BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

Evening Star, Issue 3793, 21 April 1875, Page 3

BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

Christchurch, April 20. At the land sales yesterday, 2,257 acres were ■old, realising L 4,514. The receipts ©n the railways for the five weeks ending March 5 were L 14,771, being about L 2,000 more (exclusive of receipts for new branch lines) than last year. ' The sale of the race privileges for the Autumn Meeting yesterday realised L 139, a trifle less than last year. To-morrow is proclaimed a public holiday, in honor of the Governor’s visit.

Owing to want of public support, measures are being taken to wind up the Canterbury Rifle Association.

Yesterday an inquest was held on the body of an infant son of Aubrey William Martin, a Christian Israelite, who, according to his faith, circumcised the child when eight days old, from which it died. The jury returned a verdict of “ Accidental death,” but reprimanded Martin for circumcising the child without medical aid being at hand. In the City Council last night, the Mayor announced that he had received notice from Garrick and Cowlishaw of an action of LSOO by the cabman Goodyer for false imprisonment. The Council endorsed the Mayor’s action and instructed the City Solicitor to defend the action.

Christchurch, April 21. The Superintendent of Otago telegraphs saying that 20,000 salmon ova have been apportioned to Canterbury from the lot by the ■hip Timaru.

The Sisters Duvalli, feeling aggrieved at a criticism of their performances in the morning papers, have inserted the following advertisement in the Press :—“ After the very generous critiques that appeared in yesterday’s issue of the two morning papers on our performance on Saturday night, we intend publishing a few of those we received at different periods in villages, such as London, Manchester, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dublin, Belfast, Melbourne, and Sydney, and ask the public to judge of their merit when comparing them to the gushing effusion of the juvenile aspirants to journalism, who, without doubt, have spent their eighteen years apprenticeship amongst a community deserving of great praise for forbearance and charity in tolerating them in their present position.” Under this is given an extract from the London ‘Daily Telegraph,’ which praises the Duyallis dancing greatly, but says nothing of their singing and acting, which are the points unfavorably criticised by the Christchurch papers.

. Bluff, April 20. The Timaru has arrived after a passage of 108 days with 184 immigrants. There were eight deaths on the voyage, three from scarlaThe last death was on March 23, and the immigrants are now all well.

Wellington, April 20. In the Bankruptcy Court to-day, in the case of a bankrupt contractor, his Honor Judge Johnston ' said he wished it generally understood, being a matter of much public importance just now, that if people without capital took contracts too low, and thus kept other men, with capital and more experience, from taking such contracts, hence causing much public loss and inconvenience, they mustnot consider it at all a mattes of course that the Court would relieve then e£ liabilities so incurred. The Court had power fo inflict a substantial punishment for such conduct when proved, and it was very necessary for the protection of the public that it should exercise that power when the case was a bad one.

Auckland, April 21. Sir George Grey has delivered his award in the case of Shera v. Reed and Brett and Reed v. Shera for clleged libel, arising out of the publication of a letter from Mr Hannaford relating to the Tawranga relief fund, Mr Shera claimed LI,OOO for the reflection upon him contained in the letter complained of, and a counter claim of LI.OOO had been put in by Mr Reed against Mr Shera for an epithet made use of in a letter to the ‘ Heral,* reflecting upon him (Mr Reed). The arbitrators have decided that the written statements shall be forwarded to him within seuen days by both parties, by Reed and Brett expressing regret that Mr Hannaford’s letter appeared and their entire satisfaction that Mr Shera and the trustees were actuated by honorable motives in dealing with the funds, and from Mr Shera with drawing the language complained of by Mr Reed; these statements to he handed by Sir George to the parties entitled to them, with permission to make them public. No award is made regarding costs, thus leaving each party to pay the expenses incurred by them. Galvin, the farm laborer, who was thrown frown from his horse and received concussion of the brain, is dead.

Napier, April 21. Sir Donald M‘Lean arrived to-day from Mania on the east coast,

A t the Mayor’s banquet last night the Superintendent spoke of pending changes in P - vincial institutions. H# said he was in favor of the abolition of Provincialism, and further that he _ might say, without boastfulness, that on retiring from office he carried with him the good wishes of the general public. He had performed his duty conscientiously, and could look back Upon bis connection with the Provincial Government with feelings of unqualified satisfaction.

At the Resident Magistrate’s Court to-day, was given in the case the Police v. vxinord, 11 brsach of th.e Railway itegulations for crossing the line in front of an approaching train. Two objections were raised by the defendant : first, that bye-law 27, under which the information was laid, was in excess of power • second, that under section 4 of the Imperial Act (incorporated with the New Zealand Act of 1870), the company or lessee was bound to erect a gate at local crossings. The Resident Magistrate dismissed the case, giving the defendant the benefit of the doubt; but said had the information been laid under the 79th clause of the Act of 1870, a conviction would probably have been obtained, J Sickness still Continues, and several new eases of typhoid fever are reported. CABLE TELEGRAMS. Tr . His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales has returned from Italy. .The Emperor Francis Joseph, of Austria, and Victor Emanuel, King of Italy, met at Venice. The meeting was characterised by great cordiality. There were seme splendid fetes in honor of the occasion, and much enthusiasm was shown by the people. King Alfonso has promulgated some educa* tianal decrees, which are thought to be of a reactionary nature, and have called forth a protest from the Professors,