NEW ZEALAND.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2158, 25 January 1881, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND.

[PEB FBBSB ASSOCIATION.] AUCKLAND, January 25. Suicide. An old woman, a lunatic, hung heraolf last night at the Old Women's refuge. There were twelve other women in the room at the time Bleeping, and ihe was seen hanging from the bed, having torn up her stnets to male a rope. An inquest will be held this afternoon. Masonic. The Masonic bodies entertain Brother G-oorge Graham, District Grand Master, at a banquet to-morrow, on the occasion of his return to New Zealand from England. Shipping. Arrived—Margaret Galbraith, from London. WAN&ANUI, January 25. School Committee. The election of the school committee was decided, on the Bible-in-schools question, with the result that five secularists and two Bible-in-schools advooatea were returned. The Exhibition. The Wanganui Exhibition's opening is , fixed for the 20th of May. WELLINGTON, January 25. Fire Brigade Bill. Mr Harris, the President of the Eire Brigade Association, Vice-presidents Whitefoord and Lightfoot, and Secretary Robertson waited on the Premier and Mr Bolleston this morning, asking them to take charge of the Fire Brigade Bill next session. The Premier considered it would be better for the interests of the Association if the Bill were to be taken up by private individuals, and suggested that the Government would see Messrs Stevene and Waterhouse on the subject. Both Messrs Hall and Bolleston entirely coincided with the principle of the Bill, and would give it all support. OAMABU, January 23. The Eleven. The match between the Australians t Oamaru Twenty-two commenced at half-past elovon o'clock. The weather is delightful. Three were added to then score, the Slight wai caught at the wicket by Walls off Borton for 17 ; Boyle partnered Groube, and the score carried along to 107, when Boyle clean bo wind Cooke for 22; 3 more were scored, and then

Groube played one from Oook on to the> wicket and retired with 30 to hit credit. Palmer was shortly afterwards caught by Sumpter off Oooke for fire, and Blackham was directly afterwards bowled by Mellington for 1. A couple more was made and White was caught by Dalgety off Millington with ml. Alexander carried out bis bat for 2. Extras, 11 - total, 118.

DUNEDIN, January 25. Death by Drowning. One John Wilson was found drowned in., the bay early this morning. He was seen the worse for liquor at ten o'clock last night, it believed to be unmarried, Bnd is aged about forty.four. The police describe him as m loafer. School CommitteeA very exciting meeting for the election of tho echool committee was held last evening. The building was packed and many were unable to gain admission. The result of the polling was that four out of five of the candidates who were on the " Bible in school* " ticket were returned, and three secularist* were also elected. Mr Livingstone, one of the candidates in favor of the " Bible in sohools," was returned by a majority of one over Mr Nathan, a strong secularist. The proceedings did not close until half-past one o'clock this morning.

