Colonial.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XI, Issue 660, 5 March 1859, Page 5

Colonial.

t ".. . AUCKEAN^;^ ";•■ :■■ -; •-"''■

I The: native question is "beginning ;to be agitated' 1 in more; ways tjiam-onei:; That part of the geiiciral' | question w.luoh rplates to the purchase >bf .land .from | the natives. is ijbeing;.discussed,anxiously byuthe,l t «Soutiierri Cross,'which journal advopatesjan.entire: chanj^c pf system.' One of. the most forcible articles i on tlie subject is the following :^-;| V, , i ■'.'.;■' I<A I >dlE'E' ! EgT'MURE.1./. //'/i;..* . -', v Many years; hive^nbw^^ elapsed 1 sincfeHye/flVsthiam-, tamed that' a'system'tbf direct;; la\id"purchase f*ronii the natives, under reasonable restrictidri's;-i-was jin-. evittible, and that; the introduction; of it was merely" 1 a question.of time/ lit;was clear tb tis;from the | * beginning, that' the crown's absolute right"' of pre-; 1 emptiopj woxildhave to be ultimately .* abandoned, i bqcause ,the, .contract under which; the,- natives ceded | that; right/;was incomplete^....There, was. no, ; conT,: v sideration, quo<idJiQC. ( .The/Queen's Govehinient. ■[ arid protection' 'was. a consideration for,.the.cession., !i of domih^bn',' but ribt for'pre-emption. ; The contract.' was incomplete,/ '■ ;becauseV' althbugli '/the/ natives a? pledged thetaselves'tb sell'to the, crown', ov\iy, the "I crown iwas-;not piedged>tb buy; ■ And. if^as, tniglvt I % ' t perhaps:beargued; ah obligationto!buy-was implied, I the cr.Pwn,iby, .neglecting/to fulfil it, virtually anI 1 nulled, ithe. originalfcontract. ! The natives f were def. ceiyedj as, to, the effect of the (treaty; ■ arid, the > disapf pointment,'ivjliiclv. they. felt ..at being : unable.to disl pose of their lari^sj,.after having- so, long enjoyed the adva'ftyg'e of free, trade in land ■ With'the settlers,; was ■ one 'of "the causes of. the northern war.,' True j it is; ftljat Governor' Eit^Kby, liy/timely .waiver of * pre-eriiptibn, was able to partially ;aildy tlie feeling;, " x but theevithad bornefruitj for.trust had vanished i from ftKe> native mind; : The records 6fitlie!prbtec-. | tor's' office show;that Governor'Eitzßpy:was forced' | into this*: measure.; by: the .native's^ theniselves,: and I not, as falsely.:alleged by-. Governor^ Grey, though N intimidation from the European;colonist;./ . : • .1 .. & We have stated thatdirectjpurchase was "merely » questibn of time." " We believe lthat tlie time has p now arrived—;that the pear ,is ; jripe. .For,a mpdifi|jf' v cation 'oif the existing system lias; ;becoinej necessary \f' to the prpspeniiy;bf 'the Auckland Prbvince, whicli. I-; is nbw,! fbr want of land, being f^Ast-left, behind in |j«' the.racVof.progress: by/all' the sbutherri' prbvinces; vt* Taranakiialone excepted; which1 labours under the same disadvantage. (And: the-Auckland public, for f||r the most part. supine : [arid.apathetic—more Dutch |S tha.n English/ to appearance,.is; now/; becoming so B thoroughly rpused to .a perception of? the. fact, that: B a steady, cpmbined, .we 11.,, organized, movement B towards "&^remiedy liaisi,now, become possible. „ r R. It.maV'-Ibe;Isaid 'tnaitVa'remedy has/been already. X proVideqi uf/der '.tlie financial scheme, by/the,; borH| rowirig 6f; jElßdSo66;fOr the1 pufpOTe/of extinguislung R1 native titles. So far good; but when this'sum.sliall IB have been-" expen'dediiupon !what do wefall back?