Our Auckland Letter.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3945, 20 August 1881, Page 2

Our Auckland Letter.

(FROM OXJB OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Yesterday. DREAD OF SIR G-EOE&E GREY.

My private advices from the seat of Government state lhat many Southern men would help any combination to turn out the Premier and his colleagues if it were not for the dread of Sir George Grey getting iuto office again once more, and clapping on, amongst other things, a tax on the unearned increment of large holdings. The Separation resolutions now on the political chess board may, however, develop another amalgamation of parlies, and tend further to complicate the political situation. What the end of the present session is to be, no one appears to know exactly, but one thing is certain, that the present Ministry have lost the confidence of the House, are doing nothing but drifting, drifting, and that, too, amongst breakers, which will quickly politically wreck them, and that at "no distant date. THE AUCKLAND RECLAMATION WOBK. His Worship the Mayor and a few j other gentlemen are wrath at the treat* ment with which the Ministry are dealing the citizens over Auckland reclamation works, and at a public meeting this afternoon some very strong speeches were made for the alleged breach of faith in the non-carrying ahead of the work. No doubt private advices have been sent from Wellington as to how the siege is to be laid in anticipation of the supplementary estimates being brought down when members are wearied and the business about being ended. It will be then represented, no doubt, that owing to Mr Whitaker's strong representations, the Minister of Public Works gave way, the work would be sanctioned, and when six months of the financial year closed, tenders would be invited by this God-send Ministry for Auckland's welfare, and a little money in that way authorised for the work. It is, then, folly for the Harbour Board, the Chamber of Commerce, or the public, blaming the Governor's advisers in this matter, as the whole onus must rest on the shoulders of Messrs Hurst, Swanson, Colbeck, and Wood, whose action stopped the prosecution of an undertaking which was alike necessary and duly authorised during the reign of the Grey Government* but knocked in the head when that Ministry got beaten by Auckland "rats/* The reclamation, no doubt, will be undertaken and finished, but its re-starting will very much depend upon what period the general elections take place, as at an ,- opportune time our local servile Ministe-V rial pross cau then sound the praises of a •■*•< Government who granted such large concessions, forgetting the fact that ife was no concession, but an absolutely required undertaking. Some of the speeches were most remarkable, espec^lly that of Mr Clark, who, to use a familiar expression, " tempered the wind to the shorn lamb " —of course politically.

THE ALLEGED SMUGGLING CASE AT THE WADE.

One of these •important cases known as above promises to be finished to-morrow, and I fear it is only tbß commencement of other persecutions or prosecutions which are sure to follow. Already I hear the Insurance Companies, have decided to 'institute <g criminal proceedings against some of those concerned in the matter, aix! this will not end the'wretched business, as cases of perjury are almost sure to follow. The members of the long rob© and the Crown already ha*e had some capital orushmgs out of the smugcline cases, as it is calculated that at least sere! hundred pounds have already disappeared tor tines, fees, Court expenses, and witnesses allowances, and Heaven only knows when the end of the "Wade plauts" will terminal©.