BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

Evening Star, Issue 3903, 27 August 1875, Page 3

BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

Blvtf, August 27. The s.s, Albion, with the mail, left Melbourne at 8.30 p.m. on the 23rd, and arrived at the Bluff at 1 p.m. to-day. She brings thirtyfour saloon and fifty steerage passengers, and 550 tons of cargo for all ports. She sails for Dunedin at 8 p.m. to-night. Passengers for Dunedin : Misses Davis, Wood, and Rocheford, Mesdames Davis, Herman, Wright, and Empson, Mr E. B. Davi3 (ventriloquist), and the Duville Bros. Messrs Belfield, Lindsay, Herman, Wright. Kmpson, Weightman, Grant, Barbury, Sinclair, Hume, Ball, Richmond, and Tondut, and forty-three in the steerage. Also 290 tons of cargo. Auckland, August 26. The public meeting held to consider the question of levying a penny rate for the public library passed a resolution adverse to such a rate. Christchurch, August 26. Application for the New Zealand Loan and Investment Company's shares continue to be largely made. In Canterbury alone they already exceed the whole intended issue. This afternoon a committee was appointed to select a team to play against the Auckland football team when they visit Canterbury. Lwehcabgtll, August 27. A meeting convened by Eur Macintosh, the member iu the Provincial Couucil. was held at Wallacetown last niodit, when Mr Macintosh proposed, and Mr John Graham seconded a motion affirming the desirableness of delay in the matter of abolition, which was carried by twenty-two votes to four. RrvERTON, August 27. A fire broke out about twelve o'clock last night in a tailoring and a saddlery establishment. The buildings are in the centre of a crowdtd bloclt, but, on account of their closeness to the river, and the aid of plenty of willing hands with an unlimited quantity of buckets, the conflagration was confined to the buildings mentioned. The stock and buildings were completely destroyed. They are insured in the Victoria office—the stock for LOOOf and the buildings for I , jOO. The fire is supposed to have commenced in the tailor's shop, but its origin is as yet unknown. (From our own Correspondeiits.) Lawrence, August 27. A fire broke out this morning in the Shamrock Hotel's kitchen, and spread to Mr J. Copeland's stable, destroying it and a buggy shed ; the buggy, however, was saved. A girl named Margarat Fabey, sleeping in a bedroom adjoining the Shamrock kitchen, hid a narrow escape. She wa3 awoke by the heat of the fire, and in getting through the blazing kitchen got her hair scorched. Mix members of the Fir* Brigade were quickly on the spot, and there was a good supply of water, so that although a strong tale was blowing, with snow, and the place was surrounded by wooden buildings, the fire was kept within the limits • above described. i'he brigade men worked quietly- and well, and fought the fire out inch by inch. The small number of the brigade present was owing to the gale of wind preventing the fire-bell from being heard. The Shamrock is insured in the Victoria Office, but Mr Copeland is uninsured. Th» damage done was small. Auckland, August 27. The following petition is being very numerously signed :—"ToSir.GeorgeGrey, K.C.8., Messrs Reader Wood, G. M. O'Rorke, J. Sheehan, W. Swanson, P. Dignan, and G. Von derHeyde.— We, the undersigned electors of the City of Auckland and surrounding districts, beg respectfully to urge upon you our desire for your continued and persistent efforts to prevent the passing of the Abolition Bill during the present session of Parliament, in order that the people at the general elections may have an opportunity of considering and determining respecting a matter so grave as an alteration of the Constitution. We cordially thank you for the resistance which you have hitherto given to it ? knowing that it is in the power of the Opposition to so obstruct it as to prevent the measure from passing through committee. We earnestly urge that the I'all be contested word by word, and clause by clause, and by such other means as are provided by Parliamentary practice, so that if rendered necessary by the persistance of the Government the passing of tho measure may be deferred until the dissolution of the present House of Representatives by the effluxion of time in the month of February."