/ |1 Not upon' the' i keeping ? back. brie sixth of ;tlie land H fund for the/ purpose jifor. the. surri so /set1 apart H would be utterly inadequate to extinguish, with 111 «ufiicient,promptitude,,,the, title/to lands of. which; 8 the price is being rapidly and continuously; enhanced II by the native owners.., If the, stpryjpf^ the Sybilline « leaves, be forgotten by Me Government^ it,is certainly ; Bborrie; well in min'd':by;,'the: ( se!t.tiers,.'wnp simply ;H desire to bVercpme the difficulty themselves, and mm are ready to firid the means; J. '.- /. ; /,. /. f m We arei ndt in 'the' Mbit" of going" "irii excepting". »where we expect to win. ' Having' ;some 'knowledge1 |||of circumsta,nces—of the quarters in-which-support |Smay be,expected, ,as w-ell ; ,as of. those in which oppo-! 'Wu sition is, likely 'to., be - raised, we / commit purselyes ;to |«tatra rg: thaitf^ pal cess;' titaving' u^der'taken bur share of the. task,-^ ■ |l|for it is no,more than ,a share—-we shall persevere in it.' mmto the last. "^TKese'fe w-lines laremerely' as; "arles," H—in earnes^bf the^ngageiheht' to goto the root of Ififthe ques'tionsiri^^ future' nurribers/'1: '■ : / iM Our ow,n/scHeme;f6r the5 extinction' of. the natiye" Hftitle f by t du»e_cfipurcliasei'swith6ut "riblii'to ;thfe peade' tliie, cpionyv*an;d writhibut excluding; collat'eralipur-' ■fchase^iiy -t^e -^Dv^rniaentj) has. I been; long before: the, IBpubUc.''':. AAot^erfS^eme, l mgv,ed : by the.mera.ber for ilKhe ;ciiy^(&f ;toaidyy fiiihe ;H6use ;i,of Eepres^tatiyes./For ; this ; ;we gave,, |H|)ur Tbtei'asvbeingrJa',step H 'in/the right direction,/ UHMiQtfgh riof'e'ntirelj'agr'eeirfg 'with'it in detail.' But rapre areiableftestate r tha't'tHe/.mpvernent Will hot be Swampered" any- dispute aboiitdetails. ■j Those who |Kre likely to take a prominent part are agreed iji; Iffllombitiing.' theirifprces) to-; obtain'an ■■ ackhpwle'dge-' iMient of the.tprincipjljej leaving-/forms for' after con■||ideratiqa. ...jWe.had als.p reason /to feel assured that ■Ihe true bearings of the question .w, ill ibe brought. under the notice of the Home Governwßb We tate' 'occasion' to jemind: the Auckland.colp|«bists thai this impprtancei cannot /be/ |warrred r:by'journalism: ;alorie^. /A public journal is wible to render' valuable assistance;'wheii supported; k®>y public :feeh"ng;iJbut-is idle Suppose-tHaVmere/ Igcleclainatiori can effect what amounts"almpst to.a' 'jf^constitutional-; changes >iThe object^caw b# attained ' |#)nly through the energetic exertions of the settlers fjpfsthemselves. .. . - lli • ..! „,,,,T iDCKtAI!I>;SBGim., ; ,/. c .': ■;.; / :/r;:/ ijp' No fiper'weather ;c.ouldrhave be^n■ wished for: than " of''oiii;'^^an'nu'al'.^hpliday^and, m'ay.dafely'sUy of the nibst' popular- hbliday/bf ffipthe year." r There.Was .not much "Windln'the/fdre-. j^joon, •and'w'e;-Were afraid'that the'faces': fof "sailing niight>turn> out''uninteresti"n'g^frbm: want of the. Mf ropellirig power; 1 butygreatly^the;delight bf falli:; B| proper] spotting;.freeze sprung! up from'the Moai nor-vr.estf.about midday?andibontinued'ito the Bionclusio^of;- the, day's^spprt. ..The- list of Winners ' tie.seen,b'eiow,.,but c till the. ; .final.adjudgment,of, jsprizes,' depending' in /several jaceSjOnfCalcjilations of' j pllrae arid'tonhag'^we'slian.abstain *|han the'resuits';'^hich^1 iipVever",;with' f the:except. ilion pf4 those; iii .■■"ti&e idr ,tbnn"age "\ races"' are,' we . || ielieve;'- final'and conclusive.1; /Evbryb'bdy' seemed/ j| thoroughly to enjoy themselves. i;' The flagship,; the; ■S* ffarwood, was quite" gay, the'"harbbur'"'was^cpVered I with pleasure-cruizers; iahd;*thb ■ different^pb'inta!bf ' Bind commanding the course;were full"of spectators. I-.: .;■■ ; . First^.Bage.