AUCKLAND CONTRARITIES.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 330, 2 July 1875, Page 3

AUCKLAND CONTRARITIES.

The Auckland correspondent 'of the . 'Guardian ' writes :—What do you think of our farming industry, when last month we imported over £7OO worth of butter from Australia ? and the price stands now retail at 2s. 6d. for fresh and 2s. for salt On theiQthcr hand what do you think of the climate for midwinter, you can buy new patatoes and green peas ? Another correspondent put's the case of •railway freight'charges in a hovel, if not in a fair light. lie says :—" Rather an amusing incident occurred to-day. Our worthy dealer in fresh meat came downjust as the train was- starting this evening with a sack tied at the mouth, and asked the slationmaster what the freight would be to Papakura? The reply was 2s. 7d. The exporter stood aghast. " What," says he, "■ 2s. 7d ? '"Why, it is only a bullock's head, and the price of it Ts only eighteen pence !"• And with that he put it"on his shoulder and walked away." Here , is a'problem for Mr. Passmore" to solve: If the freight for a bullock's , head from Mercer to Papakura costs 2s. 7d. .what would a whole carcase cost from Mercer to Auckland? .

-. There are great complaints of the mis - management of the Mercer railway. Timber urgently needed here was pitched 5 ' off a considerable distance from Mercer and. left rotting. \ The passengers boast,of beting able to, go through, eifheF~way without paying: . The" guards are uncivil, and;the whole railway officials, unequal; ; to i-.their sudden elevation, have .- lost, their heads,. A man at Te Rbre purchased, pigs for the Auckland market, but was. disappointed by delay in transmission.' The pigs are now dying. Another passenger dms been charged for his luggage at the; rate-of. sBB. per ton from Auckland.. , , •; ; .

The stoppage of the capitation allowance and the sums due under the Native Land Purchase Act. amounting to about £4OOO, has completely crippled the Province, and upset altogether the calculations of the Provincial Treasurer. Workmen engaged .upon.the roads in various parts of the Province have not been able to., obtain their dues.rand have consequently had'to knock off, and no money .can be. advanced for anything beyond, of course,ProvinciatGovernment officers' salaries ; they must be paid, come what may. Of course the papers are indignant at the course.taken by the General Governrnenti and, seek"to t "relievei their bile by pouring put their wrath upon the, condition of affairs which" allows Otagb' and' Canterbury to have balances in ..the bank while Auckland, is." stonebroke."

All this is rather lively if true ; perhaps it may be taken with allovVances.