SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.

PORT OF AUCKLAND.

SUNSET: This evening, 5.22 SUN-RISE: To morrow morning, 6.30 HIGH WATER: Thisafternoon, 2.21; to-morrow morning, .1.34

ARRIVALS.

Mercury, cutter, from Mercury Bay Comerang, p.s., Chrisp, from Napier

DEPARTURE.

Nebraska, p.s., Harding, for HonoluT'a

PROJECTED DEPARTURES.

For "Friendly Islands'; Kenilworth, schooner, to morrow For Southernpp o rts, via Napier: Paterson, p.s., to morrow ; B^ngatira, s.s., on Wednesday For Souths- n ports : Taranaki, s.s., to-morrow For Nor*-Jnern ports: Bowena, s.s., to-morrow For Sidney and Melbourne: Hero, s.s., Wednesday afternoon next For England : Moss Glen, barque, early For Levuka: Marion Kenny, schooner, to-day For the Navigator Islands : 2ior, schooner, to-day

VESSELS EXPECTED.

Edinburgh Castle, ship, from London. Sailed 29tu December Parsee, ship, from London. Sailed 12th January Agra, ship, from London. Sailed • Countess of Kintore, ship, from London. Sailed 2and .February Woodlark, ship, from London. Sailed Hylton Castle, barque, from London. Sailed City of Auckland, from London. Loading Zanga, barque, from Liverpool. Sailed 17th January Thames, barque, from New York, via Sydney. Loading Akbar, ship, from Boston. via Melbourne Satellite, cutter, from Levuka Mary Webster, schooner, from Adelaide. Sailed 21st March (for the Manuk?Ai) Alice Cameron, barque, from Newcastle. Sailed 29th March Prince Alfred, barque, from Adelaide Pakeha, brig, from' Adelaide Success, school? er, from Levuka Emelie, schooneT, from Tahiti Energy, schooner, from the Islands Prima Donna, schooner, from Levuka Ivanhoe, schoonej, from New Caledonia The schooner Nukulau was lying in Levuka harbour on March 15. The p.s. Paterson will leave the wharf for Southern ports via Napier to-morrow after noon, at three o'clock. The Chief Harbour-Master advertises for tenders for the building of a boat for pilot service, at Hokianga. The tenders will be received until noon of Thursday next. The s.s. Wonga Wonga is expected here on the 2nd May, and is announced to leave again for Sydney and Melbourne three days after.

, The schooner Kenilworth will leave for Tdhga, Friendly Islands, to-morrow. The s.s. Hero will leave with her usual punctuality for Sydney and Melbourne on Wednesday afternoon next, at three o'clock. Thep.s. Comerang arrived yesterday from Napier, with 1000 sheep. Captain Chrisp reports having encountered heavy easterly weather along the coast. The., steam launch Eclipse was officially inspected on Saturday afternoon by the Go vernment Inspector of steamers. She behaves admirably. '■'.'" >"

The p.s: Nebraska left the harbour at four o'clock on Saturday afternoon, but after pro ceeding to sea was forced, in consequence of the strong easterly gale blowing, to put back to Bangitoto reef, where she remained at anchor all day yesterday. The weather having moderated she continued her voyage at daylight this morning. The departure of the s.s. Taranaki from the Manukau has been postponed until to morrow afternoon, at two o'clock.

The schooner Tauranga is lying alongside the wood wharf awaiting a fair wind. The schooner Kenilworth is taking in cargo for Samoa and the Friendly Islands. The cutter Mercury has reported at the Customs with 20,000 feet timber.

The schooner Buby has cleared for Bussell in ballast.

A fleet of fourteen vessels are lying to the westward of the wharf, windbound. It in cludes the Wave, Flirt, Marion Benny, Strathnaver, Clematis, Saucy Lass (put back), Merlin, Tawera, and others.

COMMERCIAL.

Messrs B. Tohfes and Co. sold to-day, by order of the Improvement Commissioners, four cottages in Lome-street for removal. There was a large attendance, and bidding spirited. No.- 1; realised £14; No. 2, £10 ; No. 3, £16 ; No. 4, £40 lOs. Mr W. Kirby was the purchaser. yy. Mr G. W. Binney held a sale of fruit, ex Hero, at the Corn. Exchange to-day. There was a fair attendance. The following were the prices realised :-t-Apple_J, 4d to 5d per lb; lemons, 18s per case ; oranges, 12s ditto.

Melbourne.— : The Argus, of April 7, re ports :—^Breadstuffs are in request, and a much larger business could be done were supplies only up to requirements. Flour commands £13 5s to £13 10s. Wheat is much wanted, prime samples are eagerly looked after at 5s Bd. Oats are very much In request, common to good quality of feeding 3s 6d to 3s 9d ; while fine milling is wanted at up to 4s. Maize is quoted firm at 2s lid to 3s. Malting barley is saleable at 7s 9d for really good samples. Corn sacks are very steady at 13s 3d. In coffee a considerable improvement is now reported, lid and over being required for fine parcels of best plan tation. We note a good inquiry for malt", but the paucity of supplies, in consequence of vessels keeping so long out, makes the demand appear greater than it is. We quote for trade parcels 12s 3d to 12s 6d. In liquids we note small sales of JDKZ geneva at 14a 6d.