- ":,■: ;•.;•■. /■. >'■ ■ >■:■■■ i-' 0 a.m.), five oar Whale boa.tr. list prize, £15ji 2nd" prize, £7 ; 3rd prize, f£3. Entrance, £15. Pea, J. Irvine ..- ;.•..' 1 Manukau Pilot, J.W.Carr... 2 Raiwhara, Hapimana........ ;>,..... 3 Four bthers/starte^./ ( '- '■ Second RicE. '. ' ' ",'.', ..-: f10.30 a.m.), '.Sailing: boats' Uriddr"three '' tons;:. Ist F 1 P»ze, £14; 2nd prize, £s>, 3rd prize, £3.'" 'Eh-' ! i tranceVlss; ": : :•.■;. '■■.■■ [ I Mischief; Darrbck;;........ 1 j I Fanny, F, : Gilberts ...;..... .; 2 | Nightmare,-H.;Kn0w1e5r...:..;.. 3 L Fearnought, E.Leßoy ......... 4 r , Marion, J. Hammond ;....;;.,..•,•/. 5 ' Several others "started. ' .1 /Third Race!, ';/•/■ ;.--.. r « l a.m.), Watermen's Boats,' pulling; a'pair bf sculls, : Prize,"^ld.5 Entrance, lbs; ; Nis, JjC0bk.".;::.:...............;. l Nys, C. Sullivan J..'....;..i.. ••'... .2 } Robert, H.; Hawke ..;..;.;....:.:. 3 for the fourth race (Tiwai canoes), there were no ries. ...;/. ■' Fifth Race;' - ....•..;..-■. a m ), Trading vessels; frbni' ten to twenty-five tons, to sail with , fore. and aft canvass^ only. Ist prize £20;* 2nd'prizei £lU' Entrance, £1. I Triad;:J. 8brin'ett.".;:;:..'......'... 1' I Snowflake', J./Ji Dallistbn;..... 2 ' Alma, J. 8ennett........ 3 • • . . • ' ■" Sixth' Race. (12 %), Waka< Taua:'canoes;1 Ist prize, £20; 2nd prne,£s. Entrance, £1. • ' . SILV-E.'R'^fC'Ui.B:,/.-.;- - . ' ri ■■■'■. Sevestth TRace7;-'::-;v ;i'. '' ;. ■ ."■ V-30)' Open: Cargo Boats?to sail with' usual lwork- "\ L< ing canvas only. Ist prizev Silver Gup/and ,! £15 ; 2p'rize; £10 ; 3rdprize 5. /^Entrance; !;• .|" Tea2er,J. Bennettr.;.i'.'.;....'./...: 1 C Tarn: O'Shanter.-G. Short 2 -1 ;• Tickler, j. C0p1and......,......;,.. 3,, >„. ."-• ■. .; ■ •■•■, :\ <. . EIGnTH liACEt"' f ','..:'.'{ '.' n ... i■, ■' ■■, ■'■ ', v.-' • (2 p m ), Sailinjg'yessels from ' tliree'itp/'teri ; ions,*: Ist pri'2e"i;£iq'}!2n'd'prize,'£s!.. „Ehtra,nce, 10s. / Echo; Captain' King/, .i.'. i 1,.: i:;.: 1' • J New Year/'G'/S:' Graham.,.:'.. 2 ' 1 Foam, H. Fenton 3

! ,Tlie rFparu.and Eoho,fouled V, the.connnenceincut of 'the, race, and cayriecl-away tiiGiv topmasts against the'1 jib-boom o'f'-tHo Flagship!' A protest has been entered by the Foam's representatives again stftiib Echo's taking theraces but the-Committee have UAt yet decide)!. ,The opinion on board, tliq Flagship ';'/;; ; ■/. ', '', (2.30.); Dingys 'not-exceeding teiv feet keel,' to'be !» , pulled by Boys sunder:< 1.C, ; years! of. age. ' Ist , prize, £3 ;,2ud prize, 1,-,l3ntraiice 3s. Yoin%Teazer,R.vSlarsiiall.....; 1 Chips^ (Cbri^ay^A...!A;il..:;.. ' 2 :! ■■ Jolly Miller) Il<McßrigTity....l. 3 ; , Young Favourite, J.A11en...... 4

i We' have,to congratulate the, Bay, of* Islands, on, winning the Whale-boat race. : 'It was aneksy beat, • the< victor, crcAv^ taking; tlie lead' frouV the start,; slackening'their; pace/from tiihe. to time, and walk- ' ing away, apparently just when it. pleased them; ,i Tlie 'crew consisted of i Mr. Irving, IVIr.-Howe, two ' Messrs.'EdmondSj-anid Mfesrs/WillianYs' boys.' "The1 boat,1 cedar builti, tfrbm:Mi\lrVirig?s 'yard; as 'one of tihe prettiest models we ever saw. She was bought ; for,«£sQ; by the.•.Maories,., before the rate, it being ; stipulated.that the engagement was to remain with \ Mr.-Irving and'erew,' l who had rowed her down to Auckland frOta tlie Bay .