Telegrapic Intellingence.

Hawke's Bay Times, Issue 1579, 26 May 1874, Page 230

Telegrapic Intellingence.

PER ANGLO-AUSTRALIAN PRESS TELEGRAM AGENCr. INTERPROVINOIAL. 22»d May. Education Act.—A Bachelor Tax.— The Provincial Couucil has passed the clause in the Eduction Act, fixing the amount of rate. It ranges from £1 to £&. All bachelors arc to pay a tax of 20s. annually. 23rd May. Education Rate. —A public meeting has been called, fo protest against the Education Tax. The difficulties connected with valuation renders the tax hard to collect, ALEXANDRA, WAIKATO. 22nd May. Purukutu is keeping the aultath strictly at Otaneri. Already there is great grumbling amongst the Maories, who wish to come in to dispose of their produce. T A RT~N A K I. NEW PLYMOUTH. 23rd May. Education Rate. Council, the Education Bill has passed. It fixes a £1 tax upon householders. Financial Statement.— ln the Provincial Council Major Atkinson made a financial statement. He said the General Government had handed over to the province 110,000 acres of land, which it was proposed to open by means of a loan. An Emigration Agent was-to be seut to England, and the claims of militia scripholders are to be liquidated. The revenue for 1874, including the amount spent by the General Government at Patea, was £21,310, and the estimated expenditure, £23,000—£17,000 to be spent in roads and public works; £1.200, education; £5.000 for carrying on Government immigration }' Agent to cost £I,OOO per year. tyJELLINfITOIJ. 22nd May. Synod.—Pure Literature.— A long debate ensued in the Church of England Synod on Mr Lee's motion for the distribution amongst the people of religious literature of the purest and most readable kind. In the course of discussion, the opinion was expressed that the distribution of tracts and religious books was a waste of money and labor. Ultimately, it was decided that all parts of the dioceses should be supplied with the means of obtaining religious books, printed sermons, papers, Synod reports, lecture? on church history, and liturgy, A committee was appointed to carry out the resolution, Court of Appeal. Appeal, the case of Regina v. Wilmhurst, an appeal from a. couvictiou obtained at Cantei'bury„ j against ,tlie appellant, tbo surgeon

of the ship Isles of the South, for stealing medical stores, was heard., Mr Travers argued the case for the appellant, and contended,; that misappropriation of medical comforts by the surgeon of the ship could not amount to larceny, bnt was simply a breach of trust. The Chief Justice and Court would not trouble Mr Allen (for the Crown) for a reply. The conviction was therefore affirmed. Government Annuities.-- During the last year, according to the report issued by the Commissioner «f Annuities, there were' 1400 proposals for insurance, amouutiug to £54,780; of these, 309 were rejected, representing £120,750. The gross annual income of the Department was increased by £16,429. Nine claims had been made on the fund, amounting to £2BOO. Charge against a, Ship Master.—The passengers by the Golden Sea are taking proceedings against the captain for an insufficient supply of water on the passage out. , 23rd May. Synod.—ln the Church of England General Assembly Synod, a. Bill has been introduced and read a first time, for qualifying laymen of twenty-one years of age, and who have been two months membersof the Church, to take part in Church meetings. On the motionoftheßishopofDunedin.it was resolved that a closer intimacy should be cultivated between the branches of the Church in ■ England, New Zealand, and Australia. The Timber Industry.—Mr Fiudlay, late of the firm of Fiudlay Ha worth, & Co, saw-millers on the West Coast, has gone to Manchester, in order to obtain a block of Feilding's settlement to establish a saw-mill, and to lay dovvu tramways to connect with the Foxton tramway. 25th May. The Toll-gate Case.—The case between the Kaiwara toll-gate-keeper, and Mr Young, the mail coach-contractor, came on on Saturday. The Magistrate decided the same as the Wanganui Resident Magistrate, and dismissed the case.. It will now be brought before the Supreme Court. 0 T A G 0. DUNEDIN. 22nd May. The late Libel Case.—A new " Sensation."