The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1876-02-05
From Australia and New Zealand,

The Il. NJ. :. Mikado. Capt Moore, arrived al
Honolulu yesterday morning, entering port about
4 O'Clock. We are indebted 10 PurHor Graham
for alcs. She brings dates from sydney 10 Jan H.
and Auckland 10 the 18th.
The MTkado il under charter 10 the L. NJ. Co.
the CITY Of san Francisco being 'ho connecting
boat a, FIJI this voyage. and leaving New zealand
ia FEBRUARY for the through trip.
The passages Of the Mlkado aud CITY n san FrdH'
cisco are reported In the sydncy papers as respee-
lively 81 DAYS rs hours, and 20 days 20 hours 20
minutes. say the Auckland Evening Star; The
race between The Mikdd0 and Guy q san ffohc,soo
70 sydney. was. as might have been expected,
very close affair. The Mikddo was timed by several
gentlemen TO disappear round the norm neao "a
actly p minutes before the C;y Of san ffdnolsoo'
We learn from Captain Moore, that on cape bfsn
the nose Of the Giy was level with the stern OF the
Mikddo. The latter then got away again, and they
rounded the North Cape together. The tfy uhen
gradually forged ahead, gaining n mile or two eacb
day. but coming back TO the Mkddo. when there
was a strong head wind OF sea. The new boat
arrived in sydney at IL p. m. on Thursday, the oth
inst and the MikddO just two hours aher AZ ! an.
on the Tth. The performance OF the Mhddo must
be considered a capital one, when we feoolleel .nas
there i not a great deal of difference In point OF
size. whereas. the CITY IL fitted with engines oI
GOO horse power. and the MIddo's are only 900
horse power. Then again, the latter aitains hTt
full speed on n consumption OF "a tons OF coal a
day. while il takes 80 tons a day To ketp the 'ig
Of san Frdncisco up 10 the mark"
The same paper, speaking of the mall service
says: Sc The fact Is. the company started before bey
we're ready. and their not being able TO get the
MkadO TO open the service from Dunedin IA nov
ember. completely upset their temporary arrange
menis. and The unfortunate break down OF tue
Colima made matters as bad as could De. however,
for the February service there Will be me o.y
San Hmcisco from Port Chalmers, and either The
Zodiandia or Granada from sydney, 30 that u y 70
be hoped that with this month the troubles OF tue
Paciac Mail Company will end, and that the public
will soon feel convinced that at last they have a
service worth calling one. The great efforts that
have been made by the company on the present
occasion ought TO deserve the sympathy and ap
proyal Of the public. The MucddO will remain IN
the service until all the vessels are on their statons'
when Il is not improbable she will remain In sgd
ney as a spare ship in case Of accident
The New Zealand Herald OF Jan l5thsAys; The
political history of the past month may be summed
nm IN the one word-the elections. Every district
over the whole colony has been disturbed ana dis.
tractcd by the contentious Of rival parties ana
men. Of course every political question Whlcn
has emerged during the history OF lbe eoloh( nAA
been brought up in some form or another Anaiu
are in a very critical, and also, unloithnn'eil' ~
a very confused position. The great topic OF me
last session was the Abolition 1911. when was pass
ed nj last, on the condition than II was nor W oomo
into operation until after the next session OF INC
Assembly. IL seems now pretty generally admit
ed that the provinces must be abolished, Dut mere
is great difference Of opinion as TO what ougbt 70
follow. Ministers themselves have put forward aH
their programme the concentration OF legislative
bonors AT Wellington, aud the decentralization OF
administrative powers" II the country believed
that this could be done, or that Ministers would
do Il II they could, the electors would propabiy
support them. But the course OF Legislation our
ing the last few years has been In n totally opposite
course. The present Ministers have been bard at
work centralising every possible piece OF admins
tration. and collecting everything Into their own
hands. This has led the people 10 dlstrust them,
and In consequence the election 10 far have turned
out unfayourably for them. Those men who were
conspicuous for the thick-and-thln support they
gave 10 the Ministers during the last few sessions
have ali been rejected by the CONTINGENCIES. ana
those men who have been returned on principles
somewhat like those professcd by Ministers, and
who are ranked as supporters, profess hostility 10
Ministers for many Of their actions"