—Southern'Cross. ' ■■ '.v ■■-■ ■ ,\/-- Tiiiii;st'iiiM'; p6sTAX-'si!if\i'idE.:r-: l: •' . '■ ' The/New Zpalander'h,asithe following:---' ••:■ • ';.'' . ; We, ]Vave lv beem.,requested'!j)y jthe ::cornmitt.ee of ,• memorialist's,'to publish the followingcommunication ; .from'the Colonial Secretary inWswer to the memo■rial ; from, tlie iate meeting of; inhabitants of Auckland ou;the above subject. ;. ; ; : i ; | .' i It. r is. so. far ..satisfactory) that it contains a-frank., cidmissioil tliaij.a more advantageous route might be laid' down thatr'the oneaib present adopted—and, that/.it contains i-'a promise that when the Goverh--'■rnen',t'."!is fully enabled toidosoj" every: effort shall be made to,establish ; such -moreadvantageous/route. ;The less 'satisfactory.character,of, this part, of, the ,:reply!-is) tlie uncertainty''in', wlncli, th'e'pepple of, :i lAuckland; -left- as1 to the further 'time'that maybe deemed"'requisite.>to eriableithe. General Govern,menj;:tb:enter ; upon and complete the reform so /requisite.1; //,.',, .. 'a: ■,■ ■'•'"' :: : -//■;.v '■--■■ •.<■ / | The ■ explanation1"to' show that there will not be. 'any-unnecessary delay'in* re-shipping'the mails' for. Auckland,/is ;satisfactory,:bn;: the-supposition that •the existing,route-will be altered,;so;that:Auckland ' beconlespne/of the ports, of^ first, arrival from Australia;! since past, delays' wiirth'eti' be' thought no/ mbre of;; otherwise it hardly meets tlie main cause :of complainturge'd in the meraorial,-^fbr in" despite the " delay at Nelson and New Plymouth in transilu not exceeding in the whole thirty-six, hours," there ,'isj the fact; that little; mbre than two days; arV. allojved to the niost iriiportant commerciarproviricb1 ' to; spirt-,. distribute, : f and answer, each English and Sydhey;.maiL. ;It. is in fact almost impossible Ybr.i merchants, and. traders,, or ( any parties .residing., beyond the' im'meidia'te city and suburbs of Auckland,: ever'to be" able to reply tb'tlieirletters'byihe return! mail,no matte^jh6wsurgent' their "import,^ while all: the other, provinces'are allowed ample opportunity to1, sort, and' .'distribute the~ mails and to /receive the returnf correspondence, evert from the .most distant districts' inj time- ;for -the next home mail. Auckland thus at present suffers a double injustice^—namely,r the,; "unnecessary; and easily 'avoidable .delay in , the .receipt of- ; her English and Australian 'mails, and, tlie; very .short / time afforded tfor-'the1 consideration' and answering of her letters—-hardly ever more than two days, sometimes ' no;t more- than one clear' day.; ' This fact meets with allusion'from the" Colonial Secretary's reply. : , It is; somb'what" singular that the considerate, quite-as much- as: economical, abstinence'1 Of the Auckland Government and Legislature from following the example set by two provinces—:(an example not a little" condemned atthe^time as unfair, alike to the "Cblbhikl Government and to the steam contractors)—of subsidising' "steamers for that purpose at .their, own expense'/'shouldonow be" cited■' to '■ tlie , memprialists as aiSufficient answer:tp. ;the.temperate complaintVr that; the ..most important .'commercial: province of tlie doldnyUs excluded from tlie. benefit' of; direct steam intercburse 'with LAustralia. The answer reads rlike a curt exposition of. : the old text, il Those who give .least: trouble,;shall have the small- ' est attention paid eyen to their just, requests." •.,:' ■' in the answer to the third' resolution we concur, and have- little-reason1 to; tliink' that'; anjr Of' the meniorialists! will avail. Jthemselve> of