TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5509, 22 November 1878, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

(I’JSIt PRESS AGENCY.) Auckland, Thursday. Mcobki. Conyers and Lawson to-day visited tho Kalpnra i'ftllwayrfo decide on tho proposed altcruula routes. They mot tho Harbor Board ouMohday, to confer respecting the harbor reclamation for Queen-street railway station. Tho following were passengers from London to Lyttelton by the ship Phvlto : Saloon : Mr, A. D, Shorn, J, T. Buchanan, Miss Biuzoloy, and 300 immigrants. Quantities of inferior korosono are being sold hero and accidents are frequent. At tile animal Wesleyan district mooting to-day additional agents wore recommended for the Maori districts. - The fire-bell rang to-uigbt. Considerable alarm was caused by a report that tho lunatic asylum was again on fire. The salvage brigade went out, but it proved to bo only furze burning in tbe direction of the asylum. Gbahamstown, Thursday. Tbe Premier and the Minister for Public Works have been communicated with by the local authorities asking that Messrs. Conyers and Lawson, Railway Commissioners, now in Auckland, may be instructed to visit the Thames and take steps to procure a survey of the Thames Valley line. The Premier says he goes to Kawau for rest and quiet, and hopes that Mr. Maoaudrew will attend to the request. Gisborne, Thursday. An impression has got abroad that William Bccles Smith committed suicide. There was nothing in the evidence to show that such was the case. A verdict of found drowned on the beach, but that there was no evidence to show how it occurred, was returned. - _ Tauranoa, Thursday. An exceedingly large public meeting was held last night re action of the Government in prohibiting the natives from selling lands to Europeans by a recent proclamation. The leading chiefs are against the Government action, and referred frequently to the unconditional return of the said lands in 1864, and expressed their determination to adhere to all existing agreements between them and the Europeans. Samuel Clarke deprecated the report of the Under Secretary for the Native Department re native affairs in the Tauranga District, and proved that the natives have more than ample reserves for all their requirements. Resolutions were carried unanimously re meeting the Government to reconsider their decision. Several influential Europeans and native chiefs were appointed a committee to forward the resolutions to the Government. Mr. Edgoumb asserted his belief that the Government will act fairly. Napier, Thursday. A deputation from the Napier Hospital Committee interviewed Colonel Whitmofe today respecting the £IOOO promised by the Premier towards the erection of a new hospital. Colonel Whitmore stated that had the application for payment of the money been made to the proper department (the Colonial Secretary’s Office) it would at once have been remitted. |IHe had now telegraphed to the Hon. Mr. Ballance that it was very important the amount named should be paid at once. This would have immediate attention, and the secretary was to forward to Wellington immediately a statutory declaration of the amount now to the credit of the hospital building fund. Colonel Whitmore further informed the committee that having in view that for every pound additional raised by voluntary subscription or granted by local bodies one pound would be paid by the Government to the extent of half the cost of maintenance, subscriptions for hospital purposes should be invited in a more general manner. The deputation thanked Colonel Whitmore for his prompt attention and suggestions. It is uuderstood that a reply has been received from Mr. Ballance that the £IOOO will be paid at once. The new building will now be proceeded with without delay. Nelson, Thursday. Messrs. Curtis and Sharp, the two members for Nelson City, addressed their constituents last night, and received votes of thanks and confidence, especially in reference to their action in connection with the railway. Mr. Sharp announced to the meeting his intention of resigning his seat on account of temporary absence from the colony. ' Ahabea, Thursday. During the past two months rain has been incessant, and public works, particularly bridges, have been delayed, having on au average only one day’s work in six. General depression prevails. Nothing is doing iu scrip. Moonlight or Blackball reef leeks well, hut requires capital for development. Christchurch, Thursday. It has been resolved to construct a new bridge over the river ; its probable cost is £I3OO. • Mr. John Bryan, a well-known theatrical agent, will shortly visit New Zealand with Wybert Reeve, the comedian. Nominations for the Mayoralty have closed. There are only two candidates, viz., the present Mayor and Councillor Ick. Charles Morgan committed suicide last evening in a shanty at the rear of Collins’s Hotel, by hanging himself. Great determination was shown by the deceased in carrying out bis object. The cause of the rash act is not known. A saw mill on tho south of the Town Belt, belonging to Montgomery and Co., was totally destroyed by fire this morning. The fire originated through a lighted shingle blowing about where shingles were beincr made. Au insurance of £IOOO had been effected with the Standard Company. Over and above the insurance, Montgomery and Go. estimate their loss at £IOOO. Of the £IOOO insurance iu the Standard £SOO was reinsured in the National.

