Our Auckland Letter.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3790, 19 February 1881, Page 2

Our Auckland Letter.

(from oue own correspondent.) Auckland, Yesterday. THE LYTTELTON TIMES AND THE TAUPIBI COAL COHPANY.

The Thunderer of the City of the Plains has been going it pretty strong for the Minister of Public Works, Mr Oliver, on account of his alleged action in sanctioning a high tariff for the conveyance of coal from the Taupiri mines, which may tend to compel the directors to shut up the workings altogether. The Times has overshot the mark this time, for, instead of wiring into Mr Oliver, it should have gone straight for the Attorney-General, who is credited with a very large interest in the, rival Waikato Coal Company. The managing director of Mr Whitaker's company is Mr Laurie, of Wyndham street, who acts as attorney for Mr Thos. Russell. It was only the other day I had a letter from a medical man in Hamilton to the effect that he was unable to get his stipend from the pitman in the coal mine, of which Mr Laurie is the directing boss, owing, as he stated, to some underhand influence in consequence of his opposition, to the Whitaker clique. The Lyttelton Times has a very warm attachment for the Hon Fred. Whitaker, judging from an extract from one of its recent leaders. Speaking of the present chief la^T'officer of the Crown in this colony, the editor writes -thus :—" The voice of the Attorney General has many sounds, but there 'is a leading note throughout all. He has been from his youth upwards a zealous votary of speculative speculation—copper mining, gold mining, coalfields, old land claims, the purchase of native territories, and the floating of companies, form the tissue of his life during the last 40 years. He would now scarcely be contented with the primeval garden of Eden, unless he could have it thoroughly prospected and buy it up from our first parents at half a crown an acre, and ultimately cut it up into town lots for sale to their descendants at an enormous profit to himself. The Colonial Treasurer has a voice of more than the truih when he descants on the extravagance of his predecessors and a voice of less than the truth when he boasts of the great economy of his own Government. But what we wish now to draw special attention to is the duplex nature of his own voice and that of his colleague, the IJative Minister, on the effect of their native policy at the West Coast of the North Island." That is pretty sirong language, and as no action has been taken against either the proprietor or the publisher of that journal, I suppose it contains no libel. However, it may be otherwise. Mr Whitaker no doubt recollects the glorious uncertainty of the law as exhibited in that remarkable libel case, which your readers are no doubt acquainted with, that of the present Attorney General v. George Jones, junr., which was tried at Dunedin at an expense to the colony of over two thousand pounds, and which ended in Mr Jones being acquitted by a jury of his countrymen. A MEMBER OF THE HOUSE ON HIS TRAVELS.

I had the extreme honour of being a fellow passenger with an hon member of the Lower House last week, by the steamer Rose Caaey to Mahurangi. Our joint objects were similar: we took aa outing for the purpose of witnessing the Warkworth Agricultural Show. The people's representative took a sample case, intending, no doubt, to do a good line amongst his Northern clients. All went well until we got to the Hot Springs, where, after several entreaties with Commodore Casey, my esteemed friend was allowed on shore to get a warm bath. His anxiety to get there was so manifest that we at once concluded something was up. The steamer' 3 boat was lowered, the Springs' contingent got in, and very quickly my fellow passenger commenced marked attentions to a lady passenger having in her arms a wee one. He took the lady's hand in his own and continued to gire her a gentle squeeze. Naturally the marked attention of the law maker to the lady companion was noticed, and quickly went the rouud of the poop, until the boat moored off, when many of the passengers exclaimed, *'Oh, what a lark it would be should he apply the blacking process to the little one or its mother before his return." On the way down the Mahurangi river he bored one of the judges with the details of the sacrifices he made and the good he did by ratting, but was stopped short on being asked, " Did you act honorably to your party by making absolute pledges when you were elected to take a certain course, and then, through flattery, leavn your leader and his followers ?" The hon member, strange to say, took the hint, and left off ihe conversation very quickly. : THE NATIVE MINISTEE. The Hon. Mr Kolleston haa been travelling in the direction of Taranaki. Fancy what an Americanism was exhibited in the suite who accompanied Kirn to that city. No less than three lire colonels, any number of native officers, secretaries, clerks, and orderlies. The staff, perhaps was very "small" for all the important and varied duties which he had to attend to and give directions about, but surely* the taxpayers will exclaim— "I suppose this is what the Prenijer would term largely reducing the p«flic and native expenditure." When,' the House meets, if an honest rejajrn of Ministers' expenditure and their suites and attendants whilst on the " rampage " all over the colony, is laid on the table, what an instructive document will be available for the information of Parliament and the country. The Native Minister may still be at Taranaki for ought Iknoir. His detention at its capital is no doubt necessary, as New Plymouth telegrams ever state that the Colonial Treasurer has not a leg to stand on.