YESTERDAY'S TELEGRAMS

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1220, 31 January 1878, Page 2

YESTERDAY'S TELEGRAMS

, Political Prospects in Victoria. Unpopularity of the Governor. [Per Tararua Tia Bluff.] Mkibouenk, Januury 23rd. Tho political outlook is still very darkclouded. The Government have apparently stayed their hands iu the matter of dismissals, as five departments remain untouched, and tho Government, as if doubtful of past proceedings, are making arrangements to carry on the business of the law courts. The Governor, it is stated, disclaims any sympathy with the unconstitutional proceedings of the Government, and states he has signed a paper at the Executive on the good faith of the Attorney-General that what is being done is within law. In the meantime the Governor is becoming very unpopular amongst certain classes. At a dinner on the Murray lately several refused to honor the toast of his health. At a country church the prayer for the Governor in the litany met no response from the congregation, and generally amongst the better classes the Governor is regarded as one of the causes of the present state of affairs. The clergy of all denominations have taken the matter up, and political sermons have been delivered from the pulpits, while the heads of all Protestant denominations, headed by Ihe Bishop of Melbourne, have addressed a memorial to Mr Berry, who at his meeting treated the matter as a joke. Mr Berry held an immense meeting at, Geelong on Monday night. The trains, full of partisans, were sent from Melbourne and Bullarat, and there whs the greatest enthusiasm. In his speech, Mr Berry said he had submitted a minute to the Governor, in which he maintained that under the existing law payments could be' made on votes of the Assembly alone, without the Appropriation Bill, and the Governor had referred the matter home before acting on his advice. Pending the receipt of a reply, the Government were carrying on us economically as possibly by reductions in tlie public service. It was the intention of the Government to submit a new constitution to the peopl.f, and in such a way that it could be adopted whether the Comicil liked it or not. He thought that even the Imperial Government could be prevailed upon to enact a new Constitution, if the choice of the people was deliberately recorded in favour of that course. These were the leading points of Mr Berry's speech, but iu all his remarks he never referred to the dismissal of the County Court; Judpes. It is not improbable that before lorn; there will bo a dissolution. Tho action of tho Government in reducing the Civil Servico is popular with the working elates, who at present have no cause to feel the crisis.

Mr Francis, in West Melbourne, yesternight, was unable to obtain a hearing. A party of roughs took possession of the hall previous to the meeting, and kept up a yelling and hooting; then the gas whs turned off. Francis went to an adjoining hotel, and delivered his speech, v The drought still continues. Very disastrous accounts are received from various parts of the country as to the absence of water and feed.

Nearly all the members of Council are absent. Twenty members of the Assembly refuse to take payment, believing it illegal, as the session is practically tit an end. The Ministers of Works and Customs, in recent speeches, held out all sorts of threats as to what the Government was prep-ired to do in the crisis, but none of them were referred to by Mr Berry. The gold yield. Jast year is estimated at 792,839 ounces, showing a fulling off of 144,421 ounces. Business is dull and unsettled by the effects of the political situation. Four theatres are still open, and are only doing fairly. The pantomimes are still running. Coopey and Bailey'j Circus bag

INTERPROVINCIAL [FEB PEESS AGENCY.] Sir George Gray and Hr Sheehan at waikato. Hative Meeting at Taupo. Colonial Bank Meeting. Auckland, January 30. The Premier and Mr Sheehan left for Waikato this morning, and were received at Alexandra with triumphal arches and other demonstrations of rejoicing. Re.vi came over from his settlement beyond, by the specific invitation of Sir George Grey, to attend the Te Kopu meeting, and a number of influential chiefs came from Waipa. Tawhiao is at Kopua, with 400 natives. Two hundred Ngatimaniapotos arrived*at Te Kopu yesterday. Altogether 2000 are expected to be present. Natives are pouring in from all places, remote as Kawhau. Eight head of cattle have been presented "for the feast by Ngatihuna natives, who will pitch a tent for the meeting, which will be at Kamaruwapo. Taupo, January 30. The large native gathering here has ended, resulting in the establishment of a committee or council of forty to meet quarterly to discuss public and local matters affecting Native interests. Te Heuhe was elected president by a majority of seven, Topia Turoa being the othor candidate. Wellington, January 30. The second and third attempts to blow up the hulk Eli Whitney were failures. Messrs Travers's and Reader Wood's resignations will be gazetted to-morrow. Oamabu, January 30. Great progress is being made with the harbor works. It is expected that the present contract for the extension of the breakwater will be finished in about a fortnight. The Lydia Howarde troupe have been playing here to crowded houses. Poet Chalmers, January 30. Captain M'Earlane of the Bteamer Rotorua has been presented by the officers and crew with a handsome gold watch and albert chain suitably inscribed, on the occasion of resigning his command, in which Captain Kennedy succeeds him. Dunedin, January 30. At a meeting of the Colonial Bank shareholders this afternoon, the report was unanimously adopted. A dividend of 6 per cent, per annum was declared, £4OO added to reserve fund, now £16,000, and £2lll carried forward. Votes of thanks were passed to the directors and officers. Inveecaegill, January 30. Messrs Maitland and Co. have sold the Otapiru estate of 5700 acres freehold, with stock, farming implements, and nearly 1000 acres of crop, to Mr McCaughan Want wood, at £4 10s per acre. EOM THE CORRESPONDENT OP THE PEESS.] Timaeu, January 30. At the Resident Magistrate's Court to-day, Isabella Dick, dressmaker, for larceny, was commit! ed for trial at the next sitting of the District Court.