TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4409, 7 May 1875, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

[Per Pbess Agency.] Auckland, Thursday.

Mr. Reader Wood has joined the Executive as Provincial Treasurer, possibly afterwards to become Secretary. Mr. Rees is expected also to join. A. G. Millar, manager of the National Insurance Company, has died of typhoid fever. Napibh, Thursday.

Mr. Kinross has been elected for the Spit unopposed, and Mr. Adams for Ruataniwha. Messrs. C. Lambert, J. Lawrence, and R. Harding have been proposed for Te Aute. The show of hands was for Lambert and Harding, and a poll was demanded for Lawrence.

Sir D. McLean arrived in town to-day from Maraekakaho. A korero with the natives is going on, as to the purchase of lands in Upper Wairoa. The Government has purchased Manoy's lease from the natives of the country in the Upper Wairoa, and, commenced negotiations for the purchase of the lease of all the open country from Upper Wairoa to Waikareinoaua, and stretching by the inland road to Poverty Bay to join the Patuatahi block. The Uriweras have overlapping claims. The negotiations being initialed, Sir D. McLean left J. P. Hamlin to complete them. Wanganci, Thursday.

Insurance agents are considering the advisability of raising the premiums for insurance. The matter has been held over to refer to some of the head offices. There is dissatisfaction among the insurers. DONEDIN, Thursday. Mr. Jules Lanseigne, who committed suicide, was insured in the Government office for £IOOO. It was generally supposed the amount would not be paid under the circumstances, but Mr. Gisborne telegraphs that when the policy was issued four years ago, suicide would have entailed forfeiture, but an Order in Council in 1873 limited the forfeiture to within twelve months. .Consequently the money will be paid. The Guardian, on this

point, urges the advantages of Government Life Assurance.

A well attended meeting was held yesterday of leading citizens re the Governor's visit. A grand citizens' ball is to be given. In the address in reply to the opening speech is the following paragraph :—" With regard to the abolition of the provinces of the North Island, we concur in the opinion that any organic change in the Constitution ought to be made in a carefully guarded manner, and only after due deliberation, and that we should be better informed as to what organisation is to be proposed to supersede the existing institutions, before agreeing to any change." The nominations for the handicaps to be run on the Queen's Birthday, at Forbury, were made last evening. For the Hurdle Race there were eight entries, including Medora and Ivanhoe. For the Birthday Handicap there were twelve entries, which includa King Philip, Atlas, and Castaway. For the Tradesman's Handicap there were Bixteen entries, including King Philip, Atlas, Kathleen, Sonnambula, Castaway, and Eight Bower. The entries are nearly double those of last year. A good day's sport is anticipated. The cost of compensation, arbitration fees, and law expenses connected with widening Princess-street will be £40,000. Councillor Fish stated it would be only £14,000, although his own claim for his paint shop amounted to £O3OO, but this was reduced by arbitration to £3700. The scheme has created much dissatisfaction, it being considered that there are other works more imperatively needed. Chbistchurch, Thursday.

Frederick Pavitt, late steward of the Church Property Trust Estate, was brought up at the Magistrate's Court this morning, and charged with embezzlement of £797 from the funds of the estate. The prisoner had filled the position of steward for nine years ; his salary of late was £4OO per annum. The defalcations were found out while the prisoner was absent from his duties owing to illness. When spoken to about the matter he expressed great regret that the church funds should suffer through his sin, and said the defalcations were due to losses in flax speculations. He offered to surrender all his furniture and effects to the trustees. Two other informations having been laid against the prisoner this morning, he was remanded until May 13. The prisoner appeared to feel his position very acutely. Previous to this he was held in high respect by all who knew him.

It is stated on good authority, that the cabmen do not intend to proceed to further litigation with the City Council, but will accept the Bcale of fares laid down in the new bylaw.

The salmon ova continue to go bad daily ; only a few are now left in the boxes. Six of the birds received per Tintern Abbey have died. The remainder look very healthy. Government has given formal notice to the contractors for additions to the Museum to suspend work until after the Appropriation Ordinance is passed. The immigrants per Tintern Abbey were open for engagement to-day. The greater number of them, including all the single girls, were engaged. The rate of wages was Married couples, £55 to £6O, all found; single men, £4O to £SO ; domestic servants, £2O to £25 ; nurse girls, £l2 to £ls. To-day the Provincial Secretary gave in-

structions to have all the gates of the Domain closed and padlocked, in order that the contractors for the additions to the Museum should not place any materials on the Museum grounds. The contractors' carters brought a quantity of stone, and not being able to get into the Domain, deposited the stone" in the public thoroughfare, in the vicinity of the gates. Lyttelton, Thursday.

