NEW ZEALAND.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2470, 7 March 1882, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND.

[.PEE PEES# ASSOCIATION.J AUCKLAND, March 6. Theatrical. The Mastodon Minstrels closed a good season at the Theatre Boyal on Saturday, and left for the Thames, era route for the South. Harkins, supported by a dramatic company, opened to-night with “ The Colonel ” to a good house. Obituary. Dr, Eogers, of Bombay, was found dead in his house. The King’s Country. Henare Kaihau has returned from the King country, having been on a mission to Tawhaio to see if he desired to have an interview with Mr Bryce. Tawhaio replied that he did not, but that Mr Bryce was welcome to attend the forthcoming Native meeting like any other European. Deserved Promotion. In connection with the Plummer arrests business, Sergeant Fatdy has been promoted to be a Sergeant-Major. The Brogden Claims. At the last Chamber sittings of the Supreme Court, Mr Andrew Hesketh made an application under the Supreme Court Arbitration Act, to fix a day for hearing Brogden’s claim, which had been referred by the Government to Mr Justice Gillies. Although nominally the claim is for £250,000, the interests involved reach an enormous sum. On both sides the litigate will be represented by the most numerous bar ever engaged in any case formerly before the Supreme Court of New Zealand. Eminent members of the Southern bar are engaged in the case, as well as the principal legal firms and pleaders in Auokland. His Honor has fixed the 22nd instant as the day for hearing. True to his CreedBishop Eedwood, of Wellington, in a sermon in St. Patrick’s yesterday, warned the Catholic parents against sending their children to secular schools, which contaminated and finally destroyed their faith. A Model YachtJno. Waymouth has completed a model 100 ton cutter yacht, which he intends sending to the Shipwright Company’s Exhibition, London. Holding ForthSt. Matthew’s church vestry haying closed St. Mary’s Mission Church against the wishes of the congregation, the latter yesterday held services conducted by one of their members outside the building, and intend doing so till stopped. Scholastic. At the sittings of the University Senate the Chancellors announced the winner of the Bowen prize to be Joseph Burford. The second esiay was so close in excellence that the examiner recommended a certificate with the name second essayist to be given to Mils Edith Bearle. The recommendation of the examiner was agreed to by the Senate. The Rev. Mr Habsns was appointed examiner for 1882 for the Bowen prize essay. The Eev. 8, McKenzie Fraser was admitted to M.A. degree ad eundem. NAPIER, March 6. The WeatherHeavy rain has fallen hero during the last two days, but no serious damage is reported. The Autumn Meeting. General entries and final payments for the events of the Jockey Club Autumn Meeting close to-morrow. NELSON, March 6. Bifle PrizesThe prizes won at the Eifle Association meeting were distributed to-day. A large number of ladies was present. Mrs Pitt presented the prizes. The winners of the championships were heartily cheered by the assemblage. The Wellington, Southern and Wanganui representatives take their departure to-morrow. The Northern men leave on Friday. The ball given to-night to the representatives passed off very successfully, there being a large attendance. WELLINGTON, March 6. The Encampment Abandoned’ A meeting of volunteer officers was held tonight. After full consideration it was resolved to abandon the intention of holding the encampment here, owing to the Defence Department refusing to provide a steamer for the transit of the volunteers from other places. The Property TaxIt is estimated that the total property tax now paid amounts to about £200,000. The exaot figures cannot be ascertained, as advices have not been received from the post-offices throughout the colony. Yesterday the remittances received at the property tax office, Wellington, amounted nearly £20,000. The 10 per cent, penalty, to which persons in arrears become subject, is imposed under clause 77 of the Property Assessment Act, 1879, which was amended by the Act last session. The clause reads as follow*: the tax fails to pay the amount thereof for the space of fourteen days after the duo date, 10 per cent, on the amount unpaid shall be added thereto, and such tax, together with such addition, shall be recoverable in any Oonrt of competent jurisdiction hy the deputy Commissioner, on behalf of the Crown, by suit in his own name.” This makes the 10 per cent, a debt to the Crown, and it must be collected, no person having the power to write it off or to permit it to remain unpaid. The fourteen day* after the due date of the first instalment is on the Ist March. The fourteen days after the due date of the second instalment will expire on the 15 th inst. DUMKDIN, March 6. NauticalThe following changes take place in the Union Company’s vessels ; —Captain Edie leaves the Penguin to take command of the Bingarooma ; Captain Anderson, of the Wan aka, takes the Penguin ; Captain Holmes, of the Waitaki, take* the Waaaka ; Captain Hansby, of the Maori, takes the Waitaki, his successor being one of the chief officer* of the *ervioo. Serious ChargePatrick Butler, alias Dennis McGrath, an old offender, has been committed for trial at Lawrence on a charge of feloniously assaulting a girl four and a half years old. A Hard CaseA bankrupt’s case before the Supreme Court to-day was peculiar in this, that the debtor’s estate had actually paid 20s in the £ and left £IOO of a surplus. INVERCARGILL, March 6. Exploration. Professor Ulrich’s party, which started for

