TELEGRAPHIC.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume II, Issue 113, 1 October 1873, Page 3

TELEGRAPHIC.

PICK ANGLO-ATSTKALIAN PRESS TELEGRAPH AOEXCV. Special Telegram. Tauranga, Public Buildings. <£5,050 Granted. Wellington, Tuesday Evening Supplementary Estimates for public buddings include under this head —■Customs, Tauranga, £230; public offices, Tauranga, £4,00); judicial, Tauranga, £BOO. Fatal Accident. Dunedin, Tuesday Evening. Archibald Clarke was drowned this morning by the upsetting of a boat when crossing the Taiori River. Wellington, Tuesday Evening. Mr McGillivray, M.H.R., delivered a lecture last evening in the Presbyterian Church, on “ Science and Religion.” Immediately on leaving the church he was served with a summons for indecency to girls on the terrace. The case comes off on Thursday, Latest Auckland and Waikato News. Auckland, Tuesday Evening. All the single girls by the St. Leonards were engaged immediately. Ten single and-married men still disengaged. Anmiral Roussiau and the officers of the French frigate Atlanta landed officially to-day. and were received by the Mayor. The Star's Te Awamutu correspondent telegraphs that the native meeting at Kuiti is over. The speeches were all favourable to peace. Murders, leasing of lands, destruction of roads

and telegraph poles to cease (?). Another large meeting will be held in March, when Europeans will be invited, but not permitted to speak at the meeting. Tawb;ao, Rewi, and large numbers of natives are going to Hawhia to catch sharks for March meeting.

LATEST PARLIAMENTARY. Supplementary Estimates. In House last night, Supplementary Estimates, £417,060 ; unauthorised expenditure, £57,563 ; and additional Supplementary Estimates for public buildings, £83,415 were all passed. £5,000 for trigonometrical surveys waa struck out ; bill to be introduced next session. £5,000 for Queensland mail service passed by accident by 14 to 13, two members going by mistake into wrong lobby. Extradition of Criminals Bill read second time, committed, and read a third time. Native Land Claims Relieving Bill was committed. Native Grantees Bill committed and read a third time. Justices of the Peace Act was read a third time. In House to-day, Mr Wakefield tabled motion, to be moved when going into committee of Ways and Means, to the effect that House regrets Government did not adopt Constitutional course on Provincial Government Empowering Bill being thrown out by Upper House by resigning, with view of enabling Governor to send for member who moved the amendment.

Prorogation of Parliament. (FROM OTJB OWS CORRESPONDENT.) W EDDINGTON, Tuesday Evening. The Provincial Loans Bills were all thrown out in Upper House on Briday night last by 24 to 6. Supporters of Bills met yesterday to consider what course best to adopt. It was agreed to bring the session to a close, and let provincial borrowing stand over for another year. The House is to prorogue on Thursday nest. Estimates for public buildings passed last night. £5,050 was voted for Tauranga, and £3OO for Opotiki. The latter is to erect a Court House. The former is to put up suitable offices for the different Government officials that are employed there. A good many members have already left North. All leave to-morrow by steamer for the South and one North.

Latest from the Thames. (from otje own correspondent.) Geahamstown, Tuesday Evening. The charge of specimen stealing against the two Sampsons, father and son, heard on Saturday, resulted in acquittal of prisoners, evidence being insufficient to commit. Perjury case closed yesterday—third day of hearing.' The accused were acquitted, the evidence being most contradictory. The charge appears to have hinged, not on question of fact, but on date, the witnesses on one side or other making mistake of day. _ /tn accident on the Grabamstown and iararu tramway line occurred this morning. The engine ran off the line and over the sea wall. One carriage containing passengers, and two trucks quartz laden behind, fortunately did not run on. Engineer and stokersaved themselves by jumping off. Passengers not hurt. Engine shgMly damaged. . * Grahamstown Ster correspondent at Omnemutu contradicts telegram abut purchase of million acres of land at Maketn. Says Alitcheit ami Davis only paid some deposits.

j MAKETU. I (FUOII OUR OWN COHRKSTONDKNT.) | September £G, 1873. | Mk IcOCUMBB returned yesterday from Richj tnomi after a successful canvass in that neighbourI hood. Unfortunately, a great number of natives who were ausums to support him were not on t he roll, Heir names through some inadvertence on the part of the gentleman into whose care they delivered their claims not having been forwarded to the Registration Officer. In the evening, at 7 o’clock, Mr Edgcumbe met the European electors of Maketu at Mr Robertson’s, in one of the large rooms of his commodious hotel. On the mot ion of Mr Robertson, seconded by