Mercer's execution is fixed for to-morrow, at eight o'clock. A number of men were employed to-day in erecting a gallows. The prisoner is hardened, and shows no signs of repentance. Of his guilt not the slightest doubt is entertained here.

Timaru, Thursday. The Governor only stayed here one night, at which dissatisfaction is expressed. Bishop Kedwood was received with great demonstrations. The Catholic Church was illuminated, and a grand service took place. There was much enthusiasm.

Thomas Davis, charged with attempting to poison his wife, has had bail refused. Fifteen vessels were in the roadstead yesterday. The shipping accommodation is quite inadequate to the trade of the port. Large quantities of grain are stored under tarpaulins. Farmers are holding for a rise in price. Oamaru, Thursday. The Governor, accompanied by Lady Normanby, Dr. Pollen, Sir F. D. Bell, and Messrs. Rolleston and Macandrew, arrived at the town belt at ten. They were met by the Mayor and Councillors, and proceeded to the Council Chamber, where the Volunteers were drawn up, who presented arms, and a salute was fired. An address was presented and replied to. The party then proceeded by train to the breakwater, where an address was presented by the Harbor Board. The Governor christened the wharf "Macandrew Wharf." Mr. Macandrew then declared the wharf open to traffic. The party were then shown over the wharf. A block of twenty tons of concrete was lifted and laid. The Elderslie, of 450 tons burden, was the first vessel alongside the wharf. The party returned by train to town. The lunch takes place at 12.30 in the Volunteer Hall. The Harbor Board's efforts in decorations and preparations were most elaborate. Blenheim, Thursday. A requisition is being very inftuentially and numerously signed, asking Mr. Seymour not to resign his seat in the Assembly, on the ground that next session would be an unimportant one. It is understood that Mr. Seymour is not likely to accede to the request. Mr. Joseph Ward, M.P.C., is likely to become a candidate for the seat. Nelson, Thursday. The Hon. N. Edwards is elected a Provincial Councillor for the city. He said he thought it fair to state that in the Assembly he meant to support the abolition of provinces throughout the colony. The statement was received with loud cheers.

FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.] Auckland, Thursday. H.M.S. Dido had successful gun practice and manoeuvres to-day. The Echo to-day replies to the Times, regarding the Masterton Kailway, and says " Can the' country to be opened up by the Masterton Bailway show any such signs of progress as are shown by the agricultural statistics in the case of Waikato. If not, the verdict of facts is against the Wellington line, and from that verdict there is really no tippeal. A new whaling company is being formed. The brig Magellan Cloud has been purchased and will be fitted out on her arrival from the Chathams. Captain Hoesie takes command. Matters at Tairua are encouraging. Active operations are proceeding. The roads are almost impassable. It is proposed to obtain supplies via the East Coast. DuKEDrjSriiursday. The following appears in this morning's Guardian:

"A telegram received last evening from the Hon. Mr. Oisborne, Commissioner of Annuities, by Captain Baldwin, lately travelling sub-commissioner to tbe department, informs us that no objection will be made to tbe payment of tbis policy. We give the telegram in {full :—'ln re policy of J. Lanseigne. When tbe policy was issued (May, 1872), four years ago, suicide entitled forfeiture ; in September, 1873, an Order in Council limited forfeiture in such case to suicide within twelve months from tho date of the policy. Such relation appears to Lanseigne's policy, and will not object on tbe ground of suicide.' This telegram speaks for itself the advantages of the Government life assurance. Some are now too well understood to require words of praise from us. As a scheme it hos been eminently successful; more so, in fact, than any other we know of that has ever been started of the kind, taking into consideration, of course, tbe short period of its existence. It had its opponents, but it has now pretty well lived down opposition, thanks to the numerous advantages it offers the public, as well as the generous and liberal policy that has animated Mr. Gisborne in administering tbe affairs. But further comment is unnecessary. The necessity for assurance, and the liberal advantages offered by the Government scheme, are so plainly illustrated by tbe circumstance above mentioned, that he who runs may read." Tbe same journal says ; —" The Provincial Council completed the measure of its degradation yesterday, by tho re-election of Mr. Gillies as Speaker. We did not anticipate better things of that body, because we know that the elements of which it is largely composed are incapable, both by art and nature, of taking any largo, honest comprehensive view of any subject |