MINING. The following are the current call and dividends payable in the companies named below:— & s. d.

MEETINGS. Flagship, Shortland, 22nd April Margaretta, Mr A. A. Browne's office, Wyndham street, Auckland, 8 p.m., 23rd April —... Black Angel, Grahamstown, 23rd April Bank of New Zealand, Bank, noon. 24th* April' I ' ■Alburnia,' Insurance Buildings, Auckland, 3 p.m.,, 24th April .— -•-■ Buffalo, Coromandel. 26th April We Plus Ultra, Stl, Insurance Buildings, Auckland, 11' a.m., 28th April Otago, Insurance Buildings, Auckland, 2 p.m., ?Bth ,'■ April ■■■■■■■ -' ' ■•■■ ■■ ;•■ <■■:.:. Dixon's No. 1, Mr T. L. White's office, Canada Build ings, Auckland, 3 p.m., 30th April iLOBg Drive; Mr Tothill's office, Auckland, 3 p.m., 7th May . All Nations, Mr Tothill's office, Auckland, 2 p.m., 7th May Lincoln Castle, Sceats' Hotel, Auckland, 2 p.m., 14th BMay

CHIEF POST-OFFICE, AUCKLAND.

Mails will Close as Under :— For Thames, this day, at 5.30 p.m., and to-morrow, at 10.SO a.m. and 5.30 p.m. For Coromandel, on Wednesday; 23rd instant, at 11.30 a.m. .. For Russell, Wangaroa, and Mongonui, per Comerang, to-morrow, at 11 a.m. " For Taranajd and. Southern provinces, per Taranaki, to-morrow, at noon For Wanganui; per Go-ahead, to-morrow, at noon For Wangarei, &0., per Lady Bowen, on Tuesday.' 22nd inst, atlla.nl.- • , . . K.i For Tauranga, Gisborne, and Napier, per Patterson, on Tuesday, 22nd inst., at 2p m. For Whitianga, Tauranga, and Opotiki, per Southern Cross, to-morrow, at 3 p.m. For Tonga (Friendly Islands), per Kenilworth, to morrow, at 8 p.m. ** 1101? Colonl e», per Hero, on Wednes! , day. 23rd inst., at 2 p.m. (Signed) ■> S. B. Bibs, CWet Postmaster.

NOTICE TO CORRESPONDENTS.

M.C.—The sentiment is good, but the lines are not Suited to our columns.

BIRTH.

Simmonds.—On the 7th instant, al her residence, Levuka, the wife of the Rev, J. H. Simmonds of a son.

DEATH.

Fetepson.—On the 9th inst., 'of dysentery, at the residence of his brother James, Na Beka plantation, Taviuni, Peter Peterson, of Sandsting, Shetland ; aged 42 years. ... ■ , M

The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News and the Morning News.

MONDAY, APRIL 21, 1873.

m For the cause that lacks assistance, For the wrongs that need resistance, For the future in tlie distance, And the good that we can do.

"Whatevfe Fiji's future may be it is evident from the news published in another column that this cannot be at the present hour a very delect able place of residence. Men among us who are incapable of tracing results of political complications in their bearing on individual welfare, pride themselves on the virtue of only minding their own business. But we think that in Fiji the most stupid and selfish must see that political questions are of about the first importance, and the mere making of sugar and rum and dollars a small thing as compared with the alternative of being eaten by moun tain niggers, or shot down by nigger sol diers in the service of the Government. That a country should have progressed as has Fiji under such disabilities is significant of what that country may become when it ceases to be cursed with anarchy, and when some thing is established with the name of Government affording a common rally ing point to all the well disposed. There is nothing in the world objection able in an independent Government being set up in the islands but that it seems to lack a basis in the common respect and confidence of the settlers. Probably a good deal of this is owing to the anomalous relations of the British and Colonial authorities to the settlers of British origin, and which have established an imperium inimperio subversive of tho authority of the new Government, and tending to produce •dissension and collision among the settlers in the new dominion. The old traditional policy of Eng land comes frequently in conflict with the new things of an advancing age, but in few cases could it have been more mischievous than in claim ing the right to protect British sub jects from the operation of the laws of a country like Fiji in which those sub jects had chosen to settle. It is true the little dominion may not have been erected into a kingdom strictly accord ing to the recognised etiquette of nations, which can look back over ages to the basis of greatness laid in pillage and bloodshed, and in almost every crime implied in the decalogue. It may not in this respect have seemed respectable, but if the bigger nation had just refrained from meddling, and- ! told its people that ,in going to live under a de facto Government they must submit to its edicts or bear the consequences, and that no war ships would interpose in their squabbles, society would long ago have been consolidated at Eijii Constituted authority has clearly no moral influence on the minds of the residents, and such collisions as that which has taken place at Ba may be' reasonably expected. The absorption of the islands into the British empire; or the total withdrawal of British^ meddling, would perhaps be equally: conducive to peace and stable govern-! ment, but the half-and-half systemj hitherto pursued will, if continued1 much longer, probably produce a statej of things that will culminate in blood-; shed and massacre. The conduct ofj the British Government towards Fiji has been disgraceful, and has done; much to retard for years the develop ment of a group of islands that should: be the gem of the Pacific. •■

