INTERPEOVINCIAL NEWS.

Grey River Argus, Volume VI, Issue 399, 4 August 1868, Page 2

INTERPEOVINCIAL NEWS.

(From the Lyttellon Times.) Nelson, July 27. The Lady Bird has arrived with later news from the North. Advices from Taranaki state that Father Jloland arrived here from Patea last Friday night, meeting with no obstacle from the natives. He learned that the Taranaki tribes will remain neutraL and will not allow the rebels to fight on their land. That previous to the attack on Turo Mokai, a rebel visited the redoubt on the pretext of sellimj onions. M*Donnell is progressing with redoubts for the protection of the settlers, There is good news from the Auckland goldfields. The steamer Halcyon brought 1200 ounces from Puriri, at the Thames, A party at the Thames got five pennyweights to the dish, which caused* a small rush. A four days crushing of stone from Hunt's claim yielded 5000 ounces. At an election ■ meeting to*day of the ratepayers of the Nelson Board of Works, it was proposed by Mr Elliott to incorporate Nelson under the Municipal Corporation Acfc of last year. The proposal was received with great disfavour, and dropped, Wblunqton, July 27. Napier telegrams state that Richardson's small party of mounted constabulary intercepted the fugitives near Te Keianga, losing one man in a s'drmish and killing several of thes enemy. The news is not considered thoroughly reliable. Early on Thursday morning last the Presbyterian Church, now^ being erected at Wanganui, caught fire, which, extending to the old church and two dwelling houses, all four were totally destroyed. There is considerable activity, in the political world to-day. Mr Fox' is under, stood to have prepared a resolution to be tabled to-morrow, setting forth the inexpediency of proceeding with minor business ixntil the Government has fully detailed its policy in. reference to the native, financial, and constitutional questions. This resolution ig said to have been concurred in by several influential members of th§ middle party. Wellington, July 28L In the General Assembly to-day Tttr Brown gave notice that Westland be made a province, • ' Mr Fox's motion for Thursday k as'fol. lows : — " That an impression having gained ground throughout the colony that his I Excellency's Government proposes to effect organic changes in the institutions ; of the colony, and great anxiety being 1 everywhere felt in reference to the preaent ; position of Native affairs, it is, in the opinion of this House, due to the Parliaj ment and to the people of New Zealand • that the Government should without delay I afford to them the fullest information on both subjects, And this House is of I opinion that no further business should bo I proceeded with until the Government shall have placed before it a full and precise statement of its policy, and indicated the extent to wiich it proposes to alter or extend existing institutions, and shall have made a clear statement of what is being done in reference to the existing Native disturbances, and of its intentions with regard to Native affairs iv future." ■ Papers in reference to . various -Nativa subjeots were called for and agreed to, A motion, made by Mr Rolleston, for papers in reference to the action taken by the Constabulary at Patea and Opotiki, hast induced a debate, which is now going on. Messrs Richmond, Harrison, Brown, Bell, and Ciivleton have spoken. An effort fa to be made to-morrow to get the Roads Board Bill referred to a Select Committee, The Government state that an armed. guard went in the Rifleman to the Chathams. The Rostario will probably call at the Chathams, and the steamer Storm Bird has also left. Precautions will be also taken against seizure, the Defence Office, records showing that there must be, many prisoners left, if the statement of the mate, of the Rifleman, as to the number on board, be correct. The heaviest flood yet experienced in Napier occurred yesterday. Some houses were two feet deep in water. July 29, In the House of Representatives last night, after re-assembling, very little more was said on Mr, Rolleston's motion, and the whole evening was occupied with the Offences Bill. To-day, Mr Carleton haa been speaking on the late Hokianga disturbances, aud Mr Richmond is lnaltjng an equally long explanation. The Storm Bird leaves for the Chathama to-night. The Prison Commission Report recommends that one penal establishment should be erected for the whole colony, keeping in view the probability of another beingdesirable in the Middle Island ; Taranaki, Chathams, Auckland Islands, Quail Island, Mercury Island, Picton, Kapiti, Milford Sound, Stewart's Island, Durville Island, Great Barrier, and Oamaru are noted as fii sites. A commission of scientific, practical, and experienced persons is suggested to select the most eligible. Meanwhile, the, accommodation of local gaols should be increased, and hulks provided for worst criminals, placed where works of great public utility can be commenced at once. Dr Hector scientifically . recommends Stewart's Island for the south establishment, Durville for central, and Great Barrier for northern. Mr Balfour recommends the formation by penal labor of a harbour of refuge at Taranaki, and also. between the Grey and Buller. A despatch from the Duke of Buckingham, by the Panama mail, significantly says, " Although the responsibility for the management of the natives is now transferred to the Colonial Government, the state and condition of this portion of the colony has in no way lost its interest." The editor of the Wanganui Herald waa. committed for a court martial for 'writing' an offensive. letter to Colonel Gorton, ana absenting himself from parade. He apolo» gised subsequently, and was realised. Mr Haughton's motion for the reduction of duty on gold has just lapsed, owing to. his absence when called. July 30. In the House of Representatives, last night, when the Roads Bill came on, Mr Hall suggested that it be postponed until after Mr Fox's motion had come on today ; but as Mr Fox stated that he did not intend to oppose the second reading, but to ask for a Select Committee thereon, the debate was continued. Messrs Macan^ drew, Brandon, Reid, Yogel, J, O'Neill,, Heaphy, Bunny, Carleton, Reynolds, Mervyn, Baigent, Richmond, Borjas*,,

