SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.

PORT OF AUCKLAND.

HIGH WAX3S : 2hls evening, ll.dO ; io-sacrec* tassnlnz, 12

:>irs-Bj;2 : Thh oree'r.?, 513 ; SUN-KISS? To BftTrow morcing 057 MOON'S AGH": Last Quarter, Eth hist., 10.23 a.m

ARRIVALS.

Luna, Government p.s , Fairchild, from the Manukau Vision, trig. 160 tons, Captain Panchard, from Graf ton River, N.S.W. Pretty Janejs s., Palmer, fr< m Gisborne and Napier

DEPARTURES.

Emu, auxiliary rcrew schooner. Baiter, for Tairua Uirt, b-s(;antine, 99 tors. McKer.zie, for Lyttelton Southern Cress, (A.B.F Co.'x) Holmes, for Napier Wellington, s s., for the South (from the M>nubau) Eero, cutter, for j-:aglsn. (from the Mamil;»u)

Tawcrr., schooner, for Kaipsra (from the Mauukau)

VESSELS IN HARBOUR.

Ships: Miltiades, Queen of Nations, Countess of ICir.tore. Barques : James AVisbart, Ilylton Castle, Novelty, William GJffcrd, Briton. Brigs; Vision, Albion, Thomas and Henry, Susanna, Fawn. Schooners : Pap«", Coronet, So'lle Brandon, Ivanhoc, Magellan Cloud, Queen, Golden Isle.

IMPORTS.

Per Vision frcm Graf ton River—l9oo bags msize, order.—T. Farrell, agent.

DEPARTURE OF THE WELLINGTON.

The s.s. Wellington took her departure for the South at 3.15 p.m. today. Passen gers •. Mr and Mrs Gallagher, Mrs Viseo, Mr G. Yen der Hey tie, M.G.A., Messrs Wilson, R. 11. Stevenson, Bristcrw, Culpan, McTuc ker, Miss Mai shall, Mr and Mrs Chambers, Mrs McGuire ord family, Mrs Halligan and family, Mrs McKennan, Miss Eames.

The steamer Murray which arrived from Westrort yesterday w-as unable to call at New Plymouth owing to stress of weather. Hence the Taranaki mails for transmission, via Sim Francisco, were detained.

The A.S.P. Co.'s s.s. Southern Cross left at six o'clock last evening, for Napier, with a general cargo and passengers. Ihe barque 3S Tovelty dropped down to the North. Head yesterday without a pilot. She then anchored for the night, and owiny to adverse winds was unable to get any further to-day.

The brig Vision, ICO. tons, belonging to Mr T. Farrell, of Auckland, arrived in port yesterday evening with a cargo of maize from -Graf ton Eiver. She left on the 15th of July, and had moderate S.E. winds and tine ■weather until the 24th. Carried S.E. and N. •winds to Three .Kings, which were sighted on the 29th. Was becalmed off the North Cape for 24 hours, after which experienced a very heavy gale, veering from N.W. to S. W., lasting two days. Down the coast fine ■weather, with light E. winds, after Monday. The Vision was lately purchased by Mr Farrell for the inter-colonial trade. She has been hitherto engaged in the tea trade . between Melbourne and China.

The Government steamer Luna arrived late last evening from the Manakau and Russell. She left Onehunga on Wednesday, and reached the Bay of Islands on Sunday evening at seven o'clock. She has called at the Omaha and Kawau on her way down the coast. The Luna is to leave for Wellington shortly.

We understand that Captain '.Bishop, late of the brig Thomas and Henry, is to take charge of the William Gifford barque. The barque Palace, from Wangaroa, arrived at Melbourne on the 14th inst., and the brig Chanticleer, from the same port, arrived there on the 21st.

The brigantine Coronet came r Tongside the wharf this morning, and too; > : p the berth astern of the Queea of Nations, where she will discharge her inward produce. Some , of this will be transhipped into the Countess -•of Kintore for London.

#The barqne William Gifford was this mornfng hauled up into shallow water, close to the watermen's steps, where she will undergo considerable alteration in her 'tween decks and other arrangements. The barque James Wishart has finished taking in her ballast, and will sail for Port land, Oregon, in a few days. The > Pretty Jane {"arrived this afternoon from Gisborne, after being detained on the coast for two or three 4ays owing to adverse weather. She discharged her cattle at the Tamaki, and came up to the wharf in the afternoon.

The schooner Ivanhoe, after lying, in the stream for some days, weighed anchor to-day and started for Whangapoa, where she is to load timber for Levuka. !?he only got as far as the North Head, the wind being unfavour able. Her final departure will no doubt take place bofore to-morrow morning. The Magellan Cloud, brigantine, severed ..her connection with the Queen-street wharf this morning, and anchored in the stream prior to sailing for the Chatham Islands. She has been chartered for the trip by Mr Hood. ; The schooner Belle Brandon has been occu pied to-day receiving a few articles of cargo before taking her departure for Wangaroa, at which port she is to- load timber for Levuka.

