Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-12-09
DISTANT AUCKLAND.
LETTER FROM Few zEALAEp-coLo-
NIL INDEPENDENCE.
The coIonists and the ZONE Government
The Transit of Venus "A Gas specu-
lation-h otes about Auckland
Correspondence of the Rz7oa9.rslos.I

AUCKLAND, n. L., November 7, 1882.
The compulsory acceptance of any man
that the Home Government may elect to
send out as Governor is one OF the features
OF Colonial Government which works much
dissatisfaction among settlers, and IL this
respect Gladstoue's Administration las Of
Tended New Zealand most grievousIy, there
never having been any one appointed who
was so thoroughly disliked az Sir Arthur
Gordon sinecurist and absentee despised
for drawing salary he does not earn, the
administration of affairs being conducted
by the Chief Justice. Though Gordon as
sumed the office three years ego, and has
two years more to serve, it is well under
stood that he will not return while, should
a successor of the same sort be appointed,
New Zealand, being a robust youth who
cut his eye-teeth some years ago, will break
loose from his mamma's apron strings, de-
claring her only an old fogy, anyway The
anti Imperialism aud orthodox democracy
of the colony's press may be gathered from
extracts like the following "The Impe-
rial Government tells the colonists that
they must go on paying him tGorion) after
he has ceased being connected with them.
By this gross abuse of official patronage
they provide definite
SUBSTANTIAL GRIEVANCE
To urge in favor of colonial Independence
They and everybody else knows the char
acter of the man, and that be would prove
the failure he has always been" "Al,
though we are officially orphaned, we are
very jolly orphans, and repine marvellous
little. SO far as we are aware, the colon
lists Of New Zealand are perfectly satisfied
with the wise and judic:ous rule of our
present administrator, and assuredly would
not willingly exchange his benefcent sway
for the frigid, meddlesome and uncomiort-
able rule of the honorable gentleman who
is now enjoying himself in England at our
expense, we're he half dozen Earls' sons
and royal pages rolled into one" While
Gordon was here 60 relief could be OBJ
tanned from Maori (nstivel squatting but
time enough had hardly elapsed to realize
that he was gone, when the aborigines
were brought TO terms in a humane and
peacesble manner. No sooner did the news
reach him in Fiji than Re ordered
British man of-war to bring him back with
all possible dispatch, which was done, but
he arrived too late to undo the good accom-.
plished, so went home in huff.
HONORARY EXILES,
These Governors, OF whom there are six
in Australia and one in New Zealand, are
mere membranes at best, and the elec-
ton OF an executive from among themselves
is freely agitated by settlers. An English
politician who comes here to lounge in the
gubernatorial armchair has no interests in
common with settlers, and regards himself
as an honorary exile, compelled to pass
five years at the antipodes among lot of
hungry and naked cannIbals, the burden OF
his labors being to instill English patriot
ism and draw salary Of from $3S 900 to
$50, 600 per annum. With him English
interests are paramount to those of the
colony, aud in the event of their clash
ing ne will stand by the former no mat
ter how trivial, and ignore the latter,
however vital. Fancy each of the
United States paying $50, 900 a year
for such a Governor, and you will see
that Longfellow made mistake, for, of all
the sad words OF tongue and pen the sad
uCES olC ftDJ IL 3uI nave bGcll. NOl-
onists, however, are too democratic to
learn the lessons they pay so dearly for,
and unless the teacher proves indulgent
they are apt to become unworthy even
under blood royal itself, as the Marquis of
Lorne AMI Princess Louise discovered in
Canada, when, among other things, they
promulgated court rule that ladies should
appear on state occasions wearing little
more than smile, garb better suited to
tine Sandwich Islands than that frigid Do
minion, the foe to graceful curves and
rounded outlines in the female form divine.
THE TRANSIT OF VENUS.
One Of the three expeditions sent out by
the United States 70 observe the transit OF
Venus has arrived in Auckland, and con.
sists of Edwin Smith, H. S. Pitchett, Au-
gustus Storey and Gustavus Thierkuhl,
whose reception has been very hospitable
and the Government is doing all in it's
power to further their ends. a hill top in
the Domain" a large park and cricket
ground III the city, has been selected az q
site for the necessary buildings, which are
nearly finished, one being for transit in
struments another for Photographic appa-
ratus the third, an octsgOnal building,
with revolving top; and the fourth, a
storehouse. In this connection, it may be
remembered, that New Zealand owes its
existence as British colony to a transit
of Venus, Captain Cook having been sent
out here to see the froth. formed deity dance
before the sun in 1889, otherwise the colony
might have been continued under the
Dutch.
A VALUABLE INVENTION.
A new and valuable invention in illumi.
mating gas has been made by New lea
land tradesmap. It is composed of air,
water and fat, or new combination of OK
ygeD, hydrogen and carbon. company
has been formed to work the patent, and
some Australian capitalists are endeavorinp
to purchase all rights for their colonies, but
have only secured One-seventy. second part,
for which they paid So, 0OO. The inven.
ton is said to have been suggested in a
very homely manner, recalling the juvenile
Watt and his steaming kettle. 1t seems
the inventor was watching a frying chop
one evening, and drop of water accident.
ally fell into the pan. 4 puff and speck
of flame ensued from the chemical decom-
position of the water in the hot fat, and
from the scientific application of this
trivial circumstance the observer is about
to reap a handsome fortune.
4 BOOM.
Auckland's real estate is booming. Build
ing lots in the suburbs are selling at auc.
ton for double what they were considered
worth a year ago. Auctioneers advertise
bands OF music, free cars, free buses,
free hosts, free lunch, and when a new
suburb is to be located promise is made to
call the streets after the first purchasers of
lots. Enormous sums are spent in rural
newspapers advertising, and beautiful maps,