AUCKLAND.

Southland Times, Issue 1027, 25 September 1868, Page 3

AUCKLAND.

(FEOM OTTR OW2T COERESPOITDENT.) Auckland, Sept. 3, 1868. There has been but little excitement of late, as far as politics are concerned. The agitation against the " poll tax" has., to some extent, subsided, but this arises from the fact that the ordinance will not be put into force previous to the next sitting of the Council, when it is expected it will be revoked. The Provincial Government is trying hard to stop the efforts being made to get Shortland declared a county ; it has resolved that a member- of the Executive shall reside on the goldfields, and liberal promises are being made as to what may be done when the Council assembles. Captain Cooper, one of our representatives, has been holding public meetings, and speaking very j i strongly in opposition to the county sysi tern. He condemned Mr Stafford and j all the Ministry, and regrets deeply that • the Auckland members nave failed to act in unison, some voting systematically with the Government, and others as constantly with the opposition. Upon a motion in favor of the continuance of the provincial system been brought forward by Captain Cooper, an amendment was proposed by Mr M'lekone, M.P.C. to the effect, that a system of local self-govern-ment for the country districts, devoid of salaried officers or nominees of any governmefttj is imperatively required in this division in lieu 1 of the present provincial institution." The attendance was not large, but very rowdy. After a considerable quantity of talking on both sides, the meeting was adjourned without either motion or amendment having been put to the meeting. The success of the consolidation of loans is now beginning to be app eciated. It will cause a savin g of £50 0 a year to this province, and if we cau out get our mining revenue, we shall be able to do something in the shape of public works for Shortland, which is much needed. The retrenchment here has been great, and the Government is now carried on at a cost of only £3000 per annum. The proposal of a Sydney firm to lay on a steamer to trade between Sydney and Auckland has been carried into effect. The "Hero " is a fine fast boat and just the sort of one required. The Thames goldfields fully maintains their character for richness, and are continually increasing, scarcely a day passing without something new turning up. A large number of miners from the other provinces and Australia have arrived, and but a few are leaving. The town is beginning to assume quite a lively appearance, property is decidedly on the rise, and a feeling of confidence in the progress of the province is generally evinced. The Criminal sittings of the Snpreme Court, is being held before His Honor Chief Justice, Sir A. Arney. On Wednesday 2nd inst., Hemi te Hara a Maori was charged with having committed the crime of wilful murder, at Victoria Vally Mongonui, on the 9th Apiil 1867, by killing a gentleman named Charles William Sydney Smith. A number of witnesses were examined yesterday, but the case was not finished, and the jury were provided with quarters for the night. The evidence appears clear against the prisoner, but there is no guessing the result when a Maori is brought before an Auckland jury. _ The subjoined items of mining intelligence are compiled from the goldfields local journal :— The Golden Crown Claim have had another crushing at Goodall's battery. The gross yield of retorted gold for the month's crushing was 7500z., which was melted at the Bank of Austrasia yesterday. Two ingots were turned out, weighing nearly 600oz. The last crushing of this claim yielded 8770z., so that the large amount of 1,4770z has been the result of two crushings from this rich claim. The Kerry Claim, Waiotahi, on the right of the Caledonia, and near the Robin Hood and Eickett's struck a leader in a working on Wednesday, some 22 inches in width, and took out some splendid gold-bearing stone, in which the precious metal was plainly visible. There are likewise five other leaders on the ground, three of which have given a yield of 460z. to the ton from crushings of picked stone. Seven tons have been crushed. The Dunrbbin. Castle shareholders have crushed 1501 bof stone, and obtained 15dwt of gold as the result. The stone was taken out of a leader 2 feet 6 inches in width. A shaft has been put down 40 feet, from which a drive has been carried. Eight and a-half pennyweights of gold were obtained from 6lb of stone, taken out of the Empress Claim, Waiotahi, crushed with pestle and mortar. The Half- Moon, near the Evening Star and, Eull Moon, Moanataiari, struck a good leader last week, about 2 feet thick, and took out a good prospect. The Star of Fortune Claim, Puriri, purpose erecting a machine on their ground, having obtained from the Commissioner the prior right to a water-race for two sluice heads, and applied for two more. The party started to open out the ground this week, and have struck a splendid goldbearing leader, specimens from which have been exhibited in town, bearing heavy gold of two distinct characters. The Mariner's Eeef Claim is turning out aome first-rate stone from a leader over two feet in thickness which has now been traced for fifty feet from the surface, and is steadily improving as it goes down. : There are six payable leaders in this ! claim, all of which have been traced for a considerable distance from the surface. As soon as Mr Gibbons's mill is completed, the shareholders intend crushing from 50 to 100 tons, which they expect will realise from 6oz. to Boz. per ton. The Coburg Castle Claim, next the Royal Blue on the Moanataiari, contains five men's ground. Some excellent stone has been got out of a shaft the party are now .sinking, at a depth of 30 feeb, and the leader is being followed to a lower level.

The Bank of Ireland Claim, WaiotaW, crushed a sample of stone taken from the reef on their claim in a pestle and mortar, aDd the yield was equal to 42 ounces to the ton. The sample crushed was from a parcel of some 60 tons taken out of the same reef, which is 6 feet in breadth. Lord Nelson Claim, Karaka Hill: This wellknown claim, which still maintains its name as one of the best-paying claims on the Earaka, has just finisned a crushing of upwards of one hundred tons at the machine of Messrs Gibbons and Buckland, with a return of over three ounces to the ton.

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