BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH

Evening Star, Issue 3701, 2 January 1875, Page 2

BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH

Wellington, December 31. A private correspondent states that great efforts have been made to procure M'Donald’s realease. Several petitions signed numerously have been forwarded to the Government but all these efforts are likely to be of little avail. The Government had so much trouble to put M Donald where he is that they are not going to let him loose any sooner than they can help it. He has not been imprisoned six months yet; his family are well cai-ed for. Messrs John Martin and Mr Buckley, the lawyer, have been up amongst the Mauawatu Natives doing a little land purchase on the quiet to forestal the Government, were also in the market as intending Vmyeis. The Government were out did by Martin, and a good round sum paid over to bind the bargain. Having caroused the money away, the Natives wanted to make the the bargain over again, and Martin began to discover that bargaining with Natives was rather different to dealing with Europeans, with whom <>ne Karero is sufficient. All liL little arrangements is upset now. While unloading from the Sonkar tojjlay, a six and a-half ton locomotive, the fall earned away, letting the locomotive fall partly on to the dock, and partly on to a splendid double steam winch, which it smashed to pieces The damage falls on the Government, who supplied the rope, which is double the required size, but was manilla, and must have been damaged. The loss is supposed to he L 2,500,

The City Council wrote to the various Cor porations throughout the Provinces, asking them to unite in getting the Colonial Municipal Gas Bill passed. Unfavorable replies have been received from the Thames, Wanganui, and Wellington, chiefly on the ground of lack of

funds. The abolition of tolls on roads as urged in the Queenstown Corporation will probably be considered at the next session of the Provincial Council^ The new Post Office buildings were opened for business to-day. The ‘ Star’s’ Levuka correspondent states that owing to the failure of the cotton crop and the refusal of the Bank of Fiji to make advances on property many planters remain idle on their land cultivating it for food only. They are without money, except what is realised by sending occasional shipments of corn to Levuka, and have no capital to commence sugar culture with. After careful enquiry, the police consider it unnecessary to hold an inquest on the child of Mr Grabenity’s paramour. The child has been ailing for some time, no doubt owing to the illtreatment it was subjected to; but the final disease does not seem to have been otherwise hastened. When exhibited in court, at the tig eof Graven!ty’s imprisonment, it was in a most emaciated condition from starvation and neglect. ‘ The Hawke’s Bay Times ’ announces that afte-i to-day it ceases to publish. Messrs Stuart and Co.’s affairs are likely to be settled by A. P. Stuart and Co., of Wellington, taking over estate and paying 17s 6d in the pound. The difficulty concerning the appointment of a secretary to the Jockey Club has been settled, Mr 11. Price accepting it pro tern. A race meeting will be held probably in March. The railway will be opened to Pakipaki to-morrow.

THE LYTTELTON REGATTA.

(From our own Correspondent.) Lyttelton, January 2. At the regatta yestei'day the Kippl (Dunedin boat) won the yacht race, beating the second boat, the Annie Ogle, .15 tons, by 20min. The Annie Ogle was a hot favorite for this race, and considerable sums of money changed bauds in consequence of her defeat. It was blowing a stiff north-easter, and the Ripple, carrying two reefs in her mainsail, behaved splendidly. The race was for L2O and a cup, of the value of Lls. Sailing Race for Bay Traders. Prize— Shaw Saville’s Cup and Lls. Colthfeune 1 Bee 2 The Champion Race was won by Albatross. Peerless, Alert, and Saucy Lass collided, the two first losing jibbooms, while Saucy Lass had her mainsal split.