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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5079, 4 July 1877, Page 2

It is ■ somewhat peculiar that the late officers sent out from Home to inspect and report upon colonial defence are to be- permitted to reside in the colonies at any rate for some years.' We are inclined to look at the matter, as another instance of the growing interest taken by the Home Government in the affairs of the colonies, and a desire to draw the bonds of union still closer. But the mode iu which one of the appointments was made is even more singular. The Melbourne correspondent of the Otago Daily Times writes:—“The appointment of Sir William • Jervois to the Governorship of South Australia, while it has created some little surprise, has caused a good deal of satisfaction, not only in South Australia, but in the other colonies. His first intimation of the appointment was received from the ,Argus office, and he stated on the following night, at the Mayor's banquet, that it was only on the previous evening that he had any knowledge of the honor conferred upon him.” In connection with this it is to be remarked that the news by cable which we published yesterday in , reference to changes in governorships requires some explanations. It says the Governor of Souih Australia has been ordered to Western Australia, but it will be remembered that the ex-Governor of South Australia, Mr. Cairns, left for England some time since in oonsecjuencs of ill health, and that the Government is nov being administered by Chief Justice May. It-is scarcely probable Mr. Cairns would be ordered to another station under the ciroufnstames, and still less probable that the Chief Justbe of South Australia would be so appointed.

The creditors of the estate of Mr. James O’Shea tool a very proper course in excluding reporters from their meeting yesterday. That representatives of the Press should have applied for admittance was, the consequence however of the action of the creditors themselves; or, at any rate, a certain few of them. These gentlemen managed to smuggle a reporter into the preliminary meeting, and they could only expect that other newspapers would demand as a right! to be placed upon equal terms in respect of any subsequent proceedings. Whether the publication of the discussions which occurred at these meetings prejudiced the interests of the creditors, the debtor, or of third parties we do not know, nor do we know whether a detailed report of yesterday’s meeting would have done so, as the matters to be discussed were talked of so freely about town that they ceased to be iu any sense private.. However, we have given full effect to the request of the creditors, and have not alluded to the questions brought before the meeting by the trustee, except in vague generalities. It must be recognised that publicity in the initial stages of bankruptcy proceedings is contrary to the spirit’ of the Act, which makes due provision for a public examination of bankruptcy at the proper time ; and no doubt it would be well in future insolvencies for creditors to meet and arrange matters without “touting” for newspaper reports at one time and turning the reparters out at another. To spehk plainly, it is scarcely in accord with honorable principles that creditors should ask full publicity for matters which can only pain a bankrupt and his family, when they are so loathe to have published anything which might affect the pounds shillings and ponce question.

Oub telegrams relative to the Ruaso-Turkish war reoei ved this morning are not unimportant. In ; Asia the Turk has given more than a counter check to the Russian, 'as the Osmanlis are holding their own at Sukhum Kaleh, and, are now firmly lodged in roar of the enemy’s advance into Turkish territory. Iu Europe the establishment of the Russian headquarters at Sistova would argue that they haye established themselves finally on the south side of the Danube. That portion ‘of the telegram which states that bombardment of the fortress of Rustohuk continues, that several of the principal buildings have been destroyed, and which then abruptly ends with the word “Decapolia,” probably means that the bombardment of Rustohuk continues, and that several of the principal buildings have been destroyed in Nicopolia by the bombardment, which is also going on there. A curious thing about the tele gi am is, that whilst the hour of its departure from Singapore is given, we have no information as to the day of which that hour formed a part.