submitted for consideration. We say 'consideration,' because it is usually supposed (and, in fact, common people are silly enough to believe it) that the members of the Council enter the legislative chamber with pure and unbiassed minds, whereas in trath and in fact their minds are made up before they enter the chamber. Of the debate, such as it was, we say nothing. Evidently a foregone conclusion had been arrived at, and personal sympathy for the man obscured the principle at issue--as is usually the case when the sphere of thought and action is narrowed, as it inevitably is and must be in a Provincial Council,., Mr. Gillies is elected; that is sufficient. The p»id'

servant of the Harbor Board is the chief member of - s the Provincial Legislature ; but let us lay the flatter- _> ing unction to our souls that we are not corrupt. Had the same thing happened in an American State Legislature it might have provoked very unkind remarks ; but we in Otago are, like Csesar's wife, above and beyond suspicion. Nevertheless, we adhere to our opinion that a Legislature which considers itself properly governed by the secretary of a subordinate Board, furnishes very excellent arguments for th* sweeping away of provincialism, root and branch; and the sooner the curtain descends on the stupid farce the better for everybody concerned." A telegram has been received from the Superintendent, approving of the election of Mr. Gillies as Speaker. The Times, this morning, ccncratulates the colony upon the revival of the goldmiuMig movement in Auckland, and says that it is far better for the colony that miners should leave one province for another than leave the colony altogether, as in the case of the Palmer rush. The capital of the Kaitangata Kailway and Coal Company is to be £25,000. A conference of delegates from various road boards takes place at Murray's Hotel, on Tuesday. The object is to get control of the police, publicans' licenses, dog tax, &c, and for the better good of the districts. It will be moved that every chairman of a road board shall be a J. P. A correspondent of the Times says:—Balclutha can congratulate itself upon possessing the veritable horse ridden by Frank Gardiner, in his various bushranging expeditions on "the other side." The medical report on the state of the city has been sent in by Dr. Cole, who states that very many of the houses in the city are positively not fit for animals to live in; and unless the present state of things is remedied we shall have a high. rate of mortality, despite drainage and sewerage. The address in reply to the Superintendent's speech was passed to-day. It ran as follows:—" We concur in the opinion of your Honor that the progress made by this province since the institution of its Provincial Legislature has been very remarkable ; and recognising your Honor as one of the oldest and most prominent members who took part in the action which secured to it the advantages of local self-government, we beg to offer you our warmest congratulations that you have been spared to see the prosperity, so often predicted by yourself, so fully realised, and to take part in the opening of this assembly, on the occasion of what your Honor so happily termed the attainment of its majority. We are pleased to learn that although there is a deficiency in the gold duty, as compared with the previous year, it is more owing to the miners directing their attention to other pursuits than to an exodus of the mining population. We shall be glad to learn that you have succeeded in arranging with the General Government the terms on which it will give its assent to the reduction of the gold duty in this province. We are pleased to hear that there is an urgent demand for land for settlement on deferred payments, and that it is very readily taken up, and we will be prepared to give our best consideration to any proposals which maybe submitted for extending the area open for selection and {available for agricultural occupations. It is gratifying to find that the large number of immigrants who arrived during the year have been readily absorbed in the labor market, and we trust that the inconvenience they have experienced, owing to the scarcity of house accommodation, is now being removed. We concur with your Honor in the opinion that in the death of Mr. Auld the province has sustained a serious loss, and that it will be difficult, if not impossible, to secure another agent possessing in so remarkable a degree his high and estimable qualities. We regret to learn that the Colonial Parliament declined to sanction the loan for branch railways, and trust that some means will be adopted at the ensuing session of the Assembly whereby these works, so urgently required, may be constructed. The various Bills and proposals to be submitted to us will receive our most careful, consideration. With regard to the proposal to abolish the provinces in the South Island, we concur in the opinion that any organic change of the Constitution ought to be made in a carefully guarded manner, and only after due deliberation, and that we should be better informed as to what organisation is proposed to supersede the existing institutions before agreeing to any change. Chief Justice Prendergast leaves for Wellington on Saturday.