LAST NIGHT'S TELEGRAMS

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1501, 7 December 1878, Page 2

LAST NIGHT'S TELEGRAMS

BY SUBMARINE CABLE. [special to press agency.] London, December 5. Roberts achieved a grand victory at Piwar, capturing all the guns, and inflicting enormous loss on the enemy. The British Parliament was opened to-day by Commission. The speech regrets the necessity of summoning Parliament so early. The Ameer’s hostility obliged England to send an ultimatum, which, being disregarded, the Government directed an expedition to cross the frontier. The estimates were being prepared, and general measures would be submitted. The Berlin Treaty was being executed. [rbuteb’s telegrams to the press AGENCY.] London, December 5. The immediate return of the Duchess of Edinburgh to England is regarded as a peaceful sign. [SPECIAL TO “GLOBE.”] London, December 5. The Liberals will not move an amendment on the speech, but Mr Gladstone will move a vote of censure. An Afghan army attacked the British at the Piwar Pass. A fierce battle ensued ; ultimately the British captured Piwar, totally defeating the Afghans. NEW ZEALAND TELEGRAMS. [per press agency,] Auckland, December G. Father Henncbery administered the pledge to 200 more total abstainers last night. Knox’s house, next the building burned today, was insured in the New Zealand Company for =£3oo. The loss is only partial. All but two grocers signed the agreement in favor of a Saturday half holiday. Taubanga, December 6. Pascoc Marks has been dismissed from the Government service for his assault on Mr Edgecombe, proprietor of the “Bay of Plenty Times.” Wellington, December G. The Colonial Defence Office has issued the following rules for the eompetilion for the Government prizes 1879;—The sum cf £Buo having been voied by the General Assembly lor prizes, the amount has been divided pro rata amo gst the volunteer corps according to nominal strength on 31st October, 1878, viz., Auckland, =£9l ; Waiuku. £35 ; Waikato, £IG IGs; Taranaki, =£ll ; Wanganui, £2o 18s; Kangiliksi, =£9 18s; Wellington, =£ll 17s; Greytov n, £b 4b; Napier, =£lß os ; Povert}' Bay, £l3 10s; Bay of Plenty, =£l4 10s; Thames, =£BL 12s; Nelson, £43 os ; Marh borough, £ll 10a; Cimternury, £53 la; Oiuunrn, £3O 15a ; Dunedin, £149 Is ; Invercargill, £l2 Gs; Lakes, £2l 18s; Westland, £lB 10s; A.C. Reserve, £ls Gs; total, £BOO. The whole sum voted having been set apart for prizes, no claims for marking, &c„ can be entertained. Each district must arrange for markers

at its own expense. A committee, composed of the officer commanding and not less than two senior volunteer officers in each district, will divide the amounts set apart for their respective districts into such prizes as they may determine, and to be competed for at such ranges, &c., as they may appoint. The Commissioner of Armed Constabulary will issue rules for the prizes apportioned to that force The firing for these prizes must be in accordance with the general rules published this year. The competition is to take place at such times as may be directed by the officer commanding the district, not being later than the 31st March, 1879. As soon as possible after the firmer has been concluded returns showing the conditions under which the competitions took place, the names of the prize winners, and the several amounts of the prizes, together with the full scores of all competitors, must be sent to the Acting Under-Secretary for Defence. The following new regulation under the Land Tax Act is gazetted : —Every Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner shall within fourteen days after his appointment take the following oath before a Judge of the Supreme Court, a District Court Judge, or a Registrar of the Supreme Court, “I, A. 8., swear that 1 will faithfully and honestly, and to the best of my skill and ability, perform the duties required of me under the Land Tax Act, 1878.” The wreck of the Southminster was sold today for £7O. It is stated that a case of aOeged mismanagement at Wellington Hospital is being inquired into. Labor is reported to be very scarce in the Wairarapa district.^ A movement, arising out of the Sydney Chinese difficulty, has been set on foot, and a petition is now in course of signature here praying the Government to have an Act passed imposing a poll-tax upon all Chinese arriving in New Zealand as sailors or laborers, and making captains of vessels responsible for the introduction of Chinese. The mail steamer Zealandia, with the London mails of 7th November, sailed from San Francisco for Auckland on the 25th ultimo. The Mount Somers Recreation Ground baa been brought under the Public Domains Act, Powers are delegated to the Mount Somera Domain Board under the same Act. Nelson, December 6. Mr Hursthouse addressed his Motueka constituents on Wednesday night. He oaid he was a strong opponent of the present Ministry, and criticised unfavorably all their leading measures of last session. He received a unanimous vote of confidence. Dunedin, December G. An inquiry into the George street fire waa held to-day, and resulted in an open verdict, aa there was no evidence to show how the fire originated. In thanking the Vincent Council for his election to the chair, Mr Pyke touched upon several subjects. Regarding the Ute disastrous floods, he said Parliament at its last session voted .£50,000, as a first instalment of which sum they claimed <£15,000, and he he had every confidence it would be obtained. Already the county had received ,£SOOO, and the balance was to be paid in due course. The North-East Valley Council have resolved to borrow .£SOOO. It is underotood (says the “ Prices Current ”) that McMi ckan, Blackwood and Co. take .£30,000 of the purchase money for their steamers in shares in the Union Company. The nominations of immigrants received at Dunedin office between November Ist and November 28th were for 49 souls, equal to 45J statute adults. The Invercargill nominations during the same period were for 18 souls, equal to 16* statute adults. [prom our own correspondents.] Auckland, December 6. Our Volunteers are practising for the National Rifle Association meeting next year. The Working Men's Club now numbers 300 members. Mr M'Lean, the Land Tax Sub-Commis-sioner, is organising his department preliminary to operations at the beginning of the year. Timaru, December 6. Mr Macandrew, accompanied by Mr Conyers, met the Chamber of Commerce to-day, and the following information was elicited The extension of railway station is to be commenced at once, and the hill at the back of toe present station will be cut away. The Opawa railway extension will be commenced in January, and carried twenty miles. As to the landing service at Timaru, the Minister stated he only wished to work harmoniously with Timaru, and the service would not be interfered with till a substitute for working v-ssels was found. The dispute between the Harbor Board and the Government over the foreshore would be settled aa early as possible The Timaru Boating Club formally open the season to-morrow. Dunedin, December 6. Ten declarations of insolvency were filed this week. Except in the cases of two Palmerston farmers, who have liabilities over £I2OOO, the cases are trivial. The “ Star” says the many services Sir John Richardson has rendered the province and the colony, requires that his funeral on Wednesday should in some degree be a public one. The Agent will run against Te Whetu. at Oamaru next week for £2OO ; the winner of the Hurdle Race there to claim the money. Dunedin sends ten, Mornington eight, and Pore Chalmers ten to the Christchurch Fire Brigade demonstration.