henceforth the rest will not be allowed to monopolise much of the space of the newspapers. The candidates at present out are, for City East, Mr Vogel (one member); City West (two members), Mr Gillies, Superintendent, J. Williamson, Mr Dignau ; Eden (one member), Mr J. Kerr and Mr E. J. Creighton ; Purnell (one member), Mr E. Wood Franklyn, Mr W. T. Buckland, and G. M. Clarke; Tauranga, Mr W. Kelly, and Capt. Skect Newton. Mr Swanson, no doubt, Marsden, llaglan, and the rest will soon follow.

tu Native matters all is peace, but ap event has occurred during the past few day* i which strikingly illustrates how very much exaggerated are all the rose-colored fulllength photographs of the “noble savage” which Exeter Hall has given us. Hoterini, the son of the late William Thompson, the illustrious kingmaker, lately visited Cambridge, where he was hospitably entertained by the settlers. He was accompanied by his brother and many other natives of the Ngatikoroke tribe, who had come to receive from Mr Commissioner Clarke 20,000 acres of confiscated land. One evening a settler noticed a native stealing away through the fern with a saddle which had been hanging at the door, ami he gave chase to the thief, who turned out to he no other than Hoterini, the sou of the late illustrious kingmaker; 4Q| Tim distinguished thief was brought before the magistrates and fined three times the value of the article, and a philanthropic interpreter paid the money, .fetich are the advantages of being a Maori. Had it been one of *us° now, we should have been igao-

miniously seat to goal ; but with a distinguished Hau-hau such a thing would be really too degrading. Whilst so mucli attention has been turned to “ encourage local industry,” I maybe pardoned for referring to one branch which was rudely put an end to the other day. The police found, in a romantic nook beyond ! ucas’s Creek, quite a flourishing distillery in full blast al fresco. It certainly does seem to be anything but “ encouraging local industries ” to do what has been done in this case. The apparatus has been seized, and the two men who were arrested on the spot —James Fryers and John Armstrong —have had an interview w.th the Resident Magistrate, and testified their willingness ,tp renew it by depositing a considerable sum of money as a security. Apropos of this, the distillery lately estaolished here is progressing rapidly, and will soon he able to supply Auckland. This brings us to the Permissive Rill Association here, who have caught the prevailing infection ; and at a meeting held last evening decided in a grave resolution to go down to posterity as “The Political Association for the Suppression of the Liquor Traffic.”

As to amusements, I may state that a grand diorama of the Overland Pacific route shortly be exhibited in the Southern Provinces. Mr Heller will go direct hence to Sydney. In mining matters I am pleased to be aide to report a continued increase in the yield of gold, though operations are somewhat retarded by the drought, which is also injuring the crops to a great extent. Coromandel is yielding splendidly. Amongst the claims which are taking the lead for large yields, I may mention the Little Wonder, 15600z5. from 35 tons ; Queen of Tike, 4760z5. from 45 tons; Royal Oak dividend of LI 90 pershare ; Harbor View dividend, LI 63 ; Sweedish Crown, 150ozs. from 10 tons; Little and Good, lOOlbs. of specimens. Rich alluvial geld has been discovered in the Upper Tataru. • The Point -Russell has yielded 104ozs. from 80 tons ; and the Just in Time, 113ozs. from 71 tons. The Native Beach claims have to go before the Supreme Court.

The encouragement of Local Industries “ League ” has decided to form branches in different parts of the Colony, and the proSrietors and workmen of the local founderies ave memorialised the League to include machinery, vehicles, &c. The Provincial Council were discussing the Education Bill, and the Highways Bill, amongst important messages by the Superintendent was laid before the Council last night. The first was a message drawing the attention of the Council to the desirability of subsidising a line of steamers to run between Auckland, Noumea and Fiji, and back by the same route to start with the inward Californian mail, and return in time to catch the outward mail, conveying mails to and from New Caledonia and Fiji. The Su{rerintendent expresses his belief that the ine would shortly become self-supporting, and that in the meantime the Goveanment of New Caledonia would give a smallsubsidy in aid of it. It is believed that the Council will be. inclined to view tha matter favourably. A second message on the subject of the lands purchased by the General Government and charged to the Province shows that lands to the value of L 14.777 12s Gd have been so purchased without being handed over. The Superintendent believes that this Province has not only a claim for these lands, but for the interest upon the, money. Commercial.—Adelaide flour is quoted here at Ll7 16a ; wheat at 7s 6d ; southern wheat 5s 3d; oats andbarley are overstocked; money is tight, and there are no large transactions to note.

Stock and Share Report.—There has been some advance in the value of shares ; Long Drives are held at from Ll3to Ll3 10s ; All Nations, L 3. Recent sales comprise Caledonian, Ll2 to Ll3 ; Eurckas, 2s 3d ; Thames, L2 Iss ; Junction, 15s 6d to IGsGd; Shotover, 9s 3d. Mr A. Buckland in his last report quotes an improvement in the demand for dairy cows and calves. Best animals range from LlO to LI 25s ; medium quality L 5 15s. Young cattle were in moderate supply, and in low value—l2 to 18 months old cattle bringing from L2 5s to L 4, two-year old from L 5 to L 6; grown cattle, low condition, L2 lOs ; throe year old steers well-bred, fresh condition, L 5 16s to L 7 2s Gd. Fat cattle were in shorter supply than for several weeks past ; they realised 30s the 100 lbs. Fat sheep were in short supply, and shorn sheep sold at 2,’jd per lb. Shipping —Departures : Kcera, for Poverty Bay ; Emerald, for Lyttelton ; Kate, for Sydney.