BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

Evening Star, Issue 3480, 18 April 1874, Page 3

BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

T _ , Auckland, April 17. James Crawford, master of the cutter Ellen, endeavored to take her up the Piako river with cargo to Captain Peacock’s farm, but was met at the head of the river by some of the Natives, who civilly refused to let him go by without paying black mail*” The vessel accordingly returned. J The settlers in Cambridge are subscribing to make a presentation to Mr Mackay, to be given at a public dinner, in recognition of his services rendered in the Waikato district. Mr Potter’s barn was burned last night. 18 ’lt contained forty tons of hay, and a quantity of valuable saddlery. Three race horses were got out with difficulty. The loss is L4OO, and not covered by insurance, , . April 18. M.r Stewart writes to the c Poverty Bay Times’ this morning, stating that he is nearly certain a special small farm settlement will be found at the Bay of Plenty. A hundred families, all with small capital, will settle here from the North of Ireland within ten months. mi. . , , Nkw Plymouth, April 17. Ihe agricultural statistics for Taranaki published give the number of holdings as 557. ■Land broken up, 3,139 acres ; in wheat, 945 oa * 3 ’ acres J barley, 29 acres ; grasses, 41,069 acres; potatoes, 477 acres ; other crops, acres. Total acres under crop, 43,182. The schooner Maid of Otago, that was on the spit at Waitara, has been repaired, and has left for Dunedin. rn, ... . Gbahamstowk, April 17. •* h® Advertiser states that the specimens used by the Thames Police to secure the conviction of Manning were supplied by the Auckland Association for the Protection of Mining Interests. IhQ Good Templars have lodged an objection to twenty-seven publicans’ licenses, but no petitions, the district not having been subdivided.' _ Christchurch, April 17. . Ihero was a narrow escape in the heart of the «ity this morning. The roof of Spensley’s musm shop caught fire, and was extinguished with difficulty. The damage is LSO. The fire brigade assembled very expeditiously.