NEW ZEALAND.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2241, 8 June 1881, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND.

[PEE PBEBB ASSOCIATION/) AUCKLAND, June 7. Deaths by Drowning. William Robinson, late of the 58th, was drowned at Manganuku creek, Hokianga, while trying to recover logs. A man named McLennon has also been drowned at Kawahawa. An Island Estate. The Native Land Court has awarded the ownership of Little Barrier Island to the Ngatiwi tribe, ousting the claims of chief Paul and others. The land has been decreed by the Court to be inalienable save to the Government, owing to its commanding position for military purposes in Hauraki gulf. Movements of Members. The following members of the Assembly left this afternoon for Onehunga in order to take passage by the Hinemoa for Wellington : —Sir George Grey, Dr. Wollis, Messrs E. _A. Whitaker, Chamberlain, Swanson, and Dignan. Messrs Reader Wood, J. B. White and Colbeck go by the Penguin on Sunday, and Mr W. A. Murray by the Ringarooma. NAPIER, June 7. Smugglers BewareDetective Grace, who has been watching for some time to capture some_ men engaged in smuggling tobacco, last evening succeeded in arresting Joseph Shull, steward of the Silver Cloud, trading between hero and Newcastle, and a baker named Krause, carrying on business in Whau road. They had about 1401bs of tobacco between them in their possession, and 431bs more were found on board the Silver Cloud, belonging to Shull. At the R.M. Court this morning Shull was fined £SO and Krause £25, and the tobacco was forfeited. NELSON, June T, Educational. At a meeting of the Nelson Teachers’ Association, a resolution was unanimously carried advocating the establishment of a monthly journal in the interests of education. The Election. The election for a member for the vacant seat passed off quietly and without ill-feeling. Both parties were confident of victory, and the supporters of each candidate worked their hardest. Mr Levestam obtained a majority of twenty-five at'port, but lost ground at the polling place at the west of the city. However, he had thirty votes more than his opponent at the Provincial Hall, and thus beat Mr Richmond by thirty-one. The number of electors who recorded their votes was 845, being more than at any previous election.

WELLINGTON, June 7. Municipal Amenities* A warm discussion took place at a meeting of the City Council over the To Aro reclamation, and one set of councillors challenged the others to resign and test the question at issue by a general election. The Licensing Court. The Licensing Court to-day granted all the applications for renewals. The decisions in tne applications for new licenses were adjourned for a fortnight. Railway Extension. About sixteen tenders have been received for the Awaroa contract of the Whangarei Kamo line. It is said that the competition is keen, and that the prices range from £II,OOO to £17,000. HOKITIKA, June 7. Mr Reid Speaks. Mr Reid addressed a crowded meeting at the Town Hall this evening. Ho complained of the want of encouragement to the gold mining industry, and compared in this respect the doings of the Victorian and New South Wales Governments with that of New Zealand. He said that the portfolio of mines was held nominally, and regretted that no action had been taken during the recess to carry out the recommendations of the Industries Commission respecting the development of the West Coast goldfields. A vote of confidence was recorded. The Licensing Courts. The Licensing Bench sat to-day, and granted renewals of the old licenses, but refused four new applications. DUNEDIN, June 7. The Licensing Court to-day deferred all the applications for new licenses till Thursday. The Chairman of the Bench threatened in future to publish the names of applicants who wrote to members of the Bench, trying to favorably influence them. The practice was becoming a perfect nuisance. Ex Tararua. A mail bag and fifty casks of limejuioe came ashore at Waikawa last week from the wreck of the Tararua. The Exhibition. Special invitations are being forwarded to members of both Houses of Parliament to attend the opening of the Industrial Exhibition, Every endeavor will be made to render it a success. Among other things, Mr T. Bracken has been invited to compose and deliver a poem for the occasion. Sale of a Theatre. The Queen’s Theatre and buildings have been sold to Mr G. W. Elliott for £I6OO, subject to a mortgage of £4400. Recovered from Tararua. By personal effects at the Dunedin Police Station one of the unrecognised bodies buried has now been identified as that of James Turner, second steward of the Tararua. The body of a boy, which came ashore without a head, has also been recognised as that of Donald Campbell, a son of Dr. Campbell. A Forward Step; The coffee palace here promises to be a great success. [PEOM THE OWN COBBBSPONDKNT OF THE (( pbbSß. m J WELLINGTON, June 7. The result of the Nelson election has not created much surprise here, as it was well known that Mr Leveatam has been rapidly gaining on Mr Richmond since the latter made his first .'speech, which so grievously disappointed everybody, especially his old friends and admirers. From what I can hear, it is by no means certain that the new member for Nelson will be found in the ranks of the Opposition, and it is quite likely that he will follow a similar course to that of Mr Allwright, Mr Shanks and others, and i give a general support to the measures of the Government, while not at all binding himself to their side. At the same time there is no doubt that Ministers are I much chagrined at Mr Richmond’s defeat, 1 especially as it may be deemed a blow to their strength just 'on the threshold of the Relieve that Mr Weston will r beat Mr Fitz Gerald for Grey valley. I have 3 prottty authentic information from both sides of West Coast politicians, and they agree that i Mr Weston is very popular with a largo class of diggers, but in any case it will be a close s contest, and the result will be doubtful ta a the last. i. Nothing is yet settled regarding the proposer and seconder of the address in reply in e both Houses, Mr Bastings’ name is mentioned as probable, but I cannot yet lean o whether on any good authority. Ministers are in close consultation in Oabinet to-night over the Governor’s speech, which is likely i. to bo short, sharp and to the point without any waste of words.

Minister* are still engaged actively in preparing Bills, most of which, however, are almost exact reprints of those dropped last session. The Licensing Bill is undergoing very careful revision. The principle new features will be the provieions for licensing and police supervision of all clubs, the imposition of a £4O bottle license, and the introduction of a new license at a nominal charge for the exclusive sale of wines produced in New Zealand, this being with a view to encourage wine production as a new local industry. The chief difficulty experienced in regard to this measure is to provide adequate means for guarding against fraud by ensuring that only bona fidt New Zealand grown wines, and no other liquor of any kind, shall be sold by such licensees. The penalty for a breach of this clause will probably be made very heavy. The Charitable Aid Bill will differ but slightly from last year’s Bill. The principal alteration will be in a direction of affording greater scope and assistance to volunteering benevolent associations, giving them all possible facility for coming under the operation of the Act. The Pungarehu correspondent of the Wellington “ Times” asserts that the discharged Native prisoners complain of gross ill-treat-ment in the Southern gaols, but the Government expressly invited the prisoners while in Wellington to make any complaints they thought fit, and all agreed that they had been treated as well as possible, the only exception being one old chief, who said he had been told that the meat supplied to them was “horse flesh,” but as the Premier pointed out to him that this would be much dearer than beef, ho at once admitted the force of the argument, and recognised that his informant had been merely joking with him. The Government are making full inquiries into this last report, but it is evidently a trumped up yarn.