AUCKLAND, January 24. Returned. Mr G. S. Graham, manager of the Colonial Insurance Company, returned from England per Hero. The Eleven. An influential committee, with the AttorneyGeneral at the head, has been formed to receive the Australian cricketers. School ElectionsGreat interest is being taken in the eohool committee election to-night, owing to the action of the denominationalists. GEE YMOUTfI, January 24. Mining. The United Alpine Company, Lyell, obtained 3020 z. of amalgam from 165 tons of quartz. The Weloome Company, Beefton, lodged 8633 Z. of retorted gold in the bank on Wednesday. DUNEDIN, January 24. N.S.W. Railway ContractThe " Times " says that Mr D. Proudfoot is the successful tenderer for the extension of the Great Northern Bail way from Uralla to Glen Innes, New South Wales. The amount is about £500,000. Messrs Amos Bros, were a few pounds higher, and five of the sine tenders in all were within £IOO of the successful one. • The Knife. At Lawrence Ah Boon has been committed for trial for cutting and wounding another Chinese. Disaster to Arahy Maid. The local manager of the New Zealand Shipping Company has reoeived advice re the Araby Maid, of which the following is an extract from the London manager's letter, dated 2nd December :—"The whole of the cargo has been got out, and as the tides are making an attempt will be made shortly to get the ship off. A large portion of the cargo is uninjured. The condition of the hull cannot yet be accurately ascertained, and it is yet doubtful if the vessel can be repaired to enable her to carry on her cargo within a reasonable time. The Board of Trade inquiry into the cause of the die aster has not yet boen hold. The master of the Araby Maid attributes the accident to the Loch Fyne wrongly riding at anchor with her side lights burning, thus causing him to suppose she waa a vessel under way and to alter his own ship's course. The full circumstances will come out in tho inquiry. Meantime, we are doing all we can for shippers' interests, as the delay and loss to many will be very serious." Tramway Extension. A very successful trial of the Boslyn hill tramway was made on Saturday. It will be ready for traffic in a week, and is the first of the kind projected in the colonies. Methodism. At the Primitive Methodist conference today the oonneotional building report waa brought up. The report showed that five new churches, at a total cost of £3078, have been erected during the last year, the whole being placed under the Temporalities Aot of that body. In connection with the report a discussion arose, on the request of the Christohuroh station, that the trustees of the Cambridge terraoe property should be allowed to sell a portion of the site. The conference was, however, unanimous in refusing the request. Tho Ashburton Churoh trustees applied for permission to sell their present church, with a view to erecting a larger building in a better position. The ease was ably sustained by Messrs Scott and Watkins, the delegates, and the application was allowed. Larceny. Henry Pottor was brought'up at the police court this morning, charged with the laroeny of a watch from the shop of Thos. Wright, Lyttelton, and was remanded to appear there on Wednesday the 26th. Obom the oto cobbmwmtdent op thb " PBEBS."J WELLINGTON, January 24. In reference to the Press Association's telegram to the effect that at All Saints* parish meeting, Dunedin, the Bev. Fitchett stated that two members of the Government had informed him that they were favorable to an alteration in the Education Act to permit ministers of religion an opportunity of giving religious instruction in publio schools during 1 school hours at least twice a week, I am positively assured that whatover personal opinion, may have been expressed in private conversation by individual members of the Ministry, ths educational policy of the Government remains absolutely unchanged, and the subject of religious education has never yet been even discussed by the Government, nor is there any probability that the question will come under consideration before the session. It is desirable that this explanation should be given to avoid the danger of misconception. I am informed on official authority that a change has been made in the programme of the Governor's tour through the North Island. His Excellency has been detained in Auokland longer than he expected, and has decided not to visit Taranaki and the West Coast on this occasion, but to postpone his visit to a future time, and come on direct from Napier to Wellington overland instead of crossing the Island through the Manawatu Gorge, as originally intended. Sir A. Gordon arrived at Ohinemutu last night, and is expected to reach Napier, via Taupo, on Saturday. Mr Bolleston leaves Wellington on Wednesday, and will meet his Excellency at Napier. The Governor will probably return to Wellington about tho middle of next week, and will rest a few days before starting on a tour of the South Island. As X notice that some doubts are still sought to be cast on the accuracy of the explanation given as to the reason which induced Mr Bryce's resignation, I think it right to add to what I have already stated, that, striotly speaking, the course insisted on by Mr Bryoo was the arrest of Hiroki; but this was merely as a prelude to the arrest of Te Whiti and Tohu, it being taken for granted that they would resist or obstruct Hiroki's capture, and thus afford a good pretext for the movement. Thus, although Hiroki's arrest was the primary object of the proposed advance on Farihaka, it was merely with a view of leading up to the summary seizure of Te Whiti and Tohu. In fairness, also, it should be added that the military occupation of Parihaka was only to be contingent on the advance of Constabulary and [the attempted seizure of Hiroki producing resistance on the part of the Natives. I have reason to believe that Mr Bryce regarded the Governor's letter to Te Whiti, which was sent with his full concurrence, as a last effort to induce a pacific settlement, and which having fairly failed he hold that tho time had come for a vigorous policy. _ The other Ministers dissented from those views, for reasons alroady given ; also holding that they could not go behind the Governor's letter, which practically condoned offenoes on the part of Te Whiti, bo that they could not treat him as a criminal.