TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5183, 1 November 1877, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

(PER PRESS AGENCY.) Auckland. Wednesday. A meeting of the creditors of Mr. Malcolm Nicolls, shipping agent, was held to-day. The liabilities were set down at £15,000. Mr. Niooll offered to give ss. in the £. The meeting adjourned to consider the offer. A meeting was held to establish another club, the Northern Club not meeting all the requirements. The following are the particulars of acts of vengeance carried out by H.M. schooner Beagle at Tanna, New Hebrides. This island has been notorious for the murders of Europeans living on it. Apart from what occurred before, a series of murders has taken place since. The natives commenced with Ross, Bell, Captain Baggett and others, and terminated with the locally celebrated Ross Lewin, which it was said ought to have been visited with the punishment of the murderers by the several Governments of whom they were subjects. The murders were passed over, and criminal native agents began to believe in their total immunity, until at last the British Government, stirred by the utter wantonness and atrocity of the last murder, was induced to teach them a lesson,. Preliminary inquiries were first undertaken, and then the Beagle was ordered to the locality to execute the murderer. The vessel went down to the spot, and managed to procure the presence of a number of natives on board. At a preconcerted signal these men were pinioned, and laid on the decks. Either from amongst their number or procured from the shore was the brother of the actual murderer. He admitted attending with, his brother at the murder of the man referred to, and acknowledged that had his brother failed in his shot (which he did not) he would have fired himself. At an appointed hour this confessed criminal was hung from the yardarm of the Beagle in presence of the natives on shore. The body was allowed to hang for a good length of time to convince the. natives of his being really dead, and then the prisoners were released, and the body taken ashore and buried. Grahamstown, Wednesday. The fete at Patawai Gardens, which was to have come off to-day in aid of the Indian Famine Fund, has been postponed in consequence of bad weather. Gold returns for the month : Hauraki, X0,2870z5.; Coromandel, SOOozs. Dunedin, Wednesday. The Otago Daily Times this morning comes out with a violent article on the political situation, concluding thus :—“ If Government weathers the storm, we trust in the interests of the colony there will be an uprooting of those wretched official coteries which have been the rulers of the rulers of the colony in the past. The departments want sweeping, and the insolent interference of the officials at the present hour will remove every hesitancy in the use of the besom. The new Ministry are intruders even in the estimation of the Governor, and by common consent it is alleged he will refuse a dissolution to Sir George Grey, but will give one to Major Atkinson. It will make little difference. The Governor has been already led into folly by his late advisers, and is probably advised by them still ; but a dissolution, through whatever hands it takes place, will equally elicit the voice of the country, and in that deliverance in the present case we shall feel entirely confident.” Trains will be shortly run on the northern line as far as Bluehide. The expedition shown by Government in the matter of the TapanuiWaipahi railway was greatly commended. The Land Board to-day reserved the required 150,000 acres, of which 110,000 are on run, 212 being Herbert’s, the balance in Poyhter, Cameron, and McKellar’s leases, which expire in 1881. The bulk of the country runs nearly parallel to, and is about two miles distant from, the proposed line. There is great eagerness by expectant jurors to be excused service in Proudfoot’s case. The Judge is besieged by applications to that effect. The panel comprised the names of two of the Grand Jury who found a true bill, and of two dead persons. One of the former was compelled to serve through two others being challenged. Mr. Helves is foreman of the jury. The Judge refused to allow Inspector Mallard, who has up to this stage conducted the prosecuted for the Crown, to remain in Court, as he was a witness. Thereupon the prosecuting csunsel objected to the presence of the prisoner’s brother. Mr. Smith said the service of a subpoena on David Proudfoot at the eleventh hour was a shallow device. The Court called upon the defending counsel to state if Inspector Mallard had been subpoenaed bona fide to be called as a witness, or merely to get him out of Court. Mr. Chapman replied that that was the reason for keeping him out of Court, but he proposed to call him bona fide, though he would not pledge himself to call him. The first general meeting of the Churchmen’s Club was held last night, when Bishop Neville was appointed president. The proceedings in connection with the Industrial Exhibition are at a standstill in Dunedin at present. It has not, therefore, been decided on what day the Exhibition will be held, but it will be on the latest date compatible with sending the exhibits to Ballarat. Proudfoot’s trial was re-commenced this morning. 