AUCKLAND.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 453, 16 January 1869, Page 3

AUCKLAND.

(from a corbespondent.) Jan. 5. Since I wrote last, there has been a general clearing out for the diggings, and Auckland is getting rather duller than it was during the holidays. The sports finished on New Tear's Day, and with the same result as on the previous day. That is, the "West Coast men took everything before them in the shape of prizes. In my opinion the sports have been a failure. It seems as if Barnum wanted to make a rise, for the prizes did not amount to more than one-third of the money taken for entrance into the ground and the grand stand. There is a report in town this morning that a messenger came into town last night from the "Waikato with a letter, the particulars of which seem to be that the Natives in that part of the country refuse to open up the

Thames, and that, if necessary, they will fight rather than it should be opened. There seems to be some truth in the report, but how much I cannot tell. Tou have it as I got it. Protection for the claims on the Thames expires to-morrow, and I imagine that a large number of them will change hands, on account of some of the holders being still " on the spree." The steamer " Eoyal Alfred " left the wharf this morning, and the passengers were packed like herrings in a barrel. There are hundreds of the West Coast diggers waiting for the opening up of the Thames, hut I think that the rumours that are going about town will be the means of starting some of them back. I have visited all the outskirts of the town, and it seems as if all the owners of property were either drunk or sluggards since I left this, for all the gardens and orchards have " gone to the dogs." Iu fact it looks like a country in possession of the Maoris.