the" ;optibn; '■ proffered .to them.; of (having their .individual, lettersC . brpuglif ffrpm Australia by.sailing; y.essels, ( although. . the] SteanvTo'stal1 'Service is not;, at' present, as well arranged as it might and w_e.hope will yet be. „.' : '■■;'■'. Colonial'Secre'tar'y's'Office, ':' '.; : d ! ■:;'.;•> h '■■■■'■: Aubkland,h2tli'January]-1859; :' „ .; Gentlemen;—l have the honour, by-thei direction r lof the^CplQiiial Secretary,,to ] acknowledge, thejjrerrt .'ceipfrbif the' memorial,I;presented to, Hi s; Excellency ; 'the Goveriior'by yoil 1 bn bfehal'f of;a Public' Meeting,; held in Auckland on the 15th ultimo;:respecting the ! contract r recently entered c;into:by: the Lords' of Admiralty with,1 Messrs.tPearson. and; Coleman fpr ;; the] conveyanceof Her Majesty's Emails between ,'certain places, specified^ therein, in Australia and New 'Zealand..r,.: •:: ";••■•-• '"^ ;;-' '''-1 '■;. :V V": •■-. nln reply, lam tpinform the memoxalists that the ! iGoyernrnent agrees; with them.that a^preiadvan-., tageous route—regard being .had ; tpr .the interests of. ; the) wfiofe Colony-^-than'th'at! ;laid "down in" the conY tract in, question mightl be taken Isy tliei steamers,1 and the ,- Government; -\ whiclij is ;anxiously. consider- ; lingjtheiquestionj^illimake, whenit is fully enabled■to do 'so, bVeyy effort' ,to establish, such. a. route. ■. ;;;With: ■respect;- to!the second .resolution contained; 1 in: thevimemorial, it'-is'-erroneous to'suppbsb that' there is [ ,any ;ri&k;of. the.LAucklandMails: riot being re-shipped. for some;, days at Nelson, or ; New PlyK; moutlij in consequence' of their beiiag taken, to those . .places/era'foMte for Auckland.'; No delay;in"forward^ ' ing the mails for"Auckland can occur at these places;. beyond the number oft hours which ihe contract requires [the mail, vessel to remainat each ;0f these. ports.",'""'. In instance bf' this, -it. may, .be .pbserr • Ivedi ihat'v^h'e :;last l October '' 'English', /mail for ; Auckland, wllidh only; 'arrived at' Sydney' on the afternoon of the 15th Of December, reached Auckland on.the 25th..0f the; ; same/month at .nopn,,the delay atiJelsoriand; Nbw'/Plymouth in .fransifu not. exceeding in the -whole' tiiirt>y-isix hours.'.. It ma^ also be observed that, if some of the other provinces/ have at' present ; more/direct intercburse hy steam with Australia than Auckland has, it is ; because: they subsidize steamers for that purpose at their own expense. / ' / , v ,'■ .-/,'...' .:■..-<■ With respect to • the%rayer contained in the 3rd resolutions the- Government; being itself largelyiri--terested in the speedy/arrival of /letters, .received.by-, it from England, w:buld npt.be. justified, in ,consentr f ing to a slower,and-mbre 1 uncertain mode of conveyance for its letters than the present one, even admit- . ting, as it does, that/the latter may.be improved; It also believesvthatif,-the,Auckland/rnails; were, decp'atched'from Sydneyrby sailing vessels, the arrival of thosb mails would be materially retarded—as was proved by the September arid October mails (the' only ones as yet forwarded by the new steani route) reaching Auckland in both cases sooner than if they had been transmitted by sailing vessels— and cannot therefore consent to .require the Auck-, | land: Mails to be sent ,by, sailing vessels, unless a ! demand to that effect be prepared universally by the inhabitants of that province. ■To test this question a public meeting might be called (not less than ten days'; notice of such meeting being; given to enable country settlers to 'express ;an opinion) for' the specific; purpose of determining whether the mails- should be conveyed by,sailing vessels or by theitn ter-Ciql.otiial vessels. ■'„.., , ; ; : . /.