COLONIAL ITEMS.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume II, Issue 204, 12 September 1874, Page 2

COLONIAL ITEMS.

(FBOM THE ANGLO-AUSTBALIAN PRESS AGENCY) AUCKLAND. September 7. New and substantial buildings are rising in the upper end of Queen Street, Auckland, in the room of those destroyed by recent fires. At the polling for Waitemata, the returns received gave Mr. Von der Heyde a majority of 67. Other returns are yet to come in, but they cannot alter the result. Mr. L. G. Beckham, son of the District Judge, Thomas Beckham, Esq., has received an appointment in England, as' Sub-lieutenant of Engineers. ALEXANDRA. September 7. Rewi has returned the cattle taken from Orakau, less three, which died in the possession of the natives. Upwards of 100 shares were taken up in a flour mill company at a meeting on Saturday. NAPIER. September 7. A correspondent, writing from Norsewood, in the Seventy-Mile Bush, says, “ People are leaving that settlement in large numbers for Wairarapa.” GRAHAMSTOWN. Db. Brown, who was charged with lunacy some time ago, has been fined £5 for a breach of the Medical Practitioners’ Act, not being duly registered. WELLINGTON. September 7. To-day Major Atkinson was sworn in as a member of the Executive. The Post understands that he will be gazetted as Minister of Immigration and Secretary of Crown Lands. Since the action of the Hon. G. M. O’Rorke oil the anti-Provincial resolutions has been known to his constituency and friends, they have been anxious to show him, on his return from Wellington, some mark of their J ‘ high appreciation of his most honorable and self-denying conduct.” At a meeting on Wednesday, after varied propositions, including a public reception, public dinner, &c. had been fully discussed, it was at last resolved to raise a subscription in order to present him with a lasting testimonial in proof of their affectionate uMard for him. The Onehunga corrcspmlent of the Herald says : —“ Amongst this constituency there is but little difference of opinion with regard to the resolutions, and that opinion is that the Provinces ought to go, and that the time has come when they must go, but that they should go all together. For Mr. O’Rorke himself—with the exception of a few sinister carpers, who cannot believe in-a man having purely disinterested motives —there is but one feeling of admiration of his conduct, but it is hoped a handsome testimonial may be given him, to remain as an heir-loom in his family.” The Government wish to obtain a lease of the Murumutu country, owned by Tareha, Renata, Topia te Aroha, and others. White people here are offering 6d per acre for twenty-one years. The Government have given Kemp £3,500 to scatter broadcast among his people; while southern landsharks are trying to obtain his block at threepence per acre for twenty-one years. This place is now crowded with idle immigrants.

It is understood that the manager of the Australian and New Zealand Land Company has arranged with the Government of this province for the purchase of 20,000 acres of the Oroua block. The terms of purchase are that Douglas pays 12s 6d per acre for the land, and undertakes, within a given period, to expend at least £lO,OOO in improving the property and settling seventy families in a special settlement; each family to have an allotment of 100 acres. The transactions have been confirmed by an order in Council.