YESTERDAY'S TELEGRAMS

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1258, 30 March 1878, Page 2

YESTERDAY'S TELEGRAMS

[BY SUBMARINE CABLE.] [bextteb's special telegbams to the pbess AGENCY.] The American Wool Tariff. Washington, March 28. The proposed Tariff Bill abolishes the classification of wool, and makes the duty on all classes 35 cents in lieu of the present average of 50 cents ad valorem. The Protectionists in the House of Representatives oppose the Bill. AUSTRALIAN. Sydney, March 29. It is stated authoritatively that the services of Colonel Scratchley have been permanently secured by the Australian Governments in connection with defences, at a salary of £ISOO annually and £SOO travelling expenses. Brandy and kerosene are unchanged; rice, £22 10s to £23 ; New Zealand wheat, 5s to 5s 3d ; tobacco, sugar and candles, unchanged. Sailed —City of Sydney and Wakaiipu. Adelaide, March 29. Flour, £l3 ; wheat, unchanged. Melbourne, March 29. Great satisfaction is felt in business and political circles at the ending of the crisis. Parliament will next week be prorogued until July next. INTERPROTINCIAL. [PKB PBESS AGENCY.] Eailway Accident at Oamaru. Tlie Hikurangi Meeting. More of Mr Barton. Child Exposure at Dunedin. M.T Sheean and the Gold Duty. Auckland, March 29. Mre Warren was committed for trial on charges of larceny and arson in Waterloo Quadrant. Ghahahstown, March 29. The Hon. Mr Sheehan was interviewed by a large deputation appointed at a public meeting to un/e Government to open lands for the people and abolish gold duties. The Brcomhall contract, which it was alleged wili absorb the whole of the good land in the Upper Thames, for which people have been wtutinc here for years, was denounced as a great injustice and a swindle. Mr Sheehan informed the deputation that for the credit of the colony the Broomhail contract would have to be rpspected, unless some fresh disclosures were made. Mr Pieece, land purchase agent, had now carte bhnehe to complete the purchases commenced b* MrMackay,and as soon as these were completed, the blocks wou;d be opened for sale oa the deferred payments system. Re gold duties Mr Sheehan had vted for their repeal since 1870, and said he had no reason to alter his opinion. The Premier was also in favor of *heir repeal, but he could not answer for all the members of the Ministry. Mr Sheehan left for Ohmemun early this W&frf* Alexandra, March 29. A meeting was heid wKikurangi to-day, Wakanui and a larg« number or NgßtunMMO.

potos having arrived there Another meeting will be held there on the 7th prox., when p. 11 the tribes will be represented. Nothing definite has been settled as to Sir G. Grey's meeting at present. Wellington, March 29.

The City of New York left San Francisco for Auckland on the 18th inst. with the London mails of the 28th February. The Zealandia, from Auckland, on the sth inst., arrived at San Francisco on the 27th, one day in advance of contract time.

The "Evening Argus" was sold to-day to Mr Gardiner, formerly one of the proprietors of the "Sacramento Union," California. The name is to be changed to the " Evening Chronicle."

The Wellington Railway is expected to be opened as far as Featherston in four months. The prospectus of the new morning paper, to be called " The New Zealander" is published. It will make its first appearance on April 29th. It appears that the Corporation are not satisfied with the supply of water, although everything is now complete. The city engineer reports that the water in the main reservoir decrease;! nine inches daily, and that in the storage basin it decreases at the rate of a foot per day. It was generally agreed that the present supply, is wholly inadequate for the growing wants of the city, and a scheme to bring a largor water supply to the city, involving a total outlay of £IOO,OOO, was discussed, but no definite steps have yet been taken.

