TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5068, 21 June 1877, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

(PER PRESS AGENCY.) Auckland, Wednesday. The Football Club have modified rule 57 of the Rugby rules as follows:—No hacking or hacking over, tripping up, sliuging, rabbiting, or butting shall be allowed under any circumstances whatever. NxriEß, Wednesday. The Supreme Court to-day was occupied with a Bpecial jury case, Neal Mid Close v. Hunter (of Wellington) and Keith, It is scarcely likely to close to-day. Wilson (of Napier) and Bell (of Wellington) wore for the plaintiffs ; and Gordon Allan (of Wellington) and Lee (of Napier), for the defendants. The other two actions, Telegraph proprietors against Herald, are withdrawn in consequence of what fell from the Judge last night, whon he refused to certify for costs. He said that the plaintiff would have been wiser if he had not brought the' action ; that tho words relied on did not, in the Judge's opinion, apply to tho plaintiff; and that he had suffered no damage. Dunedin, Wednesday. The ratepayers' roll for Dunedin will he reduced by one-half this year, through the stringency of the Hating Act. The negotiations for exchanging the site on tho town belt for the present general hospital have fallen through. The attention of the City Council has been called to the dilapidated, unsightly, uncomfortable condition of some of the city cabs, and the necessary authority has been given for a rigid inspection,

The City Council has resolved to improve the Cricket Reserve by erecting a picket fence at a cost of £l5O.

Prom what fell from the Chief Commissioner at the Land Board to-day, it seems that the provisions of the Land Act are being evaded daily, and that most of the evils attendant upon the deferred payment system in Victoria are to be met with here. Mr. Maitland said the practice of these evils in all directions was coming under his notice daily, and people were trying all sorts of dodges to get rid of their responsibilities under the Act. Dummyisin was also practised. Mr. Butterworth was very sorry to near the Chief Commissioner; and Mr Green expressed an opinion that theßoardshould use its utmost endeavors to prevent any evasion of the Act. This discussion arose in connection with two applications to purchase made by holders of deferred payment leases in the Teviot District. Balcltjtha, Wednesday. Mr. Duncan, C.E., has just completed a survey of the Clutha River, from the Tuapeka mouth to the bottom of Inch Clutha. He will submit his report to a, meeting of the Board of Conservators on the 30th inst., when operations to open up the navigation of the river will be commenced.