Auckland.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3712, 17 November 1880, Page 2

Auckland.

PATE'i'EBE ABBITBATION.

The result of a meeting of the Patetere Association hold in Auckland was, after a three days discussion, to refer all matters between the different members of the Association, the surveyors, and others to the Hon. Mr Sheehan, his decision to be binding after the shareholders had elicited one or two important matters from the honorable gentleman himself, and which will be forthcoming when Mr Sheehan gets there. A BTOBM BBEWING. The present Government have fully establised what is termed the "memo, and cypher system" in the different telegraph stations in the various provincial districts. Ido not know the reasons which have actuated this movement, but at all events the matter has leaked out, and unless I am much mistaken both Mr Lemon and his Under-Secretary (Mr McGinnitty) will hear very quickly of the subject when Parliament meets. Some of the cyphers are already known, and with it will be found out some of the means which Ministers adopt in getting information from their different correspondents. The Commissioner of Telegraphs must know that his friends in the department must be very few; that the cypher code is v suspicion of the officers, and that its continuance will prove a strong handle to any in-coming Ministry, that things looked suspicious when such means of -rendering or getting information were resorted to. Verily, the Super* intendent of the Department and his Under-Seeretary have some "good things in store for them."

THE TEEE USE OF THE TELEGBAPHIC

WTBES TO THE PATETEBE COMPANY.

I am credibly and officially informed that the Honorable Mr Sheehan bad the free use of the telegraph during his Patetere negociations with the honorable the present Native Minister, Mr Bryce, and that he never paid a single sixpence for either ordinary or urgent telegrams sent on this; particular business. The information is perfectly astounding when it is considered that Mr Sheehan was acting for such rich people as those shareholder.l! of the Patetere Land Association. If an enquiry into this matter is gone on with when the House meets, this subject of free messages must be bottomed. That it is true lam positive, and when Mr Bryce has been held up as a model of all that is pure in a Native Minister, one is puzzled to find out that either he or the Under-Secretary of the Native Office should be parties to such a transaction. Gradually, but surely is a strong bill of indictment being prepared by Mr Hall and his colleagues when the House meets and then we shall see and read well.