Telegraphic News.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 357, 14 December 1878, Page 16

Telegraphic News.

Carterton, December 9. Hired labor in the district is very scarce. The laborers at the Greytown River works, who were paid at the rate of Is. per hour, left off work on Saturday, and refuse to resume unless the rate is increased. December 11. At the meeting at Masterton last night the following letter was read :—" General Crown Lands- Office, Wellington, 22nd November, 18 78.—T0 H. Bunny, Esq.—Sir,—l have to inform you, with reference to your personal inquiry, that a petition has been received from the borough of Masterton, praying that certain land therein described, comprising 182 acres 1 rood 30 perches, may be granted to the borough as an endowment, in pursuance of sectiyn 350 of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1876. The petition will be considered and dealt with in the same manner as other similar applications from various boroughs throughout the colony, immediately before next session of Parliament, so that the 351st section of the Act may be complied with, and the reservation submitted to both Houses of Legislature.—l have, &c, Robert Stout, Minister of Lands." Feilding, December 10. Mr. Billerbeek's child, about ten months old, was drowned yesterday in Makino Creek backwater. A young man who saw the child in the water went searching for a constable instead of attempting to rescue the child. Auckland, December 9. Mr. Maclean is engaged in organising the Land Tax Department. Eleven hundred Catholics, in; a temperance procession yesterday, beaded by a man-bearing the "Union Jack, with bands playing and green banners waving, marched through the principal streets. The. Sydney Herald states that at a recent meeting of the High Commissioners Court at Levuka a summons was applied for against the Rev. G-. Brown for alleged manslaughter, but his friends at Fiji thought it would be fairer that he should be tired in New Britain. It will probably be some time before the High Commissioners can proceed to Fiji to inquire. During the Catholic temperance, procession yesterday a demented woman, wearing an orange sash, crossed through the ranks, and

persisted in walking Joeside the carriage containing the priests. A. horseman riding beside the carriage tried to for ce the woman out of the way, when a bystander said, "If you touch that: woman I'll drag; you off your horse." The woman then proceeded unmolested. The brigantine Meg Merrilies arrived at six a'clock this evening from the Islands. Considerable excitement was caused when it became kuown that Captain Moller, well known in Auckland, had been murdered several weeks ago, and that McArtliur and Co.'s trader, Thomas Reynolds, was arrested, charged with the crime. "The circumstances are alleged to be as ifollows :—The morning after the brigantine arrived at Butavlava they begAn taking in copra for McArthur and Co. The captain and Reynolds could not agree. Captain Moller went ashore for the purpose of bringing off trade. Reynolds was walking about ashore with a gun loaded with shot.. The captain was about to take a cask of beef, when Reynolds, said "If you touch that you are a dead : man." He then fired at Cap tain Moller, and the shot took effect in the left arm. The vessel then proceeded to Ebon, in f;he Marshall Group, to rind a doctor. Next jamming _ the captain was taken ashore to the American Mission, where he expired in /great agony. Reynolds was arrested after shooting by Messrs. Breven, -Disney,' and Grant, and brought to Auckland and handed to the police. He will be charged at the Police Court tomorrow. On the arrival of the schooner, Moller's wife, ignorant of his death, met the vessel in the stream. There was a. harrowing scene. » Decfjmber 10. A nine-roomed house, occupied 1 >y Frederick King, Symonds-street, was totally destroyed by fire this morning. Very lit'tie furniture was saved. It was insured for £2OO, and was owned by Mr. Guthrie. At a meeting of grocers' assist ants a report submitted showed that sixty-nine masters had signed in favor of Saturday being a half-holi-day after two o'clock. Father Hennebery has closed! his mission. He has collected £llOO for Church purposes. The mail steamer Australia has arrived with the outward mails for San Francisco, after a passage of four days eight hours. The horses Ariel and Beppo have arrived per Rotorua for the Auckland race.s. The grocers have agreed to give three months trial to the Saturday afternoon closing. A fire at the Khyber Pass-road 'destroyed the residence of Ring, commission agent. The furniture was insured in the Norwich Union for £l5O, and the piano for £SO ; the house in the New Zealand Company for £4OO. -'■"■' . • December 11. The M.eg Merrilies has brought from the South Sea Islands five of the crew of the Norwegian brigantine Jasen, from Melbourne. She was on a trading cruise among the Gilbert Group, and was wrecked on Contaritari reef. All hands were saved. Mr. Beaver, son of the agent, was aboard. The wreck was sold for £lO to Captain Thomas, formerly her supercargo. ... At the annual meeting of the City Council, Mr. Brett, the