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Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 79, 7 August 1863, Page 2

We extract the following from the New Zealandcr.-—"ln. 18G1, Minsters addressed a minute upon the state of the colony to Sir Geoige Grey, from which we extract tho following passage : ' The natives are also much changed within the last seven years. The political agitation already referred to, has done much towards making them forget old feuds, and united them to a great extent in a common cause ; they are also much better prepared for war than formerly. In 1557 the restrictions which Sir George Gicy imposed on the sale of arms and ammunition were released to an extent which may be said to have thrown the sale open. According to an' c-stimate based upon Custom House returns, the Native expended on arms and ammunition, during the succeeding three years a sum approaching, if it did not exceed, fifty thoiisand pounds. This may seem almost incredible. It is a fact, however, that small parties of Natives have purchased at one time whole tons of powder. The Natives • in many places, exhausted their money and their credit in this traffic, and from that period dates the commencement of the evil for tho cure of which we are now enduring and risking so much. When the trade in arms was suppressed in 1845, agi-iculture became a race amongst the Natives, and we were able to export grain .from this port in large quantities with great profit. Since the trade in arms was opened the Maories have scarcely cultivated enough land to supply themselves with, food, and to provide for the reckless extravagance of their frequent feasts. Starvation, at this moment, stares the natives of Waikato in the face, and as a sign of that judicial blindness with which they are afflicted, it may bo noted, that upon the eve of provoking deadly strife with the government, they have sold every pound of flour and potatoes, and every bushel of grain .that they could scrape together within forty miles of Mangatawhiri, There must now be hunger in their camp, and hunger by their council fires." The authorities in the North are resorting to the most stringent measures, in order to saving the town of Auckland from the possibility of a Maori surprise. The Daily Southern Cross, of the 14th inst., narrates the following additional precautionary proclamation : —" All natives are hereby prohibited from sailing their vessels or rowing their canoes to Auckland during the night time. Should they be overtaken by darkness, when contiguous to Auckland, they must remain outside the anchorage until morning. It is further notified that no guns or other weapons will be allowed conveyance tp Auckland by boats.

The Volunteers* of Dunedin have been ordered to return the whole of their fire-arm to the depot, inasmuch as the said arms are required by the General Government for the Noith Island. The measure will, we fear, be somewhat of an extinguisher upon the corps of Dunedin, which, for the time enrolled, have arrived at great efficiency. The Lyttclton Tinies says that several gentlemen- of Canterbury, are about to render this native flax, {phormium tenasc), an available article of export. The experimentalists are all practical men, deeply interested in the development of the resources of the colony, and not to be easily deceived. Wohavebylhr arrival of the Airedale from Dunedin, Melbourne files to the 25th inst. The pressure on our space occasioned by important Northern news forbids a full publication Of Australian intelligence. The latest telegrams do not 1 ell of any very exciting events. As to Adelaide, the new Government contemplate a performance of the well known farce " will you lend me 5s 1 " in order to the construction of public works. The scab is reported to have broken out in the Lower Murray, brought down by sheep from an euphonious place called, the Devil's river, in Victoria. Business is called dull— flour £12 to £12 10. Sydney is slow in the meantime, chiefly occupied ■with reports as to the proximity of more slavers, commanded by officers of Spanishcut. Brisbane is exeitedjust now by ihe arrival of the Montmorency from Livcrp f ol with a number of emigrants, chiefly from the distressed manufacturing districts There is a dearth of news from Melbourne — the latest Argus being chiefly filled with correspon" cl 'nee, Huns after Alpacas, robberies of copper plates by Chinese, Victor Hugo and Poland, and instructive (to some) essays on silk worms. The Monit&ur of the French colony, New Caledonia, narrates the recent discovery of gold in that settlement, and that the whole Island conse. quently gone mad for the time with ecstacy. The latest from Singapore announces that murders have become extremely fashionable ; there having been three within a fortnight in one village. At a Licensing Court held yesterday, licenses were with the. approval of Mr. Weldou, granted to Messrs Roseuthal, Royal Princess Hotel; j West, Blqffßoad; and Harris, Hnrrisville. A twelve o'clock license was ulso accorded to the Royal Princess Hotel. We have had an oportunity of inspecting the new Music Hall in Dee-street to be opened shortly with the English Opera Company. It, is situated nearly opposite to the Prince of Wales Hotel and adjacent to a new Hotel, the Royal Princess Hotel — the proprietors of which hotel Messrs It. sentlial and Seylar are also the proprietors of the Concert Hall. The dimension of the latter are 50 feet by 20. There is a very extensive stage at the end, at the back of which is a suitable r.' tiring or green room. Over the stage is a sepio Princess Royal, who appears at some earlier period o f her life to have done duty as Her Majesty the Queer, herself. A very excellent piano occupies a prominent position on the platform. Altogether the hall has an air of spaciousness and comfort, which cannot but be appreciated by its patrons. The hotel ailjacent is also very excellent of its kind and is conveniently bounded at the back by Mr. C. S. Button's well known brewery H M the Queen has contributed £)0 to the subscription fund for the relief of the widows and orphans of those who in the Orpheus at Manukau Bar Auckland. The inquest upon the body of Perkins which was some time since washed upbore at the Bluff has not come off by reason Isl that it was in an advanced stage of decomposition and 2nd, that it whs taken possession of by a half-caste daughter who pertinaciously refused to give it up. However, upon the return of Mr Walt It. M. by the, Airedale, a inagisteri.il inquiry will take place. It would be well for the "proper authorities to bear in rnitid, that at the time, the new Great Btvtniu (hourly expected at the Blu(F) left London — the small pox was raging very fiorcclv. The Vistory, which left about the snme time has arrived at Port Chalmers with several bad cases on board. Preparations should be made lor placing the New Great Britaiu in suitable .quarantine immediately on arrival.