NEW ZEALAND.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1854, 31 January 1880, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND.

[PRESS ASSOCIATION.] AUCKLAND, January 31. Political. A deputation numbering fourteen electors of the City West waited on Mr W. J. Hurst this morning, and presented a requisition asking him to convene a meeting of his constituents, and explain his change of sides in the recent session of Parliament. The address having been presented, Mr Hurst was proceeding to read a written statement which he bad prepared, when the deputation refused to hear his statement, and insisted on a reply of Yes or No. Mr Hurst requested them to allow him to reply in own way. He did not intend at that time to enter into a defence of his political action. The deputation again r fused to hear his written statement, and niohdrew. GRAHAMBTOWN, January 31. Irish Distress Fund. The sum of £153 was sent from the Thames people through the Bank of Now Zealand toiay to the Mayor of Dublin for the Irish Distress Fund. The telegraph department refused to cable the amount free, so it was sent by letter. A New Manufactory. A company is being formed and established for the manufacture of mineral paints. DepartureMr John Bull, late officer in charge of the telegraph station, has left for Timaru. A large number of friends accompanied him to the steamer. MiningA new Caledonian company is being formed to work the mines bought by Mr Rowe. The capital is £IO,OOO, in the same number of shares. WELLINGTON, January 31. CommittalA man named Alexander Weiber, who wa» arrested at Christchurch for obtaining £8 17s 6 i from Mr Myers, picture frame maker in Wellington, by means of falsa pretences, has been committed for trial. AUCKLAND, January 30. Mr Macfarlaue. Mr Maofarlane, late M.H.R. for Waitamatei is lying dangerously ill. Criminal Assaults. William Samuel Tedmarsb, charged with assaults upon four women, got six months for three cases, to run consecutively, and on the fourth was committed for trial. Irish Distress Fund-

A public meeting regarding the Irish distress was held in the Mechanics’ Institute. The attendance was comparatively small. A committee was formed of those present to solicit subscriptions. Troublesome LadsAt the Police Court to-day, three boys who ran away from the Industrial Home, stealing a telescope from the manager, were sentenced to forty-eight hours’ imprisonment, and to be flogged. Mr Barton at San Francisco, Mr Barton, late of Wellington, has commenced business in San Francisco, and issued a business card, in which he says he was a leading practitioner in New Zealand, and personally acquainted with the principal statesmen, merchants, and lawyers. On the back of the card are references from Sir Q. Grey, Messrs Macandrew, Stout, Sheehan, Froudfoot, and McKay. The HarvestThe new wheat oomir g forward is in bad condition, being threshed too early. S F;reA fire broke out to-night in the premises of C. Smith, Beresford street, in some bales of flax, but was suppressed by the Salvage Corps and others. Post Sessional AddressesMr F. A. Whitaker, member for Waipa, and Mr Seymour George, member for Rodney, address their constituents to-morrow. WELLINGTON, January 30. An Absconder from a Post OfficeA youth who was employed in the Taratahi Post-office, Wairarapa, has illegally taken possession of certain letters which he had access to and absconded. The police are making inquiries as to hie whereabouts. Colonel Scratcbley. Colonel Scratcbley returned from the South to-day, after inspecting the various Southern ports. AccidentA young man named Toner had his left thigh broken last night by a fall of earth at Kaiwarra railway works. Special Settlement-

The terms and conditions of the special settlement in Te Puke block, Tauranga, by Mr Yesey S f ewart, are gazetted, Indian Civil Service Examination. Regulations for the examination of candidates for the Civil Service of India, vrhioh is to be held in June, 1880, appear in the “ Gazette.”

Appointments, The appointment of his Honor Judge Johnston and Mr W. S. Reid, SolicitorGeneral, as Commissioners under the Revision of Statutes Act, 1879, is gazetted. Resignation of Captain StroutsThe resignation of Captain P. Strouts, Canterbury Yeomanry Cavalry, has been accepted. Appointment. Mr John Sperrey has been appointed Property Tax Commissioner for the colony under the Property Assessment Act, 1879. McFarlane and Others v- ReesAt the Supreme Court to-day, in the ac'ion McFarlane and others v Rees, claiming £ .0,000 damages for slander of title in connection with the estate of the late Captain Read, of Poverty Bay, the jury entered a verdict for £75. It is understood that an application for a new trial will be made. GREYMOUTH, January 30. Irish Relief FundThe first instalment of £2OO was sent away by the mail in aid of the Irish relief fund. TIMARU, January 30. Serious Charge against a MerchantF. A. Sims, a well known merchant, was charged at the Magistrates Court, on the information of the managers of the National Bank, with feloniously stealing twenty halfchests of tea, 6000 cigars, a quarter cask of whiskey, and some "brandy, the property of the Bank. The evidence for the prosecution showed that the goods were seized by the Bank. Pirns afterwards offered to purchase them. The manager assenting, Sims removed the articles and sold them by auction. He then filed his schedule, and when the manager wanted his money referred him to the creditors’ trustee.

Breach of Building RegulationsAt the Magistrate’sOourt to-day, T. B Jones, of the Queen’s Hotel, was fined £5 Is, for breach of the borough building regulations. Notice of appeal was given, the validity of the regulations being disputed. The WeatherThe weather is extremely good for harvest, and reaping is becoming general. DUNEDIN, January 30. Irish Relief Fund. The Colonial Bank has kindly undertaken to send home by cable, free of expense, re mittanoes for the relief of the Irish distress ; £760 was sent to-day by the Dunedin committee. The Garrick Water Race. A telegram waa received in town to-day intimating that the Garrick water-race is completed and the water in. Fire. Dalvey station homestead, the property of W. Sheath, near Tapanui, was burned to the ground y sterday. All the men were in the woolthed at the time. The fire originated in the kitchen. The insurance is J 2300 on the building and £l5O on the furniture in the Victoria office. When word waii brought to Tapanui the insurance agents and others went to the scone of the accident, bat were too late to be of service. Sheath’s loss is ver» considerable, as he allowed a £3OO policy i> the Standard office to lapse. Hi* loss is roughly eitimatsd at £4OO.

BLUFF, January SO. Sudden Death of a ConstableConstable Coffee, late of Port Chalmers* dropped dead in the street this afternoon. CFHOIC CtTB OWN CORRESPONDHNT.] WELLINGTON, January SO. The PremierThe Hon. John Hall left by the Hawea this afternoon for Canterbury. Ha will bo absent from Wellington only a few days. The last railway returns are still somewhat unsatisfactory, although a little better, the average percentage of working expenses to receipts for the whole colony having decreased from 91 to 85, but this is still very high. The North Island average percentage is 78, and the South Island 87, the latter being also that of the Christchurch Invercargill main trunk list. The others are as follows : Greymouth, 52 ; Napier, 75 ; Wellington, 89; Pioton, 9S ; Westport, 101 ; Auckland, 71 ; Wanganui, 77 ; Nelson, 90 ; New Plymouth, 100 ; Kaipara, 105. Railway ReturnsThe total gross railway revenue during the current financial year to the 13th ult. was £314,435, and the expenditure, £263,908. these figures represent the results of nearly a half year, but by far the worst half, com* prising as it does the dullest period of the year.