As'corporations are usually unsympa thetic, so is it difficult to excite sym pathy'in their favour. But the City Council is at the present time between two such terrible horns of a dilemma that we almost feel disposed to pity. The one horn is typhus fever, the other is Mr Christopher Greenaway. Which is worse we do not known; we fancy the Council are in the same fix. In fleeing from Scylla they have fallen into the jaws of Charybdis; or iv other

words in trying to escape typhus fever, tliey are confronted by Mr Christopher Greenaway. Christopher Greenaway has a mission. It may not be a pleasant one, still it is a mission, and like every man under the influence of one ennobling ambition we respect Christopher Grreenaway. Christopher Greenaway's mission is to stand in the' breach and stay the advance of hygienic reform. He believes in st*"* ' Mite *oi disant "A ' —en, and ' , r i " ' • veriest man m New a.„, '.„, ins powerful patronage is a. >vall of protection. People may affect to despise Christopher Green away, but he wins his cases in the law courts nevertheless, and waving as his sceptre the long and crooked stick with which he performs amateur nightman work-in Wakefield street, he justly feels himself to be a king. If we did not know that' he has been for a long time resident in Auckland we should feel disposed to think him the weird avant courier of cholera, employed and§sent expressly to guard the hotbeds of death, in pre paration for the advent of the Indian King. But Christopher is not em ployed by any one, but of his own sweet will, and from an instinctive love for what is evil-smelling is self-consti tuted the defender of the ancient insti tufcionof water-closets, and revels in the sight of a rank and reeking cesspool as ordinary people would delight in the aspectfand perfume of a bed of roses. The report of the recent meeting of the Board of Health shows Mr Greenaway in the gratification of his peculiar idiosyncracy. It appears that the City Council in the capacity of Board of Health feels impressed with the peril of fever spreading, and at its own expense proposed to remove the danger by filling up the place in' which the stagnant and poisonous sewage matter accumulates, which has pro duced already one case of typhus. But Christopher Greenaway likes sewage matter, and rather admires typhus. He therefore interdicts the action of the Council, so far, at least, as his own pro perty is concerned. It is probable that municipal history could not afford a parallel to this passion for impurity, or a fellow to Christopher Greenaway. It is competent, we know, to indite an offender against cleanliness as a " com mon nuisance." We are not aware if the law would allow his suppression as common nuisances usually are sup pressed, by covering him up with earth ; but now that such deliberate resistance has been given to the removal of what has already generated mortal disease, we hope that the Council will resolve on dealingwith Mr Christopher Green away with the utmost rigour of the law. This sort of thing has really gone too far now, and Christopher must be suppressed. The hands of the Board of Health must be upheld by public opinion. Death is in our midst, and if the administration of the law will not protect citizens, tho law must be taken into the people's own hands. Tho new street from Princes - street to Wellesley-street East is to be commenced forthwith. It -will run through a portion of Government-house grounds, ancl in return, for encroaching on the same, the Commis sioners will erect a low wall, surmounted by a handsome iron palisading. This work, however, will not be carried out at first in consequence of the advanced price of iron. The street will be 110 feet in breath, namely, GO feet of roadway, and 22 feet each pathway. An avenue of trees will be planted along this street, and when completed it will form the handsomest street probably in all New Zea land. Bowen-street will run from Princes street to Victoria-street East, at a gradient of one in sixteen, ■ following the track of the present bridle path. It is expected that this street will relieve Shortland - street of its principal traffic ; also that of a portion of Queen-street. It is intended, if possible, to cut down the top of Princes-street a few feet opposite the Northern Club. Provision was made for this work when the Club was built, so that the building should not be injured thereby. There is no doubt that the appear ance of the^Club would be very much im proved by the erection of a noble portico in front with stone steps on each side to the entrance. The Club is built six feet back from the street, and there would be no encroachment in erecting a portico and steps. It is to be hoped that the proprietors of the Club-house will give their consent to the street being lowered. When all the above mentioned improvements have been com pleted it is extremely probable that the Go vernment will be ashamed of the wretched looking wooden fence in front of Government House, and will substitute iron palisading to match that which will be erected by the commissioners to enclose the ground abutting on the extension of Princes-street. We understand that Signor Orlando Maz-j zoleni has succeeded Signor P. Vragnizan as manager of the Prince of Wales Theatre.' Signor Mazzoleni has had experience aa lessee of the City Hall, and we wish him success. Usually when there are any important sittings at the Police Court these proceedings, are constantly being interrupted by thej passing of heavy drays loaded with iron.< These carts are generally unloaded at Messrsj E. Porter & Co. store across the street, which; helps to keep up the clatter and prevents a; word from being heard in Court. It is how-; ever a matter of congratulation to those en-l gaged in the ship scuttling case that there arej no, English ships discharging iron at present, I and consequently the passing drays are conspicuous by their absence. Our reporter; on Friday and Saturday was enabled to catch; the names of three witnesses, which is generally, an impossibility. The Courtis very, badly situated for hearing, but if a wooden' pavement or asphalt were ■ laid down in the' vicinity the nuisance would be almost entirely' removed. We hear that the Provincial Government j have taken proceedings against a Mr Green away and other enlightened gentlemen who, like Canute of old, command the waves of progress to stay their onward course, to enforce payment of the education tax. At the dawn of creation the sovereign, voice of the Universe said " Let there be light," and later in our time the dying poet, Goethe, exclaimed "More light," but certain gentlemen in our midst would if possible reverse these ever widening, ever-growing sentiments of the highest wisdom. ...__'■ < •

