SOUTHERN NEWS

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 213, 14 June 1872, Page 3

SOUTHERN NEWS

Wj! take the following items from our Southern exchanges, to hand by the Nebraska :

G HeretaUNGA. Block.—A court of inquiry in connection with the purchase of the above block was held yesterday by thfc Native Frauds Commissioner. Mr Lascelles appeared on behalf of Mr H. Russell, who claimed to pass a lease of an undivided share of the Heretaunga block. Mr Lee appeared on behalf of the owneis of the land under conveyance. Mr Steadman appeared on behalf of the mortgagees. Mr Wilson appeared as trustee under a deed of settlement in the same block. Mr Maunsell, licensed interpreter, was examined on behalf of the applicant at some length. Mr H. Russell was also examined. Mr Lee centended that the block in question not being now native land, did not come under the operation of the Native Lands Frauds Prevention Act, inasmuch as the nalive title had been extinguished. Mr Lascelles replied that the deed under which Mr Lee’s clients claimed was a bad deed in law, and that liis client was entitled to have his deed registered. The principal witnesses, Arihi and Hirika, were not present, the inquiry was therefore adjourned till Saturday. We trust to give our readers a full report on the conclusion of the inquiry.— Hawke's Bay Telegraph. After several abortive attempts, the Independent has at last succeeded in telling the truth respecting the progress of the negotiations between Mr Brogden and the Government. The general conditions or preliminaries of the contracts have been agreed upon, and are being put in form for signature. As to the statements respecting what is to be done, they are all of the old type—a soit of soothing syrup for the important public—and are to be taken for what they are worth, judged _ by the manner in which Vogel’s promises have generally been kept.—Wellington Post.

The Goldfields of Otago are not worked out yet. The Walcatip Mall says that at Skippers, a dozen of men have divided within the last two or three years, gold to the value of £100,009 to £150,000. If it was announced that a dozen men in the cenlre of Africa, or in the vicinity of the South Pole, had netted that amount of gold in the same space of time, the mining community would be in a state of mad excitement: the name of El Dorado would be on every one's tongue; and there would be a general stampede to it.— Tirnaru Herald.

The Wellington Independent is informed that the Government, after carefully considering the reports and recommendations of Mr HaughtoD, and the Engineer-in-Chief, have decided to construct works for the supply of water to the Thames Goldfield. The plan adopted is the one known as the “low leve l ," and instructions have been given for clearing the line for the race, and arranging for the purchase of native and private lands, through which in a few places the race must pass. We presume that the interest upon the outlay will be made a charge upon the Provincial revenues, although there is very little doubt that the work will be a directly remunerative one. We must confess our astonishment that with so many wealthy mining companies upon the Thames goldfield the supply of water has not been taken up by public enterprise, and we cannot help expiessmg the opinion that the Government in undertaking this woik is making a concession to the Thames Goldfield, which is hardly in accordance with the principle upon which the Legislature agreed to provide money for the assistance of works of this kind upon goldfields. It is a significant fact that during the last financial year no less than 103, or about one in seven, of the Armed Constabulary were dismissed for misconduct. Either the moral model is preteruatui ally high, or the normal standard is superlatively low. Yet it afforded the Defence Minister “ great pleasure to notice the marked impiovement in the conduct of the force.” Its condition in previous years must have been startling.—Wellington Post.

The separation meeting came on at Wairoa (says the Evening Herald) in the Town Hall, on the evening of the 30th ultimo, and had an average attendance : Mr Fookes in the chair. Several speakers condemned Provincialism. A letter was read from Mr Bryce, M.H.R., who was unable to he present, on the subject of separation, and suggested that a county with administrative but not legislative power was what the settlers required. The following resolution was passed : “ That, in the opinion of this meeting, it is desirable that the district lying between the Waingongoro and Waitotara Rivers be taken out of the hands of the Provincial Governments of Taranaki and Wellington, and the management be taken under the direct control of the General Government.” A committee was then appointed to draw up a memorial to the Assembly with a view to carrying out the resolution. The county system was discussed, but considered as at present carried on in Westland it was another and perhaps worse arrangement than Provincialism. What the meeting held to very strongly was that no one should govern, make laws for, or tax them but the General Assembly, and they would have the supreme power to say through what agency the administration of local powers would be carried on.—Wellington Post. The finance committee of the Dunedin City Council has in a report strongly urged the Council to refrain fro n undertaking any further works for the present, as the income for the ensuing year will barely meet the fixed necessary expenditure for the same period.—lbid. The gold obtained from a crushing of 211 tons by the Star of the East Cotnpauy, CronnveM, was lodged at the Cromwell Bank on Thursday last, when the quantity was ascertained to be 128 oz. 16dwt. — Cromwell Argus. The assurance given by the Independent this morning, that the Fox-Vogel Cabinet has no intention of cheating the people of Wellington out of the Wairarapa Railway, would be extremely gratifying to the public, only for one little circumstance, which is this—that no one can believe either the Government or its organ. These promises have all been made before, quite as decidedly as they are now repeated, and no one thinks Mr Vogel such a fool as to openly repudiate this railway on the eve of the meeting of Parliament. We have had promises enough already—experience has taught us how utterly worthless they are, no matter how solemnly asseverated ; we want deeds not words , and shall believe the Independent and its promoters only when the contracts are let and the works begun. We repeat that the Independent's assurance to Mr Wallace and others is very good, but we can only say —“The Abbe Renaud vouches fer this, but who will vouch for the Abbe Renaud?” -Wellington Post. The subscriptions towards the expenses of the inter-provincial race have reached over £3OO, but £2OO more are required, and will, we trust, be obtained, A special

canvass among the hotel-keepers of the city'is about to be made, and as they are the class who ..will reap the greatest pecuniary benefit from the influx of people to the regatta, it is expected and hoped that they will contribute liberally.- There is every probability that many-gigs will be built for the event. The Star Club are about to order an open gigGjnffi an outrigger from London. The Wellington Club will certainly have one built to order, and the Fire Brigade are to have one, we believe, made by a Canterbury maker. — Weltington Post.