The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1872-07-06
From Australia and New Zealand.

The [. s. y. Z. X A. steamship Nebraska. Capt.
Harding, arrived on Tuesday the ID INST, 10 days
from Auckland, bringing dates from that city to
the 18th. We are as usual Indebted to the obliging
Pursrr, Nr. II. C.. Lame for memoranda and full
hles of the colonial papers. Tue Nebraska met
with very severe weather on the New Zealand
coast. between Napier and Auckland. accompanied
with an unusually heavy sea for even that latitude.
The weather along the coast is described in the
local journals as having been something fearful.
The news by this arrival is unimportant. The
Herald of the 18th, in its "Home Letter" represents
New Zealand as steadily prospering. Valuable
the North Island, aud this fact was counted on as
sure to result in the complete opening up of the
whole country TO settlers and the final termination
of native difficulties
In the South, owing TO the unprecedented rise 10
the price of wool. property is doubled in value. The
gold 6eids of Otago and the West Coast are yet pro-
duciug welt. Those of the Thames are stiIl Yield
ing rich returns. Coromandel is turning out even
richer than the Thames. Reports of alluvial dis
coveries reach MS from Waikato. The fax trade is
pushing its wav steadily ahead. The native Diff
Guilty is nowhere ; and New Zealand Is, as a whole,
looking up well tor the future.
In regard to the mail route via San Francisco,
we find the following in the Southern Cross of the
18th nit:
TIE New Zealand and Californian Steam Postal
Service is as yet in an unsatisfactory position as re-
spects the prospects of an alliance with Australia.
This is the result altogether of political c~omplica-
tons in Victoria. The merits OF the line itself.
whether from a commercial OF postal point of view,
are not called in question, and reasonable hopes
are entertained that arrangements may yet be
effected whereby the great advantages of the SER
vice may be participated in on equitable terms by
the Other colonies.
Mr.. Duffy, the Prime Minister of Victoria has gone
out of office. and sa VS. the Cross, Is his successor will
hardly dare to refuse to have anything to do with
the san francisco mail contract. seeing that Mel
bourne merchants and Victorian cOlonists generally
are we'll aware of the benefits which have accrued
and will accrue from the opening of the American
States to a large Importation of wool direct from
the colony. There will. however. it is believed, be
considerable modification in the terms. Melbourne
will not consent to play second to New Zealand.
aud if the various provinces of New Zealand would
but sink their jealOusies on this subject of the mail
service effective arrangements could easily he
made. That the service could be performed in
contract time. and even less, is evidenced by the
good passages Of the Nebraska to and from San
Francisco. With the 'Ddc0tdh.' and the fourth
boat on the line, there should be as good trimmings
made across the Pacific as the p .andU. boats make
from Gale TO Sydney. While speaking of this we
may mention that the South Pacific Steam NaViga-
ton Company proposed to be established in Mel
bourne bids fair to be a success. as shares have
been largely taken mp in many quarters. The idea
is entertained by the promoters of establishing an
efficient lnter-cOIonlal service. and ultimately oil
undertaking the conveyance OF mails from the Aus
traiias to Gale and to San Francisco"
We find in the papers the following account OF
the death of a former resident of Honolulu
The body of a man named Philip II. Fosbrooke
was found in Newcastle harbor on May "a under
the f~ollowing circumstances Water Police Con-
stable. GTiffiths saw the body OF a man floating feet
4 upwards near the mouth of the dock, with a rope
made fast to a post. and attached to his buckle. He
pulled on the rope. and found there was some heavy
substance attached to the body. He got q boat
hook and fshed up a handkerchief with a stone IL
it. The handkerchief was tied round decSased'S
neck. He also found stones in deceaseds pockets
In the trousers pocket. tied. were several docu
ments one letter purpOrted to be a letter to de
ceased's wife, and was signed Henry Fosbrooke
another purported 10 De from deceasedis brother
and another from his wife there was also a clear
ance paper from Honolulu by the 'NeUddd.' From
the evidence taken at the inquest it appeared tina
deceased was married at Honolulu to a Miss Ram
say, who died at Newcastle in April last. Deceased
was given to drink. The jury returned a verdict
10 the effect that deceased committed suicide whilst
laboTing under temporary insanity.