TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4491, 11 August 1875, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

(from odr own correspondents.)

Auckland, Tuesday. The Herald to-day expresses a belief that the Government will not press the abolition resolutions this session. There was a violent electric storm in various parts of the province last night. No serious damage. One hundred and fifty tons Warrnambool potatoes sold to-day at £6 15s. per ton. Sandy Black, the proposer of Sir George Grey, writes a letter to the Star, commenting on the change in the tone of the Herald, after Wilson going to Aawau as one of the deputation to Sir George Grey, and afterwards seconding him for the Assembly. He attributes the course of the Herald to fear “ that Sir George Grey will make the Sub-Audit Committee to strike at the money bags of the Bank of New Zealand.” Ddnedin, Tuesday. Mr. Stout again aired his eloquence last night at a meeting of the inhabitants of the small district of Roslyn, held to consider the questions of water supply and abolition. About thirty people were present. Mr. Stout made a loug address, going over much old ground and without appealing to the country was carried. The Northern escort brought down 77000z5. of gold to-night.

Mr. Delatour, M.P.C., addressed a meeting at Naseby last evening. He said that although he was an abolitionist he did not approve of the present measures brought down. The miners were better of at present, and the Bill ought not to pass till the matter had been discussed by the people aud press. He thought it was reprehensible of the Ministry to try and force it through the House this session. His address, it is said, lias been well received.

Mr. Bathgate, R.M., said to-day that the process of putting off actions against shipmasters until the departure of the vessels was very objectionable. A meeting of the Enphrosyne wreck fund committee was held this afternoon. £lO2 10s. had been collected. It was resolved to send £IOO to Belfast, to the widow of one of the crew, the remainder to be given to Mrs. Spence, the widow of Captain Spence, of the Enphrosyne. The passengers by the Woodlark have presented Captain Largie with a handsome barometer. Mr. Stout has been asked to allow himself to be nominated for Oaversham in the General Assembly, in place of the late Mr. Tolmie. It is thought that ho will accede to the requisition, notwithstanding what he said at Eorbury the other night to the contrary.

The own correspondent to the Star to-night said Pyke will live in the memory of many people for the extremity of the savage and vulgar speech he made on the second reading of the Marriage with Deceased Wife’s Sister Bill.

The weather is magnificent. CiiiusTCHUucn, Tuesday. A meeting was held yesterday at South Rakaia, convened by the chairman of the road board, to consider the Abolition Bill. In his opening address the chairman said that while agreeing with the general principle of the Bill, he thought that placing nominated superintendents over the shire councils was objectionable. He advocated the principle of the Timaru and Gladstone Board of Works being carried out throughout New Zealand ns regarded the laud fund, so that every district should receive 25 per cent, of the land fund raised within it, the remaining' 75 per cent, being handed to the General Government for the good government of the country. Districts which had received their percentage or more should be placed ou the same footing as municipalities, and the Government would not then he hampered with provincial districts or troubled to raise money by Treasury bills for impecunious provinces. He hoped to see the provincial districts completely obliterated, and in this he felt that the Bill did not go far enough. In regard to the Local Government Bill, he would suggest the advisability of granting any original district with an extent of freehold land four times as great as the new districts, and on the petition of four-fifths of the inhabitants, the same powers as the shire councils. Ho then moved"the following resolution ; —“ That this mooting cordially approves of the abolition of the provinces, and the general principles contained in the Abolition and Local Government Bills.” This resolution was thought by a majority of the meeting not to convoy sufficient approval of the Bills, nor to express a desire for the immediate passing of the same ; therefore the following amendment was proposed : “ That this meeting cordially approves of the proposals contained in the Bill entitled the Abolition of the Provinces Bill, 1875, and is of opinion that the colony as a whole will derive great and lasting benefit from the constitutional changes therein contemplated, and moreover, believe that no good will be gained by delay in passing the Act during the present session of the Assembly.” This amendment was carried unanimously. A meeting to consider the proposals of the Government will be held ou Thursday at Raugiora, which is likely to be largely attended, and where the expression of opinion of the settlers of the northern district will bo thoroughly in favor of abolition. At the Leeston meeting, where the resolution was carried approving of delay by four of a majority, only thirty were jrresent, the

meeting never having been advertised, and having been convened by the proviucialist party in a hole-and-corner manner. One speaker said he believed that not one-third of the electors of the district knew such a meeting was coming off. Had they so known a resolution in favor of abolition would have been carried. As it was, none of the speakers touched on the subject before the meeting at all, half the time being spent in a discussion as to whether the meeting was legally convened. (PROJI SPECIAL CORRESPONDENTS.) Wanganui, Tuesday. An enthusiastic meeting has been held. The following motion was proposed ; —“ That in the opinion of this meeting the Abolition of Provinces Bill and Local Governments Bill are calculated to produce better colonial and local administration, to promote settlement, and to remove the discontent of outlying districts ; and this constituency further earnestly hopes that these measures will be carried this session,” Carried ; four dissentients only. Dunedin, Tuesday. An enthusiastic meeting was held at Kaikorai last evening. It went against abolition. Resolutions will be forwarded to Mr. McGlashan, the member for the district. Mr. Stout stands for Caversham, and will probably be returned unopposed. (PER PRESS AGENCY.) Auckland, Tuesday. The Eden meeting last night was adjourned till Thursday, owing to the inclemency of the weather. Parnell meeting to-morrow. Napier, Tuesday. Travellers from the Hot Lakes report the road between Tauranga and Ohinemutu very bad for eighteen miles. They recommend tourists to go up from the Napier end. Poverty Bay, Tuesday. A strong north-west gale blew last night. A smart shock of earthquake was felt at 7 p.m. The tides were unusually low. Dunedin, Tuesday.