—Considerable nensation has been caused by publication in the Times of two telegrams from Judge Ward, dated April, in which Judge Ward asks Mr Vogel to suspend Judge Chapman until the General Assembly meets, aud to send Judge Johnston down to try the case of Macassey v. Bell,'for libel. Judge Ward says Judge Chapman is an interested party, because his son is a partner of Macassey, and himself godfather to Macassey's child, and that Judge Chapman only works through Macassey. Provincial Counoil.-~ Harbor and Mining Works. —ln the Council, Mr Stout's motion for the appointment of a Dunedin Harbor Trust, with power to borrow £250,000 to deepen the harbor, was carried. A deputation from the district of Lawrence waited on the Superintendent to ask his consideration of a petition requesting the expenditure of about £IO,OOO for a water channel |to facilitate mining [operations. The Superintendent promised to bring the matter under the notice of his Executive. City Election. Peter Gibson aud William Harris are nominated for the vacant seat in the City Council. PORT CHALMERS. 22nd May, Proposed Sailor's Home.—Endeavors are being made to establish a Sailor's Home here ; the Snperintendent is in favor of its being a provincial institution. As a persistent system of crimping has been carried on 'for some time, such au establishment, it is thought, would render this less prevalent. ENGLISH. [PEE CITY OF ADELAIDE.] LONDON. 23rd May. Indian Harvest Prospects.— In the House of Lords, the Marquis of Salisbury, Secretary for India, stated that the harvest in India promised to be abundant. Soene in the House of Commons.— In the House of Commons Mr Smollet moved " That the suddenness of the late dissolution of Parliament is deserving of the censure of the House." He characterized the act as a coup d'etat by which the last Government sought unconstitutionally to retain their power. He declared that Mr Gladstoiie had resorted to a stratagem which was ungenerous to his friends, insolvent to his opponents, and barely honest to the nation. —Mr Whalley seconded the motion.—Mr Gladstone stigmatized the assertion that the dissolution was secretly planned as untrue, absurd, and impossible. He challenged Mr Smollet to a repetition of the word " thickster," applied to him. Dpon the refusal of Nr Smollet to repeat the expression, he charged him with want of decency and manliuess. He then defended the act of dissolution, which he declared would have been more inconvenient had it been postponed. Upon concluding his speech, Mr Gladstone left the House.—The motion was negatived withou' a division. Much excitement was manifested during the debate and at its close. The Grand Duke Alexis is the only member of the llussian Imperial family who will accompauy the Czar on his visit to England. The death of John Philips, Geologist, is announced to-day. His death was caused by accident, at the age of seventy-three years. A lock out of fifteen thousand miners is expected in Cornwall. The expectation of another rise in the Thames and an overflow caused thousands of persons to throng its banks and fill the barges which cross it. The water did rise to an unusual height, but no damage was done. Placards are posted up in the agricultural districts of England, cautioning intending immigrants to the United States on the authority of Consul Archibald of New York, that forty thousand persons there are ready to return to England. The steamer Atrato, after repairing and passing an inspection, left on Easter Monday with 400 immigrants for Canterbury and Otago. Several of the immigrants who left the first time refused to proceed, and returned to their homes after enjoying a trip for several days, with free rations. A. terrible explosion in the mines in Dunkiufield caused the death of 53 persons, aud injured 20 others. Joseph Arch is to arrange for an extensive immigration of farm laborers from England to America. The steamship Faraday has begun to load with the new Atlantic cable, which is to be laid direct to the United States. Two railway accidents have occurred in England, causing the death and injury of twenty persons. Mr'Gladstone, in reviewing tl}C Budget, said he regarded the reduction of a penny in the income-tax as au important step towards the total abolition of the tax. .A bill abolishing the sugar duties has finally passed the House of Commons. At'a special meeting of the National Agricultural Laborers Union, £IOOO was granted for the relief of the locked-out laborers, four tbousaud of whom are now on the Union's funds. A London letter says ~" In the Eastern counties of England there is a bitter conflict between the farmers and: the laborers. The latter joined the Union in Warwickshire, and demanded an extra shilliuga week. This was refused, and the laborers consequently struck on one or two farms. The farmers generally retaliated by locking out all the Union men, declaring that henceforth they would employ only non-unionists. The landlords are supporting the farmers, and threaten to eject all tenants who do not hold aloof from all relation with the uuionists,"'