Mr Barton made his first appearance in Court since his release from gaol. Mr Barton having made a certain application and argued it, Judge Richmond ruled ; but as it appeared not to be perfectly understood, the Judge explained it more than once, and having entered his decision, was proceeding to the next cause. Mr B>rton requested that he be treated properly, and asked to be informed what the decision of the Court was. Mr Justice Richmond declined to reiterate any more, and asked the Registrar if he heard. The Registrar replied affirmatively, and read his entry, which was the same as tho Judge's. Mr Barton having accused the officers of tho Court of not acting impartially, the Judge said—- " Mr Barton, I will call upon you to account for this," and took a note of the expressions used by Mr Barton. Mr Barton then asked that he might ascertain their correctness or otherwise. If not ho would dispute them. Judge Richmond declined. Later on in the afternoon Mr Barton moved that the warrant for his commitment for contempt of Court he quashed. lie argued in support at considerable length ; quoted a somewhat analogous case, "Pollard v. Chief Justice of Hong Kong," in which the Privy Council held that no person should be punished for contempt of Court before being allowed an opportunity of answering the charge raised against him. After hearing him at great length, the Judge refused the application, and instanced a case recently decided by the House of Lords, in which it was laid down that a Judge, in the legitimate exercise of his functions, and being set at defiance by any person, could commit that person instantly. He also instanced the case where the Judge committed the Prince of Wides to the Fleet prison for contempt of Court.

The railway station at; Upper Hutt, was broken into and robbed of a quantity of money in the safe and a lot of tickets.

Blenheim, March 29J

The Mailborough County Council met again and decided ur>t to assume active powers, but to apportion the revenue amongst the ridings us follows : —Pieton, 15 ; Spring Creek, 23 ; Awntere, 9 ; Waiau, 10; Qwaka, 15 ; Havelock, 5; Pelorus, 23 per cent.

Hokitika, Muroh 29,

Hamer, the Bank agent, was sentenced to five years' penal servitude. He is twentyeight years of age, and was in sole charge of the agency. He offered no defence, and called no one to speak to character. The inspector of tho Bank stated that the amount of the defalcations was about £3OOO, described as the most infamous frauds. Dtwedin, March 29. The body of an infant was found in a waterhole on the town belt this afternoon. The face was discoloured, but there were no marks of violence. The body appeared to have been recently placed there. So far the affair is wrapped in mystery. The census returns for the district between Taieri and Waikouaiti counties, with the exception of Caversham and the Waikari and Kaikorai ridings, show a total population of 43.(568, 20,856 being females. The census in 1874- gave a total population of 39,503, showing an approximate increase of 5497. In 1872 tho total was 31,371. Oamartt, March 29. An accident attended with serious results occurred to the train going north, which left Oamaru at 430 this afternoon. At Eichmond crossing (seven miles north of Oamaru) the engine was thrown off the line, it is supposed, by striking a bullock. The stoker, named Stewart Mclntyre, was seriously injured, but what the extent of his injuries was is not yet known. One leg was severely crushed. The engine was shattered. The train was a heavy one, and there were a large number of passengers, none of whom were injured. No information has yet been received as to whether the engine driver was hurt. Mclntyre w as brought into town, and taken to his residence. The Oamaru stationmaster with a gang of men left for the scene of the accident, and he has not yet returned. iNVEHCAHGiin, March 29.

At a special meeting of the Waste Lands Board, held this afternoon, to consider the case of Cummin?, who was alleged not to have complied with the deferred payments conditions, Sir John Richardson took exception to the course pursued by Government in charging the ranger Campbell with partiality in the discharge of his duty. Sir John said, as the case stood, he, for one, as a member of the Waste Lands Board, hesitated to accept the ranger's evidence in ca<es then before the Board. He thought the charge against the ranger should have received investigation, as the Board had depended in a great measure upon the evidence which he gave. Under the circumstances, he had no option but to resign his seat as a member of the Board, which he accordingly did. [fhoji the coeeespondent of the pbkss.] Timabu, March 29. The Temuka and Geraldine Agricultural and Pastoral Association's show was held today, Lt Temuka. It was a very poor affair, the exhibits being scanty and anything but first-class as a whole. The arrangements were also defective. Sir John Coode is expected to examine Timaru Harbor in a cursory manner at the end of next week.