ARRIVAL OF THE ENGLISH MAIL (VIA SUEZ), AT HOKITIKA.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 54, 3 February 1872, Page 5

ARRIVAL OF THE ENGLISH MAIL (VIA SUEZ), AT HOKITIKA.

The Ilangitoto arrived here at 6 a.m. She left Melbourne on the 23 nd at 6 p.m. Passengers Captain John Stewart, Mr Todd, Mr and Mrs Harris, Miss and Master Fraser, Mrs D. M*Eachren, Mrs G. Watkin and family, Messrs Davis, J. Patterson, Mitchell, Preshaw, John MTntosh, J. W. Shanklin. The branch steamer Alexandra arrived at Glenelg at eleven at night on the 17th. The Bangalori anchored in the bay on the morning of the 19th. Dates from London to December 1; telegraphic to the 23rd. Galle, December 27. Strong head winds Caused the delay in the arrival of the mail. There is a long list of passengers, but none of much note. The Prince of Wales is still alive. According to the latest, bulletin he is progressing slowly but steadily. The Queen has returned to Windsor, Friendly relations on the Continent continue. Wool is firm. Consols ninety-two and a half to five eigths. Copper firm. Tallow easier. London, Dec. 1. The wool sales commenced on the 23rd of November and closed on Dec. 7th. There was catalogued to date thirty-eight thousand six hundred bales. The attendance of foreign and home buyers was large and competition was very brisk. At the commencement September prices were fully supported ; afterwards, combing, clothing and scoured wool from Sydney, Melbourne or New Zealand brought a peuny and three half pence advance. The next sale commences on the eighth of February. The market is healthy and active and encouraging for buyers. The cotton market is quiet. The Alexandrina arrived from Auckland with one hundred and ninety bales of New Zealand flax. Since the 18th of November the market has been very firm. Fifteen hundred bales have been offered at auction. All were sold at prices showing an advance of thirty shillings per ton for the month. Considerable business has also been done for American in second parcels at twenty-seven to thirty pounds per ton. There is a good demand for low sorts at £23, but qualities very scarce. The kauri gum market remains quiet. 3000 cases were offered at auction. A portion sold at 10s to 12s for dressed, and 35s fid to 50s for bright well scraped sorts. Tallow.—Shipments from Australia for the month have been short, and the market has hardened for Y.C. Australian mutton, 47s to 48s; beef, 45s to 465. New Zealand securities : Sixes, 110 to 112; fives, 102 to 103 ; consolidated sixes, 111 to 114. New Zealand Loan and Mercantile, J- to § premium ; Trust and Loan, 14 to If premium ; Otago and Southland Investment, f to f premium ; New Zealand Bank, 18f to 19f. Bank discount reduced to three and a half on the 13th. No demand for discount at Bank; in the open market there is little enquiry at 3f to 3f. Very little business in the general share market. Government securities are unaltered. Arrivals—Alexandrina, from Auckland ; Wild Deer, Otago; Helenslee, Lyttelton ; Edinburgh Castle, Wellington. Departures—Agnes Muir, November Ist, and Jessie Readman, 30th, Otago; Charlotte Gladstone, 3rd, Canterbury • Naomi, 18th, Auckland ; Tvrol, 30th, Nelson. GENERAL SUMMARY. The captain and officers of the Megasra are acquitted and complimented on their fidelity and bravery under peculiar circumstances. . Australian tinned meats are rapidlv increasing in public favor. - The hull of the Queen of the Thames sold for £350.

Captain Boaden, of the Star of Peace, is committed for trial for assaulting and imprisoning refractory seamen. An extra mail sails this month via Galle. The Nubia sails on February 2, and the Bangalore on the 13th. The Tichbourne case is dragging along slowly. Several witnesses have proved the arrival of the Osprey at Melbourne in 1854, and landing therefrom the shipwrecked crew. The claimants fund’s are failing. LATE TELEGRAMS. December 8. Edward Wilson called an influential meeting in the city for the promotion of the sale of Australian meat. In the great Tirebrace divorce case the respondent is acquitted of adultery. The Prince of Wales’ groom died on the IBth December of typhoid fever. Royalty is triumphaut and republicanism checkmated. Bank rate three per cent. December 16th. The Prince of Wales has commenced to improve and is progressing favorably. Great anxiety has been manifested in America on account of his illness, and prayers have been offered in all the churches. A number of officers have applied to the purchase commission for compensation. The small claimants are mostly satisfied with their treatment. The Tichbourne case for the claimant has closed. Sir W. Fcguson testified to marks of identification on the claimant. The medical examination of the claimant took place on the 19th. An expedition is proposed for the purpose of rescuing Dr Livingstone. The Alabama Claims Commission held a formal meeting at Geneva, and then adjourned to the 11th June. The Londonderry apprentices paraded the streets on Dec 18, and refused to disperse. Cavalry and constabulary turned out and charged the crowd; several of whom were hurt. A great fire has occurred at Rotherhithe. Loss, £300,000; also seventy thousand quarters of wheat. Important correspondence between Granville and Wade respecting missionaries in China has been published. The British American Commission, at Washington, have decided that the United States are not liable for Confederate debts. Due Dumaule and Prince de Joinville, it has been decided, may sit in the National Assembly. FRANCE. Government presented a bill to the Assembly for the restitution of the property of the Orlean’s family. The tone of the Russian press is entirely changed toward Germany ; they advocate the idea of blending the whole Sclave races under Russia. The Dutch Second Chamber has adopted a treaty with England concerning Sumatra. The steamer Delaware, bound for Calcutta, foundered off Scilly Islands, and only the first and third officers were saved. Bismarck, in a dispatch, threatens henceforth to seize French hostages if assassins of German soldiers are not surrendered. The wool sales are closed; over seventy thousand bales were sold, fifteen thousand being for export. The acquittal of Kelly caused great dissatisfaction throughout England, Conservative papers adducing therefrom the worthlessness of Gladstone’s legislation to pacificate the Irish people. The general opinion is that the French Government showed great cruelty in keeping the Communist prisoners so long in suspense. Rossel Ferre and Buigoipe were taken a short distance outside the walls and shot, all dying bravely. Rossel declined to be blindfolded ; his last words were “ Vive la Republique.” December 23. The Queen returned on the 19th. Parliament meets on February 6. Speaker Denison retires. A national subscription has been commenced to restore Warwick Castle. LATEST SPECIAL FROM GREVILLE, MELBOURNE. Hokitika, Sunday. No mention of the Prince’s death is made in Greville’s despatches or the <c Argus” summary. The last reference

thereto in the “ Argus” says that on the 20th the Prince was progressing satisfactorily, and that on the night of the 21st he was reported less quiet.