TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5735, 16 August 1879, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

(PER PRESS AGENCY.) Auckland, Friday. The report that the Bank of New Zealand has received advices of the subscription of twelve millions for the New Zealand Five Million Loan is untrue. There has not been time to attempt to float the loan, though there is not the slightest doubt it will be easily placed on good terms. At a meeting of the Chamber of Commerce to-day, Dargaville gave notice of the following motion, “ That the interests of the colony, and particularly of this provincial district, will not be served by throwing open our markets free to the products of other countries, while New Zealand products of the same class are excluded from others.” The charge against the master'and mate of the ship Minister of Marine, of cruelty to a seaman, was continued to-day, and further adjourned. GISBOENE, Friday. On the arrival yesterday of Robert Cooper, after his trial at Wellington for a breach of the Arms Act, he was met by a large number of residents, who gave three cheers for his safe return to Gisborne. Christchurch, Friday. A small boy was arrested to-day for shoplifting. Complaints have been made by the shopkeepers in the suburban localities of their tills being robbed. The boy Hydes has been known by the police tor some time. The Avon Lodge of Odd Fellows under the American constitution intend requesting Grand Master Wheeler to confer the degree of Rebecca on a number of ladies during the Grand Lodge session here next month. Dr. "Von Haast goes to the Sydney Exhibition in the interests of the Museum. The Land Tax Assessment Court continues to drag along. It will probably finish towards the end of September. Ashburton, Friday. A new evening paper is shortly to be started. It is to be called the Evening News. The town was lighted up with gas for the first time this evening. The Ashburton parish is in severe financial difficulties. Proposals were made to extricate the Church from its embarrassments by the issue of debentures ; but purchasers not being forthcoming, the members of the vestry have resigned in a body. The Rev. E. W, Wyatt, late curate, was presented with a purse of sovereigns and an address by the parishioners on the occasion of his leaving the district. Invercargill, Friday.

Money is a little easier, and one or two small transactions in property have occurred. The old Manse at East Invercargill changed hands this week at a satisfactory figure to both partie “ Timarc, Friday.

The Timaru Gas Company have declared a dividend of 71 per cent, for the past six months. _ „ ~ Dunedin, Friday.

jj, 2, Hawkins, a well-known accountant and prominent citizen, was brought up at the Police Court to-day charged, on his own confession, with having embezzled a large sum:, of money, the property of the Union Building Society, for-which he was secretary. It appears that a sub-committee of directors had been appointed to investigate the affairs of the company with a view to the amalgamation with another company, and Hawkins, fearing be would be discovered, confessed to the solicitor of the company that he had embezzled £ISOO of its funds. He purchased a

packet of strychnine some time ago, but shrank from committing suicide. As secretary of th-j Kaitangatr Coal Company, he had embezzled money, and also as treasurer of the Diocesan Church Fuhd. He was remanded for a week, and as he was evidently in a state of great mental excitement, it was decided not to accept bail It is possible, from information since received, that Mr. Hawkins’ defalcations are not so bad as he himself believes. He has been brooding over them, and in some quarters it is believed he is laboring to some extent under an hallucination.

A clerk in the Land Office, who has been absent from business for some days, was arrested this evening, ch ,rged with forgery. It is believed that he has also been unlawfully pledging title deeds as security for money. He is well known in volunteer and aquatic circles. , , At the request of a number of citizens, Mr. Stout will deliver an address in Garrison Hall on Monday evening on “ The Present Political Situation, and Political Parties, iu New Zealand,” “ Dunedin Prices Current ” for the month says : very little alteration to note. Some of our institutions still adhere to as retractive a policy, while others seem inclined to show a little more liberality to their constituents in the way of loans. ’ There is a decided appearance of an increased supply to meet demands on first securities, - but lenders still show a strong disposition to pick and choose their business with a tendency to draw baok rather than to seek investments. The last fourth, which was looked forward to with some anxiety, passed off much better than was expected, less assistance being required th.au on several previous occasions. In general business may be said to be sound, bankruptcies having been, with one exception in which the estate shows a large surplus, confined to small men.” Blenheim, Friday. A conference of sheepownera was held yesterday afternoon, and was largely attended from the Northern, Amuri, Clarence, and Wairau districts. It met to consider the desirability of applying to Government to extend the period of cleaning runs, and to amend the Sheep Act of 1878. Resolutions were carried to the following effect “ That this meeting respectfully requests the Government to take the necessary steps to cause the Governor to suspend the operation of sections 2S, and 25 to 29, for as long a time as the Act allows, in Marlborough aud Amuri.” “ That the interpretation of the word ‘ run,’ section 5, should be altered so as to mean ■ any sheepstation, farm, or part thereof, being substantially fenced, and clausa 33 to take away the arbitrary power of the inspector, and enable the magistrate to inflict penalties on the owner ; minimum, £10; maximum, £500.” The meeting adjourned till the evening. New Plymouth, Friday. Four men were injured this morning at tho harbor works by a fall of earth. The worst case was that of William Hewker, recently arrived per Oreti, who has sustained a compound fracture of the ankle. The others were merely bruised.