AUCKLAND.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3506, 20 March 1880, Page 2

AUCKLAND.

This day

The Maori Parliament at Orakei was re-opened to-day. The speeches were unimportant. One Maori said the Government should save the Maoris from being poisoned by bad grog.

Fews received here reports Sir Penrose Julyan has joined the London directory of the Bank of New Zealand.

The show of fruits at the Horticultural Exhibition is said to be superior to anything ever before seen in the colony.

ihe boundaries of tbe infected pleuroprienmonia district is extended.

Last night,

Information has been received in Auckland from New Caledonia of the loss of the schooner Abba, formerly the Peerless, of Auckland, in a hurricane on the 7th ult., on the voyage to New Hebrides. The crew and expires laborers were lost.

The Orakei Native Parliament opened to-day. The chief Paul presided. Mr R. DeThierry, interpreter, and a number of European ladies and gentlemen were present. The Maori attendance was ,not so large as last year, the reason alleged being that Aperhama Taonui, of Ngapui, is assuming the role of prophet, in imitation of Te Whiti, and drawing a number to hear him. Te Ranga, Manuhiri's daughter, represented the Kingites, accompanied by Te Kehanana Waihou, who lived at Ihumatao before the war of 1863. Paul opened the proceedings in a lengthy speech, and handed round printed programmes of the subjects for" deliberation. The most important not already telegraphed are the stoppage of subsidies to chiefs, free passes, food and medicine, the demand for exemption from road board taxation, and that they should have six instead of four representatives in Parliament.

Speech making was postponed till tomorrow.

At the Presbyterian Assembly a report was read from the Maori Missions Committee. The report stated that the labourers of missionaries in the Turakina, Parauhenua, Anafcori, and other districts, had been rewarded with considerable success. The location of missionaries in the Cambridge and the Wanganui upriver districts was recommended, and surprise expressed that so little had been done by the church in the matter. The report was adopted. •

The Horticultural Exhibition ' was opened at the drill shed, and fairly patronised.

John Simmonds, mate of the Gipsy, schooner, fell over the wharf at midnight, but was rescued by Constable Igoe.