TELEGRAMS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume III, Issue 743, 28 August 1878, Page 2

TELEGRAMS.

(TER PKESS agency.) WELLINGTON. August 27. It is understood that the Government do nor intend to make the office of Sheriff any longer a special appointment. It is ezpi-c.-d that the next Gaz-jtte will contain a notification that all registrars of Supreme Courts will, by virtue of their office, act as Sheriffs of their respective districts. August 28. Press messages, consisting in the aggregate of over 76,000 words, were sent from the Wellington office during one day lastweek.

DUtfEDIN. August 27. The Mayor and Corporation intend accepting the invitation of the Christchurch Mayor to be present at the banquet in Christchurch to the northern visitors. The Carnival in aid of the Bonevolent Institution will be opened by the Mayor on September 7, and will continue for a week.

The City Council to-day resolved to ask the Government to sanction without delay the Silverstream Water Supply Scheme. The Council also resolved to obtain the sprvices of an eminent Gas Engineer, to report upon the gas question. At a meeting of the Licensed Victuallers' Association to-night, it was resolved to draw up a petition for presentation to Parliament against the beer tax. The action of thn Government was strongly censured, and the chief of the blame attribntod to Mr. Stout. # CHRISTCHURCH. August 27. At a largely-attended meeting of the Chamber of Commerce this afternoon, the following resolution was moved—- " That this Chamber supports the principle of free-trade, and iB of opinion that if the dour and grain duties are to he repealed, all duties of a protective character should likewise be abolished." The motion was carried by 18 to 13. The following amendment was lost—"That this Chamber express its approval in general term* of the Hon. the Treasurer's proposed alterations in the tariff in the direction of free-trade." At the sitting of the Supreme Court today, the case of the Avon Road Board and the Colonial Treasurer, better known as the L-.nd Fund case, was adjourned, the Attorney-General having signified his

intention of being present to argue on behalf of the Government. The Council of Dunedin will be present at the Mayor's banquet, at the opening of the Dunedin and Christchurch Hailway. It is expected that those of other municipalities will ->.also be present. ' ! Our approaching civic elections are likely to be lively. There is ; already a good field of candidates. August 28.:, The termination of the grain season has led. to a considerable diminution of the working staff on the railways. A petition numerously signed is to be at once forwarded by the Mayor of Rangiora to the House of Assembly praying the Government to carry out the extension of the Northern Railway from Amberley to Hokitika via Ahaura and Greymouth, with a line from Ahaura to Reefton, eventually to connect Christchurch with Nelson. At a meeting of the Acclimatisation Society, yesterday, it was resolved to communicate with Professor Spencer Baini, of Washington, with a view to the acclimatisation of the American white trout in New Zealand, as well as to secure such a description of American game birds as woujd be likely to prove useful in the colony. The weights for the C. J. C. will be posted on Saturday evening.