TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4438, 10 June 1875, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

(fbom our own coubbspondent.) . Dunedin, Wednesday. A fight is expected to-night in the Provincial CounciLover the O'utram Railway Bill. A deputation of members of the Harbor Board waited on the Superintendent this morning. The proceedings were private. A petition ia being signed by the inhabitants of the Peninsula, calling upon Mr. Tolmie, their member in the Provincial Council, to resign, in consequence of the action he took in re the Peninsula and Ocean Beach Railway Bill-. A petition is also being got up to the General Assembly on the same subject. The lecture of Mr. Bathgate, R.M., last night, on Scottish poets, in aid of the funds of the Servants' Home, was well attended. The North Otago Times contains a beautiful political portrait of Gillon. (PBB PKESB AGENCY.) Auckland, Wednesday. At the inquest on the body of Soxtie, the evidence of his wife showed that he was deeply in debt and harassed for money. He was greatly depressed, and had been latterly drinking. The inquest was adjourned, for the production of medical ovidence respecting the analysis of the contents of the Btomach.

Taubanga, Wednesday. The Bay of Plenty Times this morning has a long article upon the attitude taken up by the Superintendent towards the Government. The article is very strong, though couched in mild language. Sir George Grey is also condemned regarding his letter to Dr. Pollen. New Plymouth, Wednesday. Captain Casey, of the steamer Wellington, telegraphs that he spoke the brigantine Hannah Barratt and ketch Pearl off Cape Bgmont Bluff, blown thrown the Strait. The captains desired to be reported all welL Six lunatics left here in the steamer for Wellington, in charge of the hospital steward. Colonel Primble has decided to settle in Taranaki, and has secured land at the Moa block. The land is fast being taken up and a large number of houses are erected in the township of Inglewood. Chkistchdech, Wednesday. The committee o£ the Canterbury Agricultural Association offer a prize of twenty guineas for the best essay on ergot in rye and other grasses, and on the best mode of curing or preventing disease. The petition against the new Education Act was signed by nearly 400 yesterday in Christchurch alone. It was presented to the Provincial Council last night, but had no effect, as the Bill was furthered considered and several clauses agreed to. A motion to alter one of the clauses so as to make it compulsory for school committees to set apart one whole day or two half days in each week for religious instruction by ministers of various denominations, was negatived by 18 to 10. An amendment, that school fees should remain at ss. per head instead of being increased to 10s., as provided in clause 43, was negatived by 20 to 13. ' In the Provincial Council last night, a motion that £25,000 be voted for the drainage of Christchurch and suburbs, to be expended by a board of commissioners specially appointed, was negatived. The Government opposed it on the plea that there was no money to spare. They were backed up by the country members. One member who supported the motion argued that the Government estimates of receipts were altogether too low, and unnecessarily so, as was proved by the fact that, during the past two months, which are the first o£ the financial year, the receipts for land sales were £30,000 in excess of the Government estimates. The bad state of drainage has caused an immense amount of sickness, and the City Council is powerless to raise more funds, by rate or otherwise. Public feeling here is very strong against the Government and their country supporters. In the Provincial Council the feeling is freely expressed that their persistent ill-treatment of the city will have the effect of greatly increasing the supporters of the abolition of provinces. Timabd, Wednesday. The half-yearly session of the Supreme Court commences here to-morrow. There is a very heavy calendar. The following cases are set down for trial : Hood, stealing from the person ; Walder, alias Smith, sodomy ; Boucher, forgery and uttering; Wilson, stealing from a dwelling ; Margaret Baxter Dodds, arson, 'and breaking into a house and stealing ; Irwin, alias McGuire, ditto ; Mary Cook, stealing from the person; Smith, forgery and uttering; Tucker, horse stealing (three charges), and escaping from legal custody; Gaffney, larceny ; Davis, attempted wife poisoning ; Smith, forgery (two charges); Elizabeth Gunn, stealing from the person ; Shannon, ditto ; Hardy, manslaughter: The calendar indicates an alarming prevalence of crime in the district, and quarterly sittings of the Supreme Court are deemed highly necessary. _ ' Judge Johnston arrived last night, and barristers for the defence of various prisoners, from Dunedin, &c. There is no Supreme Court-house»here. The sessions are held in the Mechanics' Institute. Edward Norman, a well known artist, was found dead in Barker's Pass cutting. The coroner's jury returned a verdict of died by the visitation of God. The case against Thompson, charged with embezzlement of funds of the Artillery, was dismissed, on a legal point. The missing money has been returned to the battery. Dunedin, Wednesday. Stewart Hawthorne was appointed Rector of the High School in December, 1868. . The Star speaks highly of the deceased gentleman and his abilities. He leaves a wife and infant. The Outran! and Greytown Branch Railway Bill came to early grief this afternoon. Haggitt had drawn the attention of the Speaker to the fact that it was intended by the Ordinance to take lands compulsorily, and the Bill would therefore h ave to go before a committee of reference. Bastings withdrew the Bill, and stated his intention to get leave to introduce a new one. A return has been furnished, showing the amount payable on agricultural, mining, and deferred payments leases and licenses in the various goldfields districts in the province of Otago, for the year ending March 31, 1875. The very large sum of £22,395 has been credited to revenue from these sources. Rent from agricultural leases reached £9251 ss. ; from-pastoral leases on Wakatipu and Tuapeka commonages, £8093 ; from deferred payments leases, £3002 ; from mining leases, £2049. The Daily Times contradicts, on authority, a statement previously made by it that Vogei had sent in his resignation.