THE PROVINCES.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 156, 3 December 1874, Page 2

THE PROVINCES.

AUCKLAND. We are glad to learn, says the Herald, that Benjamin Tonks, Esq, M.P.C., has accepted the office of Provincial Treasurer, for some days vacant by the resignation of Mr Reed. An active, practical, business man, and one well acquainted with the politics of the province, Mr Tonks should be a valuable acquisition to the Provincial Executive. It is with very great pleasure that we (Bay of Plenty Times') hear that Mr Silver, a gentleman who has been in Tauranga for some time negotiating with the natives for the lease of Motuhoe Island, has succeeded in acquiring the same. Motuhoe is an island of about 250 acres in extent, situated opposite Eangiwaea. The lease is for twentyone years. We understand that Mr Silver intends stocking it with a superior class of sheep. We congratulate the district on this adjunct to the roll of settlers. Mr Silver, although only here a short time, has made many friends, and we heartily welcome him as a settler. A very satisfactory and important meeting was concluded last night, says the Cross of the 25th ult, between the natives of Kohimarama and Mr C. O. Davis, and Mr Henry Mitchell, the Land Purchase Commissioner for the Bay of Plenty district in this province. These gentlemen recently purchased several sections of land amounting to about 50.000 acres in the Bay of Plenty, on behalf of the Government. Resident at Kohimarama, and in the neighbourhood of Auckland, are several sections of tribal claimants to the country in question. The commissioner desired to obtain their sanction to the purchase effected from their co-proprietors of Maketu, from whom the land was bought. These gentlemen have, we are glad to learn, been completely successful, indeed, have succeeded beyond their sanguine hopes. Not only have the native claimants entirely endorsed the action of the natives residing at Maketu in regard to the sale of these fine tracts of land, but they have also, after several days’ full discussion, formally handed over to the Commissioners, on behalf of the Government, the whole of their remaining iand in the Maketu district. This fresh country extends to another 60.000 or 60,000 acres, and comprises lands of the best quality, including arable and forest lands, with navigable rivers giving access thereto from the harbour of Maketu. Messrs Davis and Mitchell merit considerable praise for this arrangement. They have accomplished two important purchases, satisfying the natives, and without causing a single atom of ill-feeling. It is difficult to over-estimate the value of these purchases to the Province of Auckland, and we hope to see them soon followed by settlement of the long suspended Ohinemuri question. We have every reason to believe that White Island, hitherto an almost sealed book to both Europeans and natives, will ere long, says the Bay of Plenty Times , become the basis of an industry of great importance. Dr Hochstetter includes White Island in the Lake Country. He defines the Hot Spring Country as commencing at the northern base of Ruapehu and Tongariro mountains, at the southern end of Lake Taupo, and thence extending in a northeasterly direction for a distance of 160 miles to White Island. The island abounds in immense deposits of sulphur, and has a lake in the centre; fresh deposits were found on the occasion of the last trip of the steamer. It is this inexhaustible supply of sulphur which will cause the new industry. The island was purchased a few months ago by Messrs J. A. Wilson and William Kelly, M.H.R., from the representatives of the late Mr Tapsell. They leased it to Messrs Stewart and Appleby, of Auckland, but owing to those parties not having fulfilled the conditions of the lease, a re-entry has been made. The agent of a large and wealthy chemical firm in England of an undoubted position, is in treaty with Messrs Wilson and Kelly for the lease of the island, and there is no doubt whatever that if the negotiations are perfected, the firm will go into the speculation with energy and do the thing properly. Tauranga will probably be selected as the depot for the operations of the company, and the most likely spot chosen would be Monganui, The company would have a steamer running between the depot and the island, and ship the sulphur direct to London, thus saving both the time and expense of sending it to Auckland for transhipment, The benefits accruing to Tauranga from an institution of this kind are so apparent as to need no remarks. We understand that the agent will shortly visit the island for the purpose of judging of its capabilities for himself, and we hope it will answer his expectations, and that before long the establishment of chemical works will be un Jait accompli,

