TELEGRAPHIC

Evening Star, Issue 4305, 13 December 1876, Page 3

TELEGRAPHIC

[Per Submarine Cable.] The San Francisco Mail Service. London, December 9.—The Pacino mail was delivered in London on the sth inst. Wheat is active, and here is a further advance. New Zealand is selling at 51s to 535. New South Wales Parliament. Stdnet, December 12.—Parliament was opened to-day. The Governor’s speech mentioned the preparation of various measures, inc’.ud ng measures for electoral reform and public debt consolidate n, and mentioned the probability of the Pacific service negotiations with New Zealand being satisfactori y concluded. The English Cricketers. Sydney, December 13. —In the match—All England Eleven v. the Northern District—the former are all out for 96, and the latter have lost ten wickets for 23. The Fire Brigades Demonstration. Sydney, December ’ 13.—The Ballarat firemen leave fog New Zealand by tho Ringarooma tomorrow. [Fecit our own Correspondents.] Fire at Milton. Tokonairiro, December 12.— I The largest lire that has ever taken place in Miiton broke out at one o’clock this afternoon and destroyed the Criterion Hotel, formerly Laigley’S, Pool eVnaird res ier shop, Caps tick's large store and auction rooms, i ml n range of offices occupied by Mes rs Walter Taylor, lawyer, and George Capstick, acc mutant. The Municipal Council Chamber, owned Jry Mr R. R. Jones, narrowly escaped des'ruc. m, TVs ! n’ cjng is of brick and arrested the progress of the lire, which, assisted by the wind that was blowing, must otherwise have spread down as far as the street leading to the railway station and destroyed all the intervening wooden shops. The buildings mentioned, with the exception of Jones’s are totally destroyed, nothing but the chimneys standing. A number of shopkeepers took the precaution of removing their goods and furniture. The Criterion was owned by Mr Hewson, but the premises were mortgaged. The Milton Volunteer Fire Brigade did good service, and their nxertions sived Jones’s ball. There is no cine to the origin of the Are, which commenced in the upper rooms of the Criterion has been empty for six months, and at tire lost meeting of the Licensing Court Mr Franz Julius applied for a license, but was refused. Nearly all the furniture from the oilier buildings was saved. We understand that Capstick was insured in the New Zealand office for L3OO, and in the Northern for a like amount. Crass Ignorance. Auckland, December 12. —At the Police Court to-day Eugene Richards, aged thirteen, a scholar of St. Paul’s doy school and Pitt street Sunday school, said he did not know anything about the difference between truth and falsehood, and that he knew nothing of tire Bible. Magistrate: What do you learn ? Boy: I learn to sing. Magistrate Nothing else ? Boy; The teacher tells me to be good. Mr Henry Warner has been appointed Land Surveyor to the Harbor Board. The Board passed a resolution in favor of facilitating the Government proposal to run the railway across the reclaimed land to join the Kaipara line. Tho girl Mary Kane, who confessed to concealment of birth, says that the father of the child is Fleming, a commercial traveller, who left for Australia a few mouths ago. Tnapeka Railway Works. Lawrence, December 13.—Great activity now prevails on the railway works, and a largo number of men ore employed. The company formed to sink a shaft in deep ground on the Waitahuna cement commence operations at once. A new flonr mill is to be started shortly, and will be ready by next harvest. The capital is already subscribed. A large number of nominations ore talked of for the County elections. The weather is splendid, and large quantities of fruit are being sent down for the Dtmelin market. [Per Press Agency.] Criminal Sessions. Invercargill, December 12.