There was a good attendance both morn ing and evening at Bey. .P. H. Cornford's chapel yesterday' to hear the anniversary sermons, ancl the collections at the close of the services amounted to £12 10s. The corner allotment afc the foot of Upper Queen-street and Grey-street (lately occu pied by Mr W. Kirby)'is being fenced row'1 by the City Council. Th" r" , .~JJt future period of hV .- ****£?! adorned---' " —«*y ™U probably be ;. rtitn the erection of a town hail, lor wnich the position is eminently adapted. Why a room should not be provided for witnesses at the Police Court is a matter that " no fellah can understand." When witnesses are ordered to leave the Court and hearing of the Court they seldom obey the order strictly, but hang about the door where, it disposed, they have an opportunity of hearing what it is going on. There are spare rooms attached to tbe police station that could easily be made available for the accommodation of witnesses when necessary. The present arrangement, which is no arrangement at all, is simply abominable. In our report of ;the meeting of the Board i of Health we stated in error in our issue of Saturday that Mr Williams had stated there was a case of fever in his house. Mr Williams writes to us in correction, and says :—This is a mistake, which I hasten to correct, as in my letter to the Council, of date 7th April, I mentioned that it was in the neighbourhood, (not in my house), and that most probably it was caused by want of drainage at the rear of those premises abutting on the market reserve, and requesting their immediate attention to remedy the same under " The Publio Health Act." The annual inspection of the Artillery Volunteers will take place in the Drill-shed at four o'clock to-morrow afternoon. No. 1 Boyal Company, Victoria Company, and Cadets of Bifle Volunteers will also parade for their annual inspection at half-past seven o'clock to-morrow evening. • Tt is said that open confession is good for the soul, but when that confession is accom panied with audaciousness it becomes a ques tion whether the law should not take its course rigidly. Such, we venture to assert, should be done with the laundry-woman who on Saturday last wrote to a gentleman who had entrusted her with his washing. The letter read as follows :— "Sir,— I stole your shirt to make a shift, and you must make a shift without it.—Yours, Sklina." Henry Higginson died suddenly on Satur day, aged fifty, in his hut ;it Mangare. Higginson was a North of Ireland man, from the county of Antrim, and an old colonist. He had been employed for some time by Mr Dilworth, at Waitakerei, and had the repu tation of being a steady man. He had no relatives in this country, but owned a small allotment whereon he had erected the lonely onc-tenemented hut in which he expired, with none to watch his last breath. An in quest, we believe, according to announce ment, was held this afternoon on Higginson's body. The letter which appeared in our Saturday's issue respecting the pecuniary position of Mrs S. Brooking has reached the musical hearts of our city minstrels,? and several of the Auckland Amateur Serenaders, whose charac ter in color bears no resemblance to hurnt cork, have tendered their services to Mr E. Ward (so long the successful manager of Ward's Minstrels,) on behalf of Mrs Brooking. It is decided to hold the entertainment next week in the City Hall, when this newly organised feudless company -will make their graceful bow to an admiring public brimful of amicable feeling under its new title, "The Auckland Ethiopian Troupe." The brethren of the Waitemata Lodge,. OS9, E.G., will hold their monthly meeting to-morrow evening at the usual place. The several banks of the city will close on Wednesday next in honor of St. George of England, and the world's Shakesp'ere. The friends of the Wellesley-street Baptist Sunday-school will hold their anniversary tea-meeting in the Chapel to-morrow evening. It is contemplated by tho Auckland Improvement Commissioners to bring in a bill in the General Assembly to alter and amend the Auckland Improvement Act of 1873.' One drunkard was fined this morning at the Police Court, before Thomas Beckham, Esq,, P.M., for being drunk. Several others did not appear. The business of tho Telegraph-office was removed after business houis on Saturday night to the premises at the corner of Short land and Queen-streets, and formerly occu pied by Mr W. S. Bees, solicitor. The new offices wero opened yesterday morning, at ten o'clock, for the re ceipt of telegrams, and the business will henceforth be conducted on the new premises. The offices are not larger than those vacated, but are more convenient for the public. The front room has been divided into a clerk's office and room for the public. The desk for the use of the public is divided into five partitions, with a sliding door to each for handing in the messages. Tbe Bey. David Jones, of St. Matthew's, is still suffering from protracted ill-health, and unable to take part in the services of the church. It is rumoured that the rev. gentleman will seek a warmer climate, and will probably go to Sydney for several months. The Bey Mr Burrows occupied the pulpit of St. Matthew's: yes terday, and in the morning preached a con solatory sermon from Gen. c. 42 v. 36 "All these things are against me." Among the passengers returned to our city, by the Hero, was Mr John Smithy the well-known enterprising draper. Mr Smith we understand , intends resuming business ' shortly in our midst, and with that view he purposes building •. on premises. in Queen-: street. He has brought from Melbourne an! elaborate shop-front on the latest principle.: The indifferent health of his daughter partly; induced his return to Auckland. The leases of valuable building Bites in Grafton road and Symonds-street will be; sold by auction to-morrow by Messrs. B. Tonka and Co., by order of the Auckland' Improvement Commissianers. A sale of< city endowments will also take place. Some time siqce we suggested the forma tion of a v Tree Planting Association" at the: North Shore for the purpose, by co-operation, j of providing the great desideratum to visitors to that favourite suburb. We learn that a proposal has been submitted to the Highway j Board of the district by a local nurseryman j to plant two thousand trees on the Flagstaff' Hill, and to tend them for several years, the remuneration being exceeding reasonable',1 and the payment extending, over three years. We are pleased to learn that the proposal has been favorably received, and that it is in contemplation to hold a public meeting of the residents to consult-them on the subject. We feel confident that a project so calculated to increase the attractions of the district will be endorsed, hj public approval, but we consider that there is nothing in this to militate against an independent association such as that formerly proposed by us, which would we believe enlist the co-operation of a large number, and tend to supplement the work on which the Highway Board will pro bably be encouraged to enter.

