NEW ZEALAND.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2197, 11 March 1881, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND.

[PEE PEESS ASSOCIATION.] BLEST HEIM, March 11, The ss. MohakaA further inquiry into the stranding of fh© little steamer Mohaka commenced this morning before Mr Mclntyre, R.M., and Captain Ciobs, and Mr L imbton, nautical assessors. At the request of Mr Sinclair, who appeared on behalf of the Marine Department, the master and mate were called by the Court, and were informed that the charges about to be brought against them might result in the cancellation of their certificates, and that if they were desirous of having time, or counsel to enter into their defence, they should say eo. T ;oy stated that they did not require time. Mr Sinclair submitted that the mate had fceen guilty of gross carelessness and incompetoney in going from the helm and leaving the vessel in charge of the steward and a seaman. DUNEDIN, March 11, InsolvenciesThere aro three now insolvencies this week, including those of Messrs McGill and Forrest, contractors, Dunedin. Mr McGill’s liabilities are £11,260, assets £S7S2 ; Mr Forrest;* liabilities are £11,500, assets £0250, AUCKLAND, March 10. Death, of a Civil Servant. Mr Whitehorn, R.M., Kaipara, died of typhoid fever in tne Hospital. InquestAt the inquest on the body of Emily Barnett, a verdict was returned of suicide while in a state of temporary insanity. Sudden ReleaseAn old settler named Jellci dropped dead eo the Beach road, Devonport, of heart disease. Another PresentationA presentation of a purse of sovereigns was made to the Sev. Nixon, Free Methodist minister, who is leaving for Ashburton. A Colonial “Plimsoll” Wanted. A quantity of cargo had to bo shut out from the Southern Cross yesterday afternoon. Mr Parker, tides surveyor, noticing that the vessel was very deep, proceeded to examine her, and found that she was sunk us low us Plimsoll’s mark, and at once prohibited the stowing of any more cargo. Is was pleaded that there were only two or throe loads of bisouit*, which were much needed at Fiji, bub

Tho officer proved inexorable. But this waa not the only trouble, for the engineer’s men turned refractory, and protested against going to sea with the vessel so heavily laden and the weather so rough. Tho next stop was to hunt up fresh hands, but tho chief engineer objected to proceed to eea with strange and untried men. After two or three hours* uncertainty tho men were at last Serenaded to resume duty, and the Southern roes steamed for Fiji about eight o’clock, returning to-night through stress of weather. The New DockThe Harbor Board have instructed their secretary to wait on tho Attorney*General and ask him to authorise Mr Blackett to report to tho Board on the beet place for a site for tho dock, with [and without dredging. WELLINGTON, March 10. The New Minister. The “ Gazette ” to-night contains the appointment of Mr Walter Hood Johnstone as a member of tho Executive Council and Poetmaster* General ; also, that Major Atkinson has resigned the portfolio of Commissioner of Customs, and it has bean transferred to the Premier. The Property Tax. The payments at tho Property Tax office, Wellington, to-day included one of about £I6OO, voluntarily made by tho Hon. A. G. Tollemaoho, now resident in England, through his representative, Mr Valentino Smith. This is for the tax upon money out on mortgage, nearly tho whole ot tho interest on which is paid in London, and does not pass through any agent in the colony. It had been hold that as tho money was not under tho control of any agent in Now Zealand, Mr Tollemacho was not legally liable to pay tho property Sax upon it. A Native Gathering. Large numbers of Natives are arriving at Masterton from all parts of the country to attend the large Native meeting to be held there shortly, whore the new prophet is to hold forth. Land Notification. The "Gazette” contains a proclamation that her Majesty has ceased to have any interest in a portion of certain Native lands known as Patetere. Mr E. W. Mills. The Registrar having ordered the sale of Mr Mills’ mortgaged properties, under foreclosure, on the day before tho first meeting of creditors under the insolvency is to bo held, a private mooting of creditors was held this evening, when it was resolved to protest against gush a hurried sale, as being likely to prove injurious to the interests of creditors generally. HOKITIKA, March 10, A New D.G M. Mr John Bovan, of this town, who was lately appointed on tho authority of H.R H. tho Prinou of Wales to succeed tho late Mr John Lauar as District Grand Master of Freemasons in Westland, was installed to-day as above. A very large assemblage of members of the order from all parts of the Coast took part in the proceedings, A banquet was held m the evening. Another Route Westward. Chief Surveyor Mueller has reported at length on the facilities of Mathias’ Pass for an East and West Coast road. The following is an extract from his report:—“ Mathias’ Pass is higher than Arthur’s Pass, but I have no hesitation in saying that in spite of the difference in altitude IMathias’ Pass would bo selected in preference to Arthur’s Pass if the question of a coach road between Westland and Canterbury had still to be settled. The whole difficulty in the Mathias’ Pass route is the PassTtnolf, and that difficulty is restricted to two or three miles, and from either side of this Pass it is an almost steady incline to the terminal points, Hokitika and Christchurch, quite unlike the ups and downs on the present Christchurch rood via Hobo and Blue Spur terraces, Arahura to Teromakau watershed, Waimakiriri cuttings, Oragieburn, Porter's Pass, &s. TIMARU, March 10. Hough on the Bullocks. The express train from the South, when close to Timaru station to day, ran into a team of bullocks, killing one and injuring two others. Straight to London. The Canterbury Association have chartered a ship to load direct for London from Timaru, and are making arrangements for others to follow. DUNEDIN, March 10. The Obliging Union Company. There is to bo no outward mail this month to connect with the P. and O. Company. The Tararua, if she had left to-day as announced, would have reached Melbourne in time to connect with P. and O. boat leaving there on the 16th inst., but the Union Company, over which the postal department has now no control, their contract having ceased, having postponed the steamer’s departure till tomorrow, it is impossible that she can catch the Brindisi mai l . On tho postal authorities hero telegraphing to Wellington for instructions, they wore advised to make up tho Brindisi mail by the Arawata, leaving here on the 17th inst., for conveyance by the Orient liner Cotopaxi, which leaves Melbourne on the 29th inst. In mercantile circles there has been considerable grumbling at the lateness of tho notification of the postponement of the mail. [EBOM THE OWM COE RESPONDENT OP THE " PRESS,”] WELLINGTON, March 10. The Governor and tho Premier left by tho Hinemoa this evening, and will make the official landing at Lyttelton at ten to-morrow morning. They are expected to return to Wellington on tho 25th. The question of tho re-allotment of portfolios in consequence of Mr Walter Johnston’s joining the Ministry, and relieving Mr Hall of the postmaster* generalship, is not yet permanently settled, and will not be until the Premier returns to Wellington. I believe, however, that it is tolerably certain that the arrangement will be somewhat as follows : Mr Hall, Premier and Commissioner of Customs ; Major Atkinson, Treasurer ; Mr Dick, Colonial Secretary and Justice; Mr Oliver, Public Works ; Mr Bolleston, Native Minister and Lands ; Mr Johnston, Postmaster; and Mr Whitaker, Attorney-General, as before. Mr Hall has already taken over the Customs, and Mr Dick is acting as Minister of Justice. The Hawea, with the San Francisco mail, is making good headway down tho coast, and is now expected in Wellington at four o’clock to-morrow. If she arrives then sho will push on at once to Lyttelton, with a view of catching the Dunedin express it possible.