TELEGRAPHIC SHIPPING.

Tatjkanga, this day. , The Southern Cross arrived at 6 o'clock this morning from Auckland.

CHIEF POST-OFFICE, AUCKLAND.

Mails will Close as .follows :—

For Thames, this day, at 5.30 p.m., and to-morrow, at 10 30 a m. For Corcmandel, per Enterprise, to-morrow, at 6 p.m. For Waiwera and "Waikwortb, per Lady Bowen, to-morrow, at 10 a, m. For Taranaki, via Waitaaa, per Murray, to-morrow, at 10 a.m. For Wangarei, etc., per Clyde, to-morrow, at 4 80p.m. For Whitiangi, Tairua, Tauranga. Opotiki, and Napier, via Tauranga, per Southern Cros3, on Saturday next.iatl p.m.

S. B. Bibs, Chief Postmaster.

BIRTHS.

Eowk— On the 4th instant, the wife of Henry F. Rowe, of Taupiri, of a daughter /

DEATH.

Bukohell—On August 4th, at Tole-street, Dedwood, Caroline Charlotte, infant daughter of John and Bllen Burchell.

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

"WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 1874.

For the causo that lacks assistance, For the wrong that needs resistance, For the future in the distance. And tbe good that we can do.

A matter of grave public coacern has been the subject of suppressed whisperings in town during the past few days, and as it is not advisable that such a matter should be sup pressed, but on the contrary we should bravely meet the evil and know the worst, we can no longer refrain from making it public. Ih plain language it is said that Mr Julius Vogel, who has "left his impress on tha destinies of this colony more than has any other man, is an unnaturalised alien, and that, as a consequence, hiu position in the Legislature and as Premier of New Zealand is wholly illegal, and that all his public acts in such capacity are wholly and utterly null and void ; that Mr Vogel was born on the continent of Europe, to wit in Belgium, although in some way, w-hether by error or wilfulness, he has been represented, as having been born in London, a rumour which has gained currency in various colo nial newspapers, and that having been natu ralised in the colony of Victoria in accord ance with the recent statute, he has neglected conforming to the provisions of registration which would have made him a free citizen of this colony. It is impossible to con template so grave a contingency without a feeling of dismay. •For this colony to be suddenly checked in its career by the knowledge that its financial position is over a slumbering volcano, that the hand that negotiated all the loans was fet tered with the disabilities of an alien, that as a consequence everything done by it has been null and void must produce a

state of political chaos nnd commercial con fusion before which the stoutest lirart must quail. It is true we have got the money, and some dishonorable people might re joice that the colonial bond was invalid and void as the easiest solution of the difficulty of our vast indebtedness. But what, we ask any sane man, will be the effect on the Stock Exchange of the announcement when it is flashed along the wires that the money lent to New Zealand has been lent without security, md that the debentures of' the proud aspiring young Britain of the South are nothing more than Pennsylvanian bonds ? We do not desire to be an alarmist, nor should wo recommend our friends to take any decided steps in view of such a grave contingency. But we cannot trnsfc ourselves in referring to all the conse quences that may arise'from the legislation of the past five years being proved illegal; nor to the thrill that will pervade the colonies of these southern seas when the tidings spread that Vogel, he at whose command mil lions sterling camo liko spirits from the vasty deep, is nothing but an alien. But yesterday the name of Julius might have stood against a thousand ; to-morrow not one so poor as do him reverence. As we have i^aid we do not desire to alatm the peo ple of New Zealand ; at the same time we feel the grove responsibility? of leaving the public to go on in listless indifference to be overwhelmed, unprepared, by such a catas trophe.

ffc will, we think, be satisfactory to all con cerned to learn the names of the arbitrators in the salvage claims of Capt. Casey against the Miltiades ; they are Mr James Watt, on the selection of Captain Casey ; and Dr Campbell representing the ship and those concerned in horcargo. We believe the two names areabout as good a guarantee as could bo afforded from among our commercial community that the negociations will be conducted and the matter settled in a spirit of perfect fair ness ; and although Captain Casey did startle the prople by a little barml< r,a practical fun in lsying his claim, ho will wo are sure be awarded a fair and proper amount for -the timely services Tendered by his steamer. In the case of disagreement between tho two arbitrators provision is made for tho ap pointment of a referee.

We would draw the attention of master mariners to a notice from Captain Burgess appearing in another column. The Shearer buoy, to the east of Tin Tiri, went lasfeMon cay on an independent voyage of discovery) or to Davy Jones' locker, and thns>e that fjo down to the sea in s-liips had better look out.

