Our Auckland Letter.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3739, 18 December 1880, Page 2

Our Auckland Letter.

(FBOM OWE OWN COEEEBPONDENT.) .

Auckland, Yesterday THE PBOPEBTY TAX SCHEDULES.

A number of persons are loudly complaining that through the bungling of some persons employed in the searching of titles in the Deeds Office, they have been taxed for properties which they in many instances never possessed, as well as being put down for sections, allotments, and other areas which they disposed of years ago. No doubt the official or officials who committed these mistakes will get a departmental wigging, and possibly may come in for a share of fines for incomplete compilation. The errors no doubt will be rectified by the Deputy Commissioner, and matters relating to individual cases of this nature will be put right. However, it has been the cause of some inconvenience and annoyance to many property holders. PUBLIC MEEJIN& EE PATETEEE. Arrangements are in progress for holding a piiblic meeting to protest against the removal of the proclamation from the Patetere lands. And in all probability the announcement of the dite will be publicly notified in a day or two. The movement I hear has originated amongst the more active members of the Working Men's Political Association, whose club ia in Darby, and Queen streets. THE NEW PORTFOLIOS. The new appointments of a Minister to the Mines and Educatonal Departments of the public Service is another shuffle of the political cards which is not likely to find much favor among any, save the extreme section of persons who are believers in the present Cabinet. The giving of the Educational portfolio to Mr Dick is a great blunder, and the Hall Government will find it so by-and-bye. THE WEST COABT. The natives are again showing signs of trouble, as I learn from the West Coast district that several instances of removing surveyors' pegs, and breaking down trig stations have been perpetrated by natives. In Auckland very little is known of these destructions, and it is only when the thing is getting general that an occasional Press telegram finds its way into Auckland journals alluding to the subject, but only then in a very mild form. THE KOMATA BO AD. We are told that the Native Minister is coming to Auckland to settle, amongst other matters, Tukukino's native obstruction to the commencement and carrying ahead of the Komata Road. I hope Mr Bryce will settle it, but I fear it will hang fire. The amount of travelling and other expenses consequent upon your leading Thames residents visiting Auckland over this road business most probably would foot up to a tidy sum, and if the whole of it was available for -utu to Tukukioo, I believe it would be ample compensation to hand over to the old chief, and to end the difficulty. Some time ago when Mr

Nelson paid a visit to the district, I believe he could have settled the whole difficulty, but was prevented from getting the needful at the proper time owing to tho circumlocution of the Audit Office in the largest wooden building in the world. Mr Whitaker tried his hand with Tukukino, but so far as the newspaper accounts showed, he had to retire from the position of ambassador. Let me give the Government a hint to get out of the trouble, and it is this : Send up fifty men, or even a hundred, of the Armed Constabulary, who have nothing to do on the West Coast. Let them make a start, and I have every confidence in the result. The natives would see they were outnumbered, gracefully give way, and the work would be quickly finished.