TELEGRAPHIC DESPATCHES

Dunstan Times, Issue 498, 3 November 1871, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC DESPATCHES

(FROM SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,) —O— Dunedin, Thursday, 5 p.m. Southern Escort, 4,430 ounces. Tuapeka sends down 2,548 ounces - Another Maori prisoner has died. The opposition of the Australian Company has caused M'Mechin to put on extra steamers. The House sat till 4 o’clock on Wednesday morning in Committee on the Otago Waste Lands Bill, which passed without substantial alteration, after eight hours’ fighting. Mr. M ‘Leon moved various amendments, speaking against time. Connor, M‘Kay, and Proudfoot, of Dunedin, offer to construct from fifty to five hundred miles of railway for colonial debentures, five and a half per cent, interest, or for cash. The price to be settled by arbitration, with five per cent, allowed for profit. . They "offer to pay as cash deposit two and a half per cent, on 200,000 1. ; over that” up to 1.000,000/., one and a half per cent. They also offer for the construction of any line by tender, advancing 10,000/. as security. Mr. Vogel has given notice of resolution confirming the mail contracts for ten years, subject to alterations to be agreed on between the Government and Mr. Webb. j Mr. Sewell, in announcing his resignation | (which was made in consequence of Mr. I Fox’s letter, stating that Sewell’s views prevented the existence of harmony among the Ministers), said there generally was such concert among Ministers as to render , , harmonious action impossible. ) Mr. Waterhouse said he had joined the Ministry, hoping by doing so to smooth the | way for the : formation, immediately after the prorogation of the Assembly, for a stronger and more permanent Admistratiod. lie felt that the 'present Administration was not satisfactory, and, to a great extent, the Government was drifting. Mr. Gillies has received a telegram stating that Preece and five men were killed in au encounter with Maoris, who escaped. Mr. M‘Lean afterwards received'a telegram from Preece, many miles distant from the scene of the alleged encounter. The Payment to Provinces Bill has passed through Committee without material alteration. Mr. Mervyn factiously opposed the Bill, and behaved so outrageously that the Chairman left the chair, and reported to the Speaker. The matter was considered in the House to-day, with closed doors. In answer to Mr. Brown, the Government stated that the immediate construe tion of the Tuapeka Railway would probably be considered when the Railway Bill comes before the Committee, and that no objection would be made to sittings of the Supreme Court at Lawrence, if funds were provided for a proper building. Mr. Hunter has re-joined the Provincial Executive. There is no truth in the report that E. B. Cargill has been asked to join the Executive. Discussion on cereal and new Stamp Duties to day. In the Legislative Council the Law Practitioners’ Act Amendment Bill passed with amendment operating in the direc ion for placing Smythies in the same position as before the Act of 1866 was passed. The third clause was struck out. The Highway Boards Bill reported on with amendments. Upon this there will be a conference as to borrowing clauses. The Gold Mining Districts’ Bill passed with important amendment that the clausea •affecting forfeits from thirty .eight to fifty five .inclusive, shall come into operation on the passing of the’J Act end .shall be applicable to all of the gold-fields, wiihin the colony. This effectually abolishes the jumping of claims. Mr. Gillies gave notice of an amendment on Mr. Vogel’s resolutions as to the San Francisco co tracts, to the effect that there should be no extension beyond three years and strict observance of the original terms for adoption of scheme decided by Intercolonial Conference.