The Provinces.

Colonist, Volume II, Issue 184, 26 July 1859, Page 3

The Provinces.

AUCKLAND,

Testimonial to Dr. Hochstettee. —At i\ public meeting held on Saturday last, Colonel Mould, R.E., in the chair, a committee was appointed to raise a subscription for the purpose of presenting Dr. Hochstetter with a testimonial of our general appreciation of the value of his scientific enquiries into the geological history and mineral wealth of this province. The importance of that gentleman's researches are, we believe, universally recognised; and although we shall be glad to see the subscription column well filled up, we hope that the number of names in the list of subscribers will prove that the. appreciation of Dr. Hochstetter's services is not confined to a few, or to a class merely of colonists. The value of any testimonial will, we are sure, be enhanced in that gentleman's eyes in direct proportion to the number of Auckland men who shall join in presenting it —Southern Cross, July 5. We had hoped to have been able to-day to congratulate the public on retaining the services of the White Swan, s.s., in connection with the inter-colonial branch of the Royal Mail Steam Company. Arrangements had been entered into by which she was to undertake the service between this port, Hawke's Bay, and Wellington one, for which she is admirably adapted; and

It was the intention of her spirited owners to extend the route to the Bay of Islands. With such a system of steam communication Auckland would have had nothing to complain of, so long as our direct steamer to Sydney was one to bo depended' upon. We are sorry, however, to 1 ear that in consequence of communications from Sydney, these arrangements have been stopped, and that the White Swau—a deservedly favorite vessel, which has given the greatest satisfaction since her arrival in the colony, at a time when we were without any steam communication —is not to be employed. Mr. Kirkwood has, however, sufficient confidence in the capabilities of his vessel, and the resources of the colony, to continue her upon this berth, and as will be seen from his advertisement, proposes running her to the Northern, and subsequently to the Southern Ports.— -Ibid.

Dr. Hochstetters Geological Exploration in Auckland.—Dr. Hochstetter, who left town in the Maid of the Mill, cutter, for Coromandel Harbor, on the 7th, returned on the 13th instant. He was accompanied by Mr. Haast, and, on the part of the Provincial Government, by Mr. Heaphy, Provincial Surveyor. Mr. Kirkwood, the owner of the White Swan, steamer, also accompanied the expedition, in order to ascertain, personally, the value of the coal recently found near Coromandel. The islands of Waiheki and Ponui wore examined, and the mainland at Taupo, near the Sand-spit Island, visited. The Manganese vein at Te Matuku was inspected, and specimens obtained of the various rocks and minerals. At Coromandel harbor the coal was examined, and both gold-fields explored. Mr. Heaphy and Mr. Ring pointed out a locality where a thin bed of auriferous quartz grit was known to exist, and the first shovelful washed yielded the usual shew of grain aud scale gold. Dr. Hochstetter then dug and washed a dishful, which yielded a quartz specimen, with a streak of gold through it of about the size of a hazel-nut, together with a considerable quantity of large scale gold—a most favorable " prospect;" and in every panful washed the gold scales abounded. We are not in possession of a knowledge of Dr. Hochstetter's matured opinions on the subject; but we believe we may state that he considers the coal at Coromandel harbor to be of insignificant'extent, and that there exists a great quantity of gold not far from the locality where the specimens wero obtained; but that the search should be carefully prosecuted amongst the quartz veins in the mountains rather than by digging hi the alluvial deposits.— New Zealander, June 15.

Increase of Steam and other Mechanical Power in Auckland. —One of the best proofs that can be given of the well-founded faith at home and in the other colonies of the Healthy condition of the Auckland province, is the importation by new comers of valuable steam and 'horse or hand-power machinery. First we had Messrs. Greenacre and Slator, with their locomotive engine and threshing and sawing apparatus : the threshing season being over, the machinery has been transported to a bush in the Drury district, where it is now employed sawing timber for building and other purposes. Then Soarrott and Co., also new comers, set up their steam sawing and planing machinery (which they also imported with themselves), and announce " Firewood for the Million"— and the ink which prints their advertisement is is scarcely dry, before Rattray and Malheson (old residents) announce that their steam sawing apparatus, just imported, will be almost immediately ready for ■ working: Another recent arrival, for many years, we believe, a Government engineer in Russia, and now a settler either under the snadow of Mount Eden or Mount Albert, brought with him one of Messrs. Barrett, Exall, and Andrews' Patent Band Saw Benches, with endless saws, puliies, and drums, to be worked by either steam, horse, or hand power; also a fine planed iron saw, bench, and fittings, also for steam or other power; and placed the machinery with one of our principal storekeepers for sale : it was bought, almost as soon as exhibited, by Mr. Heron, builder, of Aucklaud, and will be soon in operation, beneficially to country settlers especially.— New Zealander, June 18.