A meeting of the members of the Auckland Early Closing Association was held nt the Young Men's Christian Association, Mrßtan wix in the chair. The minutes of the pre vious mooting having been road by tho sectctary, Mr Hayes, a collection was made for Mrs Halligau, which is lyfngat the office of the Eventno Sta.ii. It was also announced that the next lecture under the auspices of tho movement will ho delivered by Mr. Blackman on the 25fch instant. Subject : " Poets ; their Sweethearts and Wives," in terspersed with melodies by the temperance choir.

Wo have received a very shower of missives on tho subject of the challenge from Mr Cass to the ministers of religion in Auckland. We see ourselves therefore on the brink of one of those controversies from which, aa a secular journal, we shrink, viz., one respecting a dogma of religious belief. Believing that neither the cause of religion nor that of truth will be benefited by the pens of irato news paper correspondents wo peremptorily close our columns. ."Bluestono," "Enquirer," " Kailyard," " X Y.Z.," " Freethinker," "Scissors," "5.T.H.," and "Brim stone " will therefore, excuse us for plotting a restraint on their religions zeal. We are quite willing that they should settle this or any other dispute elsewhere, but not in our columns. We have also received a letter from Mr Cass himself, temperately and properly written, we admit, but which would necessitate possibly a reply from most or all of the clergymen of the city. Mr Cass has already issued a missive, and one of the ministers expressing, we presume, the views of the others ha^i repfiod in ex planation, and with that, so far as we are concerned, the controversy must end. Some of our correspondents bear down with need less severity on Mr Cass, and evidently mean, if they could to make it hot for him here if he comforts himself with the belief that it will not be hot f6r him yonder. However, much as we may seem to liko a row, wo shrink from so-called "religious" quarrels. Mr Cass may be full of consciousness that he could demolish all before him on this particular subject. But going down the wharf we may meet a man who may say, " I am able to break your head," and yet we re serve to ourselves the right to elect whether we shall lay down our hat and take off our coat and give delectation to a crowd around, or whether we shall pass by on the other side. The ministers of Auckland appear disposed in this cago to leave the roadw ay to Mr Cass; and we presume Mr Cass will not deny that they have a perfect right to so elect. But this need not damp the zeal of Mr Cass. He can begin right off, and square all round. If he tlmnva down his cap and jumps into ring and shouts hurroo! some one will be sure to put himself in attitude. One only request we make, that nobody will lay down his clothes at our feet, or give uu the bottle to hold.

Mr. FieMing is at present* in Auckland collecting information to be embodied in a colonial directory issued from Dunedin. The general scope of the work will bo similar to that of tho directory published by Mr. Wise a year or two ago, but various additions and improvements will be made and care taken to secure greater accuracy.

The Victoria Company met for weekly drill in. the Princes-street shed, and the Hobsoa Company in Wellington-street, last evening. Tha attendance in both instances was good, and the action of the men commendable.

The Star of Newton anniversary soiree last night was attended by more than two hundred persons. After the tables were cleared Brother Cornford was called to the chair, who made an apology for the absence of Dr. Nioholson, whose professional duties had called him in another direction. He then called upon Brother Worms to read tha report, which shewed that the Lodge num bered 101 members, but that 41 had cleared for other lodges. A number of songs, read ings, and reoitotions were given daring the evening, interspersed with glees, conga, and comic pieces. It is sometimes interesting to hear the con* versation of workmen by tha wayside. As for instance we heard this morning, one workman calling out to another "I say, Tom, my wife is getting mighty fond of me, last night she used honeyed words." Did she, Joe, replied the other, what did she say.? " Oh" said Joe,jwhenl was in the garden, she called ont, "now then old beeswax, ain't yoooming in to supper;" how could I refuse such a sweet invitation."

_ The teachers and children of St. Matthew's girls' day school have presented a souvenir to the Rev. R. H. Mitchell in the form of a very handsome book, beautifully illustrated, in token of their respect and admiration, the acceptance of which no doubt must be very gratifying to the recipient.

We have received to-day the sum of three pounds from the secretary of the Enrly-closinp Association, contributed by the lncmbeis. to assist in defraying the expenses of Mis Halligan's passage to Cbristcburcb. As Mrs Halligan, the requisite amount being already made up, has left to-day for the South, we would suggest that the generous contributors should authorise us to hand over the amount, say to the three orphan charities', Parnell, Howe-street, and Mount St. Mary's. Mean time we await instructions.

