TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

Globe, Volume VII, Issue 764, 1 December 1876, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

(Per Press Agency AUSTRALIAN NEWS. (Per Albion, via Bluff.) Melbourne, November 23. The Railway Construction Bill provides for eleven separate lines, comprising an aggregate distance of nearly 300 miles, at a cosVof £1,300,000, the country lines not to exceed £4250 per mile. The Hobson’s Bay railway is under offer to Government at the lowest estimate of £1,374,000, being at the rate of £BS per share. The proposals are likely to give rise to a long discussion, rendering it very doubtful if the session closes before Christmas if this Bill is to become law. The Swiss, Bordielti, lies under sentence of death for murder, The prisoner is an old man and a foreigner. The Alfred Hospital scandal is being well ventilated. The English cricketers are at present in Melbourne. Bowling is their strong point. Large numbers witnessed their practice on the Melbourne ground. They play in Sydney on the 7th of December. A large number of professionals continue to arrive, Another bank defaulter has been discovered, viz, a clerk in the Union. He is some hundreds in arrears, but the matter was settled by his friends. No prosecution will take place; An unusual quantity of rain has fallen in all the colonies, and has been most beneficial to all interests. Dr Gordon, Superintendent of the Ararat Lunatic Asylum, who committed suicide, was much liked. He has lately been drinking heavily. INTERPROYINCIAL. Auckland, November 30. The schooner Peerless has been wrecked at Samoaroff Island, Messrs Henderson and Macfarlane’s chief trading station in the South Seas. Mr Sterndale, well known for his writings on the South Sea Islands, and engaged by Messrs Henderson and MacFarlane at Samoaroff, was brought up with a number of witnesses, under the following circumstances —“ There appears to have been some quarrel between Mr Sterndale and Captain Fernandez, for the former threatened to shoot Captain Fernandez if he came on the island. When Captain Fernandez, who had landed, was standing in front of the houses, Mr Stemdale took up a carbine and took aim at him, one of the men called out, and Captain Fernandez started to run, and the shot missed. Captain Fernandez got on board the ship, and a general arming took place on shore. A letter was sent to Mr Sterndale, telling him tbat if he did not surrender his arms, his house would be burned down, and he would be taken prisoner ; and that if he came out with arms, he would be shot down, Mr Sterndale did come out, and delivered up his arms. Captain Fernandez will lay complaint against him to day, but there seems to be some doubt if the New Zealand Courts have jurisdiction.” Mr Sterndale, in his statement to the Star, says he was in sole charge and management. Ho was responsible for the good order and management of the island, and warned Capt Fernandez not to land on the island without notice, as he desired to prevent a breach of the peace, Capt Fernandez having quarrelled all round. Messrs Henderson and Fernandez afterwards took forcible possession of the island, and besieged Mr Sterndale and wife for sixteen days. He went out to get water, and met Captain Fernandez, who made a motion as if to raise his revolver. Mr Sterndale fired a carbine, and Captain Fernandez fell on all fours and scrambled away, and then ran. Captain Fernandez applied for a warrant, The Steam Packet Company met to-day. The report stated that the Now Zealand business shows a satisfactory account, excepting that of the West Coast. The Fiji business has collapsed with heavy loss to the company in consequence of the great reduction in the value of steamers, and probably a considerable loss on the Llewellyn. £SOOO having been written off the tbalance-sheet showed a loss on the working expenses of over £IOO. Thu report was adopted. Arrived —Anna, from Noumea, Wellington, November 30.

In the Court of Appeal, the case of Brogdens v the Queen, on the question,of the introduction of immigrants, was argued to-day before a full bench. The question in dispute was mainly of a technical character as regarded pleadings. >■ The Crown abandoned the first pica, and the Court upheld the second as good. Messrs Brogden were successful on the third plea, thus gaining a fourth by narrowing the issue to the second plea only, on which it is considered doubtful whether the defendants will succeed. Mr Travers appeared for Messrs Brogden, and Mr Allan, instructed by the Solid tor-General, for the Crown. Wellington, December 1.

It is understood the Government expect to have the whole of the elections for the County Councils over by the sixteenth instant. The following newspapers have been the successful tenderers for the Government advertising: — Otago Daily Times, Lyttelton Times, Marlborough Express, Nelson Colonist, 1 Vest Coast Times, Taranahi News, It is not yet decided which Hawkes Bay paper is successful. The Government Gazette will be the only advertising medium used at Wt llington and Auckland. The Auckland papers all tendered the same price, which was considered too high. KUMARA, November 30. The Kumara sports committee have collected nearly £3OO, and issued a programme

for four days’ sports. Amongst the prizes is a big one of £i 00 for a challenge handicap foot race ; forty guineas for another handicap, and £75 for wrestling. Nominations close on December 7th. Hokitika, December 1. The following are the weights for the Hokitika races : Kumura Handicap. —Morning Star, Sst 71b ; Nero, Bst; Septimus, 7st lllb ; Phantom, 7st 71b : Dainty, 7st 51b ; Kensington, 7st 51b ; Snowdon, 7st 31b; Tasso cMt, 7at 31b; Doncaster, 7st ; Grecian Bend, 7st; Jaspar, 6st 101 b. Hokitika Handicap,— Strongbow, Bst; Nero, 7st 12lbs; Septimus, 7st 9lbs ; Phantom, 7st Gibs ; Dainty, 7st 2lbs ; Tasso, 7st; Snowdon, 7st; Doncaster, 6st 121bs; Grecian Bend, Gst 81bs ; Jaspar, Gst Gibs. Hurdle Race. —Eclipse, list; Nero, lOafc 71bs ; Rainbow, 9st 121bs. Bluff, Nov. 30, Arrived—Albion. She left Melbourne on the 23rd ; Hobart Town at 6.30 p.m. on the 25th ; arrived at Bluff at 5.30 this morning. She experienced head winds and thick weather. She brings fifty-four saloon, seventy-one steerage passengers, and 287 tons cargo, five racehorses, and a Chinese giant. She sails at 4 p.m. for Dunedin. The racehorses are—Garibaldi, Manukau colt, Dolly Varden, Mechanic, Little Dan. Passengers for Lyttelton—Mr and Mrs Roberts, Mr and Mrs Fisher, Messrs Gavin, Roberts, Turnbull, and 14 steerage. For Wellington —Misses Featherston (4), Mr Norman, and 2 in steerage. [from our own correspondent.! Dunedin, December 1, In firing for the choice of colonial representatives Lieutenant McCartney, Porto] hello, made a capital score of 93. In a match for sweepstakes, 300 yards, 400, 500, and 600, Kohm, City Guards, made a brilliant total of 99, out a possible 112 with eightinch ball at 200.