6. W. Elliott was challenged on behalf of the Crown, and Charles Coote on behalf of the defence. The evidence is so far the same as was previously adduced, with the exception of additional witnesses who were examined to show that the prisoner was not under the influence of drink when he offered to marry the prosecutrix. •’ A deputation to-day waited upon the Education Board, complaining of the inadequacy of the school accommodation at the Middle District School. Professor Macgregor said that he considered the late Government much to blame for the disgraceful state of the Dunedin schools. Lawrence, Wednesday. Storey’s Commercial Hotel caught fire last evening at dusk over thejbilliard-room. It was fortunately discovered soon, before a great deal of damage was done, by Storey, who is captain of the brigade. Had the fire broken outlater nothing could have saved alargo block of buildings. ■ The damage is estimated at £4O. Balclutha, Wednesday. A public meeting called by the Mayor was held last night to take steps to collect funds for the Indian Famine Relief Fund. There was a good attendance. The result was the appointment of a committee to make a house-to-house canvas. It is expected that the contributions will be liberal. Two cases of scarlatina have occurred in the township. They are of a mild form. Christchurch, Wednesday. The following'are the weights for the Free Handicap and Spring :—Free Handicap—Guy Fawkes, Oat. 51bs.; Templeton, 9st. 31bs.; Puriri, Bst. lllbs.; Danebury, Bst. Olbs.j Bribery, Bst. 91bs.; Ariel, Sat. 91bs.; Punga, Bst. 71bs.; Fallacy, Bst. slbs.; Middleton, 7st. 1211 m.; Traitor, 7st. lOlbs.; Elfin King, 7st. lOlbs.; Trump Card, 7st. 91bs.; Maritana, 7st. filbs.; Bide-a-wee, 7 At. 41bs. ; Jangler, 7ft.; Mata; 7st.; Longlanda, fist. 121b5.; Foul Play, fist. lOlbs.; Oberon, fist. lOlbs.; Chancellor, fist. lOlbs.; Parthenopoeus, fist. 71bs.;“Fakir, fiat. 71bs.; Banjo, fist. 71bs.j Tell Tale, fist. 51bs.; Phantom, fist. 51bs.; Mireille, fist. 51bs.; Lima, fist. slbs.; Mufti, fist,; Puriki, fist.; Chokebore, fist.; Xantippe, fist.; Equation, fist.'; Fairy Queen, fist. ; Steamer, fist.; Shillelagh,,fist.; Zetland, fist.; Royalty, fist.; Faugh-a-Ballagh, fist,; Ivanhoe, fist'. Steeplechase—Banjo, 12st. 71bs.; Fakir, list. 71bs.; Ivanhoe, Dst. 21bs.; Shillelagh, list; Royalty, list; Faugh-a-Ballagh, lOst. 71bs.; Zetland, 10st. 71bs. Betting is livelier. Trump Card is still a hot favorite for the Derby. The bookmakers

will not lay against him unless backers offer good odds. Favorites for the ChristchurchJookey'Olub Handicap are Mata, Jangler. Longlands. For the Cup—Mata, Templeton, Guy Fawkes. Txmaeo, Wednesday, The Timaru Agricultural Show was held today. There was splendid weather and a large attendance. The dinner will be held at the Grosvenor Hotel to-night, when the prizes for the largest aggregate prize-takers, &c.. will be-distributed. • Feilding, Wednesday. Mr. Herbert Roberts played last night in Mr. Hoe’s Denbigh Hotel billiard-room, which Roberts said was the finest billiard-room - hehad seen in the colonies. Roberts played - Lash 600 up. Roberts gave Lash 300 in 600. The result was—Lash, 600 ; Roberts, 516. Time, two hours. Roberts’ highest breakswere 36, 40, and 37. In the cannon game Roberts played with finger and thumb, Lash with ■ cue. Result—Roberts, 75 ; Lash, 66, who received points. Roberta exhibited hie fancy shots and tricks in billiards. AUSTRALIAN NEWS. (PER ALHASIBKA, AT BLUFF.) Melbourne, October 24. The Council insist on their amendment in the Railway Construction Bill, and have appointed a committee to draw up reasons. The Council has referred the Mining oh Private Property Bill to a select committee to take evidence. A new writ has been issued for Rodney. The_Assembly has declined to interfere withthe extraordinary decision of the Elections Committee, although several members dissented from the finding. At the Stawell INatkmal Agricultural Show the Governor expressed it as his opinion that the Prince of Wales would favorably receive an invitation to be present at the International' Show in Melbourne in 1879. Forty-five horses have paid up for the Melbourne Cup. Woodlands ii still first favorite.. Cheater is first favorite for the Derby. An. immense meeting is expected. The collections on Hospital Sunday and Saturday, so far as the returns have been received, produced £SOOO. The collections arein advance of those received last year. The sea. serpent was seen by the captain of the Sacramento in latitude 31.59 N., longitude 17 W. Business is improving. The steamer Cuzco, which left Plymouth on September 27, called at St. Vincent, and re* snmed the voyage on October 5. There has been a very seasonable rainfall lately, and the crops are looking splendid.