NEW ZEALAND.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2161, 28 January 1881, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND.

[BHBSS ASSOCIATION TBLBSBAK.J NEW PLYMOUTH, January 28. l The Released Maorisb The “ Herald's ” Urenui correspondent ; writes that the Natives released from the 1 Dunedin gaol have the same faith in Te i Whiti as ever, and say that shortly all land from the White Cliffs to Waitara would come ) back to them. The Natives who have come ’ hack from Parihaka say that when the i Governor arrives in Taranaki he will pay To I Whiti a visit. The Native prisoners who L were tsken on to Auckland and released in the Waikato have made their way back here, s They arrived at Mimi yesterday, and will i join their released comrades to-day. The i Natives are busy cutting their wheat, so as to ; be free for the Te Whiti meeting on February 17tb. | The VolunteersThe Urenui volunteers are disbanding owing to the Government compelling them to parade for inspection of arms once a month. The men are willing to parade once a quarter. Owing to the district being a Native one, the policy of the Government taking arms from men who have been soldiers is condemned. River NavigationNatives from Makau say that tfie steamer Hannah Makau has boon seventeen miles up the river, which is five more than any vessel has been. The nows respecting coal and the opening up of that country is satisfactory. WELLINGTON, January 26. Racing. Sir Tatton was scratched, at 10.30 this morning, for all his engagements at the Wellington Races, Retting is completely paralysed by the uncertainty as to whether Natator is coming or not. DUNEDIN, Janeary 28. Destructive Fire. Messrs Delhi and Davidson’s flour mill, at Otepopo, was burned this morning. Tho insurance on stock is £800; building, £3000; machinery, £ISOO ; divided as follows : The National, £1000; Union, £500; Sonth British, £1000; United, £500; Victoria, £IOOO ; Standard, £SOO ; Now Zealand, £eo AUCKLAND, January 27. An Important QuestionAt the Board of Reviewers the principal business was the valuation of the Albumia Gold Mining Company. Mr Hepketh submitted, first, that the shares in the company were not the company’s property, But belonged to tho shareholders ; second, that the company’s traffic only is liable to taxation ; and third, that the company’s capital was not liable to taxation ; therefore he submitted that only the property of the company wpa liable to be taxed. Tho Board said that as the matter brought up was a most important one, and would affect tho whole of the gold mining companies, the Board could not give its decision for a fortnight. NAPIER, January 27. The Ram Fair. The ram fair to-day was a great scccrsv, and the attendance was largo. The competition was weak, especially in the long wool, tho prices realised being from 50 to 100 per cent, under last year’s quotations. Imported sheep fetched the highest figures, but large drafts from local flocks sold remarkably well. TheftThe police have received a report from Forangahau of tho robbery of about £2s© bolonging to Henara Mahia. The other Maoris refuse to give any further information to the police, saying that they will settle tho matter among themselves.

