NEW ZEALAND.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1564, 22 February 1879, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND.

[FROM OUR OWN OOBItESPONDENTS.] Txmabu, February 21. Seventy souls, equal to sixty-six adults have been nominated to the immigration officer at Timarn this month. A man named Yardley was committed for tidal at Waimate to-day for rape on a girl six years old. Dunedin, February 21. An inquest was held at Bendigo on the body of Helen Saul Her husband deposed that they had been married eight years and had one child. Since September they bad not been living on good term , and had agreed to seoara’e on realising his property. On the morning of the 15th heard screams in hia wife’s room, and on proceeding there she told him she had. taken poison, but he dii not believe her, and, in company with a man named Fitzgerald, a boarder, returned to the bar. When he returned to the room a few minutes afterwards his wife was dying. The jury returned a verdict that deceased committed suicide by poison while temporarily insane and added a rider censuring Ur. Corse for vending poison without due precaution [Press Special Wire.] Auckland, February 21. Settlers in the North intend sending a monster petition to Parliament next session in favor of a Northern trunk ra Iway. A fund is also to to bo raised to defray the expenses of a special agent. The town grocers have formed a committee of twelve to regulate the price of butter and eggs and advertise prices. Two centrifugal pumps and engines and experienced shipwrights have gone to the wreck of the Taupo. A telegram from the Under-Secretary of Lands notifies that all volunteers included in the Special Powers and Contracts Act, passed last session, may exercise scrip at next land sale. Bush fires have been raging in every direc'ion in the North. There have lately been many narrow escapes of homesteads being destroyed, &c., in different parts of the North. The Hikurangi saw mill was only saved by great exertions on the nart of the proprietor and employes, who had a good supply of water at hand. Matheson’s new house had also a narrow escape. The sawdust around the mill took fire, and a few logs were burnt. The Freemasons of W'angarei and surrounding districts propose to assist at the ceremony of turning the first sod of the Wangarei railway. The Kamo coal "mine is beginning to lo -k lively. The men are working day and night, and when drays get to work 300 tons per week will be put out. The Board of Education to-day resolved to invite for tenders from the insurance companies for insurance of all the school buildings of the Board. Two men of H.M.S. Sapphire, for violent assault on a citizen, was sentenced, to two mouths imprisonment. The Commission on Education to-day examined Mr W. Bt. '.Hair Tisdall, Rev Edgar, Messrs Parquahar, McUae, Kissling (Kegistrar Deeds), Peacocks (the Mayor), and ll>;v. C. M. Nelson. The special reporter of the “Star” at M thurangi North reports that the country <r'*nera!ly looks dry, and clouds of smoke cap all the ranges. Whitson is afraid his property, called VVhitsondean, has suffered much by fire. Almost the only patch of green visible between Auckland and Mahurangi is Captain Casper’s s x acre-field of maize. More fires are reported. Tauhoa block house, containing the stores of settlers, is in great danger. Hood Bros, intended to send thirty or forty sheep and cattle to the show, but were unable, being surrounded by fire. Mulligan’s homestead was in great danger on Wednesday. His stacks of hay ignited, but the flames were extinguished. Eyre has had all his standing kauri destroyed, and a small -flock of sheep roasted alive, toiler’s fence was burnt, and his house narrowly escaped. A telegram from the Minister of Works, authorises the settlement of claims against the Government forpuriii timber contracts. This has given grsat satisfaction. Geahamstown, [February 21, The Government intimate their unwillingness or inability to assist gold prospecting and pumping operations at the low level by ail for ill subsidy. They will be asked to grant a loan of ,£SOOO for the purpose out of the prospecting vote of last session. Gbettown, February 21. It is reported that a boiler at the railway works at the Tauherenikau bridge exploded, injuring two or three men. Dr. Spratt has gone there. It is stated on the best authority that the Hon. R. Martin and W. R. Hastwell are about to float a company for the construction of a railway from Greytown to Waihenga, where the former is forming a small farm settlement. This news will have a most material influence on the whole future of Grey town, and will make it the centre of an immense and valuable district. WelX/INQton, February 21. Chief Justice Prendergast was sworn in as officer administering the Government at three o’clock this afternoon. All the Ministers were present, Judge Johnston administeied the oath. The Government consider the demand of the printers for increased wages so unreasonable at the present time that they have decided to employ no Society men in future. It is understood that all the printers in Wellington intend to give a week’s notice to-morrow or Monday. A new Masonic Lodge, holding under the Grand Lodge of Scotland, and de iguated the St. Andrew’s Lodge, is to be constituted next Thursday. The dispensation has been granted by the Hon. F. Whitaker, Provincial Grand Master. Messrs Reeves and Woolcock waited on the Minister of Public Works re the Brunner and Amberley railway. Mr Macandrew promised that tenders would be called for a portion of the construction for each within three months. The “ Gazette ” notifies that Hori Kerei Taiaroa has been summoned to the Legislative Council. The _ following returns are published Vital statistics for January -Births—Auckland, 48 ; Thames, 22 ; Wellington, 10C ; Nelson, 22 ; Christchurch, CO ; Dunedin, 70 ; Hokitika, 12 ; Invei cargill, 21. Deaths—Am kland. 3 ; Thames, 13 ; Wellington, 57 ; "'’elson, 14 ; Christchurch, 33 ; Duuedin, 24 ; Hokitika, 2 ; Invercargill, 3. The railway traffic for the four weeks coding 11th January:—Total revenue - Kaipara section. £453 ; Auckland, £44z3 ; N ipier. £2COI ; Wellington, £323C ; Wanganui, £3105 ; New Plymouth, £556 ; Greymonth, £747 ; Westport, £192; Nelson, £001; Picton, £191; Christ-church-Dunedin, £13,808 ; Invercargill, £ ;018. Total receipts during the financial year 1878-9, to 11th January, £359,880. Total expenditure , for the same period, £253,945.

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An attempt was rnnde on Saturday evening to burn down the btables of Ferguson and Co , at J'apanni. The Chinese laborers on the Tapanui railway works who have been in receipt of 7s Gd per day, have struck for an additional shilling. A return of cases heard at the City Police Court during the quarter ending December 31st last shows that eighty persons were discharged for want of prosecution or evidence, fifty-nine cases were dismissed on the merits, 5*21 persons were summarily convicted or held to bail, and seven were committed for trial, making a total of 715 cases heard. The fines paid were .£220 6s, and the|f es =£lls us 6d ; Thera were sent to the industrial school thirty-nine children as neglected. Six lunatics were committed, and one lunatic discharged. There was an inquiry into a wreck, and one protection order granted. In the September quarter Gil cases were heircl ; fees received amounted to =£9l 18b Gel, fines to .£l3O Is 6d, and recognisances were estreated to the extent of =£os 5s 9i. The exa-- ination of students in the Normal afternoon. Nine out of fourteen pissed in the different suhjects. These were females. '1 he two males who competed failed to gain the average number of marks, and will have to come forward again. Dunedin, February 21. At a meeting of the committee of the Dunedin Jockey Club to-night, it was resolved that when aoy person has two or more horses engaged in a race, and wishes to declare to win with either of the said horses, the declaration must be made at least half an hour before the advertised time of starting, under a penalty of £2O.