The Ara was are also suffering under a similar privation. This want will, however, soon be at least partially supplied, as large tracts of land are under crop, and the potatoes grown are coming into consumption. The Arawas are desirous of making roads through their district, and have asked the Government to contribute a moiety of the cost. There is nothing of striking interest in the facts above stated, but they are so far satisfactory as indicating a less alarming state of affairs than that described by our Northern contemporaries. The " New Zealand Advertiser," of 5th December, states that the tenor of recent despatches received by the Government from England iudicates that the Imperial authorities are willing to leave something like 1200 to 1600 soldiers in the Colony. As the Ministry have not asked for the troops, it appears that the Imperial Goyernment have come to this conclusion of their own accord. The " Wanganui Times" of 30th November, says : — '• The friends of Captain M'Donnell will be glad to hear that to-day he threw away his crutches, and can now walk about the town with a stick. The doctors declare this to be a most extraordinary case. Thoir patient, with a wound right through his body, and from which the splinters of bone and gun wad ding were extracted only a few days ago, won't lie down and die, or even go upon crutches. He is de termined to get well in spite of them." Advices from. Sydney, and private letters from Mr Crosbie Ward, are not quite so satisfactory ns could have been wished. Tho Government of New South Wales has not gone very heartily into the joint ar rangement between that Colony and New Zealand for bearing the cost of the Panama service. After considerable discussion, the New South Wales Par liament has voted the sura of L27,5OO as a six months' subsidy towards the expenses of the Bervice. During the debate several hon. members objected to the service as being costly and inefficient. — Independ ent, 4th inst. The Taranaki arrived from tho North yesterday, bringing files from Auckland to Dec. 3, and from Wellington to Dec. 8. The news i3 unimportant, and has been anticipated by recent telegrams. Dr. Featherston had gone to meet the Manawatu natives, and pay them the purchase money for their land. 