The secretary of the Board of Education notifies that the second quarter of the Auck land College and Grammar School will com mence on Friday next.

Alluding to Mr Winter's connection with J. Ir AlfredAnderson Carrie Emanuel, the Chr;^ crmi . eli j> rm gays ._. Mr Winter sang several ballads, and was eminently suc cessful in the duet from "Traviata." We hope to hear this gentleman more frequently in operatic selections, in which he is evidently thoroughly at home. In the second part he sang Bussell's "Slave Ship" with much dramatic effect, and in response to an encore gave " Meet me in the lane."

Mr W. Gray, of the Post-office depart ment, Wellington, en route for England, proceeded in the Nebraska as mail agent, Mrs Gray accompanying him as assistant. This strikes us as being an admirable arrange ment, that while the efficiency of the public service is in no way impaired, permits Mr Gray the exercise of economy, and the uniu rupted enjoyment of domestic bliss. ;Mrs Gray, as a Government "officeress,": ob tained a free passage—a consideration not to be despised by a civil servant. — Napier Tele graph.

LATEST FIJI NEWS.

Attack on a Native Town— 157 People Killed.

The Ba Settlers in arms against the

Government

Murders at Tanna

Terrific Hurricane. - Houses blown down.—The Sea Flower and other Vessels Wrecked.

Storming of Korowaiwai

Korowaiwai is a town situated on the inside of the spur separating Tavua from the Kaki Baki district. It is a mountain town, and some time back some of its people were guilty of the murder of an old chief on the coast, whom they cut up and made a cannibal feast of; A warrant was issued by Mr Leefe, the Warden of the district, for the arrest of the murderers, but upon the warrant being sent up to the town the people refused to allow it to be put into force, and also said that they were preparing to fight, and would come down and attack the whites upon the coast. Tbe Warden gave information of the threat of the mountaineers to the Govern ment, and called upon them to enforce his warrant. The .Government were also in formed through him of threatening messages which had been sent by the mountaineers to settlers upon the coast, and therefore determined to| take immediate action in the matter. The troops which were available for service when first collected in this district were 000 men under command of Batu Isekeli. On Monday, the 3rd instant, the town was summoned to surrender, and refusing, the attack was commenced on the next day (Tuesday) at eleven o'clock in the morning. Upon advancing to within about eight hun dred yards of the town the irregulars com menced building fences. On being urged to go on they refused, saying that they did not understand fighting in such a manner. The attack was therefore continued with between sixty and seventy regulars, who had been drilled on Moturiki. These men went in splendidly at the charge and took the town. The irregulars seeing that the town had been stormed, and was in possession of their friends, followed on, and commenced a massacre of. the town people. The regulars were used to endeavour to stop this proceeding, and parti ally succeeded. It was found that during the attack and the slaughter by the allies there was a loss of about one hundred and fifty seven townspeople killed and wounded. There were not any casualties amongst the troops. The engagements lasted for one hour. The forces engaged were Fijians, with the exception of some three white volunteers, and four white officers.

The troops yesterday under orders were to march for the Ba. The towns which were implicated in the Burns massacre, and which are situated on a tributary range running down towards the Ba, will be the next ones to be attacked ; but we believe there will not be any advance into the mountains until after the hurricane season shall have been passed. Commenting on this attack the Fiji Times says :—The boast in the columns of our con temporary (the Gaelte) on Saturday last is highly amusing. "The King's troops," it says, '' have won their first victory. Led on by their officers and accompanied by two white volunteers, they assaulted the town of Na Korawaiwai, on Tuesday morning last, and although opposed by a force of five times their number, a ditch waist deep in mud, and a fence of wet clay nine feet high, they, under a heavy musketry fire, surmounted all obstacles and stormed the position with all the steadiness of British troops. At no time were they not perfectly under command, and after the affair was over, marched in good order to their cantonments."

