TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5532, 19 December 1878, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

[VSB. TRESS AGENCT.)

Auckland, Wednesday.

Mayor Pocoek was installed to-day, and celebrated the event by a champagne lunch to the Councillors and officers of the Council. There were six candidates for the Civil Service examinations. Fifty-nine scholars from the city and suburban schools applied for certificates of eompetency.

GRAHAMBTO'WIf, Wednesday.

The Hon. Mr. Macandrew and Mr. Blackett, C.E., have just returned from Ohinemuri. They express delight at the appearance of the land. Macandrew says he is now convinced that Otago is not New Zealand.

The first sod of the Thavnes-Waikato railway will be turned on Saturday, and contracts will be let at once in small sections.

The banquet this evening at the Pacific Hotel to the Hon. Mr. Macandrew was a great success; 200 were present; his Worship the Mayor elect in the chair. " The Ministry" was proposed by John Brown, Esq., and the Hon. Mr. Macandrew responded. He said he might remind them that his position was that of a silent membsr of the Ministry, being the Minister of Works. He would be followed in a few days by Sir George Grey, who, as their representative and the head of the Ministry, they might be assured, had a special eye to the welfare of the Thames. It was partly on account of Sir George Grey that he was present that day, and lie must say that he had been much plaased with what he had seen, He hoped it would be his lot to visit them on another auspicious occasion, say in about twelve or eighteen months, when he should be happy to attend the opening of the railway. The Ministry had not an easy task, they had no bed of roses; they had plenty of bread but very little butter, but so far as he was concerned he would do his best to spread that butter equally. After further complimentary remarks Mr. Macandrew sat down amidst much applause. The Mayor elect was not sworn in to-day, owing to the absence of a quorum. It is believed his political opponents absented themBelves purposely. BLEtfHEiar, Wednesday. The acceptances for the Marlborough Cup close on Saturday next at 8 p.m. Nelson, Wednesday.

Mr. Richmond, M.H.R., addressed his constituents last night, and received a vote of confidence.

The (.Licensed Victuallers' Association recently employed two informers to detect slygrog selling in Nelson. Two cases were heard to-day in the Resident Magistrate's Court against Mrs. Clark, who keeps a cigar shop. On one charge she was fined Is. and costs, avid on the other £2 and costs. A case against Mrs. Tosend was dismissed. Three others are to be heard to-morrow. Lyttelion, Wednesday. The Arawata, which sailed South this evening at 6 o'clock, took the Canterbury cricketers for Melbourne. Christchubch, Wednesday. At a meeting of the City Council last night it was resolved to send a cable message of condolence to the Queen on the occasion of the death of the Princess Alice. At the same meeting a committee was appointed to inquire into the working of the various departments of the Council, great dissatisfaction having prevailed for some time at the way the interior arrangements of the Corporation are carried out. Oamabu, Wednesday. For the Kakanui races on Boxing Day the following weights have been declared :—Kakanui Handicap, 75 sovs, two miles.—Mufti, 9st 61bs; Orange-Lightning, Bst Gibs; Lady Ellen, 7stlolbs; Blue Peter, 7st3lba; Shillelagh, 7st; Zenobia, sst 71bs. Publicans' Handicap, of 50 sovs, one and a half miles.—Mufti, 9st 71bs; Orange-Lightning, Bst 71bs; Lady Ellen, 7st 121bs ; Blue Peter, M Clbs ; Shillelagh, 6st; Zenobia, sst 81bs. Balcmtha, Wednesday. The annual show was held to-day. In consequence of the want of a bridge, and the difficulty of getting stock forward, it was feared the show would be a failure ; but it proved a thorough success. The cattle and horses were particularly good in quality, but deficient in numbers. Heavy rain during the night allayed the dust, and the weather to-day was magnificent. There was a large attendance. Robert Hogg was installed as Mayor to-day. DuNEDitr, Wednesday. The Minister of Public Works has replied to the architects, contractors, and builders of Dunedin that the Government cannot mako any reduction in the freight on building materials.

The City Council have contrived to evade the Harbor Act, which prohibits their appointing any of their members to the Harbor Board. Councillor "Walter?, who resigned because he was elected Mayor, was appointed yesterday, and to-day Leary, who is going to stand for the Council in Walters' place, was chosen as the second member to represent the Council on the Harbor Board.

At a meeting of the "Waste Lands Board today it was resolved to throw open for settlement 15,000 acres of land, under the Otago and Southland Education Keserves Leasing Act. The land is situated in the Waikai Valley.

Gn account of the death of the Princess Alice, the offices of the consuls, public bodies, and the shipping displayed bunting half-mast high to-day. A cricket match took place to-day between eleven of the Otago University and eleven of Christ College, Chiistohurch. It ended in a tie, each having made 89 in two innings. There are six cases of typhoid fever in the Dunedin Hospital at present. Those sufferingfrom it were passengers by the ship Timaru, which arrived in port last month, and which was not quarantined by the Board of Health, notwithstanding that the medical members of the Board strongly urged that the vessel should be quarantined. One. of the passengers died on the 27th November from fever, and another died in the hospital yesterday. Invercakgill, Wednesday.

At a meeting of the Bluff Harbor Board to-day it was decided to suspend for a month the junior pilot who was in charge of the Birchgrove when she grounded while entering the harbor on the 27th November. Considerable blame was attributed to that officer.— The proposed purchase of a tug was considered, and it was ultimately resolved to accept Houghton's (Dunedin) offer of the Comerang for hire at £IOO per month for six months.

At the annual meeting of the Chamber of Commerce to-day it was resolved to petition the Minister for Public Works re the inequitable tariff in force from Bluff to Invercargill for imported goods.