AUCKLAND.

Colonist, Volume II, Issue 121, 17 December 1858, Page 3

AUCKLAND.

In the Provincial Council, Mr. King moved— "That in the opinion of this Council it is desirable with a view to preserve the health, comfort, and convenience of the Inhabitants of this province, and to prevent obstructions to commercial or other pursuits, the spreading of fires, and injurious, unwholesome and deleterious effects which usually occur in narrow and ill-ventilated thoroughfares; that some immediate steps should be taken to prevent owners of property or their agents from laying out any streets or lanes of a less breadth thi-in feet which are intended to be used or may hereafter be opened as public thorough fares, whether such lanes or streets are intended for the use of owners or occupiers of land in the immediate locality, or that may be open to the public generally to lie used as thoroughfares. And that a respectful address be presented to his Honor the Superintendent, requesting him without, delay to carry out the foregoing resolution by a legal enactmeut."

Discussion ensued, during which a scene, not at all unusual of late, occurred between the Provincial Liw Officer and the morer of the resolution. The former accused the latter of having told "simply an untruth" in respect to a conversation alleged by Mr. King to have taken place on the subject of the motion in question. The hon. member for the City adhered to.-his .statement and retorted upon the L-iw Olfieer the charge of falsehood. The Law Officer in return said he should be in future more guarded when he entered into conversation with the hon. member for the city (Mr. King), and should take the precaution of having a witness with him whenever he discussed with that gentleman

The question was put and negatived. The annual cattle show took place at Otahnhu on the 2nd instant. "Ass might have been expected" (says the Gross), " the attendance was not so numerous as on the last occasion, at Newmarket, the distance from town having reduced the number to those who took real interest in the proceedings. But we think that the managers acted wisely in taking up fresh ground, and trust that they will continue to vary it, year by year, giving each available locality its turn. The only perceivable advantage in holding the meeting in the immediate vicinity of Auckland is the increased amount of money taken at the gate from visitors, which, after' all, is a* secondary consideration. The general impression, appeared to be, that the shew, on the whole, was inferior to that of last year, excepting in regard to long vvooled sheep. Those were the great attraction, and deservedly so, being certainly the finest animals exhibited. Of finewooled sheep, we believe that there were no entries. Among the horses, we noticed nearly all of our old acquaintance, but the shew of young horses was not renia-kiiiile. Some of the .youug stock, however, was excellent." From the Gross of the 3rd instant, we clip the subjoined in reference to the Fire Brigade :-—•" The following resolutions in reference.to a subject of great public importance, agreed to at a meeting of citizens, who have certainly,. as members of the Volunteer Fire Brigade, done their utmost tor the protection of life and property in Auckland, we publish for general information. We may probably, on enquiry, give the question a farther notice. ' That in consequence of the discouragements which the members of the Brigade consider have been thrown in the way of the Auckland Volunteer Fire Brigade by the Provincial Government, it is found impossible to keep it in a proper state of efficiency, therefore it is unanimously agreed to disband.' Resolved further—' That the foregoing resolution be communicated for publication to the various newspapers, in order to enable the public to take such steps as they may deem lit for the protection of their property in case of fire.'" The same journal has the following remarks in reference to the coming races :—" Horse breeding seems to be one of those avocations peculiarly adapted to us denizens of the Southern Seas, and the breeders of Australia have already come forward with their stock to assist the mother country, when horses, were—in a military point of view— almost as valuable-as men in our Indian wars. Anything connected with the horse, is, or at least ought to be, a subject of interest in New Zealand, a country more adapted for the breeding of the animal than any other in the world. Horse races are certainly public institutions, and should be considered as such. We are glad to see that in this particular New Zealand can run neck and neck with Australia, and we are now anxious to see how the provinces will run one against the other. Auckland has already sent down stock to match the South, and we are glad to see that the South is returning the compliment with equal spirit. One horse has already arrived, and three more may be expected. We anticipate a good

meeting." Human Remains Found.—A human skeleton, with clothes on, was found, on Wednesday last, by Mr. Vercoe, jun., at Matakana, in the manprove swamp, near the mill. Two knives were found in the pockets of the dress. Some three years ago, three persons were drowned in the Matakana river, whose bodies have never been recovered.—'Cross, December 10.

Coroner's Inquest.l—Dua,thby Drowning.—; Oa Wednesday, ,Bth instant, an inquest was held at the Royal Hotel, Eden-crescent, on view of the body of Michael" James Wall, who was found drowned on the previous-day by two young females, bathing in St. George's Bay. Tlie body of deceased was naked, and was discovered floating to and fro close to the sand, about half-way between high and low wafer mark. At a distance of 250 yards from the body,'under the cliifs between St. George's Bay and Mechanics' Bay, clothes were found, which were ascertained to have belonged to the deceased. There was no precise or direct evidence to shew under what circumstances death had occurred, but the presumption was, that the 'unfortunate man (who is a brother of Mr. Edward Wall, of this city, and 58 years of age) had been bathing, and being overpowered by the heat of the snn or cramp, had perished. There were no marks of violence. The verdict of the jury was — "Drowned while bathing."— lbid.

Auckland Rbgatta.—Wo see that steps are being taken by our aquatic amateurs to get up a good day's sport, on the Waitemata. We hope they may succeed. A meeting' will be held this evening at the Russell Wine Vaults, for the purpose of making the necessary preliminary arrangements, and we have no doubt but that there will lie a good attendance. Sailing and pulling are our "■peculiar vanities" in the North, and we must not loose our credit in these particulars. With our splendid water commnnieation all over the province, our magnificent water frontages, and our unequalled facilities for ship and boat building, we shall do wrong unless we year by year improve these advantages. Competition has already done much. Our watermen's boats would be a credit to any harbor in the world, and our mosquito fleet are the promising germs of the future " Royal Yacht Squadron Auckland." We hope the natives will take part in the sports this year, and could wish that a few American whalers were in harbor to give us an exciting whaleboat race, but have no doubt that our oavii shore craft will give us good sport. The regattas held hitherto in Auckland have done much to raise a useful spirit of emulation amongst our shipbuilders «nd sailors, professional and amateur.— lbid. .

A Wise Answer.-—"You'must not play with that little girl, my dear," said an injudicious parent. "But, ma, I.like her, she is a good little girl, and I am sure she dresses as prtettily »s I do, and she has lots of toys." " I.can't help that, my dear," responded the foolish anti-American, "her father is a shoemaker." " But I don't play with her father, I play with her; she ain't a shoemaker," said the little innocent. ;

A Western writer thinks that if the proper way of spelling tho is though, and ate eight, and bo beaux, the proper way of spelling potatoes is poughteighteaux. The new spelling for softly is ysoughtleigh.

The following was the popular refrain on board the United States frigate Niagara during the laying of the Atlantic Telegraph cable :— "Pay it out, oh ! pay it out, As long as you are able, For if you put the darned breaks on * Pop goes the cable.'"