The Wreck. The Silver Cloud remains in the same position, full of water. The cargo was uninsured, for the first time. The owner, Mr Yautior, was on his way to insure, when he saw the vessel rounding the bluff, and considered it safe, and turned back at the very door of the insurance office. The GovernorMr Rolleston arrived to-day to meet the Governor, who will be hero on Saturday. There has been some bungling about his Excollenoy’s arrival. It was at first fixed for four o’clock on Saturday, and the volunteers were ordered to parade and salute. Then an official message came, announcing that the arrival would bo on Sunday, and the parade was countermanded. To-day a message came fixing Saturday, but no time is stated. WELLINGTON. January 27. Trades Unionism. At a meeting of the Wellington Seamen's Union the following resolution was carried, “ That all boats strike for the eight hours’ movement on January 31st, and come out if they do not get eight hours to be on the articles.” Kew AppointmentMr Frederick W. Brookfield has been appointed Deputy Commissioner of Stamps and Eegistrar of Joint Stock Companies, at Wellington. Medical. A list of medical practitioners who are registered under the New Zealand Acts is gazetted. Railway ExtensionThe following tenders were received for the Eivor Tongawai Bridge contract, Opawa branch extension railway Accepted, H. MoKenzie, Dunedin, £4169. Declined, P. Doy, Mosgiel, £4241 j Henderson and Fergus, Dunedin, £4370 ; J. Philip, Timaru, £4734. Thomas and Hill, Amberley, £4172; J. Coates, Palmerston, £4555 ; Jones and Peters, Timaru, £4579 , A. B. Sibley, Timaru, £4580; W. J. Black, Waimate, £4589; George Filmer, Timaru, £4652 ; 0. Waday, Christchurch, £4733; Stock and Stenhouso, Christchurch, £4873 ; H. 0. McCormick, Dunedin, £4954; J. and A. Anderson, Christchurch. £5467 j E. Sutherland, Port Chalmers, £5529; F. Bonham, Christchurch, £5337. MilitaryA meeting of the committee of the New Zealand Kifle Association was held this evening to make arrangements for the Nelson meeting. Lieutenant Ellis, of Nelson, was elected on the committee, vice Major Jones, deceased. The prospect for the -meeting was considered good, and a largo attendance is anticipated. The Union Company have agreed to carry members of the association to Nelson and back for single fares. Messrs Hobson and Co., London, have presented a cup for 1 competition. Owing to all the tents being ‘ issued for service in the North Island, the * committee suggests that teams coming from ’ other places should bring tbeir own tents to 1 prevent disappointment. Arrangements have ] been made for a full supply of targets, so as 1 to assure of the meeting being got over in a shorter time than heretofore. An influential sub-committee has been appointed to canvass for prizes. It is reported that the Nelson * citizens contemplate providing prilos for 1 matches in addition to those on the pro- ' gramme. WESTPORT, January 27. Mishap. The Grafton in going Into the Grey struck on the North Spit and smashed the fans of her propeller. She is now on the hard here. NEW PLYMOUTH, January 27. Destruction of CropsIntelligence has jnst been received here that a bush fire has occurred on land at Parihaka, which has destroyed a great quantity of food. So excited wore the Maoris that it was with f difficulty that many of them were prevented from rnshing into tho flames and dying with | the food which was being destroyed. I TIMARU, January 27. j -Satisfactory. i The weather is splendid for the harvest, 1 and the crops are being reaped in first-rate 1 condition. ! DUNEDIN, January 27. ' The Effects of Drink. During the passage of the steamer Albion ] from Lyttelton to this port, one of the steer* ago passengers from Auckland to Melbourne, named James Burnett Pike, was missed. He 1 was last seen by his mate at 2 a.m. yesterday, | when ho was muttering to himself ia his bunk. Previously bo has been drinking in < Anokland, and was suffering from its effects. Pike bad been gum digging at North Wairoa i .and returned to Auckland on January 11th. i Ho procured some medicine in Christchurch, the greater part of which be had taken. Journalistic-

Mr Thomas K. Dow, the agricultural reporter of the Melbourne “Leader” is visiting this colony for the purpose of furnishing that paper with a series of reports on the agricultural interests of New Zealand. Mr Dow arrived in the Te Anau yesterday. Educational.

The estimated expenditure of the Education Board for the year ended 31st December, 1881, amounts to £113,765, of which £40,000 is for now buildings.

fraoM otm own oobhbßpoijdbnt.l WELLINGTON, January' 7. It will be remembered that under the Property Tax Act, 1879, the tax is due and payable in two equol half-yearly instalments. One of these ought in proper course to hove been paid some months ago, but owing to successive delays, occasioned by the objections to the taxation of personal effects and to the inquisitorial nature of the original schedules, it has been impossible up to the present time to levy the first half-yearly instalment due for the current financial year ending 31st March next. Both instalments, however, must be levied during the finsnciil year, an bho result of the delay caused as above is that the first instalment cannot now bo collected until the second is almost due. Some annoyance moy perhaps be created by persona being -required to pay the second instalment directly after the first, but it must be remembered that this will be on account of the first being so long overdue ; while both must be got in before the close of March, so that there is no alternative but to make the two payable during that month. The date fixed for the payment of the first instalment of tho property tax is the Bth of March, and for the second instalment the 22nd of tho month. An official notification to this effect will be issued immediately.