retiring Mayor, made a favorable report on the progress of the city. He said £21,000 had been spent during the year on street improvement alone. The Council passed a unanimous vote of thanks to the retiring Mayor for his conduct of the business. The City Solicitor advised the Council, with reference to the application for a grant to the Mechanics' Institute, thatt they cannot, legally make-a grant to any library not under their own control. December 12. Sir George Grey on arrival was received by the Chairman of the .Harbor Board, Mr. O'Rorke, M.H.R;, and ot her leading citizens. Mr. Macandrew is exp< icted here to-morrow, and Mr. Sheehan on Monday. The late Harbor Boa.rd endowments and wharf tolls realised £487. At a meeting of the Hibernian Society last night, Fynes, the vicar-general, introduced Father Hennebery, who, he said, was willing to give them the benefit of his talents, and he hoped the society would stand, by him. Father Hennebery then requested the society to assist him in securing denomination al education. It is rumored that the Roman Catholics intend publishing a special organ. 1 ile hoped that in a short time the Catholic schc >ols in Auckland, under the pew rent system, w ould be in practical working order, and th at the telegraph and other means should be i atilised to obtain efficient teachers. The Crown lands ranger las reported to the Waste Lands Board that the Kafcikati farms were highly creditable. The settlers, are healthy, happy, and prospero us. Grahamstov* >n, December 7. Mr. Wakefield, the Under Secretary for the Goldfields, has returned, af';er making himself thoroughly acquainted with the district under his control. Sir George Grey is to address his constituents here next week. Alexandra, December 7. The telegrams from New Plymouth are causing no little excitement amongst the natives here. They say it is all nonsense that Rewi has granted land for railvray construction, and that if any survey is attempted trouble will at once take place, and as Purukutu is still about, the colony m ight lose the services of a valuable Native Minister. Major Te Wheoro leaves here to-morrow for the Aku run, Raglan Heads, to meet Tawhiao at the opening of the new house erected for him there. A good deal of interest is manifested by the natives in the telegrams from New Plymouth regarding the arrangements and negotiations which have been going on between Sheehan and Rewi regarding the granting of land for railway construction. Napiek, December 6. A curious circumstance occurred at the Criterion Hotel last evening, where Judge Gillies is occupying a suite" of rooms.' About 5 o'clock he heard a noise, which proceeded from his

bedroom. He called his secretary, and found the room locked from the inside. Upon entrance being effected, his Honor found a Maori couple had occupied the apartment without permission. As the man could not be charged as a vagrant because it was before nine o'clock at night, he was charged with being on the premises with felonious intent, and as he pleaded guilty, the magistrate gave him a month in gaol, though it is not considered that the natives had any dishonest intention, as they are both respectable people from Wairoa. December 9. In the case of Charles Stewart, for stealing jewellery in a registered post office packet addressed to Charles Stuart, the jury found that prisoner received the packet without felonious intent, but afterwards retained it with felonious intent. Judge Gillies ruled that that was a verdict of not guilty under the section of the Act under which prisoner was indicted. Had he been indicted under the 46th section, instead of the 41st, the finding of the jury would have amounted to a verdiot of guilty. It might be said there was a failure of justice through the prisoner being wrongly indicted. There is another charge against the prisoner—that of detaining a letter after its being demanded from him—and on that he will be tried to-morrow. December 10. Charles Stewart was convicted to-day of misdemeanor, in neglecting to deliver up a post office letter, when the same was demanded of him. He said it had been delivered to him in mistake. He was sentenced to two years' hard labor. Kerihi Keromihi, a native, was sentenced to nine months for horse stealing. Andrew Taylor, for unlawfully pounding at the Western Spit, was acquitted. Thomas James McManus, for larceny of over £SO in bank notes from a drunken man at the Star Hotel, was convicted and sentenced to eighteen months. A witness in this ease named John Robertson, formerly a watchmaker and jeweller in Napier, but now of Christjhurch, failed to appear, and his recognisances were estreated. There is one more criminal case to-morrow. There are three civil cases for trial. December 12. Mr. W. H. Floyd, who for a number of years has held the position of electrician and inspector of telegraphs on the East Coast, and who is leaving to take charge of railway telegraphs in the Middle Island, was presented to-day with a handsome marble eight-day clock, a silver liqueur frame and silver cakebasket, and a gold pencil-case, altogether to the value of £SO, the gifts of the officials in his