AUCKLAND.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 78, 13 August 1873, Page 2

AUCKLAND.

[from a correspondent.]

With regard to the Superintendency, I think that the chances at present are in favor of Williamson. He has been a long time in the field, and, for some months, he has been making a personal canvass in the Province. He will be strongly supported by old friends, who think that he cannot do wrong, and he is also backed by the Wesleyans and a goodly number of the Irish. With all his faults, I think that wc might get a worse man. Ido not think that J. S. McFarlane has a chance He has just been most dreadfully beaten in his first attempt viz., the election for the House of Representatives for the Bay of Islands district —Williams headed the poll with a large majority, and J. S. McFarlane only getting 30 votes. There was a rumor that he had retired from the Superintendency, but he still keeps his address in the papers. Dargaville is a merchant here, formerly manager of the Union Bank in Auckland. He is the resident partner of Must & Co. He will be supported by the Mercantile Community of Auckland. Mr. Lusk has been very badly received by the electors at his various meetings, the accounts of which jjoti will have seen in the papers. He is likely to be defeated on the question of the Education Tax, which is very unpopular here with the lower and laboring classes. With regard to separation—Poverty Bay from Auckland —I think it would be a great mistake. Mr. McLean has for a long time been nibbling at your district, and would like it to be annexed to Hawke’s' Bay, thus making that small Province into a powerful district. I question if you would be any better off, even if you could cut the cable which binds you to Auckland. I would advise patience ; wait until you get the telegraph started, which will bring you into notice, at present Gisborne is out of the world. I am in hope that the settlers in Poverty Bay will in the course of a few months be in a position not to exactly dictate to the Government, but to firmly demand the necessary works and expenditure which may be required for that important part of New Zealand.

Mr. Vogel appears to think his party quite strong enough for anv purpose. His alteration of the existing duties, to the old ad valorem system is not wise. It will lead to smuggling, and false invoices, and require a large staff of Officials to properly carry out the work in a regular manner.

I may as well inform you that Mr. Thompson, the persevering travelling agent of the Australian Mutual Provident Society will shortly pay you a visit. He is a most dangerous rival, and has done immense damage to the Government Life Insurance. Indeed, I have heard the remark that it would be wise in the Government to give him £lOOO per annum to get rid of his opposition. I have seen the plans of Caulton’s new hotel in Gisborne. It was understood that it should be called the “ Masonic Hotel,” an< l that the designs would include all convenience* for the accommodation of a Masonic Lodge, but I do not see anything of the kind in the plan*. We badly want regular steam communication to Gisborne. I told Mr. Lodder, manager of the Auckland Steam Co., that you want a good steamer of light draught to go over the bar, and make regular trip*; he thought such a coure* would be advisable.