-. , ; v,. /;_•■ As, hqweyer, it is.prpposed. that the New Zealand, mails be'sorted at Melbburhe, untii^lie arr,. rangements'^sbme time' since 'submitted' to the Jm^ periat Gbyef il'meht)',' for their being sorted it the ] General PpstOffice in London", or in transilu between England and Australia, are carried into effect, I ani 'desired - to. state that letter's addressed- to the mtfnorjalislsMemSelves can^b'e ordered, if they desire it, to ;b'e Be^t.liy'bailing vessels;: ' - ■-, : . . - "in" order to remove rnisconccpttons, which possi»b!yva.rise' on;, the jwhole subject,. I an^' further ,tp.r,c- , • marli; imftm portibnbf. the cblony, pays.any part, ; to' .^tHe1 inier-dolbnial sliare pf/ijhe y)»& y defraVe'd''by tne' Imperial.'GovefhthenS alone, and-if the' English mails were cohveyfed s to Auckland by sailing vessels, the province would", still be liable tor

[its prpprir'tioriate' shai'e .of jtiic subsidy" which is paid ;t6'the lnter-colpnial'^teanV Company for the Intcriprovincial service.,. ''.',"...•.',• , 1 have tho'horipr to Jb>e,. tiontiemen, | . Your .very "ohjudient servant,/ "<'■,<. '..,,..- ,'.. 1 •'" ?i"''"" '■'. j! ■.\.AV'/> GlßßtiiiyfaV'tfiHlcrVSjccretavy. jMessrs^W. T?attray J ' ; > and'othe^ ..-.- '. : The;'■ Kanaka:1 MWviii '*tiix'tiicyJ.ty.t-- We are sorry io he'av tliat'iilie dispute between tlj'e Kaipara and the/'VVairba' niiiiyesyelatiye to the right of pos-. session' 'of the ;ian'd a.long'thei .AVair/oa / river,,is riot only rib' 'nearer .pEicifjc Settlement, but that .an out-' break' appe'drs '"irictfci. than -ever imminent./. Tho Wairoa.natives (whb are under Parori and Tirarau) haye had two written warnings to leave the land and return to theiroriginal district; but this they will.not dp exedpt under;compulsion.,. Tlie Kaipara na'tives'(who are. under Pailtea), on their part, have been and are buyiiig guns.and powder in, preparation for, an attempt.to drive 'off tJie/Wairoa natives. If this attempt shpuid be .made, a keen struggle will/in,all probability ensue, and at present no one can say lipw' many ti;ibes will <be' involved in the dispute;'', The European's residing .in the, district arp hot, so; far as' we can .ledrri, under, ariy.apprehensions on-their account, and will not, quit the lyjjairoa even r - should tlie con tending! claimants have 'Vecourse to actiiali warfare to decide m yvliom the .ownership of this1 fine .district' is ;re^lly '.iahd legitimately vested. If !ppssibie| it is' rriu'ehV'tp be; desired,that, a fresh ' effort slioitld be. made to mediate''between opposing pal'ties, jind bring abpui an amicable arrange^, r meiit Pf' a dispute which: has lasted.' so .long, and • which 7 'in' addition to the.! Toss; of <; li£e ? among,,the belligerents to'be apprehended, operates so adversely, ; against'1 the e^.tdnsiori;of European settlement in this part of the western portion of this province.— 'New Zealdnder, Jkh.1 29.' '■". ", ■..-.. ..'.",■ .''.,,'. ; „ . : ! Coal to the "noeth of New Zealand;—ln.his rlsport— which we re-pubiished the other day—upon ■ the results of liisExploratibn;during.the s'.tay of the; ; Austrian, Expedition in Auckland, DrV-HochstetVer" •remarked that •'the-Drury and .Hunua-'Co'al-field.'ia ; iri reality but a part of a'large Basin,of.. Teritiary. formation, extending, over, a considerable portion of the Province ofAuckland."