A communication has been received by a cricketer of this city from Melbourne convey ing the intelligence that a team of Melbourne cricketers intend making a tour through the provinces of New Zealand, beginning with Auckland. They purpose opposing them selves to teams of twenty-two. On the strength of the communication a mFet ing of cricketers has been convened for Friday at the Thames Hotel to take the letter into consideration and ap point a committee to manage the arrange ments. Tt was hardly anticipated that Auckland would so soon be called upon to defend her recently acquired cricketing fame; but nnlooked for or not, we confidently anticipate that the challenge will be man fully responded to, and the Melbourne players may depend upon a hearty welcome and an interesting contest, if not upon a proper beating.

A new, useful, and interesting feature in the way of local exhibitions is to be intro duced into the New Market under the man agement of Mr. Greenwood, with whom the idea originated, namely, a poultry, fancy bird, and dog show. Such shows are frequent in the old country, but comparatively new in the colony. The exhibition is to be held on the 4th and sth of September next, under the patronage of the Mayor, and a committee consisting of gentlemen who take a practical interest in agricultural and other industrial pursuits. The general regulations and rules, with every particular relating to the projected exhibition, are published to-day, and can be had of Mr. Greenwood at his office in the Market. We are glad th&t such an exhibition is about to bo inaugurated in Auckland, as it ■will do much good in stimulating persons to greater care in the breed of poultry, and singing birds; and we may hope therefrom to have a finer selection of dogs of divers kinds.

The great necessity that exists for an in crease in tho number of our pilot staff was illustrated very forcibly yesterday. The Cyphrenes required a pilot twice, that is to say on coming in and on going out; and in addition no less than five foreign going vessels wanted similar assistance. These were the barques Novelty and Elm Grove, and tho briga Transport and Syren. It was impos sible for two pilots to attend to the whole of them, and consequently some of them were delayed. The shipping trade of Auckland is quite as large us that of Dunedin, and yet at the latter port there are, we believe, seven pilots and assistant pilots, while here we have but two. Tbo proposed steam launch will no doubt be of great service, but ifc will not remedy tho existing evil unless accompanied by an enlargement of tho staff.

An interestinggatheringof friends«nd mem bers of St. Andrew's choir met last evening in Mr Fraser's High School-room to bid a musical farewell to Mr Thomas Culpan, who has long been connected with this choir, and who is leaving the city to fill an appointment at Christchurch. The Rev. David Bruco, miuistcr of St. Andrew's, was called to tho chair, and in a brief and well-worded speoch, explained the business of the meeting, expressed the regret felt by tho choir gen erally in parting with Mr Culpan. The evening was devoted to readings and ballads and instrumental music, and subsequently to dancing. Madame Moller, Mr W. Culpan, and Mr Brooks alternately presided at the pianoforte. "Tho Gipsy Countess" a part song, was Bung vory pleasantly by Misa Hunter and Mr Hampton. "Miss Leaf gavo " Kathleen MavouTneon," tho sweetly pensive Irish ballad, in her own characteristic way. Mr Leaf, gave " I'm a Friar of orders grey," very creditably. Mr Jamea Culpan, gave Moore'a well- known song of " The Wood pecker " and Mr T. Culpan the " Death of Nelson," which elicitod much cheering, from the assemblage. Mr Wkrehain, gave " When the coin is waving," and "Come into the garden, Maud " (Tennyson), the for mer a pretty rustic ballad, and the latter of a more diflicult character for singing. Mr Warcham, however, did very well, and was encored. The evouingclosed with afiiendly dance.

A young man who lias had somo months experience at stone-brcakiug in the coufines of Mount Eden was recently delivered from his bondage Since his liberation his con science was touched under an earnest minister of this city. He felt uneasy, and asked the minister how he could get rid of the Edenio stain upon his character, whon he received the worldly, but truthful reply, "getrioh, my boy, get rich ; bathe regularly in tho waters of tho Waitemata, and no jury will ever again conviot you."

A very successful concert was given last evening in the Public Hall, Otahuhu, by a company of amateur vocalists and musicians, assisted by Messrs Ward and Doran of Auck land. The proceeds were given to an aged couple residing there.

SUPREME COURT.—This Day. In Banco.