The Parliamentary vote to defray the expenses of the Ashantee expedition amounts to £900,000. A new movement has been started in London for the return to Parliament of working men. An organization has been formed with this object, and a committee appointed. A bill has been introduced into Parliament at the instigation of the Early Closing Association, for closing all shops at 8 p.m. Dr. Kenealy has been excluded from the Bar mess at Oxford Circuit for want of etiquette in the Tichborne case. This deprives him ol his professional, status, no furor being allowed to engage with him. In a letter press, he indignantly denies the charges made against him. He says he dissents from the verdict of the jury, aud still believes the claimant to be Tichborne ; that the real Arthur Ortori will be in England before twelve months, and will be a?knowledged as such, and the defendant released. FOREIGN. PARIS. 22nd May. Particulars of the election in Switzerland indicate that the plebiscite on the-revision of the federal constitution resulted in a majority of 100,000 in favor of revision. Sixty millious have been voted for the repairs of the French fortifications. Will reference to the escape of Rochefort, one of his friends on Paris soil says that the escape of the French convict has already led to a change of notes between the Cabinets at Versailles and St. Jame's. According to the information given to the English Government, the rescue was effected by a French vessel fittted out by friends of the prisoners, and having on board a crew of twenty-five men, quite determined to fight if necessary. Seventeen convicts were to be carried off ; but when the time arrived only five were ready, the others being engaged at the work assigned them. The English authorities declared that the captain fraudulenly hoisted the British flag; but the French believe that they can prove that she vessel was equipped and prepared in a British port, • and that the British Government should be held responsible. Upon reaching Sydney, Rochefort ".telegraphed for 25,000 francs to M. Adam, formerly prefect iu the Paris police, and the guardian of his children. After satisfying himself that there was no attempt at a hoax, Adam forwarded the money, part of which had been supplied by two newspapers, viz : the Rci>ubli(£M Francaise, and the Appcl, M. Victor Hugo also contributing 0,300 francs. The distress of the laboring classes in Paris daily grows wider. 400,000 francs have been subscribtd for their relief. BERLIN. 22nd May. A German tribunal at Savarene has con- ■ demned the Bishop of Nancy, and imposed a heavy fine upon him for his charge to the clergy, issued last Jnly. Two batches of Lorraine priests, 37 in all, were tried at the Court of Metz for reading from the pulpit the Pastoral of the Bishop of Nancy, commanding the faithful to pray to the Blessed Virgin to intercede for the speedy re-union of the annexed Provinces of France. Of the first batch, eleven of the ecclesiastics were condemned to a fortnight's imprisonment ; the remainder were acquitted. ITALY. A large number of Roman noblemen attended the Vatican on the 23rd March, to pay homage to the Pope as a counter-demon-stration to the celebration of the King's accession. His Holiness made an energetic speech, praising the unalterable devotion of the Roman nobility, who had given the world a unique example of faithfulness in adversity. A large meeting of Romans was held at Souggie. MADRID. 