What a gallant attack ! what a strong posii tion! what a formidable opposition, what muddy difficulties, and above all what a heavy and murderous musketry fire ; and yet the forces go in and win, the only casualties being muddy feet, and a few soiled sulus,' We hope that the commissariat was well supplied with soap for suchatryihgemergency.l How about the one hundred and thirty killed; of the enemy ? Did the townspeople make noj 'resistance, or wris the affair1 a bloody tragedy,! a heartless, savage massacre of unarmed men and helpless women and children ? We leave it for our Attorney-General, who kno^vs the truth or falsehood, of everything, to say ; but rumour has it that it was a cold-blooded massacre. What matter, they were only! nigger rebels.

Rattle his bones over the stones, He's only a pauper whom nobody owns."

GOVERNMENT EXPEDITION AGAINST THE BA

SETTLERS:

The Fiji Times says :— Ba affairs have reached a climax. 'The settlers on that coast who have been threatened by the Government with removal,. .who have been taunted with being addicted •to :" potting " the natives, and for a change liking " battue," who have been denominated and branded as '• white rebels," yet who are amongst our most respected and respectable, settlers, have 1 been opposed- bjr a' force, of Fijians, sent, down, w,e .suppose, to put the threats of the1 Government into execution. The thing that Englishmen. hate—of having an inferior race itsed against them by' their own countrymen^has bee^n done in i;his case, where,-doubtless,' a "little'diplomacy would have brought about a good understanding. But the settlers have expressed themselves determined to stand by each other, and not to allow any of their number to be taken away. Hence they are now assembled under arms at Ba, the settlers "on the one side, the Government troops on the< other, headed.by a few white men, all awaiting the.arrival of H.M.S. Dido, which will sail to t -morrow. True, there have not been any shots"fired between the antagonistic parties, but the native has been to all intents And purposes arrayed against the white man, and we do : not anticipate that the effect upon tlie mind of the Fijian will be a good One.

StrURICANE AMONGST THE ISLAND. —WRECK OE TllE SEA. VtOWER. The captain of the Satellite, which has re turned to Levuka, reports that alltheiabmds he called at he remarked that there had been a severe hurricane on Oi? about the 7th or Sth of January. At Port Eesolution the Tm Tavuki was dismasted, the labourers, 53 in number, belonging to her were transhipped into the Daphne.' At Wysissey, Tanna, the houses were all blown down, the sea washing away about twenty tons of cocoanut oil, and four or five tons of cobra. The plantations have suffered fearfully. At Erromanga the new mission house was blown down, and dreadful damage done to the whaling station. A small steamer belonging to this station was unable to stand the sea and wind, and so was - run ashore, and became a total wreck. At Sandwich the Aquila and the W. S. Fox were blown ashore and received great damage. The Sea Flower has became a total wreck in Havannah harbour. The Queensland vessel, the Jason, dismasted at sea, was at anchor m Havannah harbour. The master and crew, with, forty-eight labourers, proceeded to Maryborough in the Chance. The Chance has been sold and is now the joint property of Captain McLeod and Mr Smith, of the whaling station, Erromanga. . MURDERS AT TANA. The master of the Satellite reports 'that two Apii natives, working on Capt. M'Leod s plantation, near Black Beach, Tanna, were found brutally murdered. One had been evidently dreadfully tomahawked and thrown over the cliffs, the other had also been much tomahawked. Some suspicion is put on the Tanna natives, whilst it is the opinion of others that it was a native labourer belong ing to another island, and who was there fore guilty of double murder. Capt. Had dock also reports from hearsay that a Capt. Jones, working on Mr Boss Lewin's planta tion, White Beach, Tanna, was shot dead. It seems some cutter called at this place, and a man belonging to her endeavoured to steal women off the plantation. He was told by Mr Jones that he (Jones) would shoot any one endeavouring to steal labour off the place. At the time Jones had a loaded gun :in his hand, and the man belonging to the cutter endeavoured to take it from him. During the struggle the gun went off and shot Jones through the head, the ball enter ing the forehead. A British man-o'-war was on the coast, and on hearing of the occur rence she steamed round the island south about the same course as that taken by the cutter. The Satellite was at anchor at Black Beach, and as the man-o'-war did not come there, Capt. Haddock thinks that the cutter must have been overtaken, The man-o'-war was a large steamship, supposed to be -eitjhejr the Blanche or Bosario. ARREST OE MR SULLIVAN Mr P. Sullivan was arrested on a charge of treason, for resisting the Government, but after trial was acquitted.

AMENDED LIGHT DUES.