." And.in describing the 'Eastward and 'Westward bbiiindaries.'of"this Basin, he prbceeds; thus :;^-" On tlie eastward the line runs 'across the islarid of Mptutapu.'tb the east oif Tir;tiri-\----matangii between; Motuketi.:and .Kaw.au, aci'oss Takataii Peninsula towards C!ape: Eodney....Thence :it tuTris to ,the westward, "along a'rahge of hills of older geological^ fprmatipn^running' to the West Coast, and following that coast to W«aik'atq;Pleads.", Among'the. nunrerous parties': by," whoiri this .Report was carefully perused' was Mr. Macmillan 6^ Wangapi'aoa;, and hot satisfied; with .merely: reading, he r resolved^ to/,test the accuracy of the.deductions arrived at' by Dr.: Hochstqtteri'frora the, information furnished to him .by Messrs. Heaphy. Purchas, and. other geological irives'tigatbr^.' ,' Heat price set to wbrlctb'searchat Wangapraoaahd Point Rodney— "whether also at Takataii Pehinsuia we are hot certain; and his labour has not. been fruitless., In • both piaces'he foim'd coal, specimens of whicli he has brought to Auckland. The coal found at Wangapraoa is pronounced by Dr. Hochstetter to be of the same description as the.Drury CoaL That found at point Rodney appears, to belong, to a. secondary (Cretaceaii) formation,/and to. be of the same kind (that is tpbelbng tb'a sirhilar period) as the thin layers of coal visited by Dr. Hochstetter the other, day a few miles below the Waikato Heads ; but a more minute exaitiiriatibri is of course requisite before a positive opiniori ; Tipon that point is pronounced-. These discoveries, for. which, Mr., Macmillan deserves high credit, stfikirigly bear put the ..theory above quoted as:to the extent arid bearings, of the Goal-fields of Aucklarid; and afford every encouragement for the prosecution of more complete and accurate geologic investigation: They should offer: powerful inducement to other settlers to,. do; as Mr. Macmillan has done, arid-to .communi--cate the results, no matter how seemingly insignificant, to Dr. Hochstetter ;. for it should be borne in mind that every fresh,, disco very :. contributes -not ■ merely to the prbmotioriof individual prpsperity, but to the welfare of the whole Province, and indeed the Colony. Should tliese first indications of, extensive coal-fields along' the shor.es of' the Gulf of Hduraki, and within easy and .economical water--carriage of Aucklarid, result as favourably as did the fir^t indications of the Drury and Hunua Coal-field^ the' discovery could not haye been made at a more opportune j unciture for Auckland.; The question of the Pahama.Rpute isi agajn.agit^tqd, with;brighter pros- „ pects 9f:^successthan heretbfpfe t j .a^nd the existence of an abu/ridarit supply' bf coal close: to the water's edge, as itwejei/in theNbrthern .part of. thisislaiid, wiil., have* a powerful influenceVin deciding whicli shall .be'-., thd port pf: call in''New.1. Zealand/ for the ocean stea-. mers; on their way to Austr/ajia b!y. ; , New Zealand,/ and vice versa.' Then, too, hi a few weeks we shall; be having steam communication' between Auckland and the East Coast by means of the " White Swan." which the/G'dverrimerit have decided to place on that important but at present, neglected, coast; and the certainty- of .^Tegular and economical supply of Coal'willdp f^r /mope^thdn a- nioriey-subsidyj which has to.beieipended. in.the purchase of Australian and British! cpali in making steam navigation a' pro--fitableas well as r useful .enterprise.— New Zealdnder, February 2nd. '■ !';. / // ;