NEW ZEALAND

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2243, 6 May 1881, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND

(PEB PBHSS ASSOCIATION) AUCKLAND, May 5. Hen Pheasants. The Government, on the representation of the Acclimatisation Society, have withdrawn the prohibition against shooting hen pheasants, only 133 licenses have been taken out as yet. Sudden. John Goldie, a carpenter, has been found dead in bed. He is believed to have died from heart disease. S.S. City of New York. Dr. Philson has released from quarantine all except Mrs Oruiden and her four children. These little ones were attacked by measles, bat are now convalescent. The hulk containing a portion of the mail steamer's cargo has been towed up the harbor. WELLINGTON, May 5. A Fig for a Thistle. The Government having recently imported a quantity of new silver coin of all donominations, with a viow to withdraw all the worn silver coin from circulation in the colony, it is notified that new coin will be given in exchange for worn coin on application at any of the branches of the following Banks : —Bank of New Zealand, National Bank, Colonial Bank, Bank of New South Wales, Union Bank of Australia, Bank of Australasia. Honorable Seamen.

The administration of the Naval Training School Act has been transferred to the Hon. Thomas Dick, vice the Hon. W. Itolloaton, resigned. [FEOIT THE OWN COBEESPONDBNT OF THE "PBBSS.'] WELLINGTON, May 5. The Penguin with the San Francisco mail did not leave Taranaki till ton a.m. to-day, but is expected to go in and out of Nelson on to-night's tide, and arrive at this port tomorrow about midday or shortly afterwards. She will leave again almost immediately for Lyttelton, with the Southern mails, and it ia hoped will catch the Southern express. The Attorney-General (the Hon. F. Whitaker) finds himself unable to leave Auckland for Wellington, as he was expected to do, by the Bingarooma, which arrives on Sunday next. His departure now stands postponed for a week, and he will probably reach Wellington by the Botomahana, Sunday, 15th instant. Meanwhile the preparation .of the measures for the coming parliamentary session is being pushed on as fast as possible. Last year's Licensing Bill is being reprinted, and also others of the slaughtered innocents. I learn, on goed authority, that the Government have not yet decided on their course of action in regard to the Inspector of Lunatic Asylums. Dr. Skae's full reply to the report of the Boyal Commission on Mount View Asylum has at length been received, but there has not yet been time for the Cabinet to take it into full consideration. It is believed, however, that the matter will come before the Cabinet at an early date, probably tomorrow ; but it is thought that the weight of feeling in the Ministry is favorable on the whole to Dr. Skae's retaining office. Numerous applications have been received by the Government for the vacant post of Medical Superintendent of the Wellington Lunatic Aoylum. No time has yet been fixed as to the .limit of the period during which applications will bo received, but it is likely that it will not be much longer extended. Telegraphic intimation has, however, been received of applications from candidates in the various Australian Colonies, including even Gippsland, being on their way by post, and it is therefore deemed advisable in the public rest to wait, so as to ensure having as ge choice as possible. Humor points to a Dunedin applicant as likely to be among the most eligible of the candidates for appointment. It is known that a Dunedin man possessing considerable special experience and general aptitude for the post has applied, and he is generally looked on as practically safe. Various rumors have been afloat siuoe the termination of the Asylum enquiry to the effect that the two non-official commissioners —Messrs Woodward and Waring Taylor—were to receive three guineas per diom honorarium for their services, but that Mr Shaw, 8.M., being a permanent Government officer, would receive no remuneration for his special services as eommiisioner. This was generally regarded as unfair, and strong comments were made on the subject. I am in a position, however, to state authoritatively that the rumour above roferred to is wholly unfounded, it having been decided at a recent moeting of the Cabinet to grant an honorarium of £25 to each of the three Boyal Commissioners, and the amount was accordingly forwarded. Messrs Woodward and Taylor, however, decline to accept any payment for their serviocs, preferring to place them at the disposal of the publio without fee or reward —purely as a matter of publio duty. Two sureties have at length been found for Whitelaw, tho lato superintendent of the lunatic asylum. The sureties, it, is said, will be Messrs Young and W. V. Jackson, a member of the Harbor Board, each in £l5O. The proceedings relative to Mrs Kettle's salary as matron, alleged to have been received by Whitelaw and not accounted for, will now drop, Mrs Kettle having to-day signed a document giving a full discharge for the same. Accordingly Whitelaw will now only stand committed for trial on a charge of oruelty to a patient, and bail being forthcoming, he will in all probability be releaoed from gaol to-morrow. There is a decided revulsion of public feeling in his favor, owing entirely to a seme of unfairness in Drr. Skae and Franco escaping scot free, while Whitelaw is degraded and imprisoned. Tho othor threatened asylum prosecutions will fall through, the Crown Prosecutor having advised that there is no case for a jury. The 161 Maori prisoners recently released were safely landed to-day from the Hinemoa at Opunake. They appeared in excellent spirits and good temper, expressing most pacific and law-abiding sentiments, and the utmost goodwill toward their late custodians. It is probable that a proclamation definitely fixing the date for the moeting of Parliament, will be issued in the course of a few days, most likely on Saturday next. The ' date will probably not be later than tho 15th June, or onrlier than the 10th. It is oxpeoted that this will be settled in Cabinet to-morrow, but it may not bo officially confirmed before Tuesday's meeting of the Executive Council.

Further gales of the Parihaka blook have taken place, and more than half of the Becticra thrown open for Bale hare now found purchase™, three-fourths of these being on deferred payment. The buyers are described as genuine settlers, of a very good class, and the businesslike way they are going to work, as well as the readiness with which the land has been taken up, appear to indicate that the practical and permanent settlement of the district has fairly commenced. Out of the sections thrown open for application seventy have been already taken up at the upset price, and of these thirteen are oh deferred payment. Several deferred payment buyers have purchased the adjoining sections for cash. The result proves that tho Government were right in refusing to lower the prices, as pressed to do by the land ring, which successfully worked to render the first sale of the Parihaka blook a failure. The public accounts for tho financial year are not even yot out, but I believe there is a satisfactory reason for the apparent delay, and that the result will compensate for the tardiness of their appearance. Although there is a deficit on the year's completed transactions, this doos not oiceed £6OOO, whilo the outstanding liabilities, which were estimated at £225,000, will prove to be fully one-third less than that, owing to the payments within the limit of the year being larger than were expected. This implies an improvement in the net financial position of the colony so far as the consolidated fund is concerned, to the extent of some twenty or twenty-five thousand.