(From Our own Correspondent.) Auckland, Monday.

Waikato Times, Volume VIII, Issue 473, 1 June 1875, Page 2

(From Our own Correspondent.) Auckland, Monday.

Reader Wood is gazetted Provincial Secretary. The household tax of 20s, and the bachelor tax of 10s, are levied for education during the ensuing year. A Rotorua telegram states that a party of three gentlemen, Adams, Kemp, and Gilfillan, on their way to the Manipiru Springs, Rotorua Lake, were capsized in a gale, on the 27th inst., on the lake between Ohinemutu a<nd the Island Mokai. John Gilfillan, of Wanganur> was drowned ; the other two by hanging to the bottom of the canoe were drifted towards Mokau, from whence the accident had been witnessed by the natives, who made several unsuccessful attempts to launch a canoe to go to their asssi stance. Upon the canoe drifting within a short distance of the island, two women courageously swam to assist, and brought the survivors to land, and malgre lid carried them into a hot bath, and they were soon restored. The state of the lake preventecT'communication with the main land until Saturday morning. The body of Gil- j tillan has not yet been recovered; the native Armed j Constabulary are searching for it. Quite a gloom ! has been cast over the district by the accident, as Gilfillan was much respected. i At the annual meeting of the Bay of Islands Coal I Company the report shewed that 22,179 tons of coal j had been shipped, - .but that the operations of the year did not yield any px*ofit. The mine is in better I condition. . j Arrived, Ladybird and Go-ahead, from the South, j Judge Gillies was a -passenger by the Ladybird. | Queer revelations in connection with the claims i to vote have been made. A man who was paid to | make objections was away on the day of healing. [ Yon der Hyde, Rees, and others are implicated. i The Supei'intendent ha-s made a long communica- . tion to the General Government on the subject of purchase of native lands. He points out that many I blocks purchased have claims upon them respecting j timber, &c; some of them illegal." He proposes that [ whenever the Province takes over land from the General Government it should be subject to all agreements and leases with which it is encumbered, where claims for compensation are made the matter should be referred to the Provincial Council or some convenient Court where the case might be publicly heard, and amount of compensation liquidated by vote of General Legislature ; doubtful claims to compensation should be carefully inquired into. He says that the rights of the natives should not be dealt with in a private room by any one man. Great complaints at want of accommodation in Lunatic Asylum. Dangerous and quiet lunatics are not separaled. The inquest on the body of John Coburn, accidentally killed on the Ellerslie road, has been held. The verdict was accidental death. The annual balance of the Moanntairi Gold Mining Company, shews a profit of £5,615. Annual meeting of the Bay of Islands Coal Mining Company to-day. The balance-sheet shows during the year 22,830 tons shipped, against 27,724 in previous years. Receipts for year, £'21,215 ; expenditure, £19,455. The report and balancesheet were adopted.