INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

West Coast Times, Issue 703, 25 December 1867, Page 2

INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

AUCKLAND.

His Excellency Sir George Grey arrived in Auckland on December 7 in the Colonial Government steamer Sturt, from Wellington and the Kawau. His Excellency was accompanied by his niece Miss Matfhews ; the Hon. J . C. Richmond, Commissioner of Customs ; Captain Holt, Under Secretary of tho Defence Office ; and Mr Smith, Assistant Private Secretary to his Excellency. The steamer reached the Kawau at midnight on tho previous Monday, and the party debarked at his Excellency's private residence on the island, where they remained until shortly after noon on Saturday. His Excellency and party then embarked for Auckland, and landed at the Wynyard Pier about four o'clock. By desire of lvs Excellency the flag intimating his presence was not hoisted on the- steamer, and the number of gentlemen who purposed welcoming him on his return were consequently deprived of that pleasure. His Excellency preferred that the landing should be private. Dr Pollen, the agent of tho General Government in Auckland, and H. D. Fenton, Esq., Chief Judge of Native Courts, awaited tho arrival ot the steamer at the pier, and accompanied his Excellency aud party to Government House. Acting Capt. Hope, of H. M. 8. Falcon, boarded the vessel shortly after she passed the man-of-war, under easy steam. Captain Young, H.M. 18lh Regiment, and Dr Chandler, 18th Regiment, were passengers in the Sturt from the Kawau Island. His Excellency's stay will necessarily be limited, as he purposes leaving the colony

by the next Panama steamer from Wellington on tho Bth January. He will, we believe, remain during the present week, and then return to the Kawau, where he will continue to reside until leaving for Wellington to embark for England. A telegram from Mr J. D. Hill, Alexandra, to Mr F. Scherff, was in Auckland on Dec. 5, of which the following is a copy : — " Six delegates from the King just arrived. Peace. Country open directly." This is a confirmation of the news recently published, and goes to prove how well informed Mr William Buckland was regarding the movements and intentions of the King party. We aro glad that the Provincial Council, at the earliest moment, adopted the resolution it did in reference to a general amnesty. The natives will perceive in that act the expression of a sincere desire, on the part of the European settlers, to live at peace, and on terms of goodwill with their Maori neighbors. We trust the General Government will, without delay, givo effect to this resolution of the Provincial Council. The present attitude of the natives ought to stimulate the authorities to remove every obstacle in the way of a general pacification of tho country. Of course it would be idle to speculate on the terms of peace which the delegates from King Tawhia are empowered to offer. These will, in good time become known. Meanwhile, let us congratulate the country that there ftre signs of peace and prosperity returning to this distracted land.

The Superintendent has sent a circular to tho heads of departments under the Provincial Government, requesting them to notify to their subordinates that no funds are available for their salaries for another year, and that their services will be dispensed with at the end of the present month.

The Provincial Accountant returned frnm Wellington on December 4th, as wise and as empty as ho went away. The General Government did not in the least relent; and the Superintendent and his Executive must now face the Council and the province, whose money they squandered with a reckless disregard of consequences, for which we defy their best friends to find any excuse. Papers showing the financial position of the province were laid before the Auckland Provincial Council on the 10th, and the next day Mr Gilfillan made a statement in committee, showing the estimated revenue of the year 1867 to have been L 96.580, while the amount received for the first three quarters was only L 54.028 19s 7d, to which, it is anticipated, L 5622 7s 3d will be added by the receipts during the last quarter, making a total of L 57,651 6s lOd, It is expected that the expenditure for the year will be some L3BOO less than was estimated. The estimated rovenue for 116S is L 19,400. Mr Gilfillan concluded his address by moving, " That an address be presented to his Honor the Superintendent, requesting him to send down to this Council an Appropriation Bill for 1868, in accordance with the estimate of revenue." A warm debate ensued, resulting in the chairman being ordered to report progress, with leave to sit again.

It is understood that the Hon. J. 6. Richmond, Commissioner of Customs, will remain in Auckland for somo months.

