NORTHERN NEWS.

Southland Times, Issue 1294, 16 August 1870, Page 3

NORTHERN NEWS.

"We take the following telegraphic summary from our exchanges : — Auckland, August 3rd. The Samson's search for the missing etearaer Tauran*a proved fruitless. She must have sunk immediately. Great excitement prevails, and an enquiry into the matter is proceeding. The number of lives lost is seventeen, viz. : — Captain Colger ; the mate, Mr Munro ; Mr Harwood, the engineer ; W. Daveny and C. , Jobson,fireroen;GeorgeOldham, Griffiths, \ Prichard, Charles Low, W. C. fianaorae, W. Forster, crew ; W. Halm, and Kail, stewards ; Christopher Reynolds and W. W. Clifford, cooks ; and T. E. Hector, Land, and Walters, passengers. They leave six widows and 20 children, for whom a large committee are collecting subscriptions. A cutter which has just arrived passed some empty kauri gum cases, spars, and a sailor's chest outside Wangarei, but as the sea was high, and she did not know of the wreck, she did not pick them up. The steamer Challenge and the customs cutter are out in search of the Tauranga. The barque Cantero has arrived, and her case ia being investigated. The Cleopatra, from Fiji, reports that the Lapwing had arrived there from Lyttelton, and the Jupiter from. Picton. Also, that the Dancing Wave had proceeded to the Line Islands, and the Crest of the Wave to the Solomon Islands, for labor. The Argyleshire has arrived from Glasgow with 15 passengers. Two passengers, named R. Nichols and G-. Moffat, died, of consumption, andone, named Gk M'lntosh, was drowned during the voyage. The Excelsior, also, has arrived from London with 80 passengers, of whom half are for Napier. A miner, n: m3d James Steens, has been found dead on the beach at Tararu. An inquest will be held on the body to-day. A cart was upset near Auckland, and two men badly hurt, while one, named M'G-inlay, was killed. The Bella Mary has brought 1000 trout ova, many of which are alive, from Hobart Town. August 4th. The Tauranga's boat has been picked up at Pakri, also a dead terrier dog. A large black dog swam off to the Kennil worth when she was passing Sail Rock eight days after the wreck. The animal^ which belonged to the Tauranga, was sent on to Auckland in the schooner Jessie. A hencoop and other pieces of wreck have been washed ashore. August 6th. The enquiry into the late collision between the Tauranga and Enterprise has ended. The Beach found the latter vessel culpable, for having no lights, but they cannot proceed against the captain as he has no certificate. The case will be resumed on new counts. Mr Robertson, the delegate from Auckland to Sydney, returned by the Wonga Wonga. He succeeded in his mission, the Sydney Chamber of Commerce having recommended Mr Hall's contract, and the G-overnment of New South Wales having promised to propose a subsidy of £10,000 to the Legislature. If this proposal is not adopted, Mr Hall says he will accept the proposals made him from Melbourne. Wellington, August 7th. Nearly the whole of the Estimates, except those of the Native and; Defence Departments, have been passed. Considerable exception was taken to the growing practice of removing official salaries from the direct control of the House by placing them on the Civil last. Mr Branigan's was instanced as an example, as well as those of the G-overn-ment Agents, who receive £700 each. Mr Rolleston made a bitter attack on Mr Ormond, saying that the reasons for the latter'a remarks about Bumbledom were now quite intelligible. Mr Gillies also attacked Mr Ormond, who defended himself, saying that the Government Agency and the Superintendency had been forced on him. He looked upon the latter as entirely subordinate to. the former office, and he only accepted it to enable him the better to fulfil his duties as Government Agent. He had never altered his opinions on the subject of Provincialism, and he would next session bring down a Bill reducing Superintendents to their proper level as the servants, not the masters, of the Provincial Councils. He could not afford to undertake the Government Agency, without payment, but he felt deeply humiliated by the attack which had been made on him by a crew who lived on the colony. Mr Stafford sympathised with Mr Ormond, who had, . he thought, been insulted. Mr Hall said that Mr Ormond had only himself to blame, as no one had ever made more virulent or. unjustifiable attacks upon others. Mr Fox and Mr Yogel warmly defended Mr Ormond, and said that his services to the colony had been incalculable. : Mr Rolleston said he did not regret what he had- said, as Mr Ormond had attacked him and Superintendents generally first/ and without provocation. The Chairman at last put a stop to the discussion. The Reciprocity Bill has been passed. Dr Mehzies, in the Legislative Council, opposed the _ Otago and Southland Reunion BiU,~but he only found seven supporters. . August 9th. Another Imprest Supply of £100,000 has been asked for and agreed to in Committee of Ways and Means. The New Zealand University Bill was read a second time.

Mr Fitzherbert said that he thought the proposed grant should be more than £300 a year, but should be limited to, say, ten years. Mr Bunny said he would oppose any grant to a University while the Government did nothing for primary schools. Mr Tancred and Mr Eolleston objected to the University being localised. They thought it should be merely 'an examining body for the colony generally. On the motion for going into Committee on the Public Works and Immigration Bill, Mr PitzherberVmdde a long speech. He said that he failed to find in its provisions any security that the interests of the colony would be considered paramount to all other interests in the administration of the scheme. He did not think it was the duty of the House to raise ten millions to be spent by the provinces, but by the Bill it would be quite possible to give the whole, administration to them. He thought that a Minister of Public Works and Immigration should be appointed, who should be directly responsible to the House for all that was done under the Act. This Minister should be advised by a Board of professional men, and there should, if possible, be a separate Board for each Island, the Boards, of which the Superintendents should be ex officio members, being entirely subordinate to Ministers. The scheme before the House might involve the contingency of increased taxation, especially if it was imprudently entered upon, and therefore it was their duty, as the representatives of the people, to take every precaution to have full control over its administration. The following Bills have been assented to: — Otago Education Eeserves Abandonment Bill; Canterbury Northern Eailway Bill ; Provincial .Reserved Ordinances Bill ; Vexatious Indictments Bill ; Larceny Bill ; District Courts Criminal Jurisdiction Extension Bill ; Post Office Act Amendment Bill ; Deceased Persons Estates Partition Bill; and Treasury Bills Bill. Hokitika., August 7th. The County Council was prorogued yesterday. In declaring the same, the Chairman expressed his regret that the Fox Ministry seemed determined to ruin and dismember the County, and characterised their conduct towards Westland as " a flagrant violation of Government." The annexation to Nelson of that part of the County to the North, of the Teremakau river is considered imminent. A census of the County, and a plebiseitum regarding the proposed capitation allowance, will be taken during the week. Nelson, August 9th. The Phoebe has arrived from Auckland. She reports that the Wonga Wonga arrived there from Sydney with 40 passengers, and that she sailed for Honolulu on Sunday. It is now ascertained that the steamer Tauranga foundered with all on board, numbering 21 souls. The Enterprise, which was laden with coal, struck her near the engine compartment, and it is believed that she sank at once. Cries were heard at a short distance from the spot. The Enterprise's boat havmg no rowlocks could not go to windward. The Court of Enquiry find that the blame of the collision attaches to Captain Willis, the master of the Enterprise, for .carrying no lights. This event has caused; great sensation in Auckland. The yield of the Thames goldfield during the month of July was about 12,000 ounces