NEW ZEALAND.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1591, 26 March 1879, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND.

[PBE PBESB AGENCY.] Wellington, March 25. The Native Land Purchase Department has been lately doing considerable business in the Wanganui and West Coast districts. Daring the last two months about a million and a qnarter acreß have been proclaimed as under negotiation in addition to the blocks already gazetted. Deposits amounting to .£25,000 have been paid over to the Natives, the balance to be paid on completion of the title. Dr. Buller has accepted a general retainer" from Government, and will act as counsel for the Crown in all cases in the Native Land Court. It is understood that Parliament will meet for the despatch of business on the 25th July next. [from our own correspondents.] GrahamstoWN, March 25. # Mr J D. Byers, who, in company with his wife, gave a variety entertainment here on Saturday night, left his hotel on Sunday night in a very desponding state, and has not since been heard of. He had a razor In Ida possession at the time. TiMARtJ, March 25. A man named Brown fell into a holing vat at the New Zealand meat preserving works at the Washdyke to-day, and was horribly scalded. He was removed to the hospital. No hopes of his recovery are entertained. A man, name unknown, had his arm broken in several places at Pleasant Point to-day, by a horse falling on him. At Geraldine County Council to-dfty there was a most extraordinary scene. The Council consists of seven members, of whom four have pledged themselves to vote against the Act being brought into force. One of these four showed signs of breaking his pledge, and consequently two of the members immediately resigned and left the meeting, so as to quash a quorum. After they left the resolution re the Act was put, three voting for it and two against, The metting by last news Was fighting over the interpretation of the Act as to the number required for a 1 quorum'.' [Press Special Wire.] Auckland, March 25. Memento is scratched for all engagements at the coming race meeting. Mr J. B. bteele, the actor, proceeds to Christchurch, en route to Sydney. The Bank of New Zealand refuses to accept 10s in the £ on G. W. Binney's estate, and demands 12s fid. The estate is therefore assigned. Additions are to be made to the naval training school at Kohiinarama. A telegram received at the Public Works Office, frum Mr Triphook, Besident Engineer, at Kawakawa, Bay of Islands, states that his assistant, Alfred Scearle, had been drotvntd whilst bathing. Charles Berryman was arrested to-night for stealing various sums of money from the Exchange Hotel, where he was employed. Grahamstown, March 25. The inquiry as to the cause of the late fire at the Commercial Hotel threw no further light on the origin of the fire, and a verdict to that effect was returned. The Moanatairi mine, at the 218 feet level, struck a reef three feet thick, showing good gold. A small crushing of Caledonian stono turned out very poorly. Only two men arc now employed on the company's account. Wellington, March 25. Large additions are being made to tha Mount View Asylum. The Island Bay estate was put up for sale today. The bidding wus dull, but the prices realised .£SO per quarter acre. Montre, who alleges having discovered pay. able quartz reefs in Wainuiomata "Valley, asks the County Council for the gold duty for fifteen years The " Chronicle" demands that the Waimate Plains surveys should be gone on with despite Native bounce, and that the perpetrators of the outrage be punished. There are great preparations for the reception of the Governor to-morrow. Mr Justice Kichmond held a special sitting at the Supreme Court this morning, to hear arguments in the case of Bobertson v. McKellar. This involved the difference between Mr McKellar, the Collector of Customs, and Capt. Boberts of the Hermione, relative to the discharge of two seamen belonging to the ship, who are now in Hospital, it appeared that Mr McKellar referred the question to his superior officer, and acting upon his instructions, refused to consent to the discharge of the men. Capt. Roberts demurred to this decision and this morning Mr Ollivier, on his behalf, applied for a mandamus, calling upon Mr McKellar to give his decision without reference to any official superior, on thegroundthatundertheShipping Acts both of England and New Zealand. He was placed in a judicial position, and must decide any question as to the discharge of seamen on his own responsibility. Mr Izard, for Mr McKellar, admitted this, but pointed out that in an affidavit filed this, morning Mr McKellar had practically given his decision, bis iionor, in giving judgment, refused the rule, on the ground that Mr McKellar in his last affidavit had complied with the Act, but as the affidavit was not filed until the last moment he refused costs. One of the men says his constitution was ruined by exposure on the Crozet Islands when wrecke 1 in the Strathmore. With regard to the report circulated that Hiroki was present at the late Native meeting at Parihaka between the Native Minister and Te Whiti, the following are the facts of the case: —Mr Sheehan wrote to Te Whiti from Opunake, stating that he was coming to see Te Whiti, but that if Hiroki were allowed to take any part in the meeting he (Mr Sheehan) would not attend. This was submitted by Te Whiti to his advisers, and they agreed that Mr Sheehan's request was fair. The result was that Hiroki kept in the background during the whole time that Mr Sheehan was at Parihaka. Dunedin, March 25. A fatal accident happened last Dight. Andrew Paisley, aged eighteen, eldest son of Mr Robert Paisley, farmer at Upper Junction, left his father's residence beeween seven and eight o'clock yesterday evening, for the purpose of rabbit shooting, taking with him a double-ba relied pistol. He was not again seen till this morning, when a joung woman named Eliza Lemond, found his body in his father's paddock with the brains blown out. In the deceased's right hand was the pistol. The place in which he was found favors the opinion that he was stepping back to take aim when his foot tripped on an incline, causing the pistol to go off. Messrs Hislop and Shrimski intend addressing their constituents at Oamaru, on April 4th. Thirty-three informations are set down for hearing at to-morrow's sitting of the City Police Court, including charges of obscene language, fighting, obscenity, keeping unregistered and vicious dogs, and breaches of the city by-laws. Two boys, named Charles Perry and William Edward Carr, will be proceeded against under the Public Works Act for unlawfully placing obstructions in tie shape of a heap of stones on the railway line at Ravensbourne. Major Withers has expressed himself satisfied with only one of the roll books snbmitted to him, namely that of the Naval Cadets. Up to the present time 250 persons have lodged applications to have their names placed on the electoral roll for bunedin, Koslyn, and Caversham. The Government have decided to issue return tickets at single fares to all teachers attending the annual meeting of the Education Institute in Dunedin next month. Mr John Hislop, secretary to the education department, has been unanimously elected a Fellow of tho Royal Society of Edinburgh.