TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4360, 11 March 1875, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

[PerPbeiUcAgency.l ''■.Auckland, Wednesday. Captain McPhail, of the ship India, was to-day',firiea''; , i £s ; : for; obstructing;-th'e pilot in discharge' of his 'duty when'Hnat-vessel' was: coming into port. ' The prosecuting counsel stated that. the captain, .haying- refused to allow the pilot to take charge of the ship, the vessel had got within five, minutes of striking on the rocks, when; the; mate sent below for the pilot, who' took her out of danger. ... ; The Auckland whaling barque Albion has returned to port after a four months' cruise. She caught two whales, which yielded eleven and a half tons of sperm oil. : An inquiry into the collision between the barque Anazi and the ship City of Madras, while the former was on a voyage from London, was held by the Collector of Customs today. The depositions will be forwarded to Wellington. - ' Gkahamstown, Wednesday. A young man named Porter, a junior clerk in the Bank of Australasia, went out in the harbor last evening in a Rob Roy canoe. Not returning before dark, several parties went out in boats to search, but were unsuccessful. The wind was blowing from the eastward, with occasional squalls. The young fellow is said to be a son of Mr. Porter, surveyor, of Wellington, formerly of Wanganui.' The worst is feared. . Mr. Mackay came to Ohinemuri last night, and proceeded to Auckland, with the intention, it is said, of communicating with Dr. Pollen, and relinquishing the charge of Ohinemuri. The Advertiser' reports that an indignation meeting was held at Ohinemuri yesterday, the burden of the grievances being "payable gold/' They are clamoring for the prospectors to show payable gold. 7.30 p.m. Another volunteer crew started this morning to look for Porter. They telegraphed from Miranda that no signs of the canoe or Porter could be found. They were then leaving, to search the shore towards the settlement known as Porter's Creek. , They have not yet returned. The accident has caused painful excitement.

Tauranga, Wednesday. The Luna arrived at Whakatane on Saturday, the 6th inst., with Sir Donald McLean, Colonel St. John (Under-Secretary), Mr. Clarke, the Times's special, and the Ngaeterangi tribe. ' They found there representatives of every section of the Ngatiawa inhabiting the Bay of Plenty, from Cape Runaway to Katikati, including the Tlrewera from the interior. The total number present was seven hundred. The Whakatane tribes had convened the meeting, to witness the opening of the newly-carved house called Matawa, after the name of the canoe which brought their ancestors' from - Hawaiki Monday was devoted to the ceremony of publicly opening the house; after which complimentary speeches were made to the Native Minister by each tribe, the whole winding-up by dances. Tuesday .was ■ occupied, by business. The first interview was with the TTrewera, who asked for a modification of the confiscated boundary. The Native Minister refused to concede a point,, and by argument 'demonstrated the justice of his decision, which was unconditionally agreed to. The next discussion was re the acquisition of lands -within Jheir territory, which was also satisfactorily settled. The remainder of the day was occupied in meeting separately other tribes, who each brought forward individual grievances. Taking it altothe quiet* orderly behaviour of the natives made this the most satisfactory of any meeting ever held in-the Bay of Plenty.

■ Sir Donald leave 3 for Maketu, to interview the Arawa, to-morrow. - _

' ■',.:•• . Napibk, Wednesday, e A sad case of drowning occurred yesterday evening at the Spit. Andrew Christopherson, a boatman in the employ o£ Mr. Warnes, was crossing the bar in a whaleboat, when a heavy sea struck:her, and knocked him out into deep water."' He was unable to swim, and was drowned.. Two others who. were in the boat got ashore. An.inquest takes place to-day. He was a steady hard-working man, and leaves a widow and one child. '. " i ■,.!'.'..• . Ltttelton, Wednesday. i .The .barque James Hannell was sold .this afternoon for £1350, including the portable jengine. I ... ~ , , CHKlsicumtCH, Wednesday. . •: The times this morning has the following' paragraph':—■" Private telegrams from London received by the Tararua, yesterday, via Hoki,tika, have come under our notice, reducing exporters' limits for wheat shipments from Canterbury. The English crops.; were reported : as looking very favorable, and a further decline of'2s. per quarter was anticipated. Large Shipments of breadstuffs 'are en route for the London markets, both from foreign and Australian ports." ; The Kaiapoi regatta is 'fixed for the 17th' March instead of 18th March. " First prize, ; Champion Four-oar race, £2O; first prize, Pairoar Bace; £B. At a meeting of the Regatta {Committee yesterday .a telegram was read from Wellington, asking if Wellington boats could enter. The secretary was instructed to reply that all the races, seven in number, were open to all comers. Port Chalmeks, Wednesday. A numerously signed requisition from the leading citizens of Port Chalmers has been presented to his Worship the Mayor, asking him to convene a public meeting, to take measures for the establishment of a local hospital,: [a step rendered necessary by the number of •serious accidents in connection with public works which have occurred within the last I few days. ' DONEDIN, Wednesday. 1 The body of a child, much, decomposed, was found rolled up iu a piece of print dress in a mustard tin in a water-hole at the Arrow' River yesterday. It bore marks of violence. A verdict of wilful murder was returned. The jury Urged the Government to offer a large reward for the conviction of the offender. As Treson's coach was proceeding from Green Island to Taeri with a number of passengers last evening, the leaders bolted when descending the hill towards Saddle Hill tollgate, and the driver was unable to control them.- The brake proved useless, and the coach turned over. A Chinaman was thrown out on a heap of metal, and died shortly afterwards ifrom the injuries sustained. The other passengers were not seriously hurt. " In Carrick v. Pyke, in the District Court, Mr. Bathgate gave judgment'for the defendant, i. .At a meeting of the Harbor Board, Mr. McDermid moved that the .timetoad arrived when Mr. j, L. Gillies (secretary) should resign

his political appointments. All the members present opposed the resolution, : characterising it as wholly uncalled-for, and what might be deemed an impertinent interference between .Mr. Gillies and his constituents.:.--The resolution lapsed for want of a seconder. The Cadets fired in the final stage for the Champion Belt and aggregate prizes to-day. Scores :—Cadet White, 67 ; Byre, 47 ; G-row-den, 42.

Mr. Mansford gave, an important decision in the Magistrate's Court to-day, holding that no mining company could sue for calls if fourteen days had elapsed before proceedings were taken.