THE NORTH.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 18, Issue 1111, 4 September 1871, Page 2

THE NORTH.

By the arrival yesterday of the s.s. Napier, from Auckland via Poverty Bay, we have received papers from the former place to the 30th August. We append a summary of the news to hand : A requisition, signed by over five hundred electors, has been presented to John Williamson, Esq., requesting him to allow himself to be again placed in nomination to represent Auckland City West in the House of Representatives. Mr Williamson, in reply, intimated that he had much pleasure in acceeding to the request, A destructive conflagration took place in Queen-street, Auckland, on the morning of Sunday, August 27, resulting in the partial destruction of the magnificent building lately erected by the New Zealand Insurance Company. The damage done is thus de scribed by the Evening Star, of 28th August 3 —The Exchange news-room gutted ; the first and second floor utterly destroyed ; the glass roof of the centre ball broken and cracked in many places, and the doors of most of the offices smashed in. The New Zealand Insurance Office, however, was not touched, as some of the directors were present, and saw that the fire was not likely to reach this part of the build ing. " But with this exception every office is injured more or less. A good deal of the furniture was saved from the Exchange Rooms, and all from the offices, although, of course, injured more or less, Mi- Haley was insured in the Royal for £1,000," and the Insurance building was insured a short time ago in the "Victoria Office, for £5,000. The loss will be a very severe one to Mr Haley, who was just making a start, but with the most material success; and although it is possible that the amount of insurance may cover his actual loss, it will certainly not compensate him for his brilliant prospects, which are thus at 'one blow utterly destroyed. We have not been able to learn the origin of the fire, but it is said to have been first seen on the staircase of the news-room leading to the floor above. Jn the news-room itself there were two fire-places, but these appear to have burned themselves out at the time the room was closed at ten o'clock on Saturday. The end wall of the building seems to have been cracked a good deal, but until a survey has been made it will be impossible to tell the actual amount of damage done, but it must be very great —certainly

not less than between ,£2,000 an ( | ,£3,000 altogether. An inquiry wijj no doubt be held as to the origin of tha fire. .-:

The animal meeting of the shave, holders in the Caledonian Goldinining .Company was held on the 28th ult, The report showed that duiing the twelve months ending 31st July, 1871, the sum paid in dividends amounted to £413,270, or £144 10s. per share. The services of the " Auckland Scot, tish "Rifle Volunteers " having been accepted by his Excellency the Governor, the reminiscences of Auld Lang Svne will soon be revived by the appearance of kilts iu the streets of Auckland. A new gas company, called the " Auckland Consumers' Gas Company,' has been formed. The erection of a fish-market house on Queen street wharf, Auckland, is about to be commenced. The long-talked of and important work of the Kaipara Railway was to have been begun on Thursday, 31st August, when the ceiemony of turning the first sod was to be performed at the Riverhead end of the line. The absurdity of " Church parades " *eems to be pretty generally in vogue in Auckland now, amongst the various Volunteer companies. The steamer Golden Crown has beer* making some excursion trips from Auckland to Coromandel and Grahams-, town, and back to Auckland, during which she fully maintained her reputation as a boat that can travel well—having steamed 140 miles in the space of nine hours. Mrs Colclough (Polly Plum) was to have re-delivered her lecture on u The Subjection of Woman," at Otahuhu, on the 31st ult. A store at Ohinemuri was burnt down on the night of the 25th ult. About ,£l4O worth of stock was consumed. The New Zealand Herald states that, if nothing else, the people of Auckland appear to be fond of the sweets of life, for the impoits and coi> sumption theie of jams and green fruits are certainly much in excess of any province of ISew Zealand, The Auckland flour market, accoi'dding to latest papers, has decidedly a downward tendency. In other respects, the grain market quiet. Wheat has fallen in value. Oats are simply steady, for the very best samples, and no sales for inferior. The memorandum by the Provincial Executive of Auckland, in relation to the Immigration and Public Works Act of the Assembly is published in the Auckland papers. It is a very lengthy document, and gives what appears to be a careful review of the principal wants of the Province, in the shape of public works and immigration, although the latter is only generally attended to. The weather in Auckland during the early part of last week was very boisterous, preventing many vessels from proceeding \o sea. At the Thames, also, we find, that the weather, on Augusi 29, was feavful —a heavy downpour all day. The Thames Advertiser, August 25, reports that l\|r Samuel Turner has made what appears to be a very promising discovery, namely, the outcrop, of a seam of coal on the Mangakirikiri Creek, within about rive miles of Grahamstown, Mr Turner reported the find to Mr Hurst a few days ago, and that gentleman promised all the assistance in the way of developing tie find that could be given by the Pw vincial Government. The specimens brought down consisted .of bituminous shale and lignite. The fact of having found shale would serve to show that it is not likely to be an accidental depoiiti especially as there are three distinct veins observable. In all probability) therefore, it is the outcrop of a seam of coal. We understand that the Government will have the find examined into and reported on, and will assist in its development should the report pi'<Wi satisfactory.