At the inquest to-day on the body of Morgan, who was found hanging in a stable, a verdict of temporary insanity was returned. On Monday next an officer who holds a responsible position under the Government will bo charged with violently assaulting the keeper of tho Botanical Gardens while in tho execution of his duty. A man named James Matton, a teamster, in attempting to cross the River Waiua, opposite Leslie's station, was drowned to-day, as well as one of his horses. TljtAßO, Thursday. The sea is gradually scouring away the beach and reclaimed land north of the mole. Messrs. Allan and Stumbles, the contractors tor the first part of the breakwater, have put a number of hands on filling bags of shingle and laying them along in tiers in front, to break the force of the sea. The Timaru Herald has announced that it will shortly reduce the price of the paper to twopence, and be enlarged. It is reported that the South Canterbury Times will shortly become a morning paper. A company in the town is negotiating for the purchase. The fire in the Geraldine bush is still burning, and is gradually approaching the township. Matters looked so serious on Tuesday night that the fire brigade and engine were sent for from Tomuka. No correct estimate of the damage can yet bo made. The Whittakers, Barkers, Postlethwaites, McKenzies, Martins, and Gibsons have suffered severely, and besides tho loss of the Government bush a large quantity of stacked firewood has been consumed. The high wind yesterday afternoon caused the smouldering fire in the Wahi bush to burst out with renewed force. A concert on behalf of tho sufferers by the Waimate bush fire takes place at Timaru this evening. Oamaud, Thursday. The annual exhibition of the North Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Association commenced to-day. There was a grand show of cattle, sheep, and blood stock. The town is filled with visitors. Tho draught stock is to bo judged to-morrow. Dunedin, Thursday. The steamer Albion, which left Melbourne yesterday, has been taken over by the Union Company. The Tararua, Arawata, and Ringarooma will be transferred as they arrive in Melbourne from their present voyages. The Claud Hamilton is not purchased, but tho Union Company get tho use of her until one of their new steamers arrive. These are to bo named Te Anau and the Rotoruahawao. Walter Simmons, eighteen years of age, is supposed to have been drowned in the Waihola Lake last Sunday while going to Christchurch. His coat and dingy have been bound on tho beach. The Hon. Mr. Macaudreiy arrived in Dunedin yesterday. A slate deposit of a very valuable kind has been discovered near Lake Hawea. The ’Frisco mail will be sorted on the train from Christchurch. Applications for 2550 shares in Kempthorne, Prosser, and Co.’s new company were applied tor to-day, of which 800 came from Temuka. The Hon. Mr. Maoandrow to-day was interviewed by the Harbor Board with reference to certain matters respecting that body. In reference to the price of the land which the Board wished to obtain, Mr. Towsley said that Macandrew had Dunedin

too much at heart to let it go to the colony. Macaudrew replied that his position made him consider railways only. Tewsley replied that Mqoandrew must not stultify himself in that way.. Macaudrew remarked that if the Board got what it was asking for it would have a larger revenue than the Colonial Government. Signor Morley has given £IOO to the Benevolent Institution. This amount was the proceeds of the second performance of “II Trovatoro.” Invercargill, Thursday. At the District Court to-day the case of Daniels v. Hayes and another came on. This .was a rehearing of a case formerly tried at Ilivertou, in the Warden’s Court, to obtain onethird share in Hayes Bros, gold-mining claim, T,ongwsod. There was a great deal o r evidence, disclosing that a sale note had passed between the parties, but no valid documentary agreement was made. It was reported by the 'plaintiff to give him a share in the claim, whilst defendant averred that they had only taken him as a partner on the payment of £SOO. Plaintiff accounted for his name not appearing in the application for the lease on the ground that when the lode was struck he was virtually in the employ of the Wallace Prospecting Association. It was feared that if his name appeared litigation might ensue. Judge Harvey reserved judgment until tomorrow. The long spell of fine weather broke to-day with a violent S.W. gale and heavy rain. The barometer ruled very low for the last day or two, falling below 20. There is likely to he a fight in the Council to-night over the municipal accounts. Councillor Kingsland has given notice of motion for a searching investigation into the financial position of the municipality.