(Before His Honor Sir George A. Arney, Knight Chief Justice.) WHITE V. MACFARLASE AND BROWW. Mr Hesketh for the defendants applied for a rule to dismiss aa actien brought by the plaintiff, a married woman separated from her husband, to compel defendants to render the accounts of her estate. Mr Hesketh proceeded to Bhow that the rules of the Court had not been complied with, and maintained that the action ought to be quashod for want of prosecution. The commencement of the action dated as far back as December, 1869. In April, 1874, a statement under order of tho Registrar, had been made by the defendants to Mr Rees as solicitor for the plaintiff. Since that no steps had been taken. His Honor was about to reply when Mr Rees came into Court and explained that Mr White was dangerously ill at the present time, and Mr Maofarlane was in Wellington. His Honor granted a provisional rule subject to cause being shown by defendants within fourteen days. APPEAL.—WALMSLEY, APPELLANT, V. WAL LACE, RBSPONDJSNT. Mr MacCormi«k, instructed by Messrs Jackson and Russfell, appeared for the appel lant, and Mr H.. H.Lusk fo» the respondent. This was an'appeal from a decision of tha Resident Magistrate at Onehunga, who had nonsuited the plaintiff Walmsley ia an aotion for illegal seizure of his cattle by defendant. It appears that on the 28th March fifteen of appellant's cattle, in conjunction with over 300 others variously owned, had been driven by respondent, acting under the direction of tbe district trustees into a paddock belong ing to respondent and there impouaded. The seizure was made by tbe trustees under the 24th section of the Waste Lands Act. The nonsuit had been.awarded on the ground that tho aotion should have been brought against the trustees. " I

Mr McCormick now contended that the judgment was wrong in law, and was not borne out by the terms of the section above referred to.

NATIVE LANDS.-A VIEW OF THE PAST.

The readers of English newspapers occasion ally meet with a paragraph informing the world that the Soir, or the Journal dcs Dehals, has received a communique —a warn ing—from the Government. Such communi cations are followed by consequences either of amendment of manners on the part of the paper,! or of punitive interference on the part of the authorities. Our morning con temporary the Herald has in. its issue of Saturday last a " communication " which it publishes, and which, it is to be hoped, will .be attended with no further unpleasant con sequences. The subject of the "communica tion" is the Native Land Acts as to the future prospects of the Colony, and as it is of all subjects the one most deeply affecting the province of Auckland, and on which few men care to think originally, we propose to devote a column occasionally totbe question, hoping that the public mind may at least be stirred up sufficiently to form a public opinion thereon. Ifc i 3 an old and a trite remark that history repeats itself, but the rapidity with which recurring waves of thought ebb and flow in the colonies is entirely unknown in the denser populations and more settled habits of the old country. It is not a decade of years since Te Kooti was wandering with armed bands of barbarous warriors about the northern wilds of this island, and Titokowaru with equal determi nation and ferocity was denuding the south western coast of settlers. Fifteen years have not elapsed since the operations of the old Land Purchase Depart ment were brought to their logical determination on the west by the Taranaki difficulties, which, culminated in the Waitara war, and on the east by the intestinal feuds of Te Hapuku and his cognate tribes. The smouldering embors of the grc?.t Waikato Land Lengue still remain to remind us of the time when a king was proclaimed and a separate organization established for the grjmd object of preventing fuither alienation of native laud to the Government, and arresting the persistent advance of the tide of civilization. Yet already these remark able facts appear to be forgotten. The trials of these disastrous times seem to have left uh no permanent lesson, and the anxieties attendant on the Waikato war appear to have so completely passed from the memories of men thi.t some of us are now striving to restore the causes which produced ifc. Has the author of the " communication" reflected upon what the old system of land purchase reaily was? Possibly he has, but it is im probable that many of thp men of Auckland too deeply engrossed with their own business or pleasures to he able to devote much time to the consideration of the subject, are aware of the character of these transactions, or if the dissatisfaction and heartburning which they so frequently left behind them, manifesting themselves in popular discontent and organized resistenco to law and author ity whenever the individual cases became sufficiently numerous to eng3ge a suffi cient number of people in a united sentiment that the time for an out break had come. Without dilating upon the general viciousuess of the principle th.it the purchaser of an article was at the samo time the supreme judge of the rights of the seller, that the refusal to accept a decision or a price was liable to be construed into an act of disloyalty, and that at the least one party was, or at law was supposed to bo, the obedient subject of the other, we will take from the Bluo-kooksa case of an old land pu rchase, and trace its history as far as it is disclosed, so that the public may judge for themselves whether the Assembly which declared in 1802 that the system should fot ever cease, acted wisely or not; and to be quite fair, we will take the first case men tioned in the Blue-book, occurring in the moat peaceable part of New Zea land, where the acts too of the Maori land leaguers had never succeeded in forming any organization. The case re ferred to is that of Oruru in the Mongonui district, and wo will simply quote the letters of the land purchase commissioners, omitting such parts n 3 are not descriptive of the mode of operation, or the difficulties in con scquenoe thereof. The first letter lv the Blue-book is from Mr Johnson, District Land Purchase Commissioner, and is dated 23rd February, 1855, and as it defines the history of the case at the time we will give it nearly in full- Mr Commissioner Johnson to the Chief Com missioner,