Mr Hdigh, Mr J. J. Pierry was chosen chairman. The Chairman having briefly explained the object of the meeting, and having introduced Mr Edgcumbe, that gentleman proceeded to address the electors as follows : —He commenced by observing that, ho presumed the main subject on which the meeting would wish to have his opinion would bo the Education Act, With reference thereto he would beg to draw tho attention of the meeting to a notice of his speech that appeared in the Bay of Plenty Times of January 13th, 1873, having reference to this matter ; that he himself was a member of the School Committee, that he had seen tho working of the Act, and was perfectly well convinced that the committee did not represent the opinions of tho fathers of families. He was perfectly satisfied that the meeting would

agree with him that education was absolutely ■ necessary, and he was a great supporter of advancing civilization ; but his idea was that people should pay towards the education of the poorer classes according to their means—that it was not right that one individual who owned a largo and commodious establishment of twelve or fifteen rooms should be placed on tho same footing aa a poor labouring man who dwelt in a Maori wharo of one room. He considered that the highway and education rates might be very conveniently conjoined. He begged to assure the mooting that he was entirely opposed to this tax. Ho considered most especially land in the outdistricts whore there wore no schools within the meaning of the Act. It. was his intention, if returned to use his utmost endeavours to have clauses 5, 16, 17, and 22 of tho Education Act repealed. He would not, as his friend Mr Morris bad observed, wait, and, “ if the matter should again be brought forward,” vote against a general household tax, but would take the bull by the horns and propose an amendment to that Act expelling those clauses. He was no new chum it was well known to the whole of the settlors of the district that it had always been bis desire to advance the interests of tho district as far as layin his power. As a member of the school committee, he could assure the meeting that it was

impossible that one schoolmistress, os in Tauranga, could attend to the wants of 70 children —it was like driving them into a stockyard and then leaving them to take care of themselves. He believed that all would agree with him that secular education was the most advisable, for that if religious education ware adopted each denomination would require a system of their own. It was well known that he was not egotisticid, but at the same time he felt bound to make a few observations which would have the appearance of seeking for commendation. He considered that the establishment of the Mechanics’ Institute at Tauranga was entirely to bo attributed to himself, Mr Ball, and other gentlemen. The petition for a road to the Thames emanated from himself. He had taken a prominent part in obtaining a coach subsidy between Tauranga and Napier, and the resalt of his exertions every one knew. He had applied to the Government for a town clock with two faces, and be anticipated on his return to find a reply waiting for him. He was

I informed that the natives were anxious to have a | sea wall on the beach, but, although he saw the great necessity and desirability of it, still the Provincial Council had no power; but he had no doubt that, if Messrs Mitchell and Davis succeeded in their negotiations, and emigrants were located in this district, that something would be done to prevent the encroachment of which be had ocular demonstration. He considered that it would be more conducive to the interests of the two races if both were represented in the Provincial Council. In conclusion ho begged to inform the electors present that, if returned, he wonlct do his utmost to advance the interests of Mukctu. None of the electors present being desirous of putting any questions to Mr Edgcumbe, Mr Haigh proposed a vote of confidence in Mr

Edgcumbe. Seconded by Mr Tait, and carried unanimously. Mr Edgcumbe having returned thanks, Mr Tait remarked that after having passed a vote of confidence in Mr Edgcumbe, he thought that with a very little persuasion the natives might be induced to follow in the footsteps ot the European electors. Mr Edgcumbe remarked that he was well aware that a certain amount of influence would bo brought to bear from Tauranga on the native electors, and would especially state that, although adverse to mentioning personal matters in affairs of this kind, yet at the same time he could not refrain from stating that it was personal feeling on the part of Mr S. Clarke towards himself that had induced that gentleman to exert his influence in favour of his opponent, Mr Morris. However, he snapped his fingers at the Clarke lot, and came forward on his merits, and uninfluenced by any cliqhe. A vote of thanks to the chairman, proposed by Mr Haigh, terminated the proceedings. It was the intention of Mr Edgcumbe to have addressed the native electors, but ou ascertaining that there were only four present, ho resolved upon adjourning that meeting until some future time.