circuit. The presentation was made through Mr. Stringer, the officer in charge of the telegraph station. The criminal sittings of the Supreme Court closed with the trial of Kipa Wharekua for stealing a letter containing a cheque from a mail-bag that he was carrying. He was found guilty and sentenced to three years' penal servitude. The arrest of this prisoner was made under unusual circumstances. The prisoner was in a pa about 10 miles from Waiuku and 130 from Gisborne. Constable Dorris reached the pa early in the morning, and managed to get the prisoner out quietly before the other occupants of the pa were up. At some little distance outside there was another constable waiting, and on reaching him the prisoner was hurried off to Gisborne. It is believed that this is the first instance in which a native prisoner has been openly brought through, the Maori country. Jn the case of the murder of the woman at Waiapu the prisoners were brought away by sea. . ■ Taubanga, December 11. A numerously and influentially signed address was presented to Captain Malcolm, on his leaving per s.s. Wanaka for the South, this morning. New Plymouth, December 7. Every preparation is being made to get the Hauraki off the Waitara Spit during the coming spring tides. Captain Dale is sanguine of success. So far little damage has been done to the vessel. December 11. The Darrell's finish a most successful season here to-night.. They leave with the Star Pantomime Company to-morrow for Nelson, where they open on Saturday night. Darrell has engaged most of the members of the Star Company to go with .him to Wellington, where he will meet Regnold. They will play " Henry "V." with one of the largest companies ever collected together in New Zealand, and some of the finest scenery, which is carried about with the-company. Darrell and Regnold will open in Wellington on Boxing Night. Thomas Edward Armstrong, charged with wilfully failing to support his wife and child at Invercargill, was remanded to that town, and will be sent there by steamer in the morning. Blenheim, December 9. There was a severe hailstorm over Picton and the coast this morning. The hailstones were as big as marbles. Several windows were broken and crops damaged. The storm did not reach as far as Blenheim, but came within a few miles of it. December 10. The Torea is badly damaged, but is.likely to be got off. The cargo is destroyed. At the Supreme Court sittings to-day, before the Chief Justice, Caroline Braund, tried for perjury, was acquitted. In the case of George Sten house, for libel, a verdict of no bill was returned. There is only one case left, Robinson v. Bush, which will be heard to-morrow. Nelson, December 6. Mr. Hursthouse addressed his Motueka constituents on Wednesday night. He said he was a strong opponent of the present Ministry, and criticised unfavorably all their leading measures of last session. He received a, unanimous vote of confidence. December 10. The Good Templar Grand Lodge commenced session in the Temperance Hall this morning. Present— G. W. C. Templar Jago (in the chair); W. Carr, D. Cameron, Rev. Mr. Roseby, and

Sister Lamb, from Dunedin ; Cuthbertson, from the Taieri ; Monson, from Port Chalmers ; F. Smith, Otago North-Central ; Oorrigan and Craig, North Otago; McEachen, Cromwell ; Cheyne, Southland ; Webber and King, East Christchurch ; Cleanham, West Christchurch ; Dimond, Lyttelton ; Andrews, Mid-Canterbury ; Evans and Irwin, North Canterbury; Price and Proctor, Timaru ; Turner and Barrowman, Hokitika; Boase and Donovan, Grey Valley ; Brown, Buller; Rickard, Nelson ; Earll, Marlborough ; Coles and Hudson, Wellington ; Harding, Hawke'a Bay; Innis, Queenstown. The lodge has been hitherto engaged in discussing reports of officers, which show, inter alia, that there are 156 lodges of good standing in the district, being an increase of 10 during the year ; also that there are now 1638 juvenile Templars. December 11. At the Good Templars' Grand Lodge the following clause in the G. W.C.T.'s report was adopted :—" We may rest assured that no Government will take any political action which will effectually control, restrict, or suppresa the liquor trade, until such action is resolutely demanded by a parliamentary majority, backed by a public opinion which will not take no for an answer. It should be our business to aid in the development of that public opinion; our platform embraces prohibition as well as total abstinence. By the latter we seek to secure ourselves from the evil deeds of others. We endorse the utterances of Professor Rolleston when he says that the cause of drunkenness is just drinking, and to stop the former we want to discontinue the latter. But we also take our place by the side of Senator Marville when he denounced the traffic in intoxicating beverages as the gigantic crime of crimes, and agree with General Neal Dow that to attempt to fight drunkenness without prohibition is like going into the battlefield with blank cartridges. Brothers and sisters, very soon will f the crisis be upon us.' A general election looms in the not far distant future. It will be for us to organise our forces, so as to exercise