NEW ZEALAND.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1637, 20 May 1879, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND.

[ter press agency.] AUCKLAND, May 20. Sergeant-Major Foley died at the Hospital yesterday. Fighting at the IslandsThe Belle Brandon, arrived from Marshal Gronp, reports continued fighting on the Island of Majury. Several Natives, men and women, were killed. Ministerial Movements. Sir Q-eorge Grey leaves to-morrow morning for Wellington. Mr Sheehan probably accompanies him. The Chinese Question. The working men’s club has prepared an Anti-Chinese petition, which, after being largely signed, Mr Swanson, M.H.R., will present to the House of Representatives. The committee of the club will decide on Thursday evening whether the Governor shall bo addressed on the subject, and whether a public meeting shall be called in order to bring the matter more prominently before the public. Floods in Auckland. Great floods have taken place up country. Telegrams from Drury state that striking evidence is to be seen of the late floods. Huge logs are tossed up int o paddocks, and bridges have collapsed on the Great South road, which were repaired the other day by the County Council, Slippery Creek bridge is washed entirely out of the district. A man is reported drowned at Ararima. The police arc making enquiries. WELLINGTON, May 20. The case against Kinross, of Napier, has been postponed till Tuesday next, at nine o’clock in the morning, it being proposed to make an effort to got through the case in one day.

The Anderson—Eisl.y assault case is ad* journed for a fortnight in consequence of the absence from town of one of the witnesses.

The question of paying members of the wharf commit fee an honorarium will bo again debated by the City Council, the legality of the practice being still disputed* Tetters received from Mr, Barton, M.H.tt.i pew travelling in America, otato that Ids health is much restored, and ho expects to be back in Now Zealand by the 7th of July next.