(To theEditor'of the Evening Star.) Sir,I—By'1—By' advertisement I see that the Auck land Harbour Board propose to. memorialise the General Assembly to adopt a certain scale of charges for light dues, pilotage, &c, fdr the Port of Auckland. The only difference between that now in force and the proposed scale is that the one now proposed is lower —the one is just as complicated as the other, even worse. The brains of the framers must have been addled to conceive such an absurdity; but there is nothing in it, merely altering. and twisting about the old complicated ma chine. The Harbour Board is moved in this matter by a petition sent up to the General Assembly last session, praying for an altera-, tion in the mode of levying light dues, pilot ■ age, &c, the mode proposed in the petition being an uniform rate of light dues paid an nually in any one part in the colony. But this petition did not emanate from the Har bor Board, and the mode there set forth is too simple and plain to suit the old fogey views of the ancient mariners of the Harbour Board. The scale proposed is simply absurd, and evidently framed to make more employ: ment for officials, for any one can seeataglance that one man could as easily do the work with an uniform rate as half-a-dozen men with the complicated scale now proposed. All the New Zealand legislation seems bent on making " Goosey Colonist" pay through the nose, and let strangers have the advantage ; for instance it is proposed that a vessel from a foreign port, making only onetrip a year, shall pay twopence in and twopence out, while the poor colonist has to pay sixpence per quarter, or the option of paying a halfpenny in and a halfpenny out per ton. It is futher proposed that steamers shall pay less dues then sailing vessels. lam under the impression thait lighthouses are just as useful to steamers as to' sailing vessels. If the Harbour Board authorities think that the scale proposed is to satisfy the shipping community of Auckland. they are much mistaken —I am, &c, A Seaman. •-.•'. ; j ' Auckland, April 16, 1873.

HORSUM VERSUS BULLUM.

(To the Editor of the Evening Star.) | Sir.—-As Mr Leggett is so kind as to say that it is not because the Devonport High way Trusteer have- cows but no horses that they have made a rule to impound straying horses, and not straying cows. I would further ask him to tell me then what are the grounds on which they make the distinction! Hs will please do this without snnapping a$ me, and as becomes a public officer. —I' anqL &c, North Head. ' I

SUPREME COURT. THIS DAY.

; (Before His Honor Mr Justice Johnston.) Civil Sittings. j His Honor took his seat at ten o'clock. ;' ,: ..'FINING A JURYMAN. ;"'..• Alexander McGillan, who was fined 40s for ; not attending on the 16th instant, when summoned, came up to ask for a remission ofi the penalty. He said he understood his sum mons applied to the Criminal Sittings, whichj were over. tl? \ His' Honor observed that there was no difference in thef summonses. The excuse, offered was a paltry one, and such as the Court: could not accept. However, the attendance! lof jurymen in Auckland being very punctual, he would, as an acknowledgment of thej general-regularity, reduce the penalty in the; present case to 20s. JUROR EXCUSED. j . Captain Daldy was excused from attendance, being engaged on th,e scuttling case in the Police Court. c : ,-. Special Jury Case. z: j ,;:;. graham versus THOMAS and others. • ,!'Mr MacCormick with Mr Macdonald appeared forvthe plaintiff, and Mr Whitaker with Mr Hesketh for the defendant. The following gentlemen were sworn a special jury :—J. M. Hamlin, W. Anderson, J. M. Dargaville, F. W. Howard, R. Bartley, P. F. MJ Burrows, W. T. Bassett, J. P. Dv Moulin, S. W. Hill, J. Stewart, J...T. Boylan, A. Beetham.. J. M. Dargaville, Esq., was chosen foreman. This wasv the well-known Bright Smile and Queen of Beauty case. The action was brought as one 'of trespass, the plaintiff averring that the defendants,had wrongfully entered upon certain lands owned by him at Grahamstown. The special act of trespass which formed the subject of the action was, that the plaintiff had erected a fence on the land owned *by him, which the defendants