that influence on the new Parliament which our numbers, and the importance of the issues involved in the war we urge, warrant us to expect." December 12. The Good Templar Grand Lodge election of officers for the year resulted as follows : G.W.C.T., Jago, Dunedin; G.W.C., Earll, Blenheim; G.W.V.T., Allsworch, Wanganui; GW.S., Cameroa, Dunedin ; G.W.T., Carr, Dunedin; G.W. Chaplain, Rev. JKoseby, Dunedin ; G.W.M., Webber, Christchurch ; G.S., J. T. Smith, Christchurch ; G 1., Coles, Wellington; G.S., Barrovvman, Kumara ; G.A.S., Hudson, Wellington ; G.D.M., Sister Lamb, Dunedin. The Good Templar Grand Lodge have decided that members of seceding lodges wishing to return to their allegiance may do so, and retain all the honors acquired. The next session of the Grand Lodge is to be held at Christchurch. Reefxon, December 9. The Pactolu3 Company have cleared up after a trial crushing of 36 tons of stone, which yielded 278 ounces of retorted gold. A dividend of Is. per share (20,000 shares) has been declared, and a similar amount will be divided from next crushing. The mine looks remarkably well. , GRETMOOTH, December 10. The Bendigo Gas Company of Victoria have accepted the tender of the Brunner Coal Company to supply them with 3000 tons, of coal per annum at an advance of 4s. per ton on what Newcastle coal could be delivered at Bendigo for. ....,' December 11. A man named William Scratchley, a miner, dropped dead on the street at eight o'clock this morning. Chbistchuech, December 6. A large area of crop on Lightband's has been ruined by the drought, but the later sown crops have much improved since the rain which fell a few days since. The annual presentation of prizes took place at the Normal School, when the principal referred to the difficulty of teaching children unless they were regular attendants. Out of some 800 scholars only some twenty or thirty had during the year attended every day. The attendance at this school is rapidly increasing. A fire broke out this afternoon at the timber yard of Mr. Daniel Reese. The firemen were soon on the spot, and extinguished the fire before it had done much damage. The fire originated in the engine-room. December 9. The three boys charged with incendiarism were discharged with a caution, it being clearly proved that the fire was the result of an accident through their playing with matches. The amount raised in Christchurch and Sydenham on behalf of the sufferers by the Waimate fire is £3OO, of which Mr. John Ollivier personally collected £260. At a meeting of the Supply Committee this morning a feeling seemed to prevail that for the present at least it would be advisable only to provide a temporary scheme for supplying water for sanitary and iire-prevention purposes. December 10. The people of Akaroa have invited the Hon. John Hall, W. Robinson, E. Gray, and Mr. W. Montgomery, M.H.R., to a banquet on the Bth of January, in recognition of their services in connection with the Akaroa railway. A large stone was found on the line near Flaxton last Saturday, evidently placed there with the intention to wreck the train. Fortunately it was seen and removed in time. The police have the matter in hand. At the City Council meeting last night the Mayor said he considered Hospital Sunday a mean way of robbing churches. Notice was given to dispense with the services of the City Solicitor, after a long and acrimonious discussion. December 12. Mr. James Edward Fitzgerald, ComptrollerGeneral,- is now on a visit to Canterbury. Mr. Floyd has been appointed manager of

railway. telegraphs for the South Island, and ' commences his duties on the Ist January. It is proposed to wholly dissociate the railway telegraphs from the general telegraphs of the colony. New railway workshops are to be commenced immediately upon a piece of ground adjoining the station at Addington, some twenty acres in extent. The whole of the old workshops will be removed, every available space being required for strictly railway purposes. His Lordship the Bishop arrived early this morning ; he will be welcomed by an address to-night, and there will be a special service in the Cathedral on Monday. A special service was held this evening at St. Michael's Church, to welcome the Bishop on his return from England. An address of welcome was read by the Very Rev. the Dean, and the Bishop briefly replied, saying he would take another opportunity of giving a fair account of the Lambeth Conference. He afterwards proceeded to the college library and distributed the prizes to the scholars of Christ's College. A very heavy south-wester has just sprung Tip, and the town is in a cloud of dust unprecedentedly thick. Heavy banks of clouds threaten rain before morning. TIMAKU, December 10. At a meeting of the Geraldine County Council at Temuka to-day, Alexander Wilson, senior, wks elected chairman. The meeting adjourned till the 31st of December. It is understood that the members are in favor of adopting the whole of the Counties Act. Dunedin, December 6. The secretary of the Melbourne Cricket Club has written to the secretary of the Ofcago Cricket Association to the effect that New Zealand is not included in the