The “Times” says—“ Some members of tho police force lately taken on are a disgrace to the force, and says that one cf them, supposed to be on duly on Saturday in one of the principal thoroughfares was quite intoxicated, and that on Sunday morning two other members of the force, being in plain clothe?, were under tho influence of liquor, and behaved in the most abusive manner to several papers by in Manh rs street.” > , A notice of motion has been made in (he City Council that the corporation shall keep a list of all contractors who fail to carry out their contracts, as a guide to the corporation in tho acceptance of future tenders. Win. Thoa. Marten, barman at the Postoffice Hotel, charged with stealing £26, tho properly of 11. I). Monkc, proprietor, was fully committed for trial. Several minor charges of a similar nature were dropped on the prisoner’s committal. The following tenders received at the Public Works office here for Wingatui contract (formation only) of tho Otago Central Railway. Accepted—Daniel McKenzie, Dunedin, £4*3,839. Declined—Proudfoot and McKay, £49,680 ; W. Bell, £55,900; J. M. Watson and Co., £59,893 ; all Dunedin contractors. The Public Holiday. Next Saturday will not be observed as a holiday at tho following post-offices: — Timaru, Christchurch, New Plymouth, Picton, Blenheim, Napier, in consequence ot the San Francisco mail closing that day, and in all those offices Monday will be observed as a holiday instead of Saturday. [from our own correspondent,] MERCER, May 20. Another collapse in the railway affairs is making things look serious. Mr Mullinger, Inspector of the Permanent Way. with a gang of men, was working all night, and the mouth of tho tunnel is nearly cleared of mullock. A messenger has just arrived with bad news ; he says that a portion of the railway has been carried away by a Hood near Whangaroa, which is completely blocking up tho lino for today at any rate. Passengers per yesterday afternoon’s Waikato train are much disappointed. Some got out at Papakura, being afraid to face the water. The remainder stopped at Mercer last night, many being anxious to get to tho Cambridge Land Court to-day. They expect to get the (fain through tho tunnel in an hour. It is proposed to take planks and a small boat, and to transfer the passengers across the broken part of the swamp line. The collapse of the bank in the swamp was discovered at midnight last night by a man on the watch. Mr Mcßae, traffic manager, is expected to arrive directly by special from Auckland, when satisfactory arrangements will bo made, TIMARU, May 19. An inquest was held this afternoon on the death of Edward Hart, who was found in an unoccupied shed on the beach last week, with a severe wound on the thigh. A verdict was returned to the effect that death was caused by this wound, and the jury blamed the publican for supplying Hart with liquor when in a state of intoxication, thus causing him to meet with the accident. Some short time ago a boarding house keeper, named Roberts, was charged with intending to clear out and evade his creditors, but tho case was dismissed. He was arrested on Friday last in Dunedin, for obtaining goods by false pretences from a storekeeper in Timaru. The test of the steam crane is postponed till to-morrow morning, so as not to interfere with the completion of tho block now in course of construction. [Press Special Wlrc.J AUCKLAND, May 19. At Whangaroa, a man named Samuel Kildson was shooting game, when he grasped hia gun by the muzzle. Tho trigger caught a root, and discharged tho contents into hia arm, making a bad wound. Sergeant-Major Foley, of Opotiki, was attacked with epilepsy yesterday, and is not expected to recover. At mid-day to-day the line was blocked near Papakura. It was again blocked for several hours to-night. Intelligence has been received that the Mercer tunnel has collapsed, or else the cutting fallen near tho tunnel. The Waikato train had to stop all night at Mercer. The Hinemoa is expected to leave for Wellington to-morrow morning. Sir G. Grey will probably remain at Auckland. Kummera and Co.’s store was broken into yesterday, and several cases of goods removed. The police are engaged pursuing the supposed burglars. A strong Opera Company will open at tho theatre this week with comic opera. Tho company consists of Signor Riccardo, a firstclass baritone ; Crane, a splendid tenor ; and about thirty amateurs. If the Auckland venture prove successful the company wil probably go through Now- Zealand. Tho ladies are all from Auckland, including Misses Leaf and Teague. It is understood that the loss of the Government from the fire at Mercer will be over £IOOO. GRAHAM9TOWN, May 19. The time for receiving tenders for the supply of a hundred thousand sleepers for tho Thamcs-Waikato railway line ends to-day. A good number of Thames men have rendered for quantities from 50,000 to 250,000. The exorbitant demands for compensation made by some of the freeholders, leaseholders, and tenants of property through which tho proposed railway will run is likely to stop any further prosecution of the work for the present. Instructions from the Public Works Office, Wellington, to authorities her© are of a very decided character, and to tho effect that the work will not bo further proceeded with before tho whole of the land necessary for the purpose has been acquired on behalf of the G overnment. The county authorities and Native committee have been working sedulously to obtain the lands within tho county, and similar action has been taken to deal with property-holders within tho borough, but the amounts asked for as recompense in regard to tho urban and suburban properties affected by tho lino are considered excessive. NAPIER, May 19. A meeting of shareholders in the Hawke’s Bay Insurance Company was held this afternoon, when the action o*f tho directors in disposing of the business to the Union Company was confirmed, and a resolution passed to wind up tho company under liquidators, who were appointed. Owing to tho depressed state of agricultural matters, the Hon. H. R. Russell has felt himself under the necessity of coming to an understanding with his workmen. Ho called them together and told them they must either accept a reduction of 25 per cent, or lie would havo to reduce their number. They accepted the reduction. The body of the seaman Charlie, who was drowned about a week ago in the harbor, was recovered to-day. Inspector Scully has received £25 and a highly complimentary letter, through Superintendent Shearman, from Colonel Whitmore, for Ins (Scully’s) conduct in tho capture of McLennan. Constable Raymond received £5. WELLINGTON, May 19. To-night’s “ Post ” says, regarding probable fiscal measures “ The plan wo havo reason to believe will bo proposed, and which it is rumoured is now under consideration of tho Cabinet, is—(l) To impose an income-tax, and (2) to extend the present land tax by a graduated system, so as to reach largo land holders rather than smaller proprietors. The extended and graduated land tax would extend to all classes of real property, while every other description of property could bo got at by a judiciously devised system of income-tax. That some such proposal as this will bo made in the coming Parliamentary session is almost certain.”

A young lad named Edmund Holt, twelve years of age, has been missing since Friday. The relieving officer of the Benevolent Society has laid an information against three more of the Maxtcd family for declining to contribute to the support of their aged and deqrepid parents, : ;■ I A detachment of armed constabulary leave for Patea this evening Several persons are being proceeded against for driving round corners at a pace faster than a walk. Complaints are still made of tho annoying delays experienced by suitors in tho Resident Magistrate’s Court in consequence of the great pressure of work. A case of some interest to shipmasters was heard at tho Resident Magistrate s Coilrt. Jno. Strasbourgh sued Capt. Fisk, of the s.b. Napier, for £l6, one-half being for wages and the other for wrongful dismissal. There was no appearance of the defendant. The plaintiff swore that whilst tho Napier waa lying off Blenheim about three weeks ago tho men, who had been working hard all day, were ordered at 8.30 p.m, to set to work again. Plaintiff swore that tho work was such as oould conveniently have been put off till next morning. The men consequently demurred, though they did not refuse to set to work. They were thereupon at once discharged. The Magistrate gave judgment for the full amount claimed and costs. An influential and numerous committee has been formed to secure tho return of Mr Hunter as Mayor of Wellington. The licensed victuallers hold a meeting this evening, when Mr J. Maginr.ity handed in his resignation as president and also as member of the association. WESTPORT, May 19. The body of Mrs Crawford was picked up on tho beach to-day by Mr Gibson, of Orawaiti.