had pulled down- Although the action was nominally one for compensation for trespass, it was purely to test the question of the right of the plaintiff to the proprietorship of certain hvdS at Grahamstown that the action w.is brought, and it rested entirely on the question whether the land in dispute was within the. boundaries of the gnldfield or not. Several issues were submitted to the jury embodying the ques tions involved in the case, and to these a number of pleas were put in by the defend ants, forming a general denial of the alleged trespass, and setting forth that long prior to the alleged trespass the defendants had riAi fnl possession of the land ; and thct s> )__ the. nth of March, 1808, the land had b_-en ■ opeti fto gold mining under the Goldfields Act. '...,. Bobert .Taffies McFarlane, surveyor, de posed : I know the Queen of Beauty claim,, also allotments 623 and 024 of Grahamstown. The plan produced shows the position of those allotments, and the boundaries of the- Queen of Beauty claim. Those allotments are part of Kauaeranga No. 4 and No. 5. From my personal observation and knowledge 023 and 024 are properly laid down on that plan. The mullock heap and tramway laid down by the Queen of Beauty men are partly on allotments 023 and 024. Mr McCormick put the Crown Grant in 6vid6nc6# ~."' James' Macky, plaintiff's agent at Gra hamstown, deposed : The plaintiff pays rent to the natives for blocks Kauaeranga Nos. 4 and 5. He sub-let allotment 025 to James Muscat. In November, 1871, I went with Mr Graham to the allotment in dispute. The allotments had not then been interfered with. Thev-were not fenced. The pegs_of the allotments were put in once or twice, and were pulled out by some one. There might have been some mullock on the back of 624, from the Queen of Beauty claim. I know that the Queen of Beauty men, claim a por tion of those allotments. I h^e' seen them working. Mr Graham, I believe, haS ( acquired the freehold of lot 5, but still pays'rent for lot 4. - KfIVK , J. W. Preece proved the lease of Kauae- I ranga No. 5 to Mr Graham by, the native owners. . Daniel Pollen deposed : I am agent for the General Government at Auckland,,and sub , treasurer. His HonorI/ If what is said is true I should think Dr Pollen is a portion of the general Government. ! Dr Pollen : Not yet, your H0n0r..,,. 1 Evidence crntin'ued : The' first receipt on the lease produced was signed by Mr Ward, who was acting as sub-treasurer at Auckland, r. Several.payments^on "the lease, are1 endorsed Iby me. Mr W?rd acted oh my behalf during ] the whole of the time that I was in the '.Stafford' Government. "."y Mr Whitaker objected to the, admission of the lease and Crown grant in evidence, be cause they had hot been set out in the plead ings in accordance with rule 41 of Supreme Court, rules as the. grounds upon which possession was based. :.. ,His Honor overruled the objection on the ground that rule 41 was only intended to compel, the insertion in the pleadings of every material'fact, but the deeds were tfendered by Mr MacCormick as evidence contributing to but not. absolutely necessary for.establish ing the plea that plaintiff was in possession of the ground. • . • .. • ' 'A.:.: Mr Whitaker asked his Honor to take a note of the objection, which was done. John Binney deposed to having erected a fence on the allotment 623 and 624, to the order of Mr-Bobert Graham. He saw the fence torn down by the shareholders of the Queen/of Beauty, namely, Thomas; and the defendants to that action. Stuff ; wias fbfeing carted across the allotments from the Queen of Beauty before the fence was put up:,' The fence would have stopped them from carting their stuff if it had been'allowed to remain. Bichard Keenan deposed that he -vv^as on the allotment in May,.1872, in company with Mr Bobert Grahard. There was mullock on the allotment at that time from the Queen of Beauty. Seven months before May;~lß72, there was no mullock on the, allotments. .The. heap gradually increased, taking* up more and more of the allotments.•/'/ ___] '.y'A. [Left sitting.] ~r .... .-.. ::x ■,■■;

POLICE COURT.

Saturday.— Continued. , ~,'i ; SERIOUS CHARGE OF SCUTTLJFG A SHIP. (Before Messrs WVC. Daldy and G_ M. Mit ford, Justices of the Peace.) John Bae deposed that he ,was carpenter of the ship Alsager. Bemembered the Sth February, and examined the vessel,pn ihat 'diay: with Anderson* Knew the. iiliree prisoners. Etherington came to him on the 3rd March, and asked for the use of an auger It was between nine and twelve o'clock. He said it must be a large-sized one. His'rfhest was in the boat, where his tools were. He had subsequently occasioU to get some tools out of his box, and he brought out an SJ inch shell auger; A short time after, when he returned to his bench, he missed his auger. He asked Etherington if he had taken it, when he said he had broken it in the hole. Moore came to him and enquired about the quantity of water in the vessel, when he said she was all right; there were three holes in her. Witness then asked him where he got the auger to make the holes. He said "out of your chest." Witness then asked what he had done with the auger, when he said he had buried it in the guano. He then wanted a mallet, when witness pointed to one lying by. He subse quently missed a screw auger, 7-Sth x 16. He then examined the holes between timbers on each side of the, ship :. they were bored through' the air ports between the frajngSs. The holes were all fresh; he was sure of that, because of the borings. He believed the holes were^ such as,the. augers j would make. He did not tell the captain, for he believed his life was not safe: the prisoners migh|L, have killed him. James Simpson, an able seaman, reme^tf^ bered being on ooard the Alsager on the 3rd of Marclv when a quantity, of baggage: and other things were put into the long-boat. Moore came up ,to the rail and asked if- the carpenter's chest was, open. He said,-," Look, thSre is no lock oh it." " He then came'dtiwn and opened the chest, took out an auger, and put it in his shirt, and went on deck, saying he would bore two or three holes in her to hiakd hfer gO'dowii a little fasterJ "- John Kohuke,-another of the crew, H. W. Speed, a negro sailmaker, and Charles Irving gave corroborative-evidence, when the case was adjourned until Monday, #t 11, a.m.

THIS DAY.

(Before W. C. Daldy aiid J. M. Mitford, .Esqs., Justices of the Peace.) The'serious charge of scuttling a ship was resumed,at Jlt'a'.m. ._ Eft. XJ .. •■■_ .-, g Charles Kitt, ship's boy, deposed that he knew thei-thteei prisoners^ and that he re membered going.foTward. on ,the 3rd day of March, and saw Green and Moore talking on the port side by the forcastle steps, when Green threw a broom at him and sent him aft, asking him at the same time what he was i listening to; swore at him, and threatened t throw him overboard. He saw Green g

WB mmW® &&& MOKPAt, AEftlL M lgl



OAI/LH. Ions of Freedom .. Chames Gas .. Vaitemata .. Vatchman .. Jueen of May Jna )aughters of Freedom

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April 26 May 1 May 14 May 14 May 14 May 14 May 14



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