NEW ZEALAND.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2207, 23 March 1881, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND.

[PEB PBEBB ASSOCIATION/] . NEW PLYMOUTH, March 23. The lydia Howards Company. The Lydia Howarde troupe, who have -just concluded a successful season of six nights, left by steamer this morning for Kelson and Blenheim. WANGANUI, Maroh 23. More Railways. The extension of the railway line from Waitotara to Waverley was opened on Tuesday. A public banquet was held in the afternoon, at whioh Messrs Bryoe and Ballanee, members for the district, were present. Strong opinions in favor of the line being continued northward were expressed by all I parties. WELLINGTON, March 23. Sale of Wharf Property. At a special meeting of the City Council it was decided to accept the offer of the Harbor Board to purchase the Queen's Wharf for tha sum of £64,000. TIMABtT, Maroh 23. En Route. William Gardiner, charged (on remand) with robbery from Hamilton's boardirgbouie, was committed for trial to-day. OAMABU March 23. Martial. It is now tolerably certain that a grand Volunteer review will be held at Easter. Preliminary arrangement! are nearly completed. Everything will probably be settled to-morrow. DUNEDIN, March 23. Suspicions Fire. A coroner's inquest has been held at Port Chalmers touching the fire, on the sth inst, when a flvo-roomed cottage at Mansford Bay, owned; add. occupied by John Pearce, was burned down, and an adjoining cottage was. pulled ddwn .to save the tire spreading. Next-dopr neighbors of Pearce's swore that, on (be evening of the fire, they heard noises in his house »i of people jumping off a form or table, and saw a light in the parlor where the fire broke out. Other witnesses swore that ! a boy named Martin McMahon declared to them that Pearce, the owner of the house, offered him £lO to fire the home. McMahon 1 was somewhat intoxicated at the time. George Moir, in his evidence, said that on February 21st, while "on the beer," he was ' with McMahon, who was drunk. McMahon wanted witness to go mates, as he had been offered £lO to born down the house, but he intended to try ts get £ls. Moir gathered that the house was Paaroa'*, but thought it ; was only " beer talking." He told the : sergeant while be was iu the Hospital—"l would burn any house dowji in these hard times for £10," and he now added—" And so I would." MoMahon, in his evidence, | said he made statements when drunk , for which he was very sorry. He knew nothing of the fire. Pearce never ' suggested to bim to set fire to the house, but \ he mooted the matter to JPearoa —" That's an honest confession." The Coroner—" You have either wilfully perjured your»elf, or endeavoured to set up an excuse that is very improbable, that you were so drunk as to be under en hallucination, and you quite fail to clear Pearce. You are one of the worst and mott discreditable witnesses ever came into Court." Two witnesses swore that McMahon was not under the influence of drink when hit made the statements. Pearce denied ever having a conversation with McMahon. He and his family were away from the house on the night of the fire. The jury returned a verdict—" That the house was wilfully fired by persons unknown." The evidence of McMahon and Moir was exceedingly unsatisfactory. [The premises were ineuted for £l5O in the Colonial Company.] • Caledonian Sports. Fully 4000 persons are present at the Caledonian Sports in honor of the Governor. The weather is glorious. Our Defenders. A deputation of Volunteer officers waited on tho Premier. They brought under his notioe the injustice done to the corps by the sudden stoppage of the capitation.allowanoe. Mr Hall replied that he would consider the matter, but refused to pledge himself as to what the Government would do. AUCKLAND, March 22. Ceremonial. The Natives have decided to allow the Native Minister to unveil the Waitangi monument. The New DockThe Harbor Board have passad a resolution asking the Government to permit Mr Blackett, C E., to report on the docs Bite during- his stay here. Discovery of Coal. Mr Cland Moeller, who is prospecting Crown lands at Whangaroa, announces the discovery of a valuable seam of coal there. The Mormon Apostles.

