NEW ZEALAND.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2245, 9 May 1881, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND.

[pee pbess association.] AUCKLAND, May 7. Library on SundayA private meeting has been held among regular frequenters of tho Auckland Public Library, with the object of petitioning the City Council to open the institution during reasonable hours on Sunday. Fire. Mr George Bennett's house, at Waiuku, with the out-buildings, stacks, agricultural implements, &c, has been burned. The estimated loss is £2OO, uninsured. Mythical WreckThe wreck at Little Barrier proves to be a myth. A careful search was made by the steamer Blanch. Operatic CaseAt a speoiai sitting of the .Resident Magistrate's Court the case of Fenton v Bicoardi; claim £6 63, for goods, was heard. The ease was brought by plaintiff on the understanding that Signor Bicoardi, the defendant, was about to leave the colony without paying his creditors. Defendant stated that he confessed judgment yesterday, and to-day received a summons to appear at this Court. He had filed his petition in bankruptcy in consequence of being pressed by several creditors. He had no intention of leaving the colony for ten weeks. It was impossible for him to leave, as he had entered into an engagement for that term to perform in the principal towns. He intended to oarry the proceedings through tho Court of Bankruptcy. He oould not hand over his operatic wardrobe, as he would be deprived of his means of livelihood. Mr Whitaker, for defendant, asked that the Ocurt would grant time to his client for making arrangements. His Worship said if defendant was leaving in pursuit of his professional engagements it was a very different matter to leaving with the intention of defrauding his creditors. He must adjourn the further hearing of the case until the 26th. NAPIER, May 7. Collision on the Water. A collision occurred yesterday in the inner harbor. The steamer Sir Donald was coming into port with a oargo from the Ringarooma, when the Union Company's launch Boogum left the cattle wharf with outward-bound passengers. Owing to the position of the wharf, those on board the Boogum could not see the Sir Donald coming down the channel, and when the steamers could see each other it was too late to avoid a collision. The Boogum struck tho Sir Donald amidships, outting a hole six foot long by a foot wide. The master of the Sir Donald at once ran his vessel on the boulder bank, where it sank. Stock, feeMr M. B. Miller's annual stock and station report gives the following figures : —Number of sheep in the provincial district, 2,096,375 ; increase, 213,886 for the year, after providing for exports 84,467, and boiling down 154,833 Horned cattle, 36,000 ; horses, 9500 ; acreage under occupation, including leaseholds, slightly under two million acres, of which one million is fenced and surface sown ; English grasses, 700,000 acreß ; in orop, 30,000 acres j wool exported, 11,176 8791b5, giving an average per sheep of 61bs 2oz, lambs 31bs; value of exported wool, £608,935 ; increase, £182,000 ; tallow, £46,294, ; increase, £17,300 ; sheepskins, &.c, £6567; total, £661,796. The population of the district, including 3200 Natives, is 19,000, and the exports therefore are equal to £32 per head of population against £l2 average for tne colony. Struck Oil (?). There it some speculation in Southern Cross Petroleum Company's shares, owing to n discovery on the company's claim of a thick vein of a peculiar substance, which local chemists state contains 50 per cent, of pure paraffle As taken from tho el aft, the stuff is saia to be worth £4O per ton. It is in enormous quantity. OAMABU, May 7. Death in a Bath. A child named Perroton, twelve months of age, lost its life yeeterday by falling into a bath. Its mother had left it for a few minutes, when the perambulator in which it was sitting fell over and precipitated it into the water. DUNEDIN, May 8. Tararua Passengers. The "Times'" correspondent telegraphs from Wyndham on Saturday :—" Thirteen more bodies havejbeen recovered ; and four identified, namely : -John Scooae, Alexander Bao, Wm. White, Bobort Shaw Bussell Marsh. One is the body of a man about fifty years of age, five feet high, stout build, light beard mixed with grey, heavy boots with heel and toe plates, dark coat, light colored trousers. He had a miner's chamois bag. Ten bodies have been interred in Eortroße Cemetery. Numbers of bodies are now coming ashore. It has been determined to bury them within an encloßnre of an acre of land near the scene of the disaster. Political. Mr Q-ao. McLean, M.H.8., addressed his constituents at Waikouaiti on Saturday, and received a vote of confidence. [feom the own cobbespondent of the "pbess"] WELLINGTON, May 7. Owing to the sensational stories circulated about tho alarming increase of Chinese immigration to New Zealand, the Government have had a return prepared showing the arrivals and departures of Chinese in and from this colony during the last two years. From this it appears that in 1879 329 Chinese arrived in New Zealand, and 396 departed, a decrease of 67. In 1880 296 arrived and 386 loft, being a further decrease of 90. The present yoar, however, is believed to be likely to reverse this order of things, the tide of Chinese immigration apparently having again set in toward New Zealand. On this head, however, no reliable information is forthcoming as yet. The following circular is to be issuod to all the Education Boards throughout tho colony. " I am instructed by the Minister of Education to inform you tha*-. circular No. 17, of date sth November, 1878, is hereby cancelled, and that after the 30th of June, 1881, capitation grants will not be paid to Boards on account of the attendance at public schools of children under five (5) years of age. I am therefore to request that the attendance of all children under five (5) yoars of age be excluded from your attendance summary for the

current quarter, on whioh, as you ore aTare, noxt quarter's payments are calculated, ud to suggest the advisability of the Board firthwith issuing instructions to school commttees and teachers to exclude the attenda'ceeaf all suoh children from their sohool-attenianoe returns for the present quarter.—JobD Hislop."