TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5559, 22 January 1879, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

(PER PRESS AGENCY). Masterton, Tuesday. Mr. Blackett, with Mr. Beetham, the chairman of County East, visited Opaki today, to determine the bridge site over the Ruamahunga. Hokianga, Tuesday. The dispute between the Lower Waihi and Ngatihau natives has been settled by arbitration. The Land Court is sitting here ; over 600 natives are present. The schooner Ada O. Owen sailed from the Thames yesterday for Lyttelton with 139,000 feet timber. The schooner Josephine is loading timber at Hauraki mills for Lyttelton. .TueaCla/'. TJie valuations of the city of Auckland for 1879 amount to £155,047, as compared with £140,513 for 1878. Several properties being exempted by Acts of last session prevented the increase being much larger. At the Police Court this morning four men were fined for having unstamped weights and measures in their possession. The Wesleyan Conference met this morning, and in addition to ministers there were 18 laymen present, who were welcomed by the President. He thought every circuit should avail itself of the privilege and elect representatives. He trusted that resolutions would be passed making it compulsory on circuits to elect representatives. The first question was, do we sanction division or alteration of any of the districts or circuits in this Conference ? The answer was that the name of Greytown circuit in the future be Wairarapa. The second question was, what circuits are under an obligation to take a married minister, instead of a single one ? It was decided that the Rangiora circuit be relieved from its obligation to take a second married man, on condition that they pay £2O to the Home Mission Fund ; that the Rangitikei circuit also be relieved from its obligation to take a married minister for one year. It was agreed to appoint a second minister at Kaipara. The New Plymouth circuit asked for the appointment of a second minister, and promised to take a married man at the end of one year. The request was granted. The Wellington circuit asked for the appointment of a third minister, to reside at Adelaide-road, where there was a good opening, and a wide sphere for a good and diligent pastor. The request was granted. The Rev. Mr. Richardson renewed the application of the Wairarapa circuit for the appointment of a minister to reside at Masterton. Granted, if a man be forthcoming. A new minister was appointed f«r Gisborne. A second man was granted for St. Albans. Roxburgh asked for a minister instead of a Home missionary. Granted. It was resolved that Morrisville become a Scandinavian Home Mission Station, Mr. Crastofferson to be the agent. Mr. Buckland’a sheep fair was continued today. Mr. McLean penned over three score Leicester and Lincoln hoggett rams, bred from imported stock. Joseph May Buckland, Selby, Kerr, and G. S. Graham also brought forward first-class specimens of Lincoln hoggett rams, from imported stock. The schooner Transit is entered for the sailing race in the regatta. At the evening sitting of the Wesleyan Conference the President announced that the following sums had been received during the past year for the Church Extension Fund :—Auckland district, £294 6s. sd; Taranaki and Wanganui, £137 18s.; Wellington, £IBB Is. 10d.; Nelson, £ll2 6s. Id. ; Canterbury, £586 Es. 4d.; - Otago, £l4l 6s. 9d.; conneotional rents, £453 165.; donations, £73. The Bay of Islands Coal Company propose at the next annual meeting to increase the capital by the issue of new shares. The evidence given Jn the case of attempted rape was very similar to that wired on Sunday. Mrs. Evanson’a husband in his evidence said that Brown, the accused, represented himself to be the proprietor of an hotel in Castlereaghstreet, Sydney. He had offered to let him off if he would give £2O to some charity and publish an apology in the Star newspaper. Mrs. Evanson in her evidence said she would not swear Brown was the man who got into her bed, but was almost certain. The case is still proceeding. The prices obtained for sheep at Buckland’s sale are lest than half obtained in former years, Middleton, of Papakura, obtained the highest price for the last three years for Lincoln hoggets. Last year the highest price was £l6, against £6 in the present season. The price for hoggets bred by Joseph May, Graham, McLean and Co., and Andersons, averaged about £4 each. The fair was poorly attended. Mr. Sheehan is expected to visit Wangarei to-morrow. The settlers are getting up a banquet. The Ramarama coal mine is turning out splendid coal from the new workings, as large and.hard as Newcastle. The Hamilton Borough Council has sent a telegram to Sir George Grey, reminding him of his promise to give £3OOO towards the new Hamilton Bridge. They have also applied to Government to send up an engineer to report upon the bridge, it having been said the piles are not driven on a sound foundation, which would render the work useless.