OTAGO, The Guardian says It is satisfactory to know that, although the general yield of gold in the colony shows a falling off during the quarter ending September 30th, 1874, the yield from the Otago mines has increased. At least, so much is apparent from the returns of gold exported during that period as furnished by the Customs authorities. The total yield from all New Zealand is therein stated at 86,7830 z, of the declared value of £349,494, as against 108,5460 z, valued at £436.032, exported during the corresponding quarter of 1873. Here then is shown a diminution of no less than 21,7630 z in weight, and £86,538 in cash, a result upon which, as colonists, we cannot congratulate ourselves. But when we consider the matter from a provincial point of view, the prospect brightens. In the September quarter of 1874, Otago exported the handsome amount of 26,5420 z, value £106,453, whilst in the same period of 1873 the total exports were but 23,5450 z, of the value of £95,952. Of course, it will be understood that these figures represent the quantity exported from, and not the quantity produced in Otago, during the special three months referred to. On Saturday afternoon we had, says the Guardian , the opportunity of witnessing the casting, by Messrs Fraser, Wishart, and Buchanan, of the first of four large cylinders for the Waitaki Bridge, The work presented considerable difficulties, but these were overcome by the energy and perseverance displayed by the firm in their determination to perform their undertaking in a successful manner, a result which we are glad to state that they attained. This cylinder is 9ft in height, 3ft in diameter, and one and a half inches in thickness. It weighs two tons and a half, and is said to be the the heaviest casting done in the colony. Among other works at present being executed at their foundry, we noticed 24 substantially-con-structed ballast waggons, made to the order of the General Government. There is reason to believe, says the Guardian, that base coin is being circulated in Dunedin at present. We were last night shown a counterfeit shilling which was taken at an hotel in town yesterday or the day previous. It certainly was a most excellent imitation, and was evidently the work of some one who understood his business. It was quite new in appearance, and bore the date 1873. So far as appearance is concerned it would be quite impossible to detect any difference between it and a genuine shilling. Base coin of this kind may, however, be readily detected by throwing it on a table or counter, when it will emit a heavy dull sound instead of the usual ring of silver. WESTLAND. The Grey River Argus of the 28th ult states : Mr Foy, with some of the members ol his railway pass exploring party, returned to Ahaura on Thursday evening from the Upper Grey. The country about the upper tributaries of the Brown Grey River is described as of the roughest description, and as far as examined it is not likely a suitable pass will be found in that direction for the railway route, but Mr Foy has not yet finished his reconnaissance of the locality. The old road from the West Coast to Nelson by way of Lake Christabel is reported to be in a completely dilapidated condition, and the difficulty of getting along it was a serious obstacle to the progress of the party. The party starts again on Monday. The West Coast Times of the 30th says Mr Wylde, C.E., and the small party who have with him been in seclusion and at hard work for the past two months, surveying necessary deviations in the line of road between Hokitika and Christchurch, returned to town on Saturday, and for some days Mr Wylde will be engaged here in “ plotting out” the work which has been done on the ground. It is understood that the necessary deviations are both extensive and expensive, but that, when these are completed, the road will be one with which rivers cannot inter 1 fere, and which will be as well protected as possible from slips from the hills—the chief difficulty to be overcome. The work of making the new road will undoubtedly be costly—more costly, perhaps, than has been estimated—but it is better that there should be selected a line of road free from ordinary or extraordinary accident than that there should be frequent interruptions, as thers have been, to communication between the East and West Coast. Mr O’Connor, district engineer, has seen the work, so far as it has been done, and Mr Carruthers passed over the road on Friday, on his way to Christchurch. Mr Carruthers, Colonial Engineer-in-Chief, and Mr O’Connor, District Engineer, who lately arrived in Hokitika, proceeded together to Greymouth, and we understand, says the Times, that their visit has proved to be an event of importance. It is said that the opinion of Mr Carruthers is that the £IO,OOO which it was understood by the late deputation to Wellington would be spent on the continuation of harbor works cannot, or should not, be devoted to that purpose, and the people of Greymouth are consequently considerably excited by such a disappointment to their expectations. Deputations.it is said, waited upon Mr Carruthers, and pointed out the promises made by the Minister for Public Works, but Mr Carruthers considers that the money would be ill- spent unless there is a further and much larger amount voted. The suspicion is that the necessity for more expenditure on the railway has led to this change, but, whatever the cause may be, there seems to be grounds for fresh action on the part of the representative men of Greymouth, to obtain what can only make the railway of practical service—an improvement of the port. The West Coast Times gives the following account of the proposed special settlement at Jackson’s Bay Jackson’s Bay, as we have already mentioned, is the spot selected to be, at some future time, proclaimed by the Governor as a special settlement for intending immigrants and others, who, it is to be hoped, will ere long find remunerative employment in their several avocations, whether the same be in the way of gold-mining, coalmining, wood cutting, or farming, or whatever new industries, as new industries there are sure to be, they may engage in. The site selected for the town is at the extreme north of the special block. The excellent harbor accommodation, naturally formed, makes that point the most desirable centre. The block will from that point extend north and south, the first portion to be surveyed being a block of land south of the Arawata river, consisting of excellent land, distant from two to three miles from the

port. The full conditions of the manner of settlement intended, will doubtless be published on an early date, with the proclamation defining the boundaries of the ground, when applications will be received by the Government from parties desiring to proceed to the settlement under the terms of occupation then specified. Referring to the new industries which are likely to be developed after a population has fairly set in, Mr Macfarlane assures us that large quantities of limestone and sandstone are already in abundance close to the Bay, and what is of still greater importance, an excellent sample of coal has been discovered already by one of the miners working there, though the extent of the seam has not yet been defined, only a mere outcrop being visible. Clay for brickmaking is also abundant and easily to be obtained. It is expected that on the next trip of the Waipara some valuable information will be obtained in respect to the suitability of the ground for grazing and farming purposes, and in the course of six weeks, should the weather continue favorable, Mr Browning hopes to be in a position to report to the Government upon the Blocks to be specially reserved. Another discovery, and one of very considerable importance, if its value is fully appreciated, was the discovery of numbers of true herring close to the coast in the vicinity of the Bay. One of the men workbig in the locality assured Captain Bascand that herrings were visible in large numbers among the rocks at certain seasons. These fishes, one of whicn Captain Bascand had in his possession, resemble the ordinary herring so plentiful on the coasts of Scotland, In color of scale and size of body and fin they are exactly alike. We may mention that James Tear, who is well known in Hokitika, where he was engaged for some time following the occupation of a boatman, expressed himself so satisfied with the prospect of the herring curing business in that locality, from the numbers he had seen in the waters, and the presence of whales in the deeper waters outside, which has always been taken as an indication of smaller fish being abundant, that he has resolved upon starting at Jackson’s Bay in the fishing and curing business."