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Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 274, 24 August 1872, Page 2

The statement which appears iu one of Grcvillc’s telegrams from Wellington in reference to the amounts paid by the General Government for advertising in the newspapers is incorrect, so far as the amount paid to the Guardian (if it means Thames Guardian') being £B'J 3s Gd is incorrect, Gs 2d being the actual amount. Whether the other returns arc equally correct we don’t know, but there is one curious fact, that the sums paid to the Cross aud Herald, are not mentioned. These papers have both been supporters of the present Ministry, the former especially. There was a moderate attendance at the Royal last night on the occasion of the benefit of Messrs Aveliug, Dunn, and O’Neill, but the audience was an appreciative one. To-night “Under the Gaslight” will be reproduced, and we feel confident will be well patronised The Archbishop of Paris celebrated the Pope’s birthday by a grand mass at Notre Dame. On this occasion was announced the amount of a subscription by the ladies of France to present his Holiness with a crown of thorns in massive gold. The Native Lands Court sat yesterday, at Sliortland, and completed the evidence in the Manaia Block case. The Court will resume to-day. Its sitting contributes much to the lively appearance of Butt’s corner, which just now' quite reminds us of “ old times,” when it was the centre of attraction. Some very large and valuable tracts of laud arc now being passed through, aud speculators and capatalists from Auckland are to be seen hovering about, despite the dreadful proclamation which has restricted certain transactions between the natives and certain private parties.

The crushing for the Gentle Shepherd gave 50oz 9dwt of melted gold, nearly onethird of which was got out of the arastra. The bridle-track between this place and Tararu is sadly in want of repairing, being positively dangerous to equestrians. At the Puru Creek, the bridge is again in position, evidently safe .from all floods. This is a great boon to pedestrians, as before the bridge was put up several persons were nearly drowned while swimming across th« creek when swollen, as there was no other mode of communication.—No appearance of the starting of the Hastings tramway. In connection with this mad project, with a perseverance worthy of a better cause, the Superintendent has been interviewed and deputationed; memorialised, lettered, and petitioned ; mayored, aldermannod, chairmaucd, and secretaricd, and in their hot zeal, had the idea once struck those tramway agitators, like the prophets of Baal, they would have cut themselves with knives, and cried aloud, O Super, hear us !” Besides, iu all probability, the first heavy fresh would carry a large portion ef the proposed tramway out to sea—and, then, who would replace it ? This is never thought of, however, the cry being—“ Give us a large expenditure ; never care a straw whether the money is to be wasted or not.” It is rumoured that one of the Executive has suggested a soup-kitchen in lieu of the tramway, but I do not believe that. Cheaper, however, to give each male adult in Hastings £SO to play at pitcli-aud-toss for '‘shouts,” than waste so much money on a tramway just to be washed out to sea, or curled up in the sun, certainly not worn through with traffic. A road of some kiud is very sadly wanted, but there is not a soul at Goldeu Point desires a tramway, aud I hope that this exposure will prevent the Government from further countenancing such a visionary undertaking. I observe that application has been made for permission to tunnel from Rattray’s machine through the llavilah, up to the late Hidden Treasure.—[Tapu Correspondent of CVm.j

English journals express s very hieh estimate of the character of Prince Arthur, one of the younger sons of Queen Victoria. He is said to resemble the Prince Consort in the earnestness of his views and the solidity of his character more than any of his brothers who have yet come before the public. There was no Police Court business yesterday at Shortland; but in the B.M. Court rather more than the average amount of business transacted of late was disposed of. The cases were, with two exceptions, of the ordinary character, those two being Woods v. Sallars, a claim for wages as a domestic servant, and Leyland v. Percey, an action to recover £32 for monies had and received in reference to the licence of the Court House Hotel, Grahamstown. In the former case, the domestic relations of plaintiff and defendant were peculiar, and in the latter some very circumbendimus sort of evidence was elicited. A report will appear in another place.