WELLINGTON.

A criminal sitting of the Supreme i Court was held by his Honor Mr Jusj tice Johnston on the 9fch instant. In his charge to the Grand Jury, his Honor alluded to the revision and the consolidaof the criminal statues into a few Acts, during the recent session of the Assembly, and anticipated that great advantage to tho community would, accrue from the ! plan which had been adopted. His ' Honor, however, added, that Now Zeaj land legislators were not entitled to the credit of the now Acts which were now in our statue book, they being the results of twenty years labor by a series of commissions formed of the ablest English lawyers. A-n experienced miner named Grove, recently prospected tho country between Makara and Terawiti, along with a small party. After a fortnight's work he returned to town, and sent a report to his Honor the Superintendent, of which the following is the gist. In .No. 1 creek he found " very fine gold, equally distributed through the wash," but only obtained 5 dwts. " I am of opinion," he writes, " that this creek, one mile in length would yield about 6s per diem per man, provided the usual appliances for box sluicing were put in operation. On my arrival at night, after prospecting No. 3 creek, my mates had completed their paddock, and washed up— result, 7 pennyweights of gold ; better in appearance, and heavier in character than the gold from No. 1 creek. On Thursday we had a laborious task in moving the boxes to No. 3 creek ; in fact, it was Saturday before we could do anything with them. Got three pennyweights on Monday. Tuesday and Wednesday, rain tho whole time. Could not work on Thursday, the creeks were very high, and not very easily", prospected. Started to" prospect ono of the terraces about twenty feet above the level of the creek. Sunk a shaft eight feet, got a very nice bed of wash about two feet deep, and got about a dozen specs (very fine) to the dish." Mr Grove, who, with a larger party has again started on a prospecting expedition, is of opinion

that a good " poor man's goldfield" exists where he has been working. This means, that in his opinion, 2so men might mako six shillings a day trorking on it. Dr. Hector started on Dee. 16, for the purpose of making^ geological examination of the country. "* His Honor Mr Justice Johnston, his Honor Mr Justice Richmond, the Hon. Colonel Peacock, Charles Haughton, Esq., M.H.R., and James O'Neill, Esq., M.H.K., have been appointed a Commission to enquire into and report upon the working of the prison laws, the management, &c, of the gaols in the colony, and the desirability of founding a General Penal Establishment. The Commission is to report within six months.

NELSON.

The Superintendent of Nelson, who is also one of the representatives of the city in the General Assembly, met his constituents on December 11, to give an account of last session. He denied very strongly having been in favor of the Public Debts Bill, and read letters from Dr Featherston and Mr Stevens to piove that such was not the case. He saw no hope at present of a reduction in taxation, or are-arrange-ment of the taxes. He expressed himself in favor of the principle on which the Local Governmcart Bill was framed, but objected to its details. He was not induced to look forward with hope to the arrival of Mr Fox in the colony, and had no faith in him as a leader. His idea with regard to income and the property tax was for the Assembly to fix the rate at the maximum amount, which should not be exceeded, and leaving it to each province to levy as much as they required within that amount. By this means those provinces which wished to raise a large revenue would levy a high rate, and those which required only a small amount would fix a low rate of taxation. This,he thought, was the true way of inducing that system of economy which was required. One thing was certain, some step was requisite because there was no doubt that the present system could not be continued longer in some of the provinces, several of which would be found this year entirely unable to go on. The Carandinis commenced a series of concerts at Nelson on Dec. 12, with very great success. Miss Rosina's ballad singing was especially admired. A gale of wind, accompanied by heavy rain, set in on the morning of Dec. 5, and continued nntil the evening of Dec. 6. The wind blew from S.E. to N., and at times the rain came down in fearful torrents. The rivers were full, but are not so heavily flooded as they have been. The Taranaki, with the English mails, left the harbor on Dec. 6, about three o'clock, but brought up at anchor in the roadstead. The Airedale, also bound to Wellington with gold for transmission by way of Panama, did not venture to leave the wharf.