AUCKLAND.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 35, 27 February 1862, Page 3

AUCKLAND.

(From the Wellington Independent , Feb. 14.) The s.s. Airedale , Captain Kennedy, arrived in port this morning, at 11 o’clock, bringing intelligence from Auckland to the Bth, Taranaki to the 9th, and Nelson to the 31th instant. The Hon. Crosbie Ward is a passenger by the Airedale. The news by this mail is singularly barren of interest. The Nelson Examiner, of the 11th instant, in its monthly summary, says : _ “ By the arrival of the Airedale, we learn that his Excellency the Governor had left Auckland for Hawke’s Bay, by the East Cape. At Almriri he was to meet Mr. Fox, who would proceed thither by way of Taupo. They would remain there until the 24 th inst wb.cn a meeting or tangi is planned in honor of the late Moauanui, an important chief of the Ngatikahungungu. This ceremony disposed of the Governor and the Colonial Secretary will go on to Wellington and thence to Wanganui, returning to Auckland in time for a meeting in Upper Waikato which is arranged for the 25th March. Just before the steamer left Manukau, news arrived from Waikato that a tema of the king party endervored to intimidate M r. Gorst, the Kesident Magistrate in the Upper Waikato into leaving the district. This Mr. Gorst refused to do, mocking at their threats, and the taua retired not having made up their minds to violence. Mr. Gorst wrote to Thompson and to Matutaere, the king, stating the circumstances, and that he refused to quit the land, the property of Europeans on which ne was living, Thompson and Matutaere, both ci-.r dr-vnned the action of the tana. The Volunteers at Taranaki are disbanded, and the Militia suspended from active service. A public works corps is is being organised for the relief of needy persons. Mr. F. A. Carrington has been appointed to manage this corps, an arrangement which gives great dissatisfaction, the qualifications and claims of that gentleman being denied by a large majority of the’inhabitanls. The Southern Cross of the 7th instant says—- “ The Hon. CnosniE Wakd, postmaster-general, is to leave for the South by the nest steamer from the Manukau, from the purpose of completing arrangements by which the mail service between Otago and Melbourne shall be placed on a permanent basis. Contingent on the completion of this scheme, the programme of the mail service will be entirely changed. The steamer to Nelson will bo taken off, and placed between Sydney and Auckland, connecting this city with Napier, Wellington and Canterbury ; while the Airedale, which has been thoroughly overhauled, will be kept on the west coast, between the Manukau, Taranaki, and Nelson, running in conjunction with the cast coast line of steamers.” (From the New Zealander, February 8.) The Provincial Council is still in session, and, as far as can at present be surmised, may continue to sit for months to come, to the great profit of the printers, and to the groat damage of the public, whose substantial interests are suffered to bo in abeyance, whilst a few factious individuals; inveterate polticial and personal opponents of the present Superintendent, devote* themselves to the work ot finding or making a quarrel with him in

order avowedly to bring about a dead-lock and a dissolution. They will, however, be beaten at both these games, as these same gentlemen, notorious disturbers of the peace in politics, are, so to say, known to the .police, and watched with jealous vigilance.

The problem of the existence of a payable goldfield at Coromandel is in process of solution. A considerable number of experienced diggers, attracted by the accounts of that district which from time to time have been published, have come up from Otago on a prospecting expedition, and are now at work at Coromandel.

There has been a little difficulty in the work- of reorganizing our local Volunteer Corps, which the patriotism and public spirit of the force have happily surmounted.

The military force is still busily at work upon the road to Waikato, which it is hoped will be completed before the winter. If that which has been done is to be taken as a specimen of that which is to be done, the road will do credit to the workmen, and will confer a lasting benefit on both races in this province. The natives are getting over the first feeling of jealousy with which this movement of the troops was regarded, and begin to understand that the road, for purposes of peaceful traffic, will be a direct advantage to them.

Even for January, proverbially a dull month, this lias been one of the most inactive we have witnessed for a very great length of time. The port is all but empty; we have had nothing from England since the Mermaid ; the Avalanche , hitherto a fast ship, is making a protracted pas - sage, and bids fair to be caught by those that sailed after her.

One by one, the Naval squadron Las left us, until only the Fawn , Commander Cator, remains. Miranda sailed for Sydney on the 21st and'with so much haste that all sorts of rumors, in* connection with the war with America,-have been in circulation.

The troops are still encamped near Drury and the banks of tiie Waikato, where military roads of admirable construction, are being pushed forward with the utmost vigor. All is quiet the season is now most favorable, and before a return to winter quarters be required, the frontier will have been placed in a secure position, and the country opened up and connected in the most beneficial manner. (From the Southern Cross, Feb. 7.) ' The last month has been politically one of suspense and conjectures. The new policy is on its trial, and time has not yet given its verdict. The troops are still at Drury and Maungatawhirl, engaged in road-making. His Excellency has been mostly in Auckland, whilst his peripatetic Ministry have been starring it in the Provinces. The Post-mastcr-General, Mr. 0. Ward, has been visiting the aboriginals of Hawke’s Day, and the Treasurer, Mr. It. Wood, the pakehas of the Soutli both on very similar errands. The natives have been stealing cattle, and the pakehas refused to come up to Auckland for the next General Assembly, and so both parties have to be talked to, for such is the new policy. Mr. Ward, we believe was very successful, thanks to the judicious use which made of the public money, but reports from the South are not so favorable concerning Mr. Wood’s doings. The Southerners turn a deaf car to all ho says and decline coming,up to the North. In all probability, therefore, the next session will be held at Wellington, and considering that all the records of the Colony are in Auckland we are at a loss to imagine how it will be possible to carry on the business. However, there are two sides to every question. The present Government could not afford to displease the Wellingtouians, and has certainly a better chance of remaining in office if the session is held in the South. We perceive by the Gazette of Monday last, that the Assembly, has been further prorogued from the sth instant to tho 7th of April. As to the General aspect of New Zealand affairs, and the probability of Sir George Grey proving successful in his endeavors to settle the native difficulties in a peaceful manner, there are many opinions. Some speak with confidence of his success, whilst others predict that it will be found that he is only staving olf the evil day. The position of Taranaki, however is critical. Tho Southern natives there have been enjoying the good things of the after seizing them with the strong hand. They may be inclined to repeat the experiment, the more so us w r a should hardly think that the Government is prepared to keep them out of mischief by paying them blackmail, and the plunder of the campaign must be nearly exhausted by this time. They wmdd wait, ‘however, probably iLT tho settlers have returned to their homesteads, for such a clean sweep was made of the province during the last campaign, that really Ngaliruauuis and Taranakis would gain nothing but hard blows by an expedition at present. Late events go far to prove that the spirit of hostility is as strong amongst them as ever. It was rumoured some time back that Sir George Grey proposed visiting tho South, but his plans are generally unknown. So far he has prudently refrained from visiting such of the natives as might be troublesome, till Responsible Ministers had first tried the dangerous ground. Mr. Fox led the “forlorn hope” at Waikato, and retired with great loss—of dignity, having offered to make greater concessions than we believe any man had a right to do, but which were not accepted after all.

The Northern natives remain much in the same state as hitherto. Sir George Grey’s appointment of Mr. Clarke, as Civil Commissioner in that district, has not, however, met with universal approval, and petitions for his removal have been received. Speaking generally, we may say that tho Maories, even those most loyal to the Crown, aro in a state of uncertainty and suspense.