LAST NIGHT'S TELEGRAMS

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1392, 1 August 1878, Page 2

LAST NIGHT'S TELEGRAMS

[BY SUBMARINE CABLE ]

[special to the press agency] London, July 30. In the House of Lords to-night Ministers challenged the Opposition to divide on the Eastern Question. Earl Beaconsfield and Lord Salisbury, replying to Earl Granville and the Marquis of Ripon, insisted that peace became m ire likely from a policy that defined definite areas and boundaries. In the House of Commons, Lord Hartington blamed the Government for their neglect of Greece. He denied the necessity that Indian interests should depend on the British protectorate in Armenia. The convention made the British Empire more vulnerable. Sir C. Dilke and Mr Grant Duff censured the Anglo-Turkish convention. Mr Plunkett moved an amendment approving of the Government policy. Mr Bourke contended (hat the treaty improved the prestige of England, reformed Asia, and opened prospects there of pe o and prosperity. London (Undated.) The first innings of the Australians closed for 206. The first innings of their opponents for 104. Spofforth got twelve wickets for 55. Keighley in their second innings have six out for 38. AUSTRALIAN. Melbourne, July 31. Arrived—Tararua, yesterday ; Alhambra, to-day. Sailed—Albion, to-day. Sydney, July 31. Arrived—Rotorua. [special to globe.] Sydney, July 31The acting Mayor this morning received the following from Karl Beaconsfield:— “ London. —My colleagues and myself have received the message from the citizens of Sydney. Wo are touched by their sympathy, and honoured by their remembrances. — (Signed) Beaconsfield.” NEW ZEALAND TELEGRAMS. [PBB PRESS AGENCY.] Auckland, July 31. It is stated that the insurance companies have prepared figures which prove that more than t wo-thirds of the property in Auckland is uninsured. Under these circumstances, it is thought probable that unless the corporation rescind the resolution recently passed the brigade will be disbanded. The companies say they should not be expected to provide a fire brigade any more than lighthouses to prevent wrecks, or than life insurance offices should provide doctors and hospitals to prevent the spread of contagi >us diseases. The amount insured in Auckland is less by £77,900 since the water supply has been brought into town. Wellington, July 31. The following tenders were received for the Tapanui contract of the Waitaki-Invercargill railway : —Accepted—Proudfootand Mackay, of Dunedin, £61,500; declined—Topham and Angus, Invercargill, £67,551 ; Allan and Stumbles, Timaru, £68,711; Howatt and Co,, Tapanui, £72,800; McKenzie and Co., Dunedin, £74,000. At the meeting of the Municipal Conference, held to day, certain clauses of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1876, were carefully considered. The whole question as to loans was postponed. Several notices of motion have been given on the subject, which will be considered later on. The only amend ments of public interest carried to day were:— “ That every burgess holding rateable property should be qualified to bo el-cted councillor.” “ That the Mayor should ex officio bo member of all committees.” “ That all cheques should be signed by the treasurer, and countersigned by the Mayor and one Councillor, or in the absence of the Mayor by t wo Councillors.” “That where special rates are levied for permanent improvements, the owners of land affected by such improvements, should have the power of voting for or against the special rates.” Various technical amendments were made, and notices of motion given for discussion to-morrow. The Hon Wm. Fox has accepted the office' of Grand Worthy Chief of the Good Templars for the North Island, which has been vacated by the Rev. Samutl Edgar. Hokitika, July 31. A public meeting was held in the Town Hall last night, the Mayor in the chair, to consider the question of railway extension to the East Coast. It was resolved that a direct line of railway connecting the County of Westland with the East Coast, would be in (he highest degree advantageous, and would largely conduce to the settlement and property of the colony. On the motion of Mr Purkiss, it was resolved that the line which presents the greatest advantages from a public point of view is that which, starting at Hokitika, should be extended throughout the southern portion of this country via Haast to Otago and northward to Greymouth. On this motion there was considerable discussion, several opposing the route as impracticable. An amendment as follows was proposed, but lost on a show of hands—- “ That|this meeting, taking into consideration the various conflicting interests, deems it expedient lest unnecessary delay occur through advocating any particular route, to leave the Government unbiassed to adoptjthat which is found most conducive to the general good.” Petitions to the Legislature are now in course of signature, conveying the above resolution. Dunedin, July 31. The vital statistics for the month are births 157 ; marriages, 38 ; deaths, 55. At a meeting of the City Council to-day, the following motion was agreed to ; in the event of Government deciding to adopt the Hon. Mr Macandrew’s plan for the railway station and goods station site in opposition to the resolution of the Chamber of Commerce, the City Council and Harbor Board carried unanimously on July 26th, this Council is of opinion that the local bodies should unite in appealing to the citizens with the view of bringing pressure to bear upon the Government iu protection of the city’s interests.” The prospectus of the “Age” Newspaper Company has been issued, capital £3OOO, Daniel Campbell, formerly managing director of the “ Daily Times ” is general manager. The half-yearly meeting of the Colonial Bank was held to-day, when the report and balance sheet were adopted. The Hon. Matthew Holmes and J. T. Wright were elected directors. [from: the correspondents of the press.] Timaru, July 31. It is understood that owing to the difficulty experienced in getting a suitable successor to Mr Beetham, R.M. of Napier, who is to relieve Mr Mellish, the latter will not take Mr Woollcombe’s place for some time yet. The new South Canterbury Saleyards, erected in Timaru by local auctioneers, were formally opened to-day with a luncheon. TheTemuka Mechanics’ Institute have resolved by 24 votes to 7 to open the reading rooms on Sunday. Dunedin, July 31. Conway writes out that Alfred Shaw and Morley accompany the Gentlemen’s team. Telegrams to-day from various parts of the country state that the fall of snow last night and this morning has been the heaviest this winter. Old identities say the weather is the sev ro -t since 1862. The Land Board to-day received several applications for opening new country for settlement. The residents of Lake County arc asking that a block may be taken out of Batement’e run, and surveyed into 320 acre sections for sale. Tne residents of Alexandra ask for 5000 acres out of Moutero run. The land referred to in this pet ition has been recommended by the commissioners to be brought under the agricultural leasing system. Other applications for 10,000 acres out of Dalgety, Nichols and Co.’s run, St. Bathans, and for 2500 out at Earnscleugh were received. With reference to the first of these applications the commissioners reported in favor of 9400 acres being opened for the purposes of settlement on deferred payments anu agricultural lease

systems. The Board recommends the Government to comply with these requests. Hi ferring to Dc Wallis’ criticism of the Ministry the “ Star ” says:-Men who could humiliate themselves as they did to obtain and retain power, steal majori ies by emulating the distinguish*d tactics 'of the “ Artful Dodger,” and set at defiance the reason and judgment of the .Rouse, will not stick at trifles in order to defend the prizes of their political frauds. What has been thus ob lained will, by the same and cognate means, bo maintained ; but it will not be easy to oust them upon principles, for these will shift with possible majorities. Their policy will be found to belong to the invcrtebrated class of organisation, having, in plain language no backbone, but like mollusca, being charact erised by the absence rather than by the presence of any definite form, and entirely without what scientists call ‘ bilateral symmetry.” Instead of ‘ Liberal,’ the more apposite title for the present Ministry would be ‘molluscan,’ implying soft consistency of substance, which admits of being pressed into almost any shape for a time, retaining vitality and powers of suction under any conceivable circumstances.”