" Sir, —J have tho honor to report the result of investigations into claims raised by certain natives to the valley of Oruru. This valley is situated on the tract of debate able ground which usually lies between the possessions of ovcry two great tribes in Now Zealand, and has been a bone of contention for generations past between tho two great divisions in tho North, the Ngapuhi and the Earawa. Besides the Ngapuhi aud the Rarawa, another party have now appeared, headed by a young man named Tipene, of the Ngatikahu tribe, tho original possessors of the land in question, who were formerly on tho side of the Rarawa, taking part Avith th«m against Ngapuhi in 1542. They have now quarrelled with their.late chief Noble, and are urging their claims under the aus pices of TamatlWaka. It appears that all parties partook more or less of the payments made by Dr Ford and the other Europeans, the original purchasers through 'whom the j lands reverted to the Crown; and had the I ground been aotually taken possession of at ( that time it is very probable that no difficul j ties would have been raised by the natives. | During the twelve years that have elapsed since that event affairs have changed. A war between the Rarawa and the Ngapuhi, who suffered considerable loss of life on both sides, ha 3 taken place about the right of selling land in the district of Mongonui, and it happened that the valley of Oruru was thß scene of the hostile encounter. Whatever the right of these beligeront tribes may have been respectively prior to this war, an equal loss of life raised the claim of both parties upon a new basis, and not being able to agree together tho place was, by mutual consent, abandoned. Noble appears to have liean the first to iroturn to the contested ground, with the sanction, he affirms, of the Gevorn m«nt, in consideration of the services he ronderod in the war agaiusk Hoka. These circumstances have led to a complication of native difficulties; and the land being required for the location of Bettlers it became evident that the first step was to extinguish the claims of Noble, the party in possession, and this was dene recently for the sum of £100 through the hands of Mr White, the Resident Magistrate, and Noble, now without equivocation, acknowledges the land to be Crown property. Next in importance with a view to quiet occupation is the settlement of the demands of Pororua and the Mauriuri, of Hokianga, and I think a gum of £150 might be advantageously speat in attaining that object, as well as a sum of £100 to the young chief Tipene, who has now headed a third party of claimants. Pohipi, a chief of the Rarawa, also advances a claim of £50 maintaining that he has as good a right as the other parties, having lost several men in defence of hia claims in the war with Nga puhi in 1842 j and I would also recommend

the liquidation of this claim, after which the question be settled on a satisfactory footine. and considerable blocks of land can be obtained from the Earawa without any of these complicated difficulties, with which the rcrcspnt cloim is surrounded. "I beg further to state that some of the foregoing parti.es of claimants are very insolent in their demands, notwithstanding the liberal manner in which I heve dealt with their claims, and propose referring their case to a higher anthoiity in Auckland ; but as I have acted in co-opera tion with Mr White, the Eesident Magis trate, who is also of opinion that the measures T have proposed aro the best that can be de vised. I hope that a firm refusal will meet them in Auckland, after which I have no doubt but that they will accede to the terms offered them." We certainly sympathise withjthe District Commissioner when, havingalreadypurchased the piece of land from four separate parties, he urges the Chief Commissioner not to listen to any appeal that may be made to him in Auckland, but to meet any such application with a "firm refusal." And we think it particularly unkind of Messrs Noble & Co. to bo insolent to him, "notwithstanding the liberal manner, Ac." The scene is now shifted to Auckland. Mr Commissioner Kemp makes a memorandum or report, by which it appears that not only had other cl.aimants cropped up, but that that special evil acainst which Mr Johnson had made his pathetic protest had happened ; that in fact the case had been brought on appeal into the Auckland office.

Mr Kemp says (May 4, 1855) "By His Excellency's direction TsmatiAVaka appeared at the Land Purchase Department in refer ence to the claim of a young chief named Tipene for a portion of the payment for Oruru, &c." * * * Mr Kemp then quotes from Mr Johnson's letter, and gr.es on—"Tamaii Waka has represented his (Tipene's) claim to be nearly equal to that of Pororaa, who is to recoivc £150. and sug gested that Tipene's people should receive the same amount in order more effectually to satisfy several outstanding claimants, of whom the very influential chief Bangatira, of Hokianga, is one, and to enable the Government to take quiet possession of the valley in so far as tliey aro concerned."

We are not told whether this further sum was ftiven or not. However, it appears that Mr Kemp'a recommendation was thought to be a step in the right direction, for on the Ist June following he was informed by the Commissioner that he was to go to the North aa Purchase Commissioner. Addressing him in the terms which seem very properly to characterize all communications between these gentlemen Mr McLean says : —"From your practical knowledge of tho Bay of Islands and its inhabitants, European and Native, you are peculiarly qualified for undertaking this service. I shall therefore trust to your prudence and discretion, <fee."

