PER SPECIAL WIRE TO " STAR."

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3466, 3 February 1880, Page 2

PER SPECIAL WIRE TO " STAR."

(Pbess Association.)

AUCKLAND.

Yesterday.

Tito s.s. Penguin left for the South. Passengers: For Tauranga—Messrs W. Swanson, Lomond Maine, Hori Peti, Judge Fenton, Mr Gordon, Captain Symonds, Moore, Barsf ow and Greenbull. For Gis borne—Steele. For NapierMrs Battiam, Mrs and Miss Cooper, and Mr Studholme. For Wellington—Miss Gilbert. For Lyttelton—Miss Buddie, Mr and Mrs Bull and family (S), Messrs Tuiloch, Mease, Smith, Freerson, and Mr and Mrs Bell. For Duuedin—Messrs Jones, Daere, Phillips and Mrs Gooseman. For Picton—W. F. Hill.

Archbishop Steins has earnestly recommended the clergy of the Auckland Catholic Churches to induce their congre. gations and people to contribute towards the alleviation of the distress in Ireland.

William Fergusson, of Ellerslie, died suddenly yesterday while driving a dray. The deceased was 59 years' old, and he arrired in Auckland some 20 years' ago.

'. A sacred concert was held on Sunday evening in the Choral Hall by the Mam--1 moth. Minstrels.... The Hall was crowded to excess, both floor and gallery being pramined, and eyen the orchestra was called into requisition to provide seats. Last night. The s.s. Arawuta arrived at Russell from Sydney at 4, p.m. to-day, and left Sydney on the 28th. She brings 85 tons cargo for Auckland, and ISO tons for other porta. Passengers—For Auckland $ Miss Ashton, Rev. J. Robertson, Messrs Mann, Miller, Lieut. Jeffrey, Mrs J. J. and Miss Miller, Messrs H. J. Wickeni, R. Jjee, J. ft. Steet and F. Dixon. An old Identity Bead, John Sangster Macfarlane, late member for Waitemata, died to-night. F, A. Whitaker on the late Session. Mr Whitaker, in addressing the Waipa electors, said when he went to Wellington he found the House largely composed of independent members, pure thick and thin Greyites numbering about 30, and on the other side was a strong Otago party, prepared to follow Macandrew, using Sir George Grey for a time so at to get the support of the Auckland members, and ultimately with the intention to lupplaafc Grey for Macandrew as Premier. Ht

was appealed to to join tliis party, but could not see liis way in the interests of this part of New Zealand to do so. Mticandvew had systematically undermined the prosperity of Auckland, and New Zealand with him was only represented by the country between the Bluff, and Waitaki. He (Whi taker) prepared to oppose the Grey parly openly, and threw in his lot< with Hull, who was a man of honor. Brents proved him right about Macaudrew. When he went to Wellington, in place of finding plans for the railway and bridge ready, nobody knew anything about them. He stood pledged to certain measures these were mauhood suffrage with certain restrictions, triennial Parliaments, liberal land laws, and change in incidence of taxation, and in the caucuses held to form a party under Mr Hall it was fully agreed that, these Liberal measures should be carried—indeed there was really no other party. Sir George Grey could not manage his parly affairs ; it was so disintegrated, so broken into sections, that they had actually to create a committee, each member a section, to carry on with. He saw,, that sucli a party without a responsible head could not stand, and the result was now that the Hall party has a majority of from 13 to 15. The colonists had shown themselves prepared to face.their liabilities by the imposition of a property tax, and in the case of the amount of exemption he had with Svranson, Levin, and others, succeeded in getting it raised to £500, thus leaving the tax to be paid by those who could afford to do so. It was not right that first savings of men should be rendered liable, but when worth £500 they could afford to pay a tax. Financial affairs they found in a wretched state. The Waikato-Thames railway had been referred. to, bat it was now under way. One necessary work he was pledged to see carried out was the Eotorua road, which, though not in his district, affected all the Waikato, and that work Would be put in hand at once, and he believed the end of the summer would see it approaching completion. It was his intention yet to see .Raglan and the Waipa side well opened up, and a branch railway" constructed from Cam* bridge. On the accomplishment of these works, he would feel that much had been done for the district.