BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

Evening Star, Issue 3662, 17 November 1874, Page 2

BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

Wellington, November 16. The ‘ Tribune ’ says:—“ The first hitch in (.he reclaiming land arrangements has arisen at the very threshold. The work of reclaiming land cannot be commenced ; the jarrah piles have to be provided by the Provincial Government, and have a; rived at Wellington, hut there is not any appropriation by the Provincial Council for their payment. Consequently they cannot he paid for, and not being paid for they cannot be given up for reclamation purposes. ' The Auditor declines to certify to accounts of which he finds nothing in the Appropriation Act. x Vu action against the Provincial Government, either far the price of the timb.;;- landed or, it may be, for the total already .supplied by the contractor, will soon bo before, the Court, and will afford a favora' 1c opportunity of ventilating the whole subject.” Mr Walter .Johnston, 51 1T.!;., and a number of influential settlers, waited on the Ministers to-day, and presented a petition addressed to his ExcMlenc r the Governor, signed by up wards of GOO people, praying for the nde.ise of Alexander M’Donald. A similar petition from , a large number of Maoris was also presented. The Ministers stated that a council would be hold in the afternoon, prior to his Excellency’s departure, when the petitions would be considered. The result is not known. His Excellency, who was seen off by a number of gentlemen, went on board bis yacht about, five p.m. Dr Pollen, His Worship the Mayor, and Mr Campbell, Clerk of Parliament, accompany his Excellency in his yacht. November 17. At Madame Goddard’s farewell performance last night, she had a most enthusiastic teccpt’.on. The stage was literally covered with bouquets. The .Scotch fantasia was encored. On “ God Save the Queen ” being given, the audience rose, and at the conclusion there were loud cheers, and cries of “Bravo,” “wel ; plave 1.” Madame Goddard leaves for Dunedin to-day. .1 bo iS.Z.S.S. Co.’s offer for the Interprovincial Mail Service in connection with the San Francisco Service, was L 2,300 per annum. The Government has declined it, and will arrange from mouth to month, and not pay above Ll2O per trip. It is s .id they are waiting till vessels building tor a new Otago company are on the coast, when they will ret the contract. Mr Moorhousc is likely to stand for Mayor, The Governor was unable to hold an Executive Conned yesterday before his departure, to consider the petition for M ‘Donald’s ideas Hie matter therefore stands over till the new Governor arrives.

bir Janes I 1 ergusson did not errant the pardon of Alexander M'Donald, but left the matter to be decided by the Marquis of Normanby. It is understood that the Ministers have decided to recommend the Marquis of Normanby to grant the pardon.

Bent 11.35 a. in. m, ,m. , , Received 4.6 p.m I be limes this morning announces that Mr Bowen, Resident Magistrate at Christchurch, has been appointed a Minister of the Grown as Minister of Justice, and denounces the appointment. It says —“ VVc are not aware wnat claim he has. He may be an able man, but we object, in most emphatic terms, to a gentleman being taken from the rank and tile of the I'ivil Service and pitchforked into the position of a Minister of the Grown. The outcry that was made in the case of Mr Gisborne's elevation and retirement, is as nothing to what ought to be made on account of this latest Ministerial performance. The country groans under the weight of the Civil Service. It is made subject to tribute in a, most literal and unmistakeable way, and if it submits to have its Ministers elevated for a season from the ranks of the Civil Service, and then, having served their purpose, retreating again within its lines, it may abandon all hope of economical or eftici«nt Government. We arc friends and supporters of the Government, but Ministers are not infallible and they are liable to err, and in this case tiieir error is of a most serious character. We c.m conceive of no action, rightly considered, _ so well calculated to bring the Government into contempt as this one.”

Auckland, November 17, Sent 2.15 p.m. n, , , „ Received 1 p.m. iwo fresh cases of scarlet fever have occurred among the Hydaspes’s passengers at the quarantine station. Most of the saloon passengers are for the South, and there are great complaints amongst them about not being separafed from the Government immigrants. Mr Hay, of the firm of Heywoood and Co. Christchurch, has sent a petition to the Superintendent protesting. Mr Collins, of Nelson aged eighty, is in a low state of mind, and possessed of the fear tnat, unless moved within a few days, he will die He is not suffering 1 from disease. Tiie passengers are put to great inconvenience from the want of water and proper sanitary convenience. L

Nelson, November 17. Sent 2.10 p.m. m, ■ . ( ... , . Received 4.13 p.m. 1 hirty families of immigrants will shortly proceed to Ivaramea as the neuclus of a special settlement. They will be ensured 8s a day for three clays in the week for six months, and fifty-live acres are to he leased to each family for _s per acre, and at the end of fourteen years the laud is to become their freehold. Government is advertising for a L7,1K)0 loan for harbor improvements.

. Napier, November 16. Ihis afternoon the adjourned meeting of Stuart and Co. s creditors was held, and a propositicm was made by the creditors to accept i7s on in the pound, in oills at three, six, nine months, witli interest at 6 per cent. The meet“g adjourned until -to-morrow, pending the receipt of telegrams from firms in Wellington. Ihe Rosalia sailed this morning for Dunedin in charge of Captain Veal. Captain Crabbe also proceeds in her. Several of the crew were taken out of gaol and put on beard in irons, ihe cook and steward have taken a discharge and forfeit LSO wages rather than go in the vessel. (From our own Correspondent.) Lawrence, November 17. A. fire occurred at two o'clock this mornin°* Mr Pearson’s farm-house, near Lawrence, totally destroyed. The cause is unknown. The house and furniture were insured for Lsoo—in the Norwich Union Office forLoOO, and in the Victoria Office for L2OO.