22nd April. The Carlist General Daballo, commanding Guipascao, has issued a proclamation decreeing the punishment of death to all parties furnishing food to the cities of San Sebastian, Reutira and Irun. A despatch from Piers Abanta says that an army of five thousand republican troops are marching on Valmayeda, a town 22 miies from Bilboa, Three millions of reals, intended for the Carlists, have been seized in Santada. A rumor is current that the Carlists have asked Marshal Serrano for an amnesty. Senor Castelar has written a letter declaring himself in favor of a settled republic. ST. PETERSBURG. The official report relative to Central Asian affairs says that after the Turcomans had been punished for their robberies, tranquility was perfectly re-established, and the tribute collected from the Jumuden, although with great difficulty. The Usbekin, on the other bank of the Amu Daria, have since declared themselves most grateful to the Russians who have liberated the Khivees from the oppressions of Jumuden. AMERICAN. NEW YORK. 21st May. Terrible Floods in Louisiana-Fifteen thousand people have been driven from their homes by the breaking of the level on the banks of the Mississippi in Louisiana. Large breadths Of the best qottqn lands of the country are overflowed, and the crops ruined, or greatly damaged. From Cape Grandeau to Red River, there are seven or eight million acresof bottom land, ranking as the most productive cotton land in the world. The product of this fertile tract in good seasons is worth four or five million dollars. At last accounts several thousand people occupying these fertile lands were not only driven out, but were in a starving condition. A New Orleans telegram states that most gloomy reports continue to be received of the effects of the inundation at various points. The whole of the Amite valley is submerged; houses, barns, implements, and animals were washed away ; and the inhabitants were forced to flee to the highlands, where they remain in a destitute condition. A letter from the Red River country says : "Wc are entirely overflowed; all bankrupts; have no provisions, no money; many starving. The water all over the country is still rising. The cattle not droWned are dying for want of food. Sheep and hogs have been drowned by the hundred." Subscriptions are being raised in all parts of the States for the relief of the sufferers. In New York, SBO,OOO was quickly subscribed. A submarine cable between America and Honolulu is projected by American capitalists in San Francisco. The friends of Stokes, tho murderer of Jas. Fisk, intend applying for his pardon. President Grant has vetoed the Senate Currency Bill. The President's message regarding the Navigators' Islands is soon to be printed. The report of Commissioner Steinburger attracted considerable attention. The conflict of claims,to the Governorship of Arkansas causes great anxiety. Brooks and Baxter, the rival claimants, have each raised an army. The Federal troops have been called on to restore quiet. SAN FRANCISCO. The Rio Janeiro mail steamer has arrived, aud reports a rupture between the Argentine republic and the government of Monte Video, iu consequence of Yarmiento arbitrarily closing the river against the Oriental Company's vessels. A settlement of the difficulty is hoped for. The bandit Vasquez, for whose head a reward of $15,000 was offered, is again ravaging the southern counties of California. He seized the ranchera San Gabriel, at the mission near Los Angelos", and compelled him'to write a cheque for $500." An epidemic of crime has broken out at San Francisco. ' Six violent deaths are' rpporle.d in one week, One murderer committed

suicide bcide the body of his victim, j Another case nearly jsimilar, occurred a few I days after, but the coroner's jury, disbelieving the statement of the survivor, found him guilty of the murder of his comrade. VENEZUELA, Latest advices state that Governor Pulgar, of Marrcaibo, has fled from his Province to I Kingston, on account of a revolt against his ) despotism. CHILE. j News has reached Panama of the loss of the Oriental Company's coasting steamer Pacha, with nineteen persons. The loss of life is- attributed to the panic which seized the,crew, two of whom made off with. the. only boat. '.'■'} • a '.."'" ■ ' HONOLULU. c " * 22nd May. Latest advices state that the King has returned from his tour through the Islands, during which he sought to make himself intimately acquainted with the condition of affairs. He was everywhere cordially received. The session of the Legislative Assembly was opened by the King. In his speech, which was highly commended by the press, he urged the desirability of econo* mizing the public expenditure, of encouraging immigration, of free labor, of schemes for water supply, irrigation, aud the encouragement of steam communication with Australia. -