Burns, Kerr, and Hall spoke, when, it being midnight, an adjournment was proposed and rejected by 34 to 21. Messrs Jollie, Reid, Rolleston, and Stafford replied, and the secondreadingbeing carried, the Bill was referred to a Select Committee, consisting of Messrs Fox, Williamson, Carleton, Curtis, Bunny, Kenny, Stevens, Ormond, Jollie, Reid, Hankinson, and Hall. Every speaker condemned the Bill as inadequate in details to the wants of the Colony. Mr Richmond defended it on the ground that special legislation might bo had by any large district petitioning. Mr Hall emphatically declared that during the session the Government intended to bring in special measures for special districts ; and Mr . Stafford announced, for the first time, that the Government felt itself thenceforward bound to legislate for any part of the Colony. The House adjourned at one o'clock. Telegrams to the JVellinffton Indejwndent of tjiia morning state : — The Government forces, amounting to one hundred men, under Westruppand Wilson which had been sent out to intercept the Chatham Island runaways, opened fire upon them at Wairoa. The fire was returned by the runaways, and one white and one native were killed on our side, and several wounded. | The Government party broke and fled to the bush, leaving eighty horses, part of the provisions, clothing, and accoutrements in the hands of the Hau Haua. The Hau Haua then advanced upon Te Keinga en route for Waikaremona, but were met at the former place by Richardson's forces. A skirmish ensued, and the friendlies under Richardson fled as soon as the first shot was fired. The remainder of the forces then made a stand, and one of the Hau Hau chiefs was taken prisoner. 7.30 p.m. Mr Fox's motion is further postponed till eight o'clock this evening. On Mr Stafford's motion for a Select Committee on the Roads Bill, he explained that Mr Yogel and others were not included in the committee, because the Government had regarded them as inimical to the measure, and that they would endeavor to make it unworkable. He apologised if he was under a misapprehension. Mr Bell spoke strongly of the indignity cast upon him by Mr Hall having paraded outside a statement that the omission of his name arose from a similar cause. The journals of last session teemed with evidences of his desire to do justice to outlying districts, and he was in reality now omitted because of his opposition to the Petty Offences Bill. Mr Hall said that Mr Fox had been guilty of repeating private conversation. Mr Fox denied the accusation, saying that Mr Hall showed him the list of names in Bellamy's, remarking that Mr Bell's name could not be included because he thought that Mr Bell would " only pull the Bill to pieces." It was not a private but one which Government often made to the leading men of a party. He called for a ballot, which was immediately taken, with the following results :— Bell, 21 ; Yogel, 20 ; Reid, 17 ; Hall, 16 ; Carleton, 16 ; Jollie, 13 ; Cirtis, 13 ; Fox, 11 ; Kenny, 11 ; Camphell, 11; Mervyn, 10, and. Stafford as mover. ' A preliminary committee, composed of gentlemen from all the Provinces, is - forming to devise a colonial farewell to the Bishop of Lichfield, who stays only two months in the Colony. The news frdm Napier, sent from this morning's Independent, is not confirmed by telegrams received this afternoon. The whole account seems unreliable.