—1 a the Supreme Court to-day. Church pleaded not guilty to indictments in which he was charged with an nnnameable offence. In the first case the jury returned a verdict of “ Not guilty." In the second cas»- the Judge directed the jury to acquit the prisoner on the mojor charge, and the jury returned a verdict of “ Not guilty’’ on the minor one. No evidence was offered on the other indictments, and the prisoner was discharged. The criminal calendar is all disposed of. Tiharu, December 12. —The Supreme Court yesterday was held in the Mechanics’ Institute. Judge Johnston complained bitterly of his sufferings from cold. His Honor, who sat on tho stage in front of the proscenium, said he would not be able to hoi 1 the Court to-day, unless the weather improved. To-day the weather moderated and the Court sat, though with great discomfort. The Grand Jury made a presentment regarding the Government not proceeding with the Supreme Court buildings, and the Judge concurred. Tiharu, December 13. The trial of Neil M’Cowan, for arson, occupied the Supreme Court all yesterday till half-past eleven at night. The prisoner, on being found guilty, confessed his crime. Judge Johnston spoke very severely to him, and sentenced him to ten years’ hard labor This is the second conviction here for arson in twelve months. Heavy Floods. The floods have done great damage to the railway on the plains, and to the Selwyn bridge. Through traffic was resumed yesterday, but the passengers and mails were conveyed from one train to another on a trolly. The weather has cleared up now. Special Settlements. Auckland, December 12. —In reply to representations from the Auckland Waste Lands Board, the Government promised that tho confiscated land shall be vested in tho Board. In reply lo Mr BroombalTs second application, a resolution has been carried by the Waste Lands Board that 47,000 acres of the Te Aroha block be sold; price to be paid by February 1, 1877 ; Mr Broomha'l to intro, dnee 6io adult immigrants, and to erect 150 houses, churches, chapels, stores, &c., provide laud for educational endowments, and bring one-fifth of the land under cultivation before January 1,1883. The sum of L 11,425 is to be deposited as a guarantee to be absolutely forfeited if the conditions are unfulfilled. Crown grants to be issued when the money is paid. The price of the land is not published. Be Mr Prichard’s application for 62,000 acres, a resolution has been passed that the land be sold at LI per acre—los to be paid before the Ist March next, 10s by introduction of an equlvtleut of immigrants (one adult for every 75 acres ; 210 houses to be erected ; other conditions to be similar to Mr Broomhall’s; The sum of L 15.000 is to be deposited. Floods. Christchurch, December 12.—The heavy rain yesterday caused one of the greatest floods in the Selwyn and rivers experienced for many years. Railway traffic was stop.pcd. The Selwyn bridge on the Main South Line was seriously damaged. The permanent way between Rakaia and Ashburton is very much injured. It is reported that the Selwyn bridge, on the Southbridge line, is partly washed away; also, that the Homebusb rail way station, at the White Cliffs branch line, has been portly destroyed. The heavy rains which fell yesterday have done considerable damage to the crips, which are extensively hid. Reports from the outlying districts show that • serious damage has been done by the into rains to the crops, which are heavy; also that every line of railway was more or less damaged, but with the exception of the Selwrn bridge all will be repaired by to-night. At the Selwyn bridge an embankment 150ffc long was carried entirely away. Traffic ia now carried on there by trollies, but it will be quite a weqk before the bridge can be permanently repaired. Tiharu, December 12.—The afternoon train from tbs North yentordaywM detained three boars by