Tho Mormon elders attend»d the Orakei parliftmen-, and a tempted nnsucecssfnlly te proselytise the Natives. Colonel Whitmore. Colonel Whitmore left for Sydney by the Rotomabana. WELLINGTON, March 22. Oddfellowahip. The representative of the Grand Lodge of the American Order of Oddfellows met again to-day. The following were elected officers for the ensning year:— John Boyd, Grand Master; Thorn is Br.cketi, Deputy Grand Master; W. J. Wil'iiirs, Grand Warden; James Alexander, Grand Treasurer ; William Keid, Grand Secretary. The lodge dec.did that the next session should be held at Dnnedin. The representatives wi.l he entertained at a banquet to-morrow evening. The Property TaxThe following total receipts of the property tax payments are advised : Hawke's Bay, £l<>,l2o7Bl<f<>; Canterbury. £ 16,892; Waitaki, .£8240 ; Well.npton, £29,214. The above amounts are exclusive of sums received by Postmasters for the week ending March 22nd. The other returns huvo i.ot been received. DUNEDIN, March 22. The Volunteers. At the Nelson prize meeting last month the representatives agi eed to wait on the members of Parliament for several districts with a view of nrgirg on them the desirability of seeing that the volunteer interest was more properly attended to when the question of defence comes on for consideration in Committee o£ Supply next session The initiative has heon taken by the Portobello l< ifl s, who waited on the member for Caveraham tf is af wrnnon. The Governor. The Governor li f c Queenstown this morning, and re' ched Dur.eoin »t half-past five o'clock. He will attend the Caledonian sports tomorrow. After the Kxecntive Council meeting tonight Mr Olivr leaves f"r the North, the Premier returning with the Governor. The Volnntscrs. The Volunteer demonstration at Qaecnstown has he'B abandoned owing to the refusal of Dunedin to take part. The Property TaxThe amount of property tax collected in Punedin t;> date is £3.t U 0 <, exclusive of snms to be received from Postmasters in country districts. [FBOM THB OWN COBBBSPONDIJNT OF THE " PKBBB " I WeL'.INGTON, March 22. I understand that it is now pretty definitely ascertained that the po.-t il revenues for the year ending 3lst inst. wi'l be at leist £15(0 above the est'tnute. The Customs keep up remarkably well, and willbe fully np to the estimate. Hail ways are picking up rapidly, and now promise to approach much closer to the estimates than a Bhorttimc ago was feared would be tho case. t hear, oa apparently cood authority, that tho working railways will show a legitimate profit this year, equivalent to quite per cent, on cost as fairly apportioned to the lines really afc work. I understand that the second instalment of the properly tax is coming in well, and that sanguine anticipations are now entertained thai

the proceeds will make a goo 3 show in tho jear b revenue rot urn a. . It is reported that Mr Moorhou'e.M.H.K., has had a very Bitiefuotory interview with Major Kemp, and that the latter displayed a much more conciliatory spirit than formerly.

|>BO_t A CORRESPONDENT OP Till ''PRHSB."J K&IEOUBA, March 22. I visited the Mount Fifegold-bearing reef and knocked off myself some pieces of -tone, all of ■which I saw gold in nnd pyrites. The reef is five feet aix inches wide, showing a splendid aaalo and bearing due north and south- _ It hat been tested twice in Dunedin satisfactorily, and one of the promoters has be«n to Cor.omandel and had five ewt. tested there in the C>rby battery,£wbich resnlts giveltwenty pennyweights and eight grama per ton. He holds the certificate from the manager and the agent of the Bank of New Zealand, who melted the amalgam, which I have seen, together with tho gold. The Teof is fairly accessible, but it is no place 'or men withont capital. It is expected that a cmpaDy will be formed in a short time. They have already opened tin f.ico of the reef, which looks well, and the only thing that ia required id capital. The crops have been good here this year, and ihey say that they havo the best potatoes in New Zealand.