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Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 278, 29 August 1872, Page 2

The s.s. Wouga Wonga will leave Auckland to-morrow, Friday, at 10 a.m., for Sydney aud Melbourne.

The report of the Waiotahi Highway Board, Mining, and other local matters arc held over through pressure on our space, owing to the arrival of the English mail and Parliamentary debates, etc. A meeting of the Shortland Fire Relief Fund Committee will be held this evening, at half-past 7 o’clock, at Butt’s Hotel. A full attendance is requested. Tenders are invited for building parting wall, aud other works, on the properties of the Directors of Bank of New Zealand aud Messrs W. Rowe aud others. Plans and specifications can be seen at the office of Mr G. W. Hollis, architect, Grahamstown. Mr Samuels, of Oweu-street, received last night, by the Enterprise, his usual parcels of News of the World aud other American publications, which arrived by the Nevada yesterday.

There will be a meeting of the Thames Municipality Committee, at 3 o’clock this afternoon, at the Pacific Hotel, to consider the telegram lately received from Mr O’Neill, M.G.A., in reference to the Supeiintendent’s dissent from the petition. A full attendance of members i‘-. expected. We are very sorry to notice that some of the young lads kuockiug about are in the habit of interfering with aud throwing stones, etc., at the sparrows which have taken up their abode about the Grahamstown Wesleyan Chapel. These birds are most useful, and should be protected by the public as much as possible. The gold watch belonging to his Majesty King Tawhaiao is now to be secu in the window of Mr Wilkes, watchmaker, at Shortland. To it is attached a handsome new gold chain, which is to be sent back to the owner with the watch when repaired.

At the Warden’s Court yesterday, Cornelius Bryan, a miner, living near the Prince Imperial claim, was fined 40s and costs, £2 4s, for occupying a residence site without holding a Miner’s Right. There was no other case before the Court.

At the Police Court yesterday, three cases of drunkenness aud two of obscene language were disposed of. Iu an assault case, in which George Best was charged with assaulting Henry Kemp, the defendant did not appear, aud a warraut was ordered to be issued for his apprehension. We hear on good authority that the Parawai Board have been obliged to caucel a contract for punting shiugle from the gravel bed on the Kauaerauga, near the bathing place, in consequence of 'the new Saw Mill Company having placed booms across the creek and below high-water mark. The Board have purchased the right to utilise this shingle from the natives. The contractor, we understand, is likely to make a claim upon the Board for losing his contract, aud the Board iu turn want compensation from the Saw Mill Company. Some of the natives say that these booms have prevented the fish from coming up, as they used to do with the tide, to a certain point near the settlement, ‘ where they used to throw in their nets. But for this occurrence, the- repairs of Grey-street and along the swamp to the Parawai road would have been completed, or nearly so, by this time, notwithstanding the fact that no rates have been collected for the present year, but the funds have been so well husbanded that there is a balance in hand. We believe there is a provision in the Harbour Regulations which prevents the stoppage of navigable streams, aud it is probable that the Board or the Harbour-master will take action in the matter.

The unfortunate man Cornelius Bryan, •who nearly poisoned himself yesterday, is, we understand, the same individual who was fined in the morning £2, and £2 4s costs, for occupying a residence site without being the holder of a miner’s right. Last evening he was progressing favourably at the hospital, and the accident is, we are glad to bear, not likely to have a fatal termination. There was a meeting of the Waiotahi Highway Board yesterday, at which a good deal of business was transacted. An application for an extension of the Tararu and Grahamstown line, to connect with the Bella-street and other tramways, was made by Mr Souter on behalf of the company. The day for hearing appeals against the assessment list was fixed for Wednesday, October 2nd, at two o’clock p.m., at the Governor Bowen Hotel.

A Provincial Government Gazette published on Tuesday contains the following : The following ground is open for occupation, re-entry having been made by Government: Golden Horn (Tararu), Crystal Palace (Karaka), D. Tookey, 36 men’s ground (Hape Creek), 36 men’s ground adjoining Lowland Lass (Upper Tararu) ; twenty acres of land at Buffalo, Kapanga, are reserved for a recreation ground ; also two acres and a-half in the same township for hospital purposes ; also some six acres for a cemetery. We ( Cross ) have been obligingly furnished by Mr Owen (Owen and Feudlow) with the following letter received from Mr Rye, a passenger by the ship Bulwark. The letter was written while that vessel was lying at Mauritius:—“Port Louis, Mauritius, June 20.—After nearly four months at sea we have oniy got this far. We left London on the 28tli February, and had little else but a succession of storms until wc put iuto Simon’s Town, Cape colony, on May 12, where we called for water. We left on* the 14th of that month, and ten days after, in lat. 41 1 south, wc encountered a most fearful gale. On the night of' 26th May, we had little hopes of .ever reaching land. We were running with a very heavy sea when a big wave came on board right over the poop, sweeping away the wheel with three men who were at it, landing them on the main deck, with broken legs, arms, and ribs ; carried away our skylights, half filled the cabin with water, and completely smashing up all our boats. We had about five feet of water in our hold. All bauds turned to work —ladies and all —and after 18 hours’ pumping we at last dared to hope the ship was clear. To make a long story short, we worked hard day and night for 80 or 100 hours, and by God's mercy here we are. We send this by a little barque leaving here for Sydney. Please communicate this to the Southern Cross, as we arc aware msftjy in Auckland will be anxious for the safety of our ship. We lost no lives. All well on board.”

The schooner Prima Donna, which left Auckland rather more than a fortnight since, under charter by the Melanesian Mission to proceed in search of the Southern Gross, arrived in harbour yesterday evening, and brought the welcome tidings of the safety of the Mission schooner, and of all on board of her. It appears that the Southern Cross arrived at Norfolk Island on July 9th, two days after the letters were forwarded which caused so much anxiety on her behalf in Auckland. The unprecedented length of time she was overdue was owing to the constant succession of calms and light winds she experienced until nine miles from Norfolk Island on her return, when a terrific gale came on, which blew her off again 133 miles. Some anxiety was felt on board during this gale, bift the captain reports that the schooner never behaved better. During this voyage 63 Melanesians were left at their homes, and Messrs Bice, Palmer, Jackson, and -Brooke Were dropped at their respective stations at Lepers’ Island, Mota, San Christoval, and £Orid a. The natives everywhere were most endly. At Florida but a very short stay was made, but the chief of Tuboli gave Mr Brooke a warm welcome. Nothing had been heard by the mission party of the reported massacre of the craw of the Lavina. On her way home, the Southern Cross picked up Mr Jackson and Mr Bice again, and brought them back to take the place of Mr Codringtou. The vessel only remained at Norfolk Island loug enough to take Mr Oodrington and 30 Melanesians on board, and started again on her second trip. Captain Tilly was still accompanying the vessel, and all were in fair health and good spirits. There are now 63 Melauesians on Norfolk Island, not counting four youug children ; this number will be very largely increased when the vessel returns. The large supply of food brought down by the Prima Donna proved very acceptable, as fhc mission stores were nearly exhausted. The Norfolk Islanders were much straitened ; but were in daily expectation of a schooner with stores for them from New Caledonia. — Cross.