AUCKLAND.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 19, Issue 1352, 18 June 1872, Page 2

AUCKLAND.

fFBOIVI OUB OWN CO-RESPONDENT.] June 10, 1872. Socially - , the event of the month is the fight at the Mechanics' Institute between the Ins and the Outs. The latter mustering strongly at a public meeting, passed resolutions which virtually annulled the existing bye hiws ? and followed up that by another turning out the governing committee, and then electing a new ditto. It was quite a revolutionary plan, but the old committee have, or suppose they have,.legality on their side, so have not vet thrown up the sponge, although it is, scarcely likely that they will hold on tooffice in the teeth of a majoiity of the subscribers ; so their retirement may be calculated on at an early date. Whether the reformers will improve matters much remains to be learnt by experience. There has been some mentions of changing the Institution so far as to merge it in a free public library,, which latter is a very desirable objects The licensing question is also-promi-nent, to-morrow being the adjourned, licensing day. On the annual licensing day several houses, against which convictions for breaches of the Act had been recorded, had their licenses refused ; some others, on police grounds,, had them defened„ and the new applications were not granted. A great stirwas made in the press by the friends of the publicans, and it remains to be seen whether the bench; to-morrow will rescind the decisions previously given.. A monster petition was got up and. presented to the bench, praying that no new licenses should be granted*; and, further, that renewal of license should be withheld from ill-conducted, houses, &c. The bench somovhat ostentatiously gave out that it did not intend to take any notice of the petition, &c. The publicans,, however, scarcely believed that part of thebench's palaver, and having, got to thepetition, and I suppose scrutinised it, last week announced that it hail got up in an infamous manner, &c, and the Evening Star, taking it up on the same side, threw out charges of forgery somewhat freely. The only foundation for these charges, as far as F can learn, consists in some forty nine names being: duplicated, according to the publicans' account. This is easily explained. Twopetitions being on the question were in the hands of the canvassers, and signatures were invited to both. Tt would appear that through some mismanagement either one or two of these duplicate sheets, rightly belonging to the other petition, had got taeked on to thepetition to the bench, which of course accounts for most of the forty-nine signatures appearing twice. That a few *uch errors as twice signing may have occurred is quite possible, but, if so, the number is so small as to lie of no material consequence in a list extending, into thousands. The worst part of the charge was made by raking up, in a most unjustifiable manner, the bereavement of a highly respectable man, the Rev. D. Bruce, pastor of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church. Mr Bruce went home for considerations of health, and Mrs Bruce died in Scotland during their visit. The publicans assumed that, Mr and Mrs Bruee appearing on the peiition, the Mis Bruce must be a forgery. It so happens that on theduplicate petition, signed at the same time, the signature D. Bruce appears,., but no Mrs Bruce on the same and there is good reason to believe that the same name appears alone on, the petition to the bench. It -vib consequently quite unwarrantable to so. couple the name of the Rev. I). Brace with any Mrs Bruce. On the other hand, three members of the committeeot the Auckland Alliance can tell up five Mrs Braces now living in the Province—two of these in Parnell (eastern suburb), two in one street in the city, and one outside the city boundary on the south.

Politically we are quiet, but theSouthern Grass and the Herald are having a little healthy exercise by way of relieving the monotony. A. tale was. current for several days that Snperindent Gillies was to be put aside—not on the shelf, but on the bench. 1 donot pretend to know whether the rumor had any foundation.

Scrip manufacturing is going on pretty extensively—men of straw figuring as owners of from 100 to 1000 scrip at a time. At present Coroman del is all the rage, and I understand building has been brisk there; and now the time for testing appears at hand. If a few of the much belauded mines don't soon send up some tangible quantity of the coveted metal, there will probably be a crash. On the result of the crushing* now hinges the fabric.' Is the " lots of rich stone " a reality, or is it a myth 1

~You are aware that our authorities have transferred some of our most troublesome or most dreaded convicts to the care of the Dunedin folks. The very announcement is one of the heaviest blows to Provincial administration that could be dealt It is not, as asserted in the pres*, the result of ill-advised economy. That excuse is always at hand when none other is available. Inefficiency in the management is the ultimate cause, for negligence and carelessness in the suboidinates could not be practiced if they ■were under the control of an able and determined head. I don't think our Provincial Executive would dare to JLterfere in favor of an officer who had been considered deserving of dismissal by the head of the department; if the}did so, and it got abroad, there would be a storm. Borne three or four months ago one of the convicts took French leave, dressed in a warder's clothes, armed with tlie warder's revolver, and it is even said, " with a fortnight's beard on." He was well known as a desperate character, had once before bolted, and had committed robbery with violence. What kind of manage ment is it that leaves to such a man such facilities for escape 1 As he has not been recap Lured, it is hoped that he has got out of the Province. June 11. The licensing bench to-day numbered twelve J.P.'s, and after hearing several counsel has adjourned unci! to morrow.