Thos. Williamson Brown, of the Cora-Val Vote Company; was fully committed for trial

for attempting to commit a rape on Mrs. Evanson, the wife of the landlord of the Scotia Hotel. Bail was allowed. A fire brigade has been formed at Cambridge, in the Waikato. Captain Marks has discovered a new channel at Tauranga, through which he took the Wauaka last trip. A new seam of coal has been discovered in Whatawhata It was exposed in a cutting made informing the Raglan-road, about a mile from the Waipa River. The coal appears to be of excellent quality, and it is believed that the deposit will be very valuable. The Cambridge Farmers’ Club are making arrangements for a horticultural show, which will be held in March. The Government have sent a surveyor np to Waikato to survey a road through the land that is to be sold by them, originally intended to be given to the King natives. The line of road between Harapipi and Alexandra is to be altered in consequence of being too close to the Waipa River, and when the river is high, the creeks flooded, and the bridges all under water, stopping traffic till the river falls. The bridge i* to be erected over the Waipa at Alexandra or Te Rore. The Odd Fellows in Auckland intend to celebrate their anniversary by a demonstration on the 29th instant. The constructor for the new Catholic Boys’ schools, now being erected at the junction of Pitt, Hebsou, aud Wellington streets, under the direction af Father Henuebery, is making considerable progress with his work. The building is of wood, the sire being 60 feet by 100 feet, and 16 feet from floor to ceiling, and is expected to accommodate 1200 children. The work has been in hand two weeks, and is expected to be finished in about four weeks hence. The total cost, including fittings, will be £ISOO, of which only £IOOO has been raised. On the adjoining allotment the congregation of St. James’ Presbyterian Church are having a splendid brick building erected, to be used as a Sunday-school. It will accommodate 700 or 800 scholars, and will cost something like £2500. E. Dakin has resigned the management of the Alburnia Gold Mining Company. He intends to proceed with prospecting operations at Tairu, in which district he has considerable faith. Grahamstown, Tuesday. The Hon. John Sheehan, in the Government steamer Stella, arrived early this morning, to interview the natives rt wants of the district. He consented to allow them £2OOO, to be spent under the authority of the County Council, for fencing hapus, native roads, Ohinemuri-road, ferry at Te Aroha, snagging the river, aud making the road from Katikati to Paeroa. This is in addition to £2OOO for bridges in the Ohinerauri County. The Hon. Mr. Sheehan met a number of natives at the Runanga house at Parawai today, and had a long conversation with them on various matters connected with the Native Department. Amongst the subjects discussed was the land required for a railway, and it is understood that the natives repeated the promise given on a previous occasion, that any of their lands required they would give to Government for a railway. Most of the principal representative natives of the district were in attendance. The Hon. Mr. Sheehan returned te Auckland in the Government steamer Stella this evening. The Native Lands Court opened here to-day before Judge Halse, of Wellington, to inquire into some old claims of McCaskell and Angus Martin, trustees of the late Dr. Morton, over Ohinomuri lands, titles to which have already been issued by former Land Courts to natives. It appears that McCaskell has since parted with his interest, and he repudiated the appearance of counsel on his behalf, but afterwards wished to withdraw his objection. The Judge expressed astonishment at his conduct, and told him he would await a reply to a communication to the Chief Judge asking instructions. Grbtmouth, Tuesday. John Cardrick, an old resident, was killed yesterday while felling a tree at Maori Creek. Dunedin, Tuesday. The sum of £763 has been handed over to theßenevolentlnstitntion, under the provisions of the Savings Bank Act of last session. Steps have been taken to form an association in Dunedin, with the view of securing Bible reading in the public schools of the province. A paid secretary has been appointed, and funds are being raised to prosecute the undertaking vigorously. The debate between the Rev. Mr. Green and Mr. Charles Bright, the freethought lecturer, commenced to-night in the Queen’s Theatre, which was crowded. The subject tor discussion is the divine origin of Christianity. Green affirms, Bright, demea. The diacusaion will last three nights. Chrisiohoroh, Tuesday. The case of Henderson v. the Napier Harbor Board was continued to-day, when the evidence of Mr. Weber, the engineer to the Board, was taken at great length. The evidence of two inspectors, who testified that the work was badly carried on, rubble being used of very inferior quality, closed the case for plaintiff. Counsel’s addresses will probably occupy all day to-morrow. A large number of excursionists left by the express this morning, to attend the opening of the Invercargill railway. Mr. Thomas Slater Pratt, formerly proprietor of the Waikouaiti Herald, aud more recently connected with the Licensed Victualler' « Gazette, died this afternoon of congestion of the lungs. The performance of “ Henry V.” last night was a grand success. Nothing like it has ever been seen in the city before, and the wonderfully effective battle pictures caused great enthaeiasm. Invebcahqiu,, Tuesday.

The case against Fiahenden for fraudulent bankruptcy fell through at the District Court yesterday, consequent upon an informality in the creditors deciding to prosecute a teat case. So far as is known about 150 persons will be at the demonstration banquet to-morrow night.