TAHITI.

Southland Times, Issue 978, 1 July 1868, Page 3

TAHITI.

(From the " Southern Cross," 11th June.) The schooner 'Neva/ which arrived from Tahiti yesterday, brings some items of news, which may be found of interest to our readers. "We learn that Bishop Pompallier, accompanied by his niece, left in the French transport ' Chevert,' Captain D'Estienne, on the 14th of May, for Callao. The Imperial Commissioner and the chief officers of the French Government escorted his Lordship to the vessel, followed by almost the entire population of Papeete and the surrounding district, and the military firing a salute of twenty-one guns, with the customary flourish of trumpets. The procession is said to have been exceedingly grand, and the universal attention and respect evinced towards his Lordship during his stay at Tahiti created in him great reluctance in bidding goodbye to the island. Queen Emma, her husband (George Pomare), and family, after an absence of nearly two years at Owyhee, returned to Tahiti on the 6th of May. When the vessel came alongside the Government pier a salute of 21 guns was fired ; the military formed a line on each side of the pier, and the natives assembled in thousands to greet their Queen, and escort her to her palace. The prospect of the visit of His Royal Highness Prince Alfred produced extraordinary excitement. Great preparations were made all over the island, natives and Europeans uniting in one common resolve to render his reception all that their means could afford, or their ingenuity invent. The schooner * Zillah,' respecting which vessel we have from time to time informed our readers, has been sold by the French Government for a breach of contract. The proceeds of the sale amount to 4000 dollars. The sum of 3000 francs is offered by the Government for the apprehension of Captain Wyatt, and it was rumored that the 'Chevert,' on her way to Callao, would put in at the adjacent islands with a view to gleaning information as to his whereabouts. It is thought, however, that he is concealed on the island of Tahiti. No news, confimatory or otherwise, is brought respecting the reported murder of Captain Hayes. The Kate Grant had sailed for New Caledonia on her way hither, and the Eugenic arrived at Tahiti after a good passage of 24 days, and was to follow the Neva in a fortnight. The administration of the Tahiti Cotton Company hasten to inform the public, and particularly the planters of cotton, that, by a letter received from London, M. Soares has nTade known to Mr Stewart that 300 bales of cotton, weighing about 105,000 kilogrammes, forwarded via New Zealand by the ship 'Warwick, have realised at public sale 5 francs 70 cents per kilogramme for the first quality, and 3 francs 89 cents for cotton gathered in the wet season. The long silk cotton of the plantations and the cotton of Tahiti are now in demand upon the spot. The harvests in Georgia have been bad, and this increase in the selling price is likely to be maintained for the planters, of which they will do well to take advantage by extending and bestowing greater care on their cultivations.