TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

Globe, Volume III, Issue 240, 17 March 1875, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

(Press Telegraph Agency.') Auckland, March 16. W, T. Swan, M.P.C., the first member of the Assembly for the Thames goldfields, died suddenly yesterday. He had been out during the morning, and returned to his lodgings shortly after two o’clock, and was seized with an apoplectic fit, and expired at ten o’clock at night. Sir G. Grey is expected in town to-morrow, and will probably address the Thames electors on Friday, and the Auckland electors afterwards. Maeetu, March 16. The Native Minister landed shortly after one to-day. The Maori welcome was enthusiastic. A thousand natives were present. The speeches afterwards were mostly of a very excitable character, chiefly arising through the presence of many of those favorable to the alienation of the lands, who gave expression to their opinions, which were displeasing to many old chiefs present, and a disturbance was threatened. Sir Donald did not compliment the natives on their behaviour. He had not found the other tribes so disorderly in conducting their debates. They could not expect him to listen if they did not behave better. They prided themselves on their loyalty to the pakehas, and on having fought for the Queen. Their present conduct did not encourage hopes that their grievance would be easily settled in future. He advised them to select the principal men as speakers to lay their grievances before him. Tomorrow it is expected that the tribes will send their principal men to discuss affairs. Wellington, March 16. The following information regarding the area of land in the different provinces, and the quantity alienated, has been supplied by the General Crown Lands Office to Mr E, J, Wakefield, by direction of the Hon Major Atkinson; —To! al area in acres of Auckland Piovince, 17,000,000 acres, quantity alienated 1,600,461 acres; Hawke s Hay, area 2,950,000, alienated 774,303 acres; Taranaki, 2,290,000, alienated 57,175; Wellington, 7,000,000 acres, alienated 1,489,384 acres; Marlborough, 2,720,000 acres, alienated 874,601 acres; Nelson, 7,000,000 acres, alienated 925,469 acres; Westland, 3,045,960 acres, alienated 26,370 acres; Canterbury, 8,690,000 acres, alienated 1,912,804 acres; Otago (including Southland district), 16,038,400 acres, alienated 2,463,520 awes. Dunedin, March 16. Mr Wilson Gray, district jui ge,i| reported to to dangerously ill at Clyde,

A strong team has been picked to play against the Zingari South Canterbury cricketers. Betting slightly favors Dunedin. A Lawrence telegram to the Star states that splendid golden stone is being obtained at the Waipara Gold Mining Company’s claim, the property of Dunedin speculators. The claim now being opened up is expected by many experienced judges to rival the Cromwell Company s claim at Bendigo. Large numbers of Chinese are flocking to the drainage channel, and appear satisfied with the prospects. A long correspondence between the Forbury railway company and the General and Provincial Governments is published to-day, occupying three columns of the local papers. The difficulty is about the rails and passage along the harbor foreshore. J. B. Bradshaw, secretary, in a letter to Mr Reynolds, on December 29th, says the company cannot get the rails, and asks him to lend them. On the 31st he asks the Provincial Government inter alia to grant or get the General Government to grant the use of the foreshore to the. Otago Heads, the difficulty having arisen in consequence of the company having no private Act. On February Ist Mr Bradshaw wrote undertaking to get one as soon as possible. This was in consequence of a letter from Mr Reynolds, dated January 28, informing Mr Bradshaw that the AttorneyGeneral advises that the Superintendent had no power to enter into an arrangement with the company for working the line, or for the use by the company of any portion of the Government lines, and that the company could not, without statutory authority, run a railway over the high roads or work it with locomotives; and that if the land along the foreshore had been granted to the Superintendent it would be necessary to obtain an Ordinance, otherwise an Act of the General Assembly. The correspondence as to the rails was as follows: —January 6th. Mr Bradshaw to Mr Reynolds. “ The company are pushing the works rapidly, and will require rails within a week.” January Bth, “ The reply to your letter of December 19th has been submitted to the Government, who wrote to the Superintendent. See him.” January 12th. Mr Bradshaw to Mr Reynolds. “ Have seen the letter of the Colonial Secretary to the Superintendent. I understood you to say here that you would use your influence in getting the rails. Reply.” January 13th. The Minister of Public Works in a letter to the Superintendent, states that he will sell the rails at cost and charges. Mr Bradshaw to Mr Reynolds, January 26th. “ In re rails, no definite answer yet received, work at a standstill in consequence. Surely this is a small matter for you to put right.” The reply, the same date, was as follows : “ The whole question, though it may appear very simple, involves matter of grave consideration, which, when dealt with, will form a precedent. The papers are now before the Attorney-General, and the question will he submitted by the Hon Mr Richardson to the Cabinet iu a day or two.” January 28th, Mr Bradshaw to Mr Reynolds—“ The company will give the cost price for the rails, with all charges. The formation of the line to the ocean beach is completed. The work is now at a standstill for the want of the rails. If the company cannot obtain rails from you it must send to Australia, which will entail great expense. If you had not promised rails they would have been ordered elsewhere long ago; The necessary notice has been given, and the line can without trouble be all ready in March. Its efficiency will bear the strictest inspection. The Provincial Government has afforded every facility, and it is to be hoped that the Colonial’Executive will not throw obstacles in the way of one of the most important undertakings affecting the citizens'of Dunedin and the suburbs.” After further correspondence Mr Reynolds telegraphed on February 10th —“ Every step taken by the Hon Minister for Public Works re Ocean Beach and Peninsula Railway Company, has been first considered by the Cabinet, and no deviation can be made from the conditions he has enjoined. In sanctioning the construction of private railways, it is the duty of the Government to make every allowance for the protection of the public interest, and we are assured that the course now proposed is essential to that.” Mr Bradshaw responds on February 14th —“Is the company to abandon all hopes of getting rails as promised by the Colonial Secretary’s letter to the Superintendent on the 28th February, after fulfilling all the conditions in that letter.” After further correspondence, Mr Bradshaw telegraphs to Mr Reynolds : —“ Seen your last telegram to the Superintendent. In it you deny having made a promise that the company should have rails. You must remember Mr Proudfoot’s reading the letter of the 29th December at the railway station to you, after you had ascertained from Mr Blair, who was on the platform, that the Government had plenty of rails to spare.” Mr Reynolds answers—“ All lean say is, that if I said any words, which led the gentlemen you name to infer that I promised more than I already stated in my telegram, I regret that they should have misunderstood me. While I was and am favorable that the Government should give every facility consistent with the protecting of the public interests and the law of the colony to such an undertaking, yet I had no intention in any remarks made on the railway platform in the bustle of leaving, to convey any such meaning as you seem to have put upon them. W. H. Reynolds.” After a long correspondence, it was finally notified that the company might have rails, but if they attempted to proceed the Attorney-General would fjle information and get an injunction. Mr Norrie, the new rector of the High School, is on his way out, An interesting correspondence between the Superintendent and persons in England re salmon ova is published, Mr Frank Buckland strongly advocates continuing the experiments, and sending constant supplies of ova to New Zealand.

