INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4276, 3 December 1874, Page 3

INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

NORTH ISLAND. AUCKLAND. Motuhoe Island, in the Bay of Plenty, has been leased by the natives for twenty-one years to Mr. Silver, from Tauranga. It contains 250 acres, and is about to be stocked with first-class sheep. . The whole of the single girls by the Waitangi, with the exccptiou of one, have received engagements. Many of the single men have also obtained employment. The remainder will probably be disposed of in the course of a few days. One of the female immigrants (says the Herald) has given the matron a great deal of trouble since her arrival at the depot. There is no doubt that the girl is insane ; she had been nominated to Auckland by her friends residing at Grahamstown, but that any person of unsound mind should have been placed on hoard the ship in London and sent out to this colony seems that now she has arrived her friends will look after her, which at present does not seem to he the case, as she is left to shift for herself. The latest from Ohinemuri, the Coromandel Mail reports, is that Te Moauanni, whom Mr. Mackay said was humbugging, has come to, and has settled up accounts. It is said the whole of the hill country is now secured to the Government, but that the natives are holding off about the flats. This difficulty will no doubt soon be got over. Te Hira’s nephews have declared in favor of a general opening up of the country, and Mere Kura has at last given in. • We regret to observe from our Wangarei correspondent’s letter, says the Herald, the decease of an old and respected settler at that township, on the 13th instant, namely, Sir Osborne Gibhes, Bart. The deceased baronet had been in declining health for some time. Early in life he had served in the Army, and on his retirement from the service settled in the West Indies, ultimately making his final home in New Zealand. He was called to the Legislative Council, where he performed his duties with honor until the infirmities of age precluded his attendance. The deceased baronet had completed his seventy-first year. His remains w T ere borne to their last resting place by relays of old soldiers,’ owing to his former connection with the service, and Freemasons, of which order he was a distinguished member. A large number of settlers were also present. The funeral service was conducted by the Right Rev. Dr. Cowie, Bishop of Auckland. The present baronet. Sir Edward, is at present residing in Wellington. Mr. W. A. Wilson, the commissioner appointed to acquire native land in the district on the part of the Government, has opened negotiations with the natives for a number of extensive blocks still in their hands, the gross area of which may he roughly set down as amounting to 450,000 acres. It is rumored that the Waikato railway line will be opened as far as Drury on the 12th of next month.

