TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4903, 8 December 1876, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

(PER PRESS -AGENCY.) Auckland, Thursday. Mr. Whitaker wrote to the Board of Education desiring that the Board should endeavor as far as possible to provide situations as teachers for discharged provincial officers. A committee was appointed to ascertain his views. The Loan and Mercantile Agency Co. have received the following cablegram London, Dec. 4.—Weol sales closed at an average improvement of 2d. to 3d. The principal advance has been in superior greasy, medium and inferior washed, and scoured. The sales comprise about 206,000 bales ; 80,000 bales have been taken for export. A good many secondhand parcels were offered during the past sales. The trade in the manufacturing districts is improved. In tallow there is a fair trade demand; mutton, 445.; beef, 425. The wheat market is firm ; Adelaide is worth 545. per 4961b5.; New Zealand, 525. per 4961b5. Grahamstown, Thursday. It is rumored here that Sir George Grey has been offered the Governorship of Cape Colony and declined. There will probably be a keen contest for the Mayoralty. The present Mayor will be a candidate, and Dr. Kilgour anneunced on accepting a requisition that he would contest against all-comers. Eowe, M.H.R., addressed the electors of Tairua and Ohinemuri this morning, in each place receiving a vote of thanks and confidence. New Plymouth, Thursday. - The Agricultural Society’s show, held yesterday, was a great success. Bedouin, an Auckland blood entire, won the silver medal ; Shields' President, Wanganui, also took a silver medal; for bulls, Holmes’ Townley. Elliott took the medal for short-horned cow with Annie Deans, from Morrin, Auckland. Leicester rams, Standish, Ist prize ; Lincoln rams, Dingle, Ist prize; ewes, W. Hoskin, Ist prize. A. J. Hoskins, Ist prize for wool. There was a large attendance at the show and dinner. Best show of blood stock ever exhibited here. ' ' _ _ The nomination for the County Council is fixed for December 15th, and the polling for the 22nd. Dunedin, Thursday. The date of the County elections has been altered to the 22nd inst. The New Zealand Shipping Company has announced considerable reduction in wool freight. Emmet produces “Jan” to-night. , The Education Board declined to vote £35 for prizes, &c., this year. The Gas Works profits for the last eight months were close on £6OOO. The Otago Association matches commenced this morning. In the first match D. Mills, P. Maolaren, Wilson, Coxhead, and McLatchie were respectively the highest scorers. The second match was opened by the Lady Mayoress. Will be concluded about 7.30. In Mr. Macandrew’s letter to his Excellency, complaining about his letters being forwarded to his Excellency by the postal authorities, he expresses himself thus :—“ Wrote to you believing that what I complain of has been done without your Excellency’s sanction, and so that I may take further steps to vindicate the right I conceive I possess to peruse my own letters before they have been read by any of your Excellency’s Ministers or any of the civil servants of the Crown.”

The number of sheep in Otago is 3,908,000, as against 3,852,000 last year. They are divided as follows:—Merinos, 2,949,806 ; long wool, 10,7660 ; cross-breds, 850,882. It has been determined by the Waste Lands Board to declare several new hundreds.

Sir George Grey expresses his entire willingness to proceed on the mission to England, stating that he “ will sacrifice all to a sense of duty,” and adding that it “ will be proper for all such as desire to serve New Zealand to follow this course.”

Ballarat, Hokitika, and Timaru have entered for the All Fire Brigades Demonstration, Christchurch, Thursday.

The Charitable Aid Committee of the City Council has decided to ask the Government to provide for all cases where charitable aid is required by newly-arrived immigrants and the families of persons in gaol It also decided to recommend the City Council to invite the cooperation of religious denominations, with the view of establishing a benevolent institution for supervising the distribution of charitable aid.

The first number of the “ New Zealand County Journal" will be issued on January 1. The journal is to be published quarterly, under the auspices of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association.

Hokitika, Thursday.

The Waste Lands Board considered Hudson’s lease of the Rangitoto mine forfeited, it not having been surveyed in time. The other applications for the same lease were refused. The Board decided to put the land up far auction in 100 acre blocks, under the 19th clause of the Waste Lands Board Act, on the 19th December, at Kumara. ■ ■ Thomas Howarth, sawmill owner, was charged under the Machinery Act with working a boiler which was not registered, and was fined £SO. The Inspector of Machinery prosecuted.

The Kumara Gas and Coal Company, capital £6OOO, was registered to-day.