NEW ZEALAND.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2234, 26 April 1881, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND.

[FEB PHESS ASSOCIATION. J WANGANUT, AprU 26. Fire. A fire broke out in Leslie's plumber's shop last night. The building and contents were much damaged. The insurances are for £l5O on the stock and tools in the North British, and £2OO on the building in the Few Zealand. CriminalThe Supreme Court opened yesterday. Paul Oehruke (larceny) was sentenced to eight months' hard labor; Wm. Miners (larceny), eighteen months' hard labor; P. Christie (larceny), twelve months' hard labor. The Grand Jury threw out the Bill against Hall and his daughter Christina Goodman for alleged child-murder, the medical evidence not being conclusive.

TAURANGA, April 26, Land.

The Native Land Court, now Bitting at Giiborne, passed the Maungatu block of 190,000 acres, and the Waipu block (No. 2) of 37,000 acres, both in this district, and Bold to Robert Oooper. The Tauranga County Council yesterday passed a resolution to proceed to sell all absentee lands two years in arrears of rates. This will bring a large area of good land into the market. Settlers are getting impatient at hearing nothing from the Fublio Works Department about the much-needed Wairani bridge.

AUCKLAND, April 26.

Sawmill on Fire

At about half-past three o'clock this morning a fire was observed in Messrs Jagger and Parker's sawmill on reclaimed land, Freeman's Bay. The fire bolls rang, and soon a crowd gathered to the spot. Before the fire was discovered, it had a firm hold on tho building, and there was no chance of saving any part of the premises. In a short time the Fire Brigade were on the ground, and began to play upon the adjoining premises and the stock in the yard, thus preventing the fire from spreading. The sawmill had a large stock of timber in it. All was destroyed. The mill and Btock were worth £3OOO. The fire was first teen in the centre of the building, near the steamengine. The premises and machinery wore recently sold for about £ISOO, and additions have sinca been made. The only insurance on it is for £SOO, in the National Office, to cover a mortgage.

Troublesome Natives. Some Hauhau Natives, near Huntley, destroyed the fencing and felled trees on the land of a settler named Hill, whose title they dispute, though held under Crown grant. Tho occurrence has no political significance. Native Meeting.

Tawhiao's Hikurangu meeting is a failure. At no time have more than from 600 to 700 Natives assembled. Nothing beyond the customary feasting and nose-rubbing has been accomplished. An attempt has been made to conceal the failure by adjourning until the middle of July. Evidently the Xing movement is undergoing a process of rapid disintegration. If left alone it trill evaporate. The leading Kingite Natives show a disposition to sell land, and tho Mokau Natives withdrew from the meeting, declaring their intention to have no more to do with the Sing. It is stated on good authority, that, if money wore available, no groat difficulty would be experienced in getting a railway right through the Ring Country to New Plymouth.

Opening' up Land. The Lands Court at Cambridge paeßed another large block through, opening 90,000 acres hitherto closed to Europeans for netllsment. The Kingites came in freely to prove their titles before the Court. It is estimated that half a million of acres of Native landß beyond Cambridge, and bordering on the King country, has been opened for settlement.

Maori Discontent. The result of the meeting of Northern Natives to oelebrate the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, and for the opening of the Waitangi, was a series of resolutions affirming the necessity of a Maori Parliament to make : *w« for the Maori people dh y re-affirm their unflinching loyalty to the Queen, hub their memorial declares that the Government of Now Zealand have milked the cow that was sent by Queen Victoria as a covenant to the tribes of Now Zealand. They are those who have deceived us, and that is the cause of Maori people being weak and oppressed in the land. This is why it is now asked that Maori tribes shall be gathered into one sheaf. All our grievances shall" be settled by this Parliament. Wo are to manage things concerning Maori tribes only, and not to break the law. The first grievance we felt in these Islands has been the purchasing of land by ministers that brought the Gospel to Now Zealand. Their mode of purchase was first(seizing the land, at that time having no surveyor. The second grievance is that Ministers say that all seized land has gone by purchase to a committee. Lot us now, the Maori tribes, think over the name of this monster as the Land Swallower. The whole of this Island of New Zealand is swallowed in his tolly.

Shipping. Arrived—City of Sydney, bound for San Francisco with the miils.

ASHBURTON, April 26. Sadden Death. A man named Stalker dropped dead at m sale yesterday afternoon. It is supposed the cause of death was apoplexy. DUNEDIN, April 26. Communication with Britain.

A meeting of the Chamber of Commerce was held yestorday to take into consideration a letter by Mr McKerras, on the subject of direct steam communication with Great Britain. Mr McKerrss brought under notice the advisability of asking the Union Steamship Company to take steps for the introduction of such a class of boats as would meet the requirements of the times. A considerable amount of information has been collected, chiefly bearing on the importations of soft goods for various firms, and their desire to avail themselves of such a line was shown. On the majority of imports the saving of interest would fully compensate for the higher rates of freight charged by the stoamerß. A aub-c o-nmittee was appointed to wait upon the directors of the Union Company _to ascertain how far thoy deemed it practicable to establish the line proposed. Found Dead-

A German (name unknown) has been found lying alongside the railway, two miles from Clinton. He was taken aboard the train, but died at Clinton early this morning. Deoeared arrived at Clinton on Friday from Oamaru. It is not suspected that he met his death by foul play.