(From the Bay of Plenty Times, November 21.) We have every reason to believe that White Island, hitherto an almost sealed book to both Europeans and Natives, will ere long become the basis of an industry of great importance. Dr. Hoohstetter includes White Island in the Lake country. He defines the Hot Spring country as commencing at the northern base of Ruapehu and Tongariro mountains, at the southern end of Lake Taupo, and thence extending in a north-easterly direction for a distance of 150 miles to White Island. The island abounds in immense deposits of sulphur, and has a large lake in the centre ; fresh deposits were found on the occasion of the last trip of the steamer. It is this inexhaustible supply of sulphur which will cause the new industry. The island was purchased a few months ago by ‘Messrs. J. A. Wilson and William Kelly, M.H.K., from the representatives of the late Mr. Tapsell. They leased it to Messrs. Stewart and Appleby, of Auckland, but owing to these parties not having fulfilled the conditions of the lease, a re-entry has been Tkr. -r - I—o 1 —o- — -■ chemical firm in England of undoubted position is in treaty with Messrs. Wilson and Kelly for the lease of the island, and there is no doubt whatever that if the negotiations are perfected the firm will go into the speculation with energy, and do the thing properly. Tauranga will probably be selected as the depot for the operations of the company, and the most likely spot chosen would be Monganui. The company would have a steamer running between the depot and the island, and ship the sulphur direct to London, thus saving both the time and expense of sending it to Auckland for transhipment. The agent will shortly visit the island for the purpose of judging of its capabilities for himself. TARANAKI. The Nevrs says a cart horse has been poisoned by eating the rangiora shrub, commonly known as the white leaf. The animal was in a state of recovery when we saw it, and was eating heartily of clover. When standing, there was nothing particular observable in it, but as soon as it moved, it became evident that it was suffering from partial paralysis of the limbs. The poisonous principle of this shrub is worth chemical investigation, on account of the effect it has on the nervous system. HAWKE’S BAY. Mr, Garry, now engaged in sinking an artesian well on the Spit, Napier, for G. E. G. Richardson, Esq., has reached a depth of 315 feet ; the rods still indicate alluvial deposit. Napier is looking forward with some little impatience to the time when his Excellency the Governor shall please to declare the town a Borough under the Municipal Corporations Act. Nor is this to be wondered at when it is remembered that many works of the highest importance to the welfare of the town are being held over, or cannot be commenced, until Napier is declared a Borough. A meeting of merchants and shippers was held on the 23rd November, in the Council Chamber, at the invitation of his Honor the Superintendent, to consider the best means to adopt to render the management of the wharves more satisfactory to the mercantile community. The wharf management presents at Port Ahuriri (says the Telegraph) peculiar difficulties such as are not met with either at Wellington or Auckland. At both of those latter ports there is but one landing place, from whence goods cannot be removed without passing through the gates between the wharfinger’s offices. At Napier, there is no wharf properly speaking, but open quays, alongside which vessels can unload, and carta remove the cargoes without let or hindrance, and the peculiarity of the harbor prevents the adoption of regulations that are found satisfactory elsewhere. The Government (the Telegraph adds) should erect receiving sheds and appoint a wharfinger and assistants, and to meet the expense, increase the 'wharfage duos from Cd. to 2s. per ton. The wharfinger, it is also suggested, should be harbor master. It is intended to erect a Sunday school at Waipawa at a cost of about £SOO. All the immigrants, cx Bobington, married and single, says the Times of the 27th November, have been engaged. Mr. McKirdy, the well-known railway contractor, has taken about seventy up to Te Aute, a considerable proportion of them being women and children. This shows what a demand tor laber there is hero. Not long ago married men were objected to; now they are in demand. Until houses can be procured, there will bo ample accommodation provided in tents, which, at this season of the year, can bo made very comfortable. , THK SHIP BKBINOTOH. In the Resident Magistrate s Court, Napier, on Tuesday, E. Cassell, John Hayman, W. Cooper, G. Allan, S. Kellar, and W. Bibby, seamen on board the ship Bebington, were charged by Captain Knight with refusal to obey lawful commands. They all admitted the offence. John Heyman said that on the voyage the captain had told him he would pack him off on arrival, and he now only took him at his word. E. Cassell and ho had been badly treated on the voyage. The ship was a dangerous one—the wheel was so high up that the steersman always ran a risk of being washed overboard. One man had his riba

broken at the. wheel on the voyage. Had never complained of it on board. The captain used threatening language—said he would “fix” the men when he got to New Zealand. Witness did not know what was meant by the threat.—Captain Knight said it was true an accident had happened at the wheel—such as might occur on board of any ship.—W. Cooper said the men were very badly treated—excessively punished. He himself had been put in irons for smiling. The captain said he would keep him in irons all the voyage; but the whole crew demanding his release, he was set free after two hours.—The captain said the man made grimaces on being forbidden to communicate with the immigrants. It was not for this, however, but for subsequent inso- ’ lence and insubordination that he was ironed. —W. Bibby said the crew had been halfstarved on the voyage, but more especially since they came to port.—None of the other men had anything to say.—The Magistrate said the various excuses were of a very trumpery kind. It was quite clear that the present case was one of a kind continually coming before him—wages here were high, and the meu wanted an excuse to break their engagement and get away. Before sentencing them, he would give them a chance to return, Captain Knight being willing to lake them hack ; and he warned them that their sentence would not enable them to evade the return voyage, as the captain could demand any of them to he sent on board in irons before the expiration of the sentence, if required for the navigation of the ship. The men all positively refusing to return, were then sentenced to four weeks’ imprisonment, with forfeiture of two days’ pay. — Hawke’s Bay Times, November 27.