AUCKLAND.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 6, Issue 320, 4 December 1862, Page 3

AUCKLAND.

Mr. Domett the head of-the ministry, has arrived in Auckland from Kelson by the “ Claud Hamilton,” and, after two months of inaction since the prorogation of the Assembly, we might look fox a resumption of public business, if we would be justified in speculating upon any course •which a government will take, which : has < bo well mastered,the problem “how not to do it.” Sir. George Grey returned the game day from his Island. And a steamer calculated for the Waikato, may be

, daily expected to arrive from Sydney or Melbourne. — Aucklander, Nov. 21. 5 : . The small steamer Avon was seen stand > ing in for the Waikato river on the 37th i November. TARANAKI. : Orders have arrived here for the occupation of the Tataraimaka block by the troops. ■ . .•• ' OTAGO. * ... .. NEW DIGGINGS. The prospectors’names are M. Grogan, P.. May, and J.. Mullins. 'ihe site, is now ascertained to be the Cardrona Greek emptying into the Clutha from the left, bank, and distant from the Dunstan 82 miles. One of the. party on the 9fch accidentally found on a cattle track, on dark loamy soil, a 4 dwc. piece of gold. They examined, and found near the surface the following pieces, weighing respectively, 16, 10£, 10, 7£, 6, 4£ dwts. ; obtaining in all ,9oz. „6|dwts., and they then came to Dunstan for a prospecting claim. They describe the spot as a kind of slide or landslip—-more properly a terrace. High ranges bound the creek ; and they believe they have found ono of the richest gold-fields in the world. There is no. timber upon it but plenty within a fe w miles Arfewclays will lead fo more authentic information. Gold has never so richly been sown in any part of the world, if this account be true. 'lhe men have gone ; back, about 1000 are already after them. — Witness. Nor 22. THE PANAMA ROUTE, from the ‘ Sydney Morning Herald.’ Nov. 13.] A few days ago we drew attention to the fact that the P. and O. Company were endeavouring to feel their way to the duplication of the present mail, service, and that they were prepared to run a fortnightly mail for sixty thousand pounds extra to the present, subsidy. We recited, on that occasion, the inducements that existed to fall in with the proposal. By way of counterbalance to that proposition, we may now mention that the allegiance of New South Wales is again claimed in the opposite direction. The long dormant project' for the Panama, route is being once more revived. New Zealand on the present occasion is taking the initiative. That colony, or rather that group of colonies, is sufficiently interested in the matter to take active steps to promote the desired result. However great its interprovincial jealousies may be, . all the provinces agree in uniting to support the of a mail service via Panama. 'As an earnest-of the zeal felt , in the matter, an Act has been passed guaranteeing a maximum contribution of £30,000 a-year towards the necessary : subsidy. And, in order that the Act • may not remain a dead letter, a plenipo- ( tentiary is to be despatched to England • to see if it be not possible to secure the co-operation of the British Government, and to stir up some of the existing steamboat companies or some new company to enter upon the business. Mr. Crosbie Ward, the Postmaster General of New Zealand, is the gentleman selected for this embassy, and he is now in Sydney on his way to England in the prosecution u of his mission.

Mr. Whetton formerly came out to these colonies as an agent for the Royal Mail Company, to induce us all to unite in promising a certain subsidy, amounting to £50,000. The promise was made, but the scheme fell through, principally because, as the results showed, the whole proposal was delusive. The work could not, at that time at least, have been done for the money. New South Wales also despatched an agent to England in the person of Mr. Merewether, and how abortive his journey was is still fresh in the recollection of our readers. It remains now to be seen whether any. better success will attend the mission of a New Zealand colonist. .

Thirty thousand pounds seems a large annual subsidy for a colony lik New Zealand, with less than 85,000 persons in it, to vote for ocean mail communication and that too at a time when the treasury is by no means suffering from plethora. But the outlay is larger in appearance than it is in reality. A heavy annual outlay is at present incurred in the intercolonial communication between New Zealand and Australia, seperate lines of communication being maintained both, with Sydney and Melbourne. The charges of this are extra to the poi*tion of the P. and Q. Co.’s subsidy that the colony has to pay- As New Zealand is hearer to England'.by the Panama route than it is by the Suez route, it would secure the return of post by the mail that way—-a privilege which it loses now. The bulk of its correspondence, therefore, would naturally flow in that direction. As the contribution to the Suez line is not a fixed sum, but is graduated according to the number of letters sent, the diminished use of the Suez line would be follo wed by a proportionally diminished payment towards it, and this saving would be so much set free towards the Panama sub-, sidy. New Zealand, therefore, can afford to bid high for the Panama route, and yet not tax itself much, if at all, more, heavily than it is taxed at'present for inferior accommodation. Under the proposed system it would be on the main line of communication, and would be partly released from its present necessity- pf maintaining an intercolonial service. ' In one respect, the present time is propitious for any movement in the matter. There is a superabundance of money in England. The American war has closed the ordinary outlets for capital, and there is, consequently, a great accumulation. The bank rate of interest is at two per cent., and, as is always the case under such circumstances, there is a brisk amount of speculation in the formation of new joint stock companies. Many projects that are by no means sou.nd are putting

forth thein attractions, and a project that is bona fide, and has; in it the promise ; of greatultimate success, has a fair chance of gaining support. ■■■'. The patronage, however,-of the British Government, which is essential, cannot be confidently counted on, because there is no. doubt that Mr. Gladstone was, and possibly stilt is, opposed.to any. additional! expenditure, on .behalf of occaix mail con- i tracts. His views on that, point were; pretty clearly brought out when the select; committee of the House of Commons was; appointed to enquire ,into the'history and; working of those contracts ; and'the - report .of the committee recommended; that; no new "contract should be valid without; parliamentary sanction. " Tliemefe assent 11 of the Finance Minister, evem if' that cam be gained, would not be binding. The British Government, was, no; doubt, at the time of Merewether’s visit, under equitable obligations to have borne its share of the subsidy if ; the colonists had pushed the claim. Whether after this lapse of time the claim will be recognised as still existing, is of course open to doubt, and.can only. be"deterniihed by putting the matter to the test. Influences may be brought to bear that will resuscitate the dormant ‘pledge. 1 - At' the 'same TTmeHiftis/no use concealing.ineTacFtnat the PansiiuA.rpute is looked upon in London less as an imperial.; than a colonial question, and that any colonial ambassador who goes, to open negotiations on the question will have to contend with a great deal of vis inertias on. the side of the British Government.

The only way for the colonies to overcome this, is for them to show a united; front—to press the claim as a joint claim. If an emissary from New Zealand alone goes home, or from New South Wales’, alone, he gets listened to with cold politeness, and put off with those general ambiguous phrases and promises to “take the matter into consideration,’ ’ which imply indefinite postponement, except under pressure. ’ If the colonies would unite, they could carry, the point without any difficulty. If Victoria, Tasmania, and. South Australia would support this route, as all the colonies support the other, the thing could unquestionably be accomplished. The advantages of the Panama route have been too often quoted to make it neccessary to dwell on them : the multiplication of communications'—the lesser risk of interiiption from war—the check upon monoply—the benefit of competition -—the opening of a st am route for • passengers (which practically does not exist now); and the stimulus giving to immigration. All these objects it is desirable to achieve. The only point open for dispute is the price that it is worth while to pay for them. The burden would not be unendurable if all the colonies agreed to share it.; It would be oppressive only if devolved'solely upon one or two.