NEW ZEALAND.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1745, 23 September 1879, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND.

[FEB PBESS AGENCY.] WELLINGTON", September 23. The Matilda. The pilot, Holmes, boarded the ship Matilda last night, and brought her into harbor this morning. The captain says the vessel was not in any danger while at the Heads. Before coming in the ship had to slip her anchor, leaving 90 fathoms of chain behind her. A New Powder Magazine. The Government have accepted the tender for £2590 to build the new powder magazine at Kaiwarra. The work is to be commenced at once. The Mayoralty. Colonel Fearce absolutely declines to allow himself to be nominated for the Mayoralty. Political. The Opposition members held a caucus this morning, but nothing of any consequence was done. Triennial Parliaments. It is understood that the Triennial Parlia ments Bill is not to come into operation until the expiration of the present Parliament. The Tramways. The first balance-sheet of the Wellington Tramway Company is issued. It shows that £9OIB were received for fares during the last twelve months, while current expenses, including removal, &c, for the same period amount to £8314. The item interest i5.£1945. OAMARU, September 23. The Accident in the Ohau. Further information received re the accident in the Ohau Biver discloses the fact that the two persons drowned were a woman and child. Mrs Mouison and daughter were being driven by the manager of the Ben Ohau station, with Mr Morrison, to catch the coach to Duntroon, when the trap upaet in the river, and the mother and daughter were drowned. The bodies have bean recovered. AUCKLAND, September 22. Just as the Hinemoa was about moving off to-day, a youth from the office of Messrs Hesketh and Bichmond hurried on board and presented two of the members with an official envelope each. It was ascertained that both gentlemen had been subpoenaed as witnesses in the prosecution of T. M. Machallie under the Corrupt Practices Prevention Act. H.M.S. Cormorant arrived here and landedSir A. Gordon, Governor of Fiji. He was heartily welcomed. Captain Kilgour, of the schooner Mystery, was fined £IOO for burning a Native village at Toba when recovering a boat taken from his vessel the previous year. A treaty has been signed between England and Samoa. The latter guarantees to British subjects all rights, and Samoa relieves them of all military requisition and guarantees them possession of land purchased. The treaty also provides that British subjects shall be tried by the High Commissioner's Court for Polynesia. The treaty gives England the right to establish a coaling or naval station in Samoa. Seven seamen of the ship Minister of Marine, including Gale, who brought the charge of cruelty against the captain and most of his witnesses, wero sentenced to three months' imprisonment to-day £o» insubordination. A telegraphist, named Beale, observed smoke issuing from the cellar of Kempthorne, Proaser and Oo.'s drug store to-night, and gave the alarm. The bells sounded and the fire brigade turned out, and the water was turned on. An examination made subsequently showed that a jar of phosphorus had been broken, and the fumes were mistaken for fire. Some slight damege was done by the water.

Mr Maoandrew went to the new railway works and in person investigated some charges which hare been in circulation respecting alleged bullying and obnoxious conduct on the part of a few of the gangers. The men, however, are dissatisfied at the rates of par. A strange accident occurred at Pahautanui on Saturday, early in the morning. The son of a settler named Harris went into his father's stable to saddle a horse for the purpose of riding into town. After "putting to " the horse he went back to the house. Unfortunately he left a lantern burning in the stable suspended from, the roof, and the horse, by a sudden whisk of its tail, knocked it off into some straw. In an instant the stable was in a blaze. The horse was very much burnt, and will probably have to be destroyed. An announcement has been issued by the insurance companies that in consequence of the water supply being extremely deficient in the heart of the town the companies have resolved to increase the rates in certain of the blocks.

Competitive designs have been called for the new Post and Telegraph Offices at Wellington, and will be received here until the 31st October. The conditions and plans of site will be exhibited at Auckland, Ghiistchurch, and Dunedin. The Union Oo.'s new steamer Botomahana arrived at Melbourne at one to-day. She was not due till next Thursday. WELLINGTON, September 22. It appears that Captain Hewitt would have been dismissed without redress, but that his appointment is one made by the Governor 1 , and it was only upon his inquiring into the matter that the letter was sent to Captain Hewitt cancelling his notice of dismissal. Sir George Grey feels very much embarrassed in his career of usefulness by restrictions of this kind. 3Tor instance, Mr James Maokay was appointed months ago, but he was not gazetted until last week. He would not have been gazetted then if Sir G. Grey oould have helped it, but he was told that if the appointment was necessary—and it is admitted that it is—it ought to be gazetted. The Premier does not like Mr Maokay, and did not intend that the appointment should be gazetted as long as he could prevent it. TIMAEU, September 22. Although Mr Turnbull distinctly stated at a public meeting prior to his election that he would be one of the first to request Sir George Grey to resign the leadership of the Ministerial party, he has since denied it, and there is now little doubt that he intends to support Sir G. Grey above everybody. Many of the electors here are greatly enraged at his saying one thing before the election, and another after it, as not half a dozen sensible people in the place believe in Sir G. Grey personally. Very stormy weather has prevailed during the last twenty-four hours, a strong southerly gale with a perfect downpour of rain having been felt all over the district. The rivers are risirg rapidly. There is no sign of improvement, but rather the contrary. Mormon missionaries have been actively canvassing for proselytes in Timaru for the last fortnight, but so far only one convert has been heard of.

Mr James Sullivan, proprietor of the Boyal Hotel, had a narrow escape yesterday. He was crossing the Arowhenua river, which was in flood, and when in the middle of the river the horse refused to proceed, and became entangled in the wheel of the trap, and was drowned. Sullivan had to stick to the trap for several hours, but was at last rescued by a horseman. The river was rising rupidly all the while.

David Leach was arrested at Temuka today for arson in connection with the house burnt down on Saturday. DUNEDIN, September 22. A school of wrestling was opened here this evening. The Cricket Club are preparing for the forthcoming season. A man named Mason was sentenced to three months' imprisonment to-day at the police court for assuring a creditor of bis that he had never been bankrupt, nor had a bill of sale on his property. Those statements were

false, and indaicd the creditor to giro prisoner extended credit.

A batch of s?y -grog cases was heard before the B.M. at Lawrence to-day, and several of the accused were fined.

In the Supreme- Court application was made against Georga Gapctick, trustee in a bankrupt estate, for disobeying, an order of the District Court to pay £B6, realised out of the bankrupt estate, into the estate account. A rule nisi was granted. Prison versus free labor is at present exercising the Dunedin working men's minds. They complain that the prisoners are allowed to compete with free labor.