A SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCE

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 18, Issue 1184, 29 November 1871, Page 2

A SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCE

The Southern Cross, Nov. 21, says : There was considerable animation on 'Change yesterday in Tookey stock, which rose from «£3O to ,£4O during the day, and closed with an upward ten dency. A. number of well-known speculators chartered the ps. Comerang, and left Auckland last evening, the destination being, it is reported, Sydney, to purchase Tookey stock. Mr Brissendcn was a passenger. At one o'clock yesterday, GrevihVs Telegram Company despatched a message announcing the rise in the price of shares overland to Tauranga, and this will probably be in time to catch the Claud Hamilton leaving the Bluff for Melbourne. Should it do so, the message will of course be forwarded by the firm in Melbourne to their subscribers at Sydney and Ballarat, immediately upon receipt. If it is therefore correct that the Comerang has gone on the mission stated those interested will watch the result anxiously. The Southern Cross, of 22nd Nov., remarks : On 'Change, yesterday, Tookey shares maintained the high figure they had reached the day previous,. There are, we are informed, a considerable "number of shares owned by Auckland capitalists under offer in the Australian market, and it was as much to with draw these as £o take advantage of early information to purchase at low rates, that the Comerang was chartered, on Monday, to proceed to Sydney. It i*> stated that the Royal Alfred also was chartered, to convey a private telegram to Tauranga station, for the purpose of catching the Claud Hamilton at the Bluff. One difficulty, however, stands in the way of privacy and safety in such telegrams, unless placed in the hands of a private agent, as the New Zealand department will not receive telegrams for trans mission to any Australian town except through poftt, there being no arrangement between the telegraph departments of this and the neighboring colonies, as Grevilles Telegram Company are the only accredited agents in New Zealand for the whole of the Australian Governments. With regard to the telegram sent to the Thames by Creville and Co, for transmission overland, last night's Evening Star states : " We learn that some gentleman of local enterprise offered on his own hook, ,£2O to the Greville's messenger, to delay his journey. The message lias nevertheless proceeded." The same journal remarks :—" It is evident that the will is not wanting with those who have chartered the Conurang, to do a stroke. But wc believe that the people of Syd-

Bey, Melbourne, and Ballarat are what is vulgarly termed * too fly ? not to m& pect something when an insignificant steamer arrives thus suddenly, and without notice, and a demand for Tookeys set in. Some men are smart, but others may be smart too." The expedition is certainly a legitimate and en terprising one, and has been initiated with an energy which deserves success, The Evening Post, November 27, contains the following :—"We are request e< I by Greville's manager to state that the message above alluded to as having been sent to Tauranga, never reached him. The ftrst intimation of the rise in Tookey's was received in a telegram from Auckland, via Nelson, dated 23rd November, by the s.s. Wellington, and which arrived here on Saturday morning. Yesterday another telegram, dated Auckland, 22nd Nov., was received via Wanganui. This telegram announced the rise in Tookeys and the sailing of the Comerang. J t appears, therefore, that there has been foul play in ttjje matter, and we are authorised to say that it will be thoroughly sifted. We may ac|<l that the Otago Daily Times of the 23rd published an Auckland telegram dated 21st, and re« ceived via Tauranga, announcing the rise in shares and the departure of the Comerang. Greville's manager has today forwarded to his Auckland agent the following telegram -.r—" No telegram, re Tookoys reached me via Tauranga. Make rigid enquiry, lest trickery practised. Will criminally prosecute any party or parties concerned in wilfully burking our telegrams."