TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5030, 8 May 1877, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

(rKlt rBESS AGENCY.) Auckland, Monday. The Stella leaves this evening for the South with-the Hon. Mr. Whitaker and five other passengers. ' ' : .. ',,",.. The declaration of the poll for City, West took place to-day. Wallis has a majority'of 2ii- . ;.''."'':. At a meeting of the Acclimatisation, Society ,to-day it was stated that 200,000 salmon ova had been ordered from California, v The secretary was instructed to write to the Otago Acclimatisation Society to make arrangements for a supply of trout ova.. ; A letter was received from the Canterbury Acclimatisation Society, apologising for the rumor circulated that it had not had a fait proportion of the salmon ova lately imported; the society were perfectly satisfied they had been fairly treated. Mr. Evans, agent for the Davenports, has arrived here. ' A telegram from G-isbome reports that pumping operations on the Go-Ahead are suspended. Alexandra, Monday. Tawhiao, with all his people, has been at ICaipiha since yesterday, he bringing four canoe loads of potatoes and bullocks for the Lower Waikato natives as a present. A meeting is to be held there to-day. Major Te Wheoro is going up. Christchubch. Monday,

The funeral of Drury, the engine-driver who was killed by the recent accident on the railway, took place yesterday. Over 2000 followed the hearse. The railway .employes, on the south line were brought to Christchurch by special train. All- heads of the Baihvay Department were also present. Ten scholarships are offered by the Board of Education this year. At a special conference o£ school teachers, which the Canterbury members of the Assembly are invited to attend on Saturday next, the following resolutions will be proposed:—" That education be free and compulsory, but religious and unsectarian, supported by conscience clause." " That no certificate be-issued to teachers on examination higher than, second class, first-class to be attained by success as a teacher and length of service only." "That inspectors be appointed by central authority, and one shall be appointed chief inspector, as in" England, so as to renderthe system of examination uniform throughout the colony." "That it is desirable to take steps to form a national union of teachers." " That the standing of teachers be differently defined." At the Itesident Magistrate's Court to-day a number of publicans were summoned for neglecting to take out licenses for extra bars. J. Barrett, Devonshire Arms Hotel, was taken as a test case The evidence showed that there were half-doors and a small window at which persons, while standiug in the passage or in a room which opened into the street, could be served with liquor from the bar. Counsel for the defence urged that it was absurd to call these separate bars ; no such definition was placed on the word " bar" iu England, nor could, in common sense, be done here. The Bench said the Licensing Act, 1873, distinctly said the word "bar" should be deemed to include any room, passage, or lobby opening immediately on to the street,'in which the public are supplied with refreshments. A fine of £5 was imposed. Notice of appeal was given. The other cases were adjourned sine die. Oamaru, Monday. A railway accident occurred here on Saturday night, by which a man named J. S. Arthur was > killed. The particulars are as follows;. —When the down traiu from Christchurch, due at 8 p.m., was within 500 yards of the Lower Belt station, the driver noticed that the engine passed over some soft object, but he thought it was a stray sheep. The circum-

stance was reported to the station-master, who sent a man to search. The messenger was horror-struck to find the body of a man lying alongside the track nearly severed in two. Life, of course, was extinct. The deceased appeared about twenty-six years old, and had neither boots, stockings, nor coat on. From papers found on his person his name wa3 ascertained, and that he arrived from Glasgow in February per ship Auckland. He had been working at Anderson's flour mill, Dunedin, and latterly at Kakanui. He came to Oamaru ou, Saturday aud got drunk; missed the return train, and evidently started to walk along Vui line, but mistook his way, going north instead of south. An inquest will be held to-djvy. Dunedin, Mo-uday.

An unseemly disturbance took plaoe in St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church yesterd.tj', at the 11 o'clock service. It seems that a majority of the congregation wished for the introduction of the English Presbyterian hymn book; but there are some dissentients. When service commenced yesterday morning by singing a hymn, Mr. J. P. Miller got on the platform and commenced to read a protest against the hymn book. Ultimately his voice was drowned by that of the minister and the music of the choir, but he ended by throwing his written protest at the minister, and it fell among the congregation. Much indignation is Baid to be felt with regard to Miller's action. A private letter has just been received here stating that Lyster's Opera Company will not visit New Zealand for six months.