TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5354, 25 May 1878, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

(PER PRESS. AGENOT.) , , Taupo, Friday, A small reinforcement of constabulary arrived here yesterday, • One of the A.C. buildings took fire early this morning. , The neighboring- buildings were in much danger, but owing to the exertions of the men of the force, under the supervision of Dr. Walker and Sergeant-Major Dundas, the .fire .was confined to the building in which it originated, and which was totally ■destroyed. Auckland, Friday. The Insurance Company’s Association entertained Mr. G. S. Graham, manager of the ■ Colonial Insurance Company, at a farewell banquet last night, on the eve of his departure for Wellington. ! Lit ■ Dunedin, Friday. Mr. Held addressed his Outram constituents last night. . Having summarised his previous speech,! he said that the liberality of the present Government in the matter :of lauds ■was like that of a man who attended charity sermons, and was so aroused by them that when the plate came round he put his hand into his neighbor’s pocket and placed every farthing he found there on the. plate. He then referred to the education question, and said that he hoped a direct tax would ' be imposed for that; object. If 1 further general taxation were, necessary it should: take the form of police rates. He thought that a land tax would be a most unequal and unfair way of meeting the liabilities of the colony. In reference to representation. in County Councils he thought that people should have voting powers in accordance with the taxes paid ,by them. Agricultural laborers and farmers were quite as intelligent and as well qualified to exercise the franchise as miners. His experience of : the Legislative Council was that u it were made elective they might get half-a-dozen worse before they would get one better than the present. He then concluded by referring to the question of capital and labor, and warned his hearers of the injury which would result from attempting to treat capitalists unfairly. The following resolution was carried, there being only two dissentients : That this meeting expresses its deep regret that Mr. Keid should have seen fit to retire from political life ; that he has the full confidence of the constituency, and especially of West Taieri; and, while thanking him for his speech, they hoped that if it were possible he would still continue to represent them in the Assembly. ’ The Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Association last n ght resolved to adopt the suggestion of the Oamaru Society, that' a national asssociation should be formed for the Middle ■ Island. i- 1 ' i’.-'i’.h ■' Mr. Wright’s bakery, in. King-street, Dunedin, was destroyed by fire to-day. It was insured in the Standard for £250, The ceremony of laying the foundation atone of the new . Town HalL.aud Volunteer Hall was performed to-day; by the: Mayor.: Great interest was taken in the proceedings.