th« flood* flw bUh (Ntttk* Bftlata. lorn* of tho w«e to » seed* train, «oa» tinned tbaloynxey and mohad Tlaorvi with oon-siaej-H ole discomfort. ’I he rains wore tremendously and formed wide sheets of water running raplply towards the lower parts of the plains. Tho Nelson Regatta. Christchurch, December 12.—The Union Bowing Club lias decided to send a crew to the Nelson Regi tin, but it is feared areally good one cannot be ob tamed. A large number of stock w ; ll be sent from Christchurch to the Dunedin Exhibition. .The Acclimatisation Society has decided to send to Sun Francisco for Prairie hens and bumble bees. Wreck and Loss of Life. Invercargill, December 12.—Information has been received here that the barque William Ackers, which left the Bluff on Monday for Lyttelton, with a cargo of 185,000 feet sawn timber, struck a reef off Waipapa Point early this morning and drifted on to the beach, and is a total wreck. Seven of the crew are said to be drowned, including the captain, and three were saved. Another account says the crew is supposed to be saved. So far os can be ascertained, the cargo is uninsured. The Rangitoto Silver Mine. Hokitika, December 13.—Another rich lode has been struck iu the Mount Raneitoto Silver Mine, Oft. deep below (ho present working, which gives an ns.'iaj of SiOozs to the ton, A large reef 10ft thick of pvrphyrile quartz, impregnated with silver, has also been discovered on the company’s lease, a quarter of a milo from the present working. Gold is also visible. A reef Las been driven iu for a distance of 16ft, and tho company have 366 ft of tunnel--1 intern, and are prepared to slope out hundreds of tons of ore. They have just erected a complete assay furnace. The Government have given great satisfaction in calling for tenders for the construction of the remainder of the road, which will materially assist in the development of the mineral resources of the district. The County Elections. Queenstown, December 13.—For the Queenstown Riding Mr Malaghan, merchant, and Mr Bayes, ruuholder, have been returned without opposition. It is considered a good choice. Generally the other ridings elections will be contested, but the returning ©Ulcers at Matatuki and Cirdrona made blunders—they altered the advertised dates. At the Arrow a keen contest ensues. Property holders will prove in the majority at the Council Board. The miners are indifferent, but willing to bear their share of the taxation. Juilgi Harvey has held a heavy sitting of (he District Court, but the cases were only of local importance except that of Macaudrew v. Home, re depasturing licenses. The question involved was had the Superintendent the right to lease or assign a goldfields commonage. The lessees now raise objections and say no; what they really want is free grass. Parliament out of Session. Christchurch, December 13. —Mr W. Montgomery. M.H.R., addressed his constituents at Akaroa last night, and reviewed the events of the past session at considerable length. Referring to the next session, he said they would have to consider the price of land, the system of deferred payments, and most probably it would be tried to make the land fund common property. He most certainly should oppose that. The question of representation and perhaps of redistribution of seats might be considered, and justly so, for at present the town of Taranaki returned as many members as the City of Dunedin, which had three times the number of inhabitants, and he did not think th.-t was right. He was opposed to granting the franchise to a nomadic population, and whilst he was iu favor of the franclose being given on low qualifications to a settled population, be was opposed tea nomadic population influencing the legislation of the Coiony. He would support a judicious scheme of retrenchment end h-ohM endeavor to prevent the enormous borrowing which had formerly prevailed. They w ere now entering on a new phase of political life. Provincialism was a thing of the past, and would never return, for the British people never went back, and cons- quently those who were earnest men would do well to unite togetherin order to promote the welfare of the whole. A national life had just begun, and he hoped that ere long the whole people would unite together in order to promote the welfare of the whole of New Zealand, and this he would endeavor to promote to tho utmost extent of his power. Mr Montgomery was frequently cheered, and received a unanimous vote of confidence. Steps have been taken to establish hero a Masonic lodge under the Scotch Constitution. Queenstown, December 13.—Mr Manders addressed his constituents at Queenstown and was favorably received. No questions were put, the explanation of his policy being deemed satisfactory, AUSTRALIAN NEWS.

(Per Arawata at the Bluff.) Melbourne, December B.—All negotiations for the pu- chase of the Hobson’s Bay railway by the Government are at an end, owing to the House declining to give the price settled by the Government. This will probably determine the Government in their railway policy, and bring the session to an early close. An immense number of petitions from all parts, in favor of the grocer’s license, has caused the Assembly considerable embarrassment, and the clause has been re-inserted. A second attempt to expunge it, made last night, was defeated by a majority of two. By a railway accident on tee line being constructed between Ararat and Hamilton, four men were killed ai d several wounded. Mr Henry Taylor, tho working man’s delegate, has met with little success from his own class, on account of his strong free trade views, but he has been lionised by the Free Trade League. A murder and suicide has occurred at Emerald Hill. A man named Carrington cut his wife’s throat and then his own. He had only been married six months. The Tarania replaces the Otago in the New Zealand trade. Business is very brisk in sugars, brandies, rum, Geneva, kerosene, soda, and cornsacks, in all of which prices have risen considerably. Probably eighteen of the Melbourne cricketers will play the English team on Boxing Day. Gn at preparations are ueing made for the match.