NEW ZEALAND.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2223, 12 April 1881, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND.

[PBB PRESS ASSOCIATION.] AUCKLAND, April 11. Boy Drowned. A little boy, son of Mr J. K. McDonald, Government Insurance agent, Hamilton, fell into the Waikato River and was drowned. Fall from a HorseJohn Russell, son of the collector of tolls of the Auckland wharves, was thrown from his horse at Coromandel and rendered insensible. His injuries are serious. A Suicide. A currier, lately in Messrs Ireland Brothers’ employ, named Ohas. Weyenleben, a German, shot himself in the domain with a revolver. He came from Sydney last October. He was aged forty-five, and had no relatives in the colony. Procoffy’s Case. The trial of Procoffy for the Te Aroha murder will last several days. On hearing Sergeant Mulville’s evidence, his Honor remarked that it was a grossly improper thing for police officers to ask prisoner questions of such a character. Witness said ha had no experience in such matters. His Honor wont on to observe that even had prisoner been previously cautioned the interrogations were of a character quite beyond the province of a police officer to put. A Dead JournalistMr Francis Campbell was found dead in the " Free Lance ” office this evening. He was an old journalist, formerly of Queensland. Religious Teaching. The Rev. Charles Pym has commenced a series of addresses daily to business men in the New Zealand Insurance Company’s buildings. Various Protestant ministers have commenced a series of anti-Oatholic addresses under the auspices of the Orange institution. Archdeacon Maunsell gave the first last night. The hall was crowded. Fine ArtsThe Auckland Society of Arts Exhibition closed to-night after a successful exhibition. NAPIER, April 11. FireNine stacks of wheat and barley on Mr Ramsey’s farm, at Flaxmere, were destroyed by fire. The evidence points to incendiarism, and the police have a clue which they hope to be able to follow up. The insurances were —National, £3OO, New Zealand and Colonial, £250 each. Game. The shooting season promises to be exceptionally good. Pheasants and ducks are exceedingly plentiful, but quail are scarce. NEW PLYMOUTH, April 11. Getting Better. Colonel Roberts is now speedily recovering. Land Sale. The first section in the Farihaka block has been purchased by Mr Robertson at the upset price of £4 per acre. More Contradiction. Mr Parris, civil commissioner, contradicts the statement that a contagious disease is prevailing at Farihaka, and says that the statement about sixty deaths is incorrect. BLENHEIM, April 11. Murder by a Maori. News was brought into Picton yesterday evening that a murder had been committed at Waikawa. The facts to hand are that Rawiri Kepa quarelled with his uncle, Bopoawia Peni Peni. They had two successive fights on Saturday night, and in the last fight Peni became insensible, and died on Sunday afternoon at four o’clock. The police immediately proceeded to the spot and arrested Rawiri at 12.30 this morning. He was found hid in a hay loft, and was very downcast. Jealousy is said to be tho cause of the fight. An inquest will be held to-day. CARTERTON, April 11. Messrs Bunny and Beetham Speak. Messrs Bunny and Beetham addressed a Fairly well attended meeting of their constituents to-night. Mr Bunny advocated a property and income tax and duties on luxuries only. He would reduce tho Education vote £IOO,OOO, and make those who desired to go above the fourth standard pay. He condemned the railway management, and advocated giving discretionary powers to managers. He entirely supported Mr Bryce’s action, and said he thought it would have settled the difficulty in a week. He was adverse to the county system, and thought that a modified form of provincialism would have to be resorted to. He advocated a loan of a million for roads and bridges. The country would support the present Government which had the confidence of the country. He hoped that the Government would only bring down a few Bills and would stick to them like men. He supported the Welling-ton-Foxton railway. Mr Beetham next spoke, agreeing with most of Mr Bunny’s remarks on education (except that he would give free education only up to the third standard), Customs duties, railway management, &c., but dieagreed with him as to Mr Bryce’s action, as it would have involved a costly war. Ho saw no fault in the county system except want of funds. Next session they would find that free trade and protection would crop up, but he would vote for free trade. A vote of thanks was carried, WELLINGTON, April 11. Criminal SessionsThe criminal sessions opened this morning. Edwin Tobin, on a charge of robbery from the person, was sentenced to twelve months’ hard labor. In the charge against William Michael Downes for tampering with the stamping of deeds a verdict of not guilty was returned. There are two charges still to be heard. After having concluded their business, the Grand Jury handed the following presentment to tho Judge : The jury present that the evidence brought before them in the several cases of the Queen versus Downes discloses an utter want of system and great carelessness in connection with tho custody of valuable public documents in charge of the Land Transfer and Registry of Deeds Department. The Court then adjourned until to-morrow. The Property Tax. The Property Tax payments up to April 9th are as follows :—Auckland, £36,086 ; Hawke’s Bay, £15,231 ; Wellington, £40,014 ; Nelson, £12,000; Canterbury, £60,933 ; Waitaki, £l2 841 ; Otago, £53,174 ; Southland, £8695. Total, £238,974. DUNEDIN, April 11. Criminal. At the criminal sittings of the Supreme Court this day, Judge Gillies presiding, Joseph Henry Paget, convicted of stealing money from a letter in the Post office, was sentenced to three years’ penal: servitude. Joseph Muloahy, robbery from tho person, was discharged. In summing up to the jury in Paget’s case this afternoon, Mr Justice Gillies referred to the fact that the prisoner was de-

barred by law from giving evidence, and said that no one deplored this fact more than he did. He thought that it would tend to further the ends of justice if evidence were allowed to be given by prisoners, as it would be the means of punishing men oftener than of relieving them. While however the law prevented a man from giving evidence, it did not stop him from making a statement.

[from the own correspondent of thb “ PRESS.”]

WELLINGTON, April 11. I notice some statements to the effect that the 10 per cent, reduction in Civil Service salaries is not to be continued after last month, when the financial year closed. This is wholly incorrect. The Government will continue to deduct the 10 per cent, until Parliament orders otherwise, but in next session’s estimates salaries will be reduced and rearranged, so as to give a reduction of 10 per cent, on the aggregate amount, but there will not be an arbitrary 10 per cent, reduction on all salaries as there was last year. The reduction will be carefully considered and allocated so as to bring about a fair re-adjust-ment.

I hear that the stamp revenue for the financial year just expired exceeds the estimate by about £9OOO.