Begasns, Stewart Island, last week, has returned to Invercargill. The Professor’* report i* laid to be of the most highly favorable description. He declares that he baa seen nothing so promising as the Pegasus Country for gold since he left Ballarat. It is believed that there are thousand s of acres auriferous on the south-west portion of theisland.

[feom the oobbespokdhht op the “ PEESS.”]

WELLINGTON, March 6. The Hon. John Hall, Premier, and the HonMr Johnston, Postmaster-General, returned to Wellington yesterday by the Eotomahana from Napier. A Cabinet meeting was held to-day, at which the Premier and PostmasterGeneral and the Colonial Secretary wore present, and subsequently a meeting of the Executive Council, at which the Premier presided. A largo amount of routine business was transacted, and papers were forwarded by the Eotomahana to Christchurch for the Governor’s signature. It is understood that the Ministers have drafted a telegraphic message of congratulation on the Queen’s escape from assassination for approval of his Excellency the Governor but of course nothing has been allowed to transpire officially on the subject. So far as returns arrive, the property tax receipts for the present year have been about £184,000, but several large sums have still to come in, and the arrears from last year, amounting, I believe, to some £40.000, have to be added to the total. I hear that nearly every penny of these arrears has been got in. It must also be remembered that the tax this year is only three farthings in the £ instead of a penny as before. The 10 per cent, penalty on late payments is being strictly enforced, as indeed by law it mn:t bo, it being made a debt to the Orovrn, the officers being left no option cs to its enforcement. There is rather a joke in connection with this penalty, which, ns no secret is made of it, I may mention without indiscretion. On his return to-day, the Premier suddenly discovered to his chagrin that he was one of the victims of this penalty. He had written his cheque before leaving Wellington, bat feeling certain of being back before the Ist instant, he did not send it to the Tax Office. Ho was prevented by public business from getting back in time, and only recollected when too late that his cheque had never gone in. However, he, of course, “ paid the penalty and looked pleasant,” only expressing a hope that all taxpayers who were behindhand would go and do likes is*.

The February postal returns are not quite completed, but very nearly so, and added to those of previous months, make the total for eleven months £134,000. The estimate for twelve months was £150,000, but as there are some heavy sums to corns in daring this month, it is fully expected that the estimate will be reached, and probably exceeded by a few thousand. Telegraphs have yielded £66,312 for eleven months, the twelve months’ estimate being £76,000, which will scarcely be made np by the 31st instant. The land transfer and deeds registry have produced £37,047 in eleven months, and will exceed the estimate of £40,000 by the end of March. Great dissatisfaction prevails in volunteer circles at the proceedings of the Volunteer Board as disclosed. In the first place, immediately on its assembling, exception was taken by several members to the non-representation of certain important volunteer districts, notably Otago, Southland, Thames, and the West Coast of the North Island. A proposal was made by the majority of the Board that tho Government should be requested to appoint representatives from Otago, Southland, the Thames and tho West Coast of the North Island. But I understand the chairman flatly refused to entertain it. They threatened to resign if it were persisted in, whereupon it was modified to the extent of applying to Thames and Otago only, but General Davidson still refused,to accept it, unless on condition that he should also have two military officers, who had been in the Imperial service. On the proposal being pressed by other members of the Board, General Davidson as chairman ultimately ruled it out of order, and refused to put it at all. Then a certain Capt. Webb, who is, 1 am told, General Davidson’s son-in-law, and also adjutant of Nelson district, receiving some £3OO per annum from the Government for official services, has been specially imported to Wellington to aot as paid secretary to the Board. Then the chairman refuses to have a shorthand reporter to take down the evidence, so the sitting will bo almost everlasting. Altogether the Board is not at all a happy family, and there is loud grumbling both inside and outside.