NEW ZEALAND.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1600, 5 April 1879, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND.

[PHB PRESS AGENCY.] Auckland, April 4. The improvements commissioners decided to apply to Government for immediate delivery of the Police Court House, also to charge interest from the day upon which possession should have been given. Dr. Norton, Dargaville, fell from his horse, and received a compound fracture of the leg. [from our own correspondent.j Oajiaeu, April 4. At the meeting of the Harbor Board to-day tenders were opened for the new works, namely, extension of fai’eakwater 700 ft, and 814 lineal feet of the new wharf, labor only. The tender of Miller and Smillie, of Oamaru, was accepted for ,£37,888 Is. The other tenders were— McGill, Dunedin, J689.85A 17s lid; Bar,lay and Co., .£40,266 10s 6d. Dunedin, Anil 4. The municipal bodies are considerably exorcised by Mr Bathgate’s ruling, as Judge of the Assessment Court, that the valuer should not take the value of the fee sim.de into account in fixing the rat jab e value of land, but that the rent a property would fetch from year to year was the proper basis on which to make the valuation. Considerable reductions in valuations were made by him. In Dunedin the loss of municipal revenue will be large if he persist * in the same view, and there is no appeal against his decision. Invercargill, April 4. Arrangements have been perfected for comfortable billets for the whole of the visiting volunteer force. Colonel Whitmore, owing to the Native complication, is in doubt as to attending. The Invercargill-Riverton Railway will he ready for opening in a fortnight. [Press Special Wire.] Auckland, April 4. The “ Star,” to-night, calculates Sir J. Vogel’s commission on the New Zealand Agricultural Company would amount to ,£7500. In compliance with numerous applications from country districts, the Wu,te Lands Boa d has resolved to open many blocks for sale. The total area of land in course of preparation for sale is 720,0-'0 acres, and 0-3,000 acrei have been surveyed and mapped. Intelligence by the mail says that the appointment of a !• Oman Catholic Bishop for Auckland has been left to the Benedictine Order, and probably an Englishman will bo appointed. Eigr.ty five heads of families at Tauranga have petitioned for blocks of 25,000 acres to be brought under the Homestead system. Dr. Campbell, to-day, resigned the Chairmanship of the Board of Education. Gkahamstown, April 4. The volunteers hold an encampment at Waikato on Easter Monday. At a meeting of the Naval Brigade the resignation of Lieutenant Bennett, now of Wellington, was received, and accepted with regret, and thanks for past services. Napier, April 1. Mr Stuart’s determination not to sit again as Magistrate has occasioned great inconvenience to suitors and mumbors of the legal profession. To-day Justices could not be procured, and after plaintiffs, defendants, witnesses, and counsel had waited half-an-hour, all the cases were adjourned to Monday. There were a good many cases for hearing, and some of the parties came from some miles up country. There is a strong feeling as to the uselessness of appointing J.P.’s if their services arc not available when required. There are seventeen residing in N 'pier, yet two could not be got. The Police sav they warned four yesterday that they would be required to-day.

Wellington, April 4,

“ The ” Post” says that gentlemen favoured with cards for the private entree yesterday were introduced to the Governor by the Premier. Sir G. Grey also remained in attendance on his Excellency during the public reception which followed. The Minister for Justice has already received applications from several gentlemen for tho position of Police Magistrate in Wellington. In making the appointment the Government will select a lawyer for tho office, at a salary of ,£SOO or £550 per annum. The jury li-ts In ve been revised. There arc upwards of 2000 persons in traa district not liable to serve on the juries. The liquidators of the New Zealand Shipping Company deified, in view of tho pre-ent tightness ot the money market, to muke no further attempt to dispose (of tho steamers belonging to tho company foe some months, until the

present depression has passed over. It is felt that nobody has any spare capital now to invest in steamers.

The Government Assistant Geologist has sent in a report upon his vocent visit to D’Urville’s Island Copper Mine. Me states that a considerable a mount of work has been done, but the mine is not yet nearly opened out. Referring to the shipment of ore to Sydney he says it was chiefly taken from surface workings, and no high return could bo expected. He urges that the ore should be carefully picked and simples tested before sending away, but deprecates small shipments, _ ms jnxeodoucy will visit the Royal Illusionists to-morrow night.

An inquiry into tin loss of the ketch Unity was held this afternoon. ! he Court found th it there was an error in judgment on the part of the captain in hauling up too quickly and rounding the reef, but in their opinion his certificate should be returned or a fresh one issued to him if it was lost.

The oluff and Invercargill time-table having been altered so as to admit. of mails and passengers by express train from Dunedin going right through to the Bluff, representations have been made by the Po t Office to the Union Company, who have agreed to detain the outward Suez mail steamer till five o’clock, so as to admit of the mails by the express train being brought on to the Bluff. This will give Dunedin and Christchurch a day longer for replies to Suez letters.

By instructions of the Government the land advertised for sale in the Waimate plains has been withdrawn.

Blenheim, April 4

It has been notified to the legal manager of D’Urville Island Copper Company, iu terms of clause 38 of the Articles of As Delation, that a motion will be submitted to an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders on Monday next, for the purpose of substituting for clause 25 one to the effect th t the directors be authorised to issue the remaining 27.000 unallotted shares as they may think fit Dunedin, April 4. An inquest was held at South Dunedin to day concerning the burning of Osborne’s house recently The verdict was that the evidence did not disclose the origin of the fire. The dead body of an infant was found this afternoon covered over with a napkin in the proximity of the Water of Lffith Stream, Castle street. The police have the matter in band, and are making enquiries into the circumstances. The argument in the case of Stanford v Gillies was concluded to-day. The Court re served judgment. 'The Bruce County Council h -ive adopted a resolution heartily concurring in Mr G. McLean’s efforts to get justice done to the Otago counties in the matter of their snare of the land fund, and ca ling on the member for Bruce to support Mr McLean in his endeavors, and to use his efforts to secure joint action between the county councils of the colony. There were four cases of insolvency during the past week. The principal one is Ferguso , storekeeper, Tapanui. who.i,e debts are <£5300, and assets about =£sooo.

Invercargill, April 4,

The Chamber of Commerce met to-day and received a deputation from the Dipton Railway Committee re the decision of the •• overnmerit to construct the Mararoa line from Lumsden instead of Dipton. It was resolved to appoint a committee to procure reliable information upon the character of both routes, in order that an intelligent idea might bo come to as to which was the best.