It was not, however, until 12fch April, 1856, that Mr Kemp devoted hia attention to the Oruru case. Addressing the Chief com missioner he recapitulates the history of the block of land generally to the same effect as~ the statement of Mr Johnson in letter 1, and concludes : —" The occupation by Pororua of a section of land in the Oruru would be to bring two opposing chiefs into collision, which, for the sake of the district and of the settlers, it would be very desirable indeed to avoid. If you concur in this view of the case the payment of the money would, I think, be by far the most satisfactory means of re moving the present serious difficulties and setting the question at rest." The next document in this little history is dated June 25, more than two months after Mr Kemp's letter, and is from the classic pea of Mr White, the K.M., who seems, besides his judicial functions, to have dis charged the office of administrative bottle holdar to the contending parties, and like the chorus in a Greek play was always ready with a pieco of reflective advice or a moral exhortation. This gentleman ia becoming anxious, and evidently contemplates with uneasiness the philosophic apathy which seems all this time to have characterised tho proceedings of tho Chief Commissioner. Pos sibly he felt moie strongly because ho resided on the sceno of action. He writes : —

'' I have the honor to call your attention to the very serious difficulties the settlers and resident natives at Oruru are subject to in consequence of no steps having been taken to extinguish the claims of certain natives aeknowlcdged by the District Commissioner, Mr Johnson. When Mr Kemp visited this district ho informed me that certain promises had been made to Tipene by which his claim was computed at £100, Pororua's is £150, the Rarawa £50. Tipeue is constantly at vari ance with the people at Oruru, and is making vigorous efforts to return to settle there. Poroma the same. Between the two the settlers are kept in a constant state of excite ment, and a senae of insecurity very much cripples their enterprise. Moreover, a por tion of Mr Campbell's land has been occupied, but I cannot interfere in consequence of the unsettled question of payment. May I re quest you will take the earliest epportunity of setting this question at rest, as it causes many disputes; one has lately occurred which tho natives are apprehensive will lead to serious difficulties.—l have, &0., W B White."

We quite agree with the bottle holder that it \^as time something . should be done about the matter. The only advance so far made apparently ia the occupa tion of Mr Campbell a land by the natives, which can scarcely be called a step in the right direction. No wonder that Mr White should lament, "the sense of insecurity which crippled the enterprise " of tbe rural population of Mongonui, and for which a compensation can scarcaly have been found in the oxciteinenfc which attended the pakeha existenca in that secluded and henceforth historical vale of Orurn. The bottle-holder's eloquence moved at length the mighty ruler of District Commissioners and controller of money bags at Auckland. On the 31st July, little more than a month after Mr White's letter, Mr McLean agaiu addresses Mr Kainp, calls his attention to the Oruru case and hauding to him his own and Mr Johnson's letters (previously quoted) desires him to read them, and make himself acqnainted with the particulars. He concludes his letter: "I shall feel obliged by you fully acquainting yourself with the merits of this case m order that you may guard against any future claims being adduced to this debatable territory, beyond those Btated in the enclosures." Thus we have seen that •nth. 4th May, 1855, Mr Kemp writes an elaborate report on this case, and on the 31st July, ISO 6, he is again written to to hold himself in readiness to repair to Mongonui to inquire into the matter. Well ha holds himself i n readiness fora month restraining the fir* of his zeal with the bridle SL ef P f Jl° n *-and lou Sing wi^ "dent desire for tha time when he might throw holder At length on the 29th August the much desired missive is handed to him. The letter is printed in full in the Blue-book, but it merely contains instructions where to draw money and how to dispose of it, and a general request to take'immediate steps for the ex tinction of the Oruru claims, which he had been directed to commence thinking about on the 31st July. However Mr Kemp takes i more time to consider, and before starting I ?£• tn& U? U3 undertaking writes to the ; Ohief Commissioner on the 7th September

