By Electric Telegraph

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 303, 18 December 1874, Page 3

By Electric Telegraph

(From our own correspondent:)

: Dunedin; •Thursday -Evening. It is a holiday here to-day, and nothing is doing. The "weather is miserable. At a* meeting of the Waste Land Board yesterday ah opinion was read from, the Provincial Solicitor, that licenses and leases should be signed by all members of the Board, not by the Chief Commissioner only, as hitherto.. Strode is strongly of opinion that, if the iaw required it, the signatures of all the members should be appended, till the law was altered. It was resolved that things should go on as before. Strode wanted the opinion of the Attorney-General as to the legality of the present practice, but the amendment was lost. No holder of land under the deferred payments system, can assign his interest to another person. A proposal has been mooted by the Pacific Mail Company to place the steamers Vasco de Gama and Vancouver in the Australian and New Zealand trade. It was originally suggested in the event of undertaking the maU service, but afterwards to utilise the steamer, which would be rendered unnecessary in the present trade, when the steamers arrived from New York. Both steamers named are English screw boats, similar to the Tartar, and'wouldjmaterially interfere with the passenger and cargo trade of the mail steamers. Per Tararua: —„ London, December 4.. Mares, commander of the Challenger, has been appointed to the command of the new Polar expedition. ,-■; ~- -^ ...... December 5. Gordon; late Governor of the Mauritius, has been appointed Governor of Eiji. Berlin, December 5. There was a violent scene in the German Parliament when Bismarck, replying to an attack by a clerical deputy, declared that Kull belonged to the centre of the clerical party. The German Chancellor has announced the suppression of the German legation of the Vatican. London, December 9. Bismarck is defending the suppression of the legation of the Vatican. He withdrew

the conciliatory remarks which he had made - on a former occasion, in order to prevent any misrepresentation. He had sought peace from Borne on any terms; but the diplomatic relations were superfluous while the Pope urged the elergy to break laws. LATEST AUSTRALIAN. Melbourne, December 9th There is slight prospect of prorogation before Christmas. It has been elicited that the Government do not intend to subsidise a line of steamers by way of the Cape. A proposition, was made, by the American transit parties tfias ail the expeditions shonld meet in Vjelhiwinje in February. . _ Sydney.. Greai political excitement exists Thirteen candidates- have been nominated for East Sydney. At Newcastle the ]Treasurer opposed Sutherland. The Minister of 'Lands "was'returned unopposed, IJSPtnJLISHEI).. - . _ ?»relbqurne.. •"' The weather "cleared during the afternooir,. and enabled splendid transit observations tobe taken at Beechworth when the weather was fine. ' -———♦ -- St, Bathans, Thursday evening: Mr Ewmg met the electors of Welshman's Gully last night in the schoolroom. There was a numerous attendance—every elector irt the neighborhood, except two, being present. Mr. Paterson occupied the chair. Mr. Ewing was well received; and, at the close of his really able address, it was proposed by Mr. "W. Smart, and seconded- by Mr. W.. Williams—"That, in the opinion of thismeeting, Mi-. Kwmg is a? fit and proper person' to represent the district." An.amendment' was proposed by Mr. Brown, but could not'find a seconder; and the motion was carried without a dissentient voice. The candidatewas questioned at considerable length on* an variety of subjects, and his replies were given- - with a promptitude that told well in his favor, and elicited hearty;applause. "An-influ-ential committee has been formed here in Ewiug's interest. It is conridentialiy expected that he will be returned by a; consiV derable majority.