TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5374, 18 June 1878, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

(PEE PRESS AGENCY.) Auckland, Monday. The work on the Te Awamutn extension of the Waikato railway was commenced to-day. The remains of Mr. Donald McKenzie, aged seventy-eight, an old Waterloo veteran, were interred with masonic honors yesterday at Onehunga. A public meeting was held at the Theatre Koyal to'-day for the purpose of considering the advisability of having the railway station in a more central part of the town. The Mayor presided. He said there were three alternative proposals :—l. Its removal to Queenstreet wharf. 2. The construction of a tunnel under Shortland-street, and the erection of a station at the bottom of Barrack-hill, near Chancery-street. 3. The extension of the line beyond that point. Mr. T. B. “Hill said the removal of the station to the foot of Bar-rack-hill would increase the traffic on the line by £3OOO yearly, which represented 6 per cent, on £50,000. It was moved that in the opinion of the meeting immediate action should be taken by Government to bring the railway to the centre of the city. Dr. Purchas seconded the motion. Dr. Wallis advocated the removal of the station. Dr. King moved, and Mr. Newman seconded, — That the station be at the end of Queen-street wharf. The original motion was carried by a large majority. A committee, consisting of: the Mayor and twenty-one others, was appointed to wait on the Minister of PublicWorks on his arrivah Grasamstown, Monday. The Government have appointed Mr. G. T.' Wilkinson, of the Thames, Assistant Waste Bands Purchase Commissioner, at a salary of £3OO a year. A number of companies interested havo subscribed £2IOO for prospecting drives and deep levels from the big pump shaft, 650 feetlevel. The Aroha and other natives are assembling: for a sitting of the Laud Court here on Wednesday. Waitara, Monday. Wetere, the Mokau chief, arrived here this morning. Ho reports Kewi at Waihi, and about 500 natives at Mokau en route for the meeting. New Plymouth, Monday. The native census return in the county of Taranaki shows 1837 males and 1603 females; total, 3440. Of these there are 502 female children under 15 years of age, and 456 male children. Although the return shows an increase since the last census, the Civil Commissioner says from his own knowledge sincehe has been in office there has been a steady decrease. The cause of the apparent increase is attributed to the census being more perfect than in previous years, owing to the present peaceful state of the natives, and tho number, therefore, being more easily ascertained correctly. Great preparations are being mado at Waitara for the native meeting. Kewi is now within two miles of Waitara. Taupo, Monday. Bast night a shock of earthquake was felt. Immediately afterwards a louder rumbling was heard in the direction of Tongariro, which continued at intervals till late this morning. The weather is very wet and stormy. All the mountains around are capped with snow. Napier, Monday. The Supreme Court sat till after ten on Saturday night, when Carl and Gothlieb Schmidt were found guilty of unlawfully wounding. Carl was sentenced to nine and Gottlieb to 12 months’. AU to-day was occupied with the trial of Toop for absconding with the money of his creditors. The trial is still proceeding. The case of Hallett v. Ormond, which was looked forward to with a great deal of curiosity, has been settled. Timaku, Monday. Owing to the non-arrival of the barque Stag, which was seen in the offing twelve days ago, but had to put to sea again through stress of weather, coals are very scarce. The merchants' stocks are almost nil.

There is a dearth of carpenters, and plenty of work is offered. Good men are obtaining 15s. per diem. In the Supremo Oourt on Saturday evening Judge Johnston stated, in reference to Alex. Bell, who was found guilty previously by the jury, charged with shooting with intout, that at the end of the sessions he would notify whether he would refer the important point raised to the Court of Appeal, or give judgment himself. It is intended to form a volunteer corps at Waimate. Thirty-one persons at a meeting signified their willingness to become members. Tho heavy sea during the past week damaged the Govex'cment and George-street landing and shipping services, washing away the earthworks. At the Supreme Court the criminal sessions continue, and will most likely last until tomorrow night. There are five prisoners for trial now. Dunedin, Monday. A fortnight ago the dead body of a woman was found in tho South Dunedin recreation ground. The police identified it as that of a vagrant named Margaret Williams ; but it now appears that tho real Margaret Williams was an inmate of the refuge at this time, and tho body is now supposed to be that of a woman named Brown. Tho wife of a laboring man named Corston died yesterday in Milton from actual starvation. She had but recently given birth to a child. Criminal information for libel was laid on Saturday by Macassey, solicitor, against G. M. Heed, editor of the Otago Daily Times. The alleged libel was contained in an article in the Daily Times entitled “ Macassey on law costs,” and had reference to Bees and Hislop’s bill. The Times states that Eeed will lay similar information against Macassey to-day, the ground of libel being the letter which appeared in the Herald. In response to an invitation by Mr. Watt, 8.M., seventeen justices of the peace met today, to consider the most convenient manner of disposing of tho business at the City Police Court, in accordance with the present arrangements of the Government. Mr. Watt explained the programme of the Government, and objected to the meeting departing from it. Several speakers expressed their decided disapproval of the course taken by the Government in not having communicated with the Mayor on the subject, and also with their proposing to limit the functions of the justices to the dealing with cases of drunkenness and sach like matters. It was resolved that the Mayor should he the presiding magistrate in the absence of Mr. Watt, and that another justice should be selected from the list to sit with him. Mr. Heed has laid a criminal information for libel against Mr. Macassey this afternoon. The Dunedin election will be hotly contested, and it is now supposed that UltraMinisterialists will support Oliver. Mawutahi, Monday. MeNae’s valuable entire horse Dead Shot died yesterday.