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Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2251, 25 July 1870, Page 2

Telegraphic. — A station is being constructed at Waimate, Canterbury, and will be opened some time in October. Mr Blackett, the agent for the English and Australian Maintenance Company, has failed to negotiate for a submarine cable to Tasmania,

The English Commissi oners.—A private letter received in Wellington states that Messrs Bell and Featherston were to leave England this month. \ Country Municipalities. Thayers has been elected mayor of Alexandra by a majority of one over his opponent, Mr Chappie. x A Sign of the Times.— To“mee\ the times,” an enterprising restaurateur in Auckland advertises sixpenny dinners, consisting of soup, meat, vegetables, and pudding. Granite.— Grey granite of very superior quality has been found near Otepopo. A quarry has been opened up, and the stone can he obtained in blocks up to 40 tons weight. The Session.—The Wellington correspondent of the Oamaru, Times writes : (i The present session is not expected to last a fortnight longer, when the dissolution will take place, follow'ed as early as possible by the generd elections, and the new Parliament will be called together in about six months.

The Esther Ann.—A rumor reached Queenstown that the schooner Esther Ann had arrived at Kaduka River, but was wrecked on the bar at the entrance. The crew and passengers are said to be saved. As the Warden made everyenquiry respecting the author of the information, and could not learn how it reached Queenstown, there is every reason to doubt the truth of it. Bankruptcy. —ln the bankruptcy jurisdiction of the Supremo Court to-day, before the Registrar, the following persons w r ere adjudged bankrupts, the first meetings of creditors being fixed for tho 2nd prox. : George .NichoU, dames Barber, Tho!-. .George Huugcrford, Oliver Cooper, Peter Gunn, Thomas Brown, John Trotter, Joseph Beal, Abraham Austin, and Jabez Holman. Statistical. — A Provincial Gazette issued on July 12, contains a return of the quantity and value of grain, &c., exported from the Province of Canterbury during the month of June :—Flour, 301 tons, L3OIO ; wheat, 107,515 bushels, L 15,014; oats, 153,t>23 bushels, L 636 2; barley, 15,406 bushels, L3OBI ; malt, 903 bushels, L 36 1; total value, L 30,382.

Preserved Meats. Preserved meats from the Australian and New Zealand Colonics are rapidly rising in public estimation. Mutton hams, sugar-cared by the St. Leonard's Company, Canterbury, have been sold by Mr D. Tailerman at sf.d per lb. at Liverpool; and this consignment, being a first shipment, had more expense attached to it than future ones can have. At Norwich, also, six shops had been opened for the sale of Australian meats, and these were realistd at per lb. in 6-lb. tins, and 7d per lb. for smaller quantities.

\ Mr Gillon’s Petition.—The Public Petit ions Committee has reported on the p.ti tion of Mr E. T. Gillon. The petition, after narrating the circumstances under which the petitioner’s Volunteer Commission had been cancelled, and a court of enquiry refused him, prayed that the House would la'.e such steps as might appear to it best calculated to meet the case, and to secure to Volunteers generally the right of being heard in their own defence before being publicly disgraced and punished for alleged offences entirely unconnected with their duty or position as Volunteers, 'the Committee reported that, as the Volunteer Act gives the Governor the power of cancelling any commission at pleasure, they cannot recommend the prayer of the petition to the consideration of the House.

Mayor’s Court. As Mr Watt, R.M., has thought it necessary to explain the matter of the conduct of proceedings in this Court we do not hesitate to refer to it, although we would not otherwise have done so What took place on Saturday is nothing uncommon, and we were under the impression that we were doing an act of charity, in ascribing the discovery of the illegality of what had been done to a very late period of the proceedings. But on this point Mr Walt corrects us, and wo thank him. The fact was known to the Bench from the commencement of the case, which, nevertheless, was allowed to proceed in that manner, simply because it suited counsel. The Bench should insist upon the proceedings being conducted according to the rules laid down, or we shall one of these days have a long bill of costs sent into the Corporation for some irregularity or the other. For our own parts we object to valuable time being wasted. Jewish Philanthropic Society.— The programme of the Amateur Concert in aid of this Society, gives promise of a very pleasant evening’s entertainment. The music will not be confined to those of known and acknowledged talent, but several young ladies and gentlemen arc announced to take part in it, who,- through the educational advantages they have had, wall no doubt take prominent parts in concerts in years to come. They wall be assisted by Mr Moss, Mr Hilton, and Messrs Marsdcn and Taylor. The selection is good, and contains some beautiful conceited music as well as ballads, recitations, and comic songs. _ The object for which this concert is to be given, would of itself secure wide spread public support, but whep in addition to the benevolent purppsc there is so much to recommend it, the success cannot be a matter of a doubt.

The Intercolonial Conference.— The long-looked for report of tho proceedings of the conference has been published, and we give the piincipal resolutions arrived at: —The most important questions cons dered by the conference were a free interchange of the natural productions and manufactures of the respective colonies ; a uni form tariff with assimilated excise regulations; aOustomsuuioa, and a distribution of the revenue derived therefrom upon the basis of population. The desirableness of such arrangements was admit’cd. and the moro important items subject to fixed duties were considered, and might li&vc been agreed to; but upon approaching the list of articles involving free trade on the one hand, and discriminating duties on tho other, various difficulties presented themselves, and it was found impracticable to effect such a compromise as would secure Sthe desired result. These difficulties precluded New South Wales from accepting the principle upon which the proposal of Victoria was based ; and the representatives of tho latter colony, considering the prospective advantages thereby diminished, subsequently proposed new conditions for South Australia and Tasmania, to which those colonics were unable to accede. But, although, for the

reasons stated, the conference has not arrived .it any definite conclusion on the subject, the ionsideration of the question has led to a deeper conviction of its importance ; whilst the resolution to memorialise Her Majesty’s Government to remove the prohibitions against intercolonial free trade interposed hy Imperial enactment will, if successful, materially facilitate further action. T hat a plan for harmonising the diverse tariffs of the Australasian colonies, so as to secure the assent of various political parties, should be a work not easy of attainment, is only what might have been expected ; but the conference, impressed with the excellence r.f the object, has faith in its ultimate and not far distant success. The conference, however has been in perfect accord upon several other questions of considerable importance. It has been decided to recommend the adoption by the various Governments represented of a uniform sea-going intercolonial postage rate of 3d., and also to reduce the charges upon telegraphic messages. It is believed that these arrangements will be found beneficial to trade, and acceptable to the public generally. The evils that have arisen from the facility with which absconding debtors and other offenders have been enabled to evade justice through the absence of uniform intercolonial law' on the subject, formed part of the deliberations of the conference, and it was resolved that the Governments of the various colonies should be urged to introduce Bills of similar import at the earliest practicable opportunity. The question of immigration was considered, and an opinion was recorded that it would be desirable in future to adopt a plan common to the several colonies, so as to secure to each the full benefit to which it would be entitled on account of the expenditure of public money for this object. The attention of the several Governments will be invited to tbe question, with a view to the adoption of corresponding regulations.

The members of the A.0.F., Court Enterprise, No. 3990, are summoned to attend an adjourned meeting at the Royal George' Hotel, to-morrow evening at eight o’clock.