programme of the English cricket team, and he does not see how New Zealand can be visited. In thanking the "Vincent Council for his election to the chair Mr. Pyke touched upon Beveral subjects. Regarding the late disastrous floods, he said Parliament, at its last session voted £50,000 ; as a first instalment of which sum he claimed £15,000. He had every confidence it would be obtained. Already the county had received 5000, and the balance was to be paid in due course. i Ten declarations of insolvency have 'been made during the past week. It is understood, says the " Prices Current," that McMeckan, Blackwood, and Company take £30,000 of the purchase money for their steamers in shares in the "Union Company. The nominations of immigrants received at the Dunedin office between November Ist and November 28th were for 49 souls, equal to 45J atatute adults. The Invercargill nominations during the same period were for 17 souls, or 16£ statute adults. December 7. The annual exhibition of the Otago Artw Society opened yesterday. The contribution's are generally admitted to be superior to thosje of last year. At the monthly meeting of the Otago branch Educational Institute yesterday, a question relating to science in schools was discussed. The opinion was generally expressed that the syllabus recently issued by the Minister of Education was of too ponderous and learned a nature to be of any practicable value to teachers. December 9. A young man who left Dunedin a couple of months ago has been arrested by Detective Bain in Sydney for forgery. G. M. Reed, on relinquishing the editorship of the Daily Times, was presented with a diamond ring on Saturday tiy the staff of that paper. December 10. The breach of promise case of Cayford v. Carruthers was mentioned in chambers to-day before Justice Williams, amd it was decided that it should be heard at Lmnedin in January next. December 11. The Otago Rifle Association matches commenced this morning. Thei weather was very unfavorable. Subjoined are the results of the first match. Ranges 200, 400, 500, and 600 yards; five shots at each range:—First prize, a cup presented by Mr. W. Mason (value fifteen guineas), and £1 cash; second, a trophy, value £5 ss, and a bread basket; third prize, value £5 ss, and £3 cash ; fourth, £5; fifth, £4; sixth, £3 ; seventh, £2 ; eighth, ninth, and tenth, £1 each. Lieut. Reid Bruce, 69; Volunteer Dempter, 69 ; Volunteer Mills, 67; Captain Wilson, 67 ; Vol. C. McCartney, 66; Vol. E. R. Smith and Vol. Kennedy, 65. The Attorney-Ge-neral intends to address his constituents at the latter part of next week. Invercargill, December 6. There is universal regret here at the death of Sir J. L. C. Richardson. The single women immigrants per Waitara were sent to town last night, and declared open to engagement. The barracks were almost rushed, and every woman was engaged in a few hours. December 7. At an adjourned meeting of Scotchmen to-day steps were taken to obtain subscriptions towards the appeal on behalf of the Glasgow Bank shareholders. The calamity is regarded as a national one, appealing to all British subjects, and a large amount is expected to be obtained. Subscription lists are being circulated. The Times, in a leader on railway matters, recommends greater liberality in the general issue of return tickets. At a meeting of the Invercagill school committee yesterday afternoon, Mr. Graham, of Stawell, Victoria, was appointed head master of South Invercargill school, at a salary of £3OO, and Miss Smith, of Riverton, school mistress, salary £l2O. December 9. A meeting of the citizens of Invercargill was held in the Athenaßum this afternoon to take steps for the institution of a memorial ©f the late Sir John Richardson. The attendance

was influential, though not numerically large. I It was /unanimously agreed that the memorial should be of an educational character, as the form most compatible with the career of the deceased gentleman. Three suggestions were placed before the meeting—the creation of a scholarship in the local high schools in Otago, in Otago University, or in connection with the New Zealand University. After some conversation it was agreed that the last-named was the only suggestion which would appropriately do honor to the memory of the deceased, and a committee, consisting of Messrs. Wade, Denniston, and Pearson, was appointed to correspond with the centres of population in the colony, for concerting measures or raising funds for the establishment of such a scholarship Mr. Pearson, who is to visit Dunedin to-morrow, was authorised to put the matter in train in that city. December 11. At a meeting of the Southland County Council yesterday, a financial statement was submitted for expenditure on the various road districts, which implied the levying of a rate of Is. in the pound in March next. After considerable discussion in committee the matter was deferred. A number of roads were declared county roads. A large number of tradespeople closed their premises, a battery of artillery fired minute guns, the firebell was tollecl, and flags were hoisted half-mast to-day, in observance of the funeral of Sir John Richards on.