The betting on the Cup at the present time is —4 to 1 Traitor and Ngaro, 5 to 1 Pertobe, 7 to 1 Atlas and Spritsail, 8 to 1 Templeton, 9 to 1 Castaway, 10 to I Right Bower, Hercules, and Earl Lynne, 20 to 1 Tripolis. In the Publicans’ Handicap, Templeton has been backed a good deal. Barwon and King Phillip are also looked upon as well in. THIS DA TS TELE Git AMS. Wellington, March 17. The Wellington portion of the San Francisco mail was 3629 letters, 2106 newspapers, and 28 book parcels. The New Zealand University has concluded its sittings. Yesterday the business was only formal. The Bank of Australia is giving 8 per cent 09 deposit? for twelve months,

Arrived—The Dallam Tower, from London, with 146 immigrants ; eighty-six days out, Hokitika, March 17.

At the Supreme Court Hugh Hamill, charged with an unnatural offence, was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment ; and Louisa O’Brien, for unlawfully wounding, to three months’ imprisonment. Cattle, average, 35s per lOOlbs ; merino sheep, 13s each in the market. There is a short supply of both. Dunedin, March 17.

The Mataura has cleared for London with a cargo valued at £101,740, of this 4401 bales of wool are valued at £IOO,BOO.

Up to date 46,471 bales wool have been shipped home during the 1874-5 season. J. L. Gillies, M.H. R. for Waikouaiti, has resigned his seat. Mr George Maclean is likely to be returned unopposed. Ngaro and Earl of Lynne are now much fancied for the Dunedin Cup. [FROM OUR AUCKLAND CORRESPONDENT.] Auckland, March 16. A remarkable case of arson has taken place at the Thames. A house at Waiohia Creek, with all it contained, was set on fire and burned yesterday. For some years the house was occupied by a man named Wilkinson and a woman named Mrs Eoome. The latter maintained the former, who in turn frequently thrashed her. Yesterday the woman ran away from one of these beatings to a neighbour’s house, and Wilkinson, gathering all the combustibles he could get, set fire to the house where they had been living. It was burned down in a few minutes, and only an old bedticking was dragged out. The furniture all belonged to Mrs Roome, who was so afraid of Wilkinson that she did not come out of the house in which she had taken refuge while her house and furniture were being consumed. Wilkinson was brought up at the Police Court this morning ■end committed for trial. Patrick Molloy, the young Jack Sheppard, has again escaped from the training ship for the fourth time. When last caught, his back was well flogged, but he disappeared the following day, and has not since been heard of. [FROM OUR DUNEDIN CORRESPONDENT.] Dunedin, March 17. The members of the Mechanics’ Institute at Camara have decided by a majority of 27 to open the institute on Sundays. The betting is in favour of the Dunedin eleven against the South Canterbury team. Our team is considered strong. The mate of the steamer Samson was found dead in his bed this morning. Sailed—The Auckland, for London, with a large number of passengers, and a cargo valued at £IOI,OOO.