TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5104, 2 August 1877, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

(PER PRESS AGENCY.) Auckland, Wednesday.

At a meeting of the Waste Lands Board today plana and schedules of confiscated lands were laid before the members. It was resolved that the Government be requested to place the land under the administration of the Board. The Chairman stated that the amended terms offered by Mr. Yesey Stewart for an additional grant of land at Kati Kati had been approved of by the Governor. Mr. Yesey Stewart was a passenger to-day to England. Mr. W. Walters takes the brood mares Peeress and Eanny Fisher to visit Yattendon. Napier, Wednesday.

Yesterday the Taradale Board of Conservators awarded the bonus of £SO, which they advertised for best plan of river protective works, to Douslin’s floating spur, brought before the Board by James Gorrie, who is Douslin’s a ,rent. Douelin’s floating spur has been tried vTith success in the Opawa Biver, in the Marlborough District. Christchurch, Wednesday.

Lightband, Allan, and Co. write to the Times this morning, denying that they locked out their hands with the view of effecting a reduction in wages. They also say:—“Having had four years’ experience of the trade union, .we have found not the slightest disposition on the part of the men to fall in with any idea whatever that meant a change in the system of work when such change did not affect their interests in the smallest degree. We recently imported from England and America some new machinery, and a few weeks ago put two or three hands on weekly wages, with the idea of ascertaining its capabilities, and intended eventually to fix the price for piece work, as we don’t at allobject to the piece work system. The Union drove those men off the premises under threats, and from thattime we thoroughly made up our minds not to recognise their society any longer.” The letter further says it was intended to adopt a system by which the men could earn better wages with them than elsewhere, and that the men were not locked out for a fortnight, but, so far as the old mode of working was concerned, for ever. The Acclimatisation Society has sent to San Erancisco for prairie hens. An application from Melbourne for song-birds was refused by the society. Dunedin, Wednesday.

The names of those who sent in designs for the Dunedin Town Hall have just been made public. The following is the result: —First premium, >£2oo, T, B. Cameron, Auckland ; second, £IOO, K. A. Lawson, Dunedin ; third, £SO, George Browne, Melbourne. The other

competitors were—Mathew Henry, Auckland:, A. W. Simpson, Christchurch; M. de H. Duval, Timaru ; William Hash, Melbourne ; Petrie and Bolden, Dunedin; G. Aitken, Auckland. Mr. O. S. Reeves has been appointed delegate to represent the Dunedin Council at the Wellington Conference. At yesterday’s meeting of the City Council a resolution was carried unanimously that the Corporation should come under the new Act. As the result of this another election for Mayor will require to take place in November. The number of births, deaths, and marriages for July are —139 births, 59 deaths, and 32 marriages. Twelve designs have been received for the University buildings. The municipal elections to-day resulted as follows : —South Ward, Pish and Gore ; High Ward, Barr and Webb ; Bell Ward, Woodland and Davidson ; auditors, Wain, Street, and S. James. In the Police Court to-day D. Aitcheson was charged by the captain of the Waikara Rifles with having absented himself from inspection parade. The case broke down in consequence of the prosecution not proving that defendant was a Volunteer.

Balolutha, Wednesday. The election of councillors resulted as follows ; —North Ward : Hogg, 47 ; Bain, 33, East Ward : Scanning, 19 ; Patterson, 16, South Ward : Macdonald, 52 ; Stewart, 34.