BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH

Evening Star, Issue 3676, 3 December 1874, Page 3

BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH

ARRIVAL OF THE HERO. _ Auckland, December 3. The Hero arrived this morning- after a tedious passage. She brings Australian news to the 24th nit. The Marquis of Normanby, family, and suite are passengers. They proceed to Wellington in a few days. LATEST ENGLISH. London, November 21. The Admiralty have ordered a special survey of the Fiji group. The ship Duchess of Edinburgh, for New Zealand, returned dismasted. AUSTRALIAN NEWS. Stdnbt, November 24. In a water-hole near Tocal the trunk of a man’s body was discovered attached to a stone with a rope, and a human head battered in was found in another water-hole a hundred yards distant. It is supposed a murder has been committed. The remains were decomposed beyond identification. The inquest has been adjourned. The new Governor of Western Australia is a brother of Sir Hercules Robinson. A young man named Daniel Joseph Bradly died in the Newcastle lock-up. The verdict was “ Died from alcoholic poisoning.” Mr Abbot, Minister of Mines, narrowly escaped losing bis sight through mistalcing sulphuric acid for an eye lotion. Government have London telegrams stating that Sir Charles Cowper’s paralysis is likelv to prevent him resuming the duties of AgentGeneral. Sir Daniel Cooper has been appointed to represent the Colony in the telegraph cables negotiations. Madame Anna Bishop has commenced a series of musical entertainments, and had a splendid reception. Mr and Mrs Hoskins, at the Victoria were received by a crowded house, and jlay here a month. The budget speech was delivered on November 19. The year’s reyenue amounted to L 3,,457,977, being more than L 185,000 over the estimate. The Treasurer expects to have a total surplus of 1.694.000 at the end of the year. The next year's estimates show a proposed expenditure of L 3,383,401, showing an Increase of nearly L 300,000. ' ■ Victoria. A warrant has been issued for the arrest of William Simpson, late manager of *he Bank of Victoria at Kmpson, for forging an order for L7OO. The Trustees are likely to open the Museum and Picture Gallery on Sundays. Ttye strike at Fulton’s foundry has terminated. A reef has been struck at a depth of 645 ft, showing gold, in the Albion mine at Stawell. Stockbridge is a great favorite for the Sandhurst Cup. Archbishop Goold returns by the next IP ail steamer, which left Galle on Saturday. Queensland. The master of the schooner Morning Light reports that seven miles south of Cape Palmerston he found on the beach a boat constructed of ship’s planking named “ Our Hope.” Apparently it had been a long time in the water. Ha also found a Walker’s patent slip log, a hand lead line, and a small lot of «arp«nten J tools aboard, but no sign of anyone in the vicinity. The Presbyterian Assembly has taken the necessary steps for constituting the tutorial staff of the Ladies College. The Rev, Georae Tait has been appointed principal; and Mr Pearson, of the Melbourne University, has accepted the bead mastership,having declined a professorial chair in the Adelaide University. Adelaide. Mr Paul Phillips, J.P., was found dead near his station in the far north. Semo larrikins have befeh arrested for assaultftp a

The yacht Nautilus capsized on Sunday. James Gostick and Samuel Scobel were drowned.

Launcebton. The examination of Peters, Barnard, and Co., in the Court of Bankruptcy, by the At-torney-General, lasted three days, and disclosed an unprecedented mode of doing business, Of many important transactions no record has been kept by which the trustees can trace them. "Wellington, December 3. The claim against the Strathnaver, for salvage, laid by,Turnbull and Co., owners of the Stormbird, has been dismissed, with costs. The claim for demurrage on the part of the Strathnaver is to be tried on Friday week. Christchurch, December 2, Madame Goddard’s opening concert last night was a great success, the hall being crammed to suff-'Xtion Over 200 were refused admittance. The preliminary firing for the selection of representatives to compete for the Government prizes has been concluded. The scoring was generally poor, the highest one being Corporal Perring, the representative of last year, who made 84. __ Auckland, December 2. The following are the entries for the Christmas race meeting The Handicap : Yatterina, 9st; Templeton, Bst 11 Ih ; Creeping Jennv, Bst; Discord, 7st 41b ; Rangi, Cst 121b; Guy Fawkes, fist 101b ; Toi, fist 81b. Steeplechase : Rarey, Isleman, Butcher Boy, Highflyer, Darkie, Moose, and the Arrow. December 3. Sir George Grey has addressed a long letter to the ‘ Herald,’ in repudiation of the statements made by a portion of the Press. He denies that the Constitution was obtained by the Constitutional Association and by influential men in New Zealand. No Association whatever gave Sir George Grey any assistance, directly or indirectly, in proposing or preparing any part of it. The chief assistance was given by Mr Swanson, who drafted the most imEortant clauses. Sir Wm. Martin also assisted im and Lord Grey in England, and gave all the energy of a powerful man to perfect means by which full self-government might be secured. Sir George Grey was in no wav responsible for the nominate to the Upper House. The whole balance of the Constitution, as originally sent Home, depended upon the Upper House being an elected body, and upon the manner of election, viz., by Provincial Councils, Sir J. Parkington, then Colonial Minister, acting upon the advice of persons in England, changed the proposal of an elective Upper House into a nominated one. Sir George Grey thought it wrong that one man should thus deal arbitrarily with the liberties of a young nation. He defends his action in first declaring the Provincial Governments in existence before the General Assembly, and says he rigorously fulfilled the requirement of the law. His conduct received the closest scrutiny twice in the House of Commons and once in the House of Lords, and the result was a unanimous admission in each case that he had fully and impartially fulfilled his duty. He states that he hurried Horae in December, 1853, after a service of eight years in New Zealand, amidst toils, difficulties, and privations hardly to be imagined, in order to defend himself against the accusations made by a powerful party engaged, .and he had offended by preventing them obtaining enormous Bishopricity endowments in New Zealand. He also refers to the debates in the House of Lords on the subject, and the letter concludes by alluding to the strong language used in reference to the present constitution of the Upper House, and says “ it is by the assistance of such a House that it is now proposed every germ of real freedom in New Zealand should be crushed out.” (From our ou:n Correspondent!;.) Auckland, November 2. Thomas White, who struck his head on the bottom of the rock baths in diving, fractured his skull, and suffered concussion of the brain. Ihere are little hopes of his recovery. A new arrival named John Gills, working on the Kaipara railway, went to the creek to bathe, and has not since been seen. It is feared he is drowned. The ‘ Star’s ’ London correspondent gives currency to a report in England that Mr Thomas Russell succeeds Dr Featherston as AgentGeneral. , The entries for the Christmas races are considered good, and a first-class meeting is expected. There was a narrow escape from fire at the engine-sheds at the railway station, and, but for its opportune discovery, it would probably have caused serious damage. The fire is attributed to over-work of the engine drivers, who are now compelled to clean the engine down, necessitating their commencing work between three and four in the morning, and working till seven at night, The city has been quite on the tiptoe of expectation, awaiting the arrival of the new Governor. Major Gordon, tired of fixing a special time, has now issued a standing order for the Volunteers to parade whenever the Hero arrives. She had left Melbourne before the Mikado left Sydney, and her delay is consequently unaccountable. The enthusiasm of the people had previously been screwed up for a regular Auckland turn-out, but it is rapidly evaporating under the effect of hope deferred.