NORTHERN NEWS.

Southland Times, Issue 1236, 12 April 1870, Page 3

NORTHERN NEWS.

Auckland, March 30th. Mr Collie, of the firm of Collie, Sturfc, and: Co.; San Francisco, arrived here in the Star of the South. He is authorised by Mr "Webb, shipowner, New York, to negoeiate for the establishment of a line through to England via San Francisco, by large steamers of from 3000 to 4000 tons. The route and the terminu3 are both dependent upon the views of the colonies with which the contract may be made. The same company has offered to run a line to Melbourne for a subsidy of £70,000. It is proposed to use steamers considerably larger than those at present ©n the line. The amount of subsidy required is not yet known, but it is expected that it will be larger than that of the present line. The following steamers belonging to Mr "Webb are proposed for the new service : — The Nebraska, 3000 tons, and 850 horse-power ; the Nevada, 3000 tons, licensed to carry 838 passengers; the Dacotah, 3000 tons, licensed to carry 720 passengers ; the Santiago de Cuba, 2000 tons, and 560 horse-power. Mr Samuel Bailley, of the Great Barrier Island, cut his throat in a fit of ft insanity. The Governor has gone for a cruize in the Hauraki Gulf. King Tawhiao is reported to be favorable to the opening up of the Ohinejnuri. : The first New Zealand medal has been received here by Major Hamley. The Hero left for Sydney to-day. She takes 2,3900z. of gold for the Bank of New Zealand. | The following are some of the late crushings : — Inverness, 47 tons, lOOozs amalgam. The Ulna has struck some rich stone. Berkely Castle, 71 ozs ; Golden Crown, for the month, 1525 ozs. Amebica, Feb. 3. The Galilee arrived at Auckland on the 24th March, from San Francisco, after a passage of 51 days. Latest quotations.— "Wheat, $1 30 cto $1 65 c; at New York, flour, $6 50c to $9 £>0c per barrel. The Metropolitan Paper Campany's building at New York, has been burned 4own j loss, $150,000. 200,000 gallons of whiskey belonging to th|B H. "Webster Company have been confiscated for an alleged revenue fraud. George . Wilkes sues the Meld and JFarm newspaper for $20,000 damages. The steamer Santiago de Cuba collided frith Brunette and sunk her. Two fireKen drowned.

The volunteers at Havana killed 300 of a mob who took two men out of Springfield Gaol and hung them. The revolutionary party in Mexico is strengthening. The Legislature of Maine contemplate the abolition of capital punishment. The following telegram has been received from the, Hon. Mr M'Lean via Napier : — April 2nd. Major Ropata attacked Te Kooti's position in the TJriwera country. The fighting against the pah lasted for one j hour. | Nineteen of the enemy, including Hakaraia, were killed. Three hundred were taken prisoners by Kopata and Kemp. Te Kooti, with 20 followers, escaped. The prisoners were to be at Opitiki j yesterday, Friday, except the worst characters. I propose to place some under Ropata 's charge, and some under that of Kemp and Topia. I leave again for the East Coast tonight or on Monday. Donald M'Lean. Napieb, April 3rd. The Star of the South has arrived with Auckland news. The p.a. Luna, lately purchased by the Government for £9,750, when conveying Mr M'Lean from Tauranga to Opotiki, broke one of her cylinders. She succeeded in returning to Tauranga, where some of the engineers on board the Kosario patched her up. She then i ceeded to Auckland, where she arrived safely. A Tauranga correspondent states that I Kemp haß released the prisoners taken by him near Opotiki. Mr M'Lean has gone thither to investigate the matter. A- man named Joseph TJawlinson has been fined £25 for smuggling tobacco at the Thames. The Government store at Petene was burned last night. About three tons of stores were destroyed. ■Wellington, April 3rd. The Tricker Defence Committee have received an answer from the Government I stating that it has been determined to subject the evidence as to the statements ! and admissions said to have been made by the prisoner while in gaol, to the test of a cross-examination, and that two members of the Executive will attend at the gaol on "Wednesday to conduct the enquiry. Mr Gisborne requests the attendance of all witnesses able to give information on that subject, and suggests that the Committee should employ counsel on Tricker's behalf. A private letter received by the mail states that the Home Commissioners have arrived safely in London, and that they had an interview of an hour and a half with Earl Granviile on the 27th of January. April 4th. Dr Grace has been called to the Legislative Council. A private meeting is being held here to-night to consider the propriety of forming a new steam company to purchase the ! plant of the New Zealand Company. April sth. At the meeting held last evening, a resolution was passed in favor of forming a new steam company to buy up the vessels of the New Zealand Company, scrip in the latter company to be taken as cash. Another meeting is to be held to-night. A man named Martin, a drill instructor, haa been arrested on a charge of committing a criminal assault on a girl, 11 years of age. It is reported on good authority that the last Tricker Commission sent in a secret report recommending the convict's pardon on the condition of his leaving the colony. April 6th. Mr Fox and Mr Gisborne attended at the Gaol all day to-day, examining witnesses regarding Tricker's alleged confession some years ago. The AttorneyGeneral conducted the prosecution, and Mr Allen attended on behalf of the prisoner. The Key. A. Stock, and the Hon. J. Johnston were also present, as representatives of the Eelease Committee. The proceedings were strictly private. They will be continued on Friday. The N.Z.S.N. Co.'s coarhulk, with 90 tons of coal on board, sank at her moorings last night. * Nelson, April 6th. Auckland news to the 2nd inst. is to hand, but is unimportant. The Wonga Wonga took about 170 passengers. The notorious prisoner Plummer again attempted to escape from gaol, for which he has been sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment in irons. The exact sum paid by the General Government for the steamer Luna was £9,750. Eleven hundred natives met at Raglan for a tangi over Naylor's grave. Six hundred of them were Hauhaus. The cost to the Raglan natives of entertaining them for a week was £1,000. 62150zs of gold have reached Auckland from the Thames.