reporting the death of Noble and the altered aspect of affairs in consequence, and goes on: " As you fully concur with Mr White and myself in withholding if possible the grant of any land in the valley to Pororoa I would respectfully urge the propriety ef having placed at my disposal and without delay ar additional sum of £200 to meet any new di' ' ficulties that may arise, and you will 7 doubt ccc the policy of this arrangemr when I add in explanation that the plant season has already begun, and the diffi v ties that generally follow when the natr\ obtain a firm footing on the land." The Ii ! sentence is somewhat pbscure to a^ ■ uninitiated man, unacquainted with*! --! Land Purchase Department Grammar, but taken with the preceding request . ; for an extra £200 it would seem that diffi. : culties generally follow the planting season j which £200 would alone suffice to remove. i There must have been some very important ■ signification in the reference to the planting '■ season, for it produced a paroxysm of haste in the office in Auckland. It was only on the lGth September that the Chief Commissioner replied acknowledging the receipt of the letter of the 7tb, and urging Mr Kemp to com plete the business, at the same time declining !to accede to his reqaest for an additional £200,. It will be remembered that the j session of the Assembly was jast over, at i which Mr Sewell, Mr Stafford, and others had been making it rather hot for the Native Land Purchase Department. On the 29th of the same month Mr Kemp writes to the Chief Commissioner that the case is finally settled. "I have much pleasure in reporting for the information of the Com missioner that the outstanding claims to the Oiuru valley have been finally and ami ! cably disposed of, and, as I have every reason to believe, to the satisfaction of the I whole cf the Northern natives concerned.' Then follow the details, and the letter con. eludes with a general congratulation that " the vexatious and troublesome question has at length bten finally and amicably settled." Then follows (October 7) one of the usual letters from the Chief Commissioner thanking Mr Kemp "for the very satisfac tory manner in which this long-pending and troublesome question has been adjusted." '. Letters of this description, and almost in the same words, are singularly frequent amongst the gentlemen of this department. They greatly appreciate each other's skill and ability, and testify their mutual admiration whenever opportunity offers with an absence of envy and an unreservedness of affection too rarely met with in this wicked world. On the 23rd of October Mr. Kemp sends up the deed, which finally con cludes the transaction, but oddly enough loses the opportunity of congratulating him eelf or anyone else. Perhaps he was iIL Alas for the vanity of human expectations ! On the 9th December, two montb.B after the Commissioners had been sounding their several trumpets, a chief named Ruhe disturbs the happy family by; making claims to this much debated land. Moreover, woe on woe, certain Hokianga chiefs assert claims, and on December 11 the Chief Com missioner writes to Mr Kemp :—" I have the honor to inform you that certain Hokianga chiefs, names as per margin, have come to Auckland to request a further pay* ment for Oruru. They have been informed that the whole amount the Government in« tends to pay for that land has been trans mitted to you and paid to the native owners. It appears that Tipene is in fault in not hay. ing paid Rangatira Moetara his share of the £50 he received for the purpose." On the 25th March, 1857, Mr McLean desires Mr Kemp to report on the claims of Tipene, who appears now to be asserting rights on his own account. Apparently these difficulties were not serious for no further information is given respecting them, or it may be that they are still unsettled. There are no more letters about the general block, but further difficulties arose about a reserve in it which was made for Noble and which turned out to be a cause of trouble to the settlers. The settlement of this matter occupied three years more, but if; is impossible to pursue the subject to the end, even if that has been yet arrived at. Enough has been extracted from the Blue-book to showthe usual course of a claim through the Land. PurehaseDapartment, and the mode of ultimata acquirement of quiet possession by paying off whatever claimant might from time to time arise. And this ia the system which the author of the com munication to the He-raid speaks of with re gret. _____________

POLICE COURT.—This Day.

(Before Doctor Home and Joseph Newman,

Esq., Justices.) OUT OF SORTS.

Polly Robinson, an elderly woman, was found yesterday by Constable Maroney taking a nap in the Bunshine on Barrack Hill. The old lady was out of sorts, and fined 5s and costs. —Henry Volen was fined 103 and costs for misbehaving himself in Wyndham-street last night. TTKDER THE VAGRANT ACT. Peter Rogers, a middle-aged man, was charged under the Vagrant Act with being drunk and exposing himself yesterday even* ing. Prisoner said he was guilty, but he was sorry ; he was afflicted with a physical in firmity. Constable Maroney said that prisoner was all the worse for drink. Sergt.-MajorPardy said that prisoner was not known to the police. The Bench took a lenient view of the case, gave him a few words of advice, and his liberty. A DISOBEDIENT APPRENTICE. Edward McManas, an indentured appren' tice, again appeared in answer to a charge of disobeying the commands of his master, Mr. W. L. Roth, cabinet maker, of the Mar ket Reserve, on the 21st July. This ca«e was partly heard yesterday, but as the accused deposed that he could bring witnesses in his favour the case was remanded until this morning. Mr Roth informed the Bench that he had done everything in his power for the lad's comfort and general improvement. He had been at great trouble in teaching him hia business, had furnished him with books and newspapers, and he had met with nothing bu^j; ingratitude in return. He had destroyed about twenty pounds worth of goods, and he (Mr Roth) thought that he ought to re ceive some punishment. The accused called Mr Hogan, a turner, of Grey-street, and a lad, George Barker, to testify in hio favour, but their evidence was of little avail.

The Bench admonished the youth for hia conduct, and was of opinion from facts that had come before them that he had a good master; and if he was still unwilling to do his duty and disobey his master, he would have to go to prison for three days ; but if he would go to his work and do his best to serve his master he should be discharged, but upon the repetition of the offence he would assuredly be punished. The lad promised to adopt the counsel of the bench, and was dismissed on payment of the costs. This was all the business.

fHI XTIKfIW WfA.% •■Wim»«BllAt, AtfQtTST 5, jgffc



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