BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

Evening Star, Issue 3532, 18 June 1874, Page 3

BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

Christchurch, June 17. The Great Southern Railway will be opened to the Ashburton, fifty five miles from Christchurch, on july 15 ; and the Timaru-Temuka Railway, as far as Young’s Greek, on September 1. Auckland, June 17. Alexander Brown, the youth who gave information to the police of having seen a man set nre to Buildings, was arrested toSyon being that he is the perpetrator Provincial Council was prorogued to day. The Superintendent in his speech said that immigration would have his special attention, both in support of the General Government immigration,- and appointments, where desirable, of Immigration Agents for the Province. In e w e J® kducationTax, he said it is probable the ad]ustment of the whole question of taxation, direct and indirect, in this Colonv must soon take place. He would hesitate to gve consent to a measure on behalf of the overnor which would increase direct taxation in this Province, lest it prejudice or embarrass pny action that maybe taken by the Colonial

Legislature towards equalising the taxation of the country—embracing, as such action no doubt will, a provision for the educational re- i quiretnents of the Colony without the necessity’ for the imposition by legislation of a direct taxation upon a section of the community. He therefore reserved the Education Act for the Governor’s pleasure. The Provincial Executive was ousted on the; motion of want of confidence. - , Jure 18. .Referring to the excitement created in the Colony by the ‘ Pall Mall Gazette * article on Goid in Samoa,” the ‘ Star ’ points out that Consul Williams, when lie first brought the specimens to Auckland, .and while they were on view, stated that they were given him just prior to his departure from Apia, and that he was unable to verify the discovery. Doubts then expressed regarding the genuineness on account of the resemblance in Quartz to Thames stone, and from the fact that Green Harp swindlers levanted to Samoa, en route for America. Consul Williams promised, on return to Samoa, to forward intelligence back to Auckland if the discovery was genuine. He then went to Sydney, whence he telegraphed news to Earl Granville, which was published in the ‘Pall Mall Gazette.’ The Star ’ further says that the news is stale, admittedly unreliable, and absurd ; and that the above was known in the Colony six months ago, when specimens were exhibited here, and tested by competent miners, who pronounced them to be a fraud. In the Police Court to-day Alex, Brown was charged with incendiarism and remanded, bail being allowed in the sum of LI,BOO. . Wellington, June 17. ■ A telegram from the Agent-General, dated June 2, and brought by the Claud Hamilton, states that the following immigrant ships were despatched for this Colony:—Reichstag and Strathnaver, for Wellington, with 700 souls ; Lawrence and Carisbrook, for Lyttelton, with 900; Corona, Bohn, and Otago, for Port Chalmers, with 1,300. Also, shipped during May, rails and fastenings to the extent of 2,500 tons; bridgework, 700 tons; wire, 115 tons; waggon irons, 100 sets; four engines, thirty switchesjninety-eight cylinders, 160 pipes, and six weighbridges. The ‘Post’ says one of the crew of the Chavert (the disabled vessel which put in here recently) called at their office, and made a statement that, when five days from Newcastle, the weather being fine, a light breeze blowing, and the vessel going about five knots, Goko—a Tahitian—-was sent aloft to furl the main royal, which carried away, owing to rottenness of the rigging. The backstays broke, and the topmast and Goko went over the side. After getting clear of the rigging, Goko swam after the vessel for half an hour, and, notwithstanding the entreaties of the crew and passengers, no attempt was made to pick up the unfortunate man. The only reason given for not doing so was that it was no use losing other lives for the sake of one. Finding on arrival that the loss of a man was not reported, and the rotten condition of the rigging, the crew were afraid to go in her.