A meeting of electors at Kaikorai was held last evening re Abolition Bill. Mr. Stout was invited to attend and reiterate his sentiments as expressed on Friday. A motion was carried, —“ That the meeting views with alarm the proposition to abolish the provinces, without an appeal to the country by means of a general election, and protests against the proposed Abolition of Provinces Bill being passed by an Assembly whose term of office is just expired and which does not fairly represent, the people of the colony. That a copy of the resolution be sent to Mr, McGlashan, the member for Roslyn.” An amendment was proposed, but only found two supporters. The original resolution was carried with enthusiasm.

Jas. Shaud had his stables destroyed by fire at West Taieri. Eight colts were burnt to death. They were insured for £3OO ; loss, £SOO.

Owing to the heavy work in banco, Judge Williams has very considerately postponed business for a week. He said he should try as far as possible to suit the convenience of the Bar. He is considered a great improvement on Judge Johnston. Captain Edie, of the p.s. Samson, has been presented with a handsome marble time piece by the boating company of Oamaru, for services rendered in saving the lives of three of their men on June 3. It appears that during heavy weather one of the surf boats got adrift with men in it. Edie went out and rescued them. Port Chalmers, Tuesday. A fire which might have been attended with disastrous effects was discovered on the Government island quarantine station yesterday afternoon. The first person who observed the indication of it was Mr. Hibboek, of Port Chalmers. At about 6 p.m., Oaptaiu McCallum, deputy harbor-master, accompanied by the Guardian’s waterman, Mr. Barton, started for the island, and on arrival found a quantity of cast-off wearing apparel and old bedding of about fourteen square feet, and was fanned by a stiff N.W. wind, which blew the flames in the direction of the buildings, distant about ten feet. Although totally unprovided with proper materials for quenching the flames, after a search a large water tin was discovered and the top cut off with a knife. A plentiful supply of water was luckily at hand in the tanks attached to the building, by moans of which and the improvised bucket the flames were with difficulty subdued. After carefully searching the surrounding, bush several packs of clothes aud mattresses were discovered in a burnt state, and carried down the embankment by Oaptaiu McCallum and Mr, Barton aud thrown into the harbor. It is the opinion of Captain McCallum that a determined attempt at incendiarism was attempted by some unknown person. Too much praise cannot be given to Captain McCallum aud his assistant for their prompt measures in suppressing the fire. Invercargill, Tuesday. In the District Court to-day, William Yeomans, charged with assaulting a little girl at Bluett, was sentenced to twelve mouths’ hard labor. Hokitika, Tuesday. A public meeting was held in the Town Hall last evening on tire abolition question, A telegram was read from the Superintendent, hoping tlie expression from Westland would be uumistakeable. A resolution was proposed,— “ That the meeting cordially approves of the abolition of the provinces, and believes that the adoption of the principles of the Bills now before the Assembly will be productive of great and lasting benefit to this portion of the colony.” An amendment was moved, striking out the last portion of the resolution, after the word provinces. The amendment was lost. The resolution was canned by a large majority. A second resolution was moved, —“ That the meeting considers it would bo unadvisable to delay passing the proposed measures beyond the present session of Parliament.” Carried unanimously. Copies of the resolution wore sent to the Premier aud the Westland members. At a public meeting at Goldsborough ou the same question, a resolution was carried to a similar effect. Gbeymouth, Tuesday. A public meeting was held last evening re the Government proposals for abolition of the provinces. The following resolution was moved by Mr. Woolcock, Provincial Secretary, seconded by Mr. Guinness, M.P.C., aud carried unamiraously : —.“That this meeting is strongly favorable to the abolition of provinces throughout Now Zealand, and heartily approves of the Bill introduced by the Government for that purpose.” A second resolution was also carried unanimously:—“ That this meeting regrets that the member for the Grey Valley, knowing, as he must do, the strong feeling that exists in this constituency in favor of the abolition of provinces, has not hitherto given any intimation of his intention to support the Bill introduced by the Government to effect that purpose.” The meeting was one of the largest every held in the Grey district. Westfort, Tuesday. Cattle sale, ex Wallabi, from Wanganui:— Beef, £ls to £23; sheep, average 255. A large meeting of citizens was held last night for discussing the abolition proposals. A resolution favorable to the Government action was carried unanimously. The resolution was telegraphed to the Speaker aud district members.