Local and General News.

Wellington Independent, Volume XIX, Issue 2138, 8 December 1864, Page 2

Local and General News.

The English Mail Service. — Wo understand the Government have accepted Messrs Cargill & Co's contract to carry the mails between Dunedin and iVlolbourne. Tlie ainouiifc ' to be paid for the service is, we believe £1475, as against £8500 formerly paid to M'Meekan and Blackwood under the costly arrangement made with .that firm by Mr 0. Ward, by which it will bo remembered the service was completley bungled for months together. It is probable, however, that we will not long have to rely on this service alone for the receipt of our English Mails, as there is some likelihood that the Panama Contract, subject to material modifications will be assented to by this Assembly.

Civil Sittings op Supreme Covet. — As there are no common jury cases for trial, the intended civil sittings on the 12th of December will not be held. The special jury case of Gell v Feathers ton will, however, come on for trial on Monday, January 9th, to which time the Circuit Court Avas adjourned. All common jurymen already summoned for Monday next will have their summonses countermanded.

Steam Communication in the North. — There are interesting articles on this subject in tho Auckland papers, bearing reference to tho opoi'ations of the New Zealand Steam Navigation Company, which we will publish extracts from on Saturday.

Government Land Sale. — At the Crown Lands Ofliee, Wellington, on Tuesday, 2000 acres of 5s land, on the left bank of the Wanganui liiver, was sold by auction in various allotments, which realized the following prices : — 320 acres at £1 Is ; 320 acres at Us 6d ; 254 at 6s 3d j 98 acres at lls ; 143 acres at£l Gs ; 241 acres at 19s 6d ; 313 acres at lls 6d. The total amount realized being £1514 16s. Mr llichards, of Wanganui is stated to have been the purchaser.

Hawke's Bay. — The news from this Province is unimportant, and we therefore defer making any extracts from our files of the Herald, except the following : — Tne head quarters of tho 14th, consisting of three «ompanies, embarked on tho 22nd ult., on board H.M.S. " Falcon," which arrived the previous evening, instead of the Eclipse, which was expected. The day was exceedinglywet, and the embarkation was a very comfortless one for the men.

Hutt Mabket. — Yesterday was Hutt Market day, and the weather being very fine, there were a largo number of persons present from, town and country. Wo also noticed some friends from Wanganui, including Mr Fisk, the auctioneer, and many old .settlers from the West Coast. There were also visitors from the South present on the occasion. After an excellent dinner, provided in Host Valentine's best style, Mr^Horner commenced the business of the 'day with Mr McEwen's lot. Steers and heifers fetched £4 ; milch cows, £6 os to £9 9s ; and these eagerly bovfrht x:^ '"/ our old settlers Messrs Cameron, B. and others. Horses, on account of the iate sales forced by the disbandment ox the Defence Force ruled rather low. Unbroken colts sold for £10 ; hacks, £15 to £20 ; and good draught, at £35. The prices realized were considered highly satisfactory.

Suspicious Cibcumstjlnce. — We are Jin' formed that a very suspicious circumstance was noted by Captain Shuttleworth, and the passengers of the steamer Ahuriri on her trip from Taranaki and Wanganui on Thursday, evening last. When a few miles to the southward of Cape Egniont, a schooner was observed standing a short distance off the shore, and a ship's boat with a square stern v, as seen puJhng close in to the shore. As the steamer approached near where the boat was, a canoe was observed making towards the boat. It was at once surmised that something not quite regular was going on, and muck curiosity was expressed on board the steamer to ascertain what business, if any, was being transacted. At the request of D.C.Gr. Strickland who was a passenger, Captain Shuttleworth kindly put the steamer off her course, with, a view to get between the shore and the boat. As soon as this was done, the men in the boat and canoe pulled with all their strength to get in shore. After keeping up the chase for a short time, it was found impossible to intercept the boat, before she could reach the beach, and as it was getting dark, the steamer's head was turned to Wanganui. There were five men of war lying in Auckland at last advices, could not one be found serviceable to cruise between Taranaki and Wanganni to overhaul strange vessels who may, for aught we know, be sup» plying munitions of war to the rebel natives.

The Seat of Government. — The New Zealand Herald speaks in the following tone of Christian resignation • — " The immediate removal of the seat of Government is at once to take place, and orders have, we hear, already been issued for making immediate pre» parations for packing up the Government records in readiness for their removal. We have long since, however, made up our minds to the removal of the seat of Government to Wellington. By its removal Auckland will lose little, save the expenditure of some £18,000 a year in Government salaries, an item which will scarcely be felt in this nourishing community. The fact of being no longer the capital will affect us less in the public estimation at home than was at first supposed. Intending emigrants will naturally say — the same power which shifted the capital to Wellington can at any time re-r move it to Canterbury or Dunedin or back again to Auckland, and will even then, setting altogether aside the question of which is .the capital, choose Auckland as a field for emigration on its own merits. As a field for successful emigration Auckland stands preeminent among the provinces of New Zealand."