TELEGRAMS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 827, 7 December 1878, Page 2

TELEGRAMS.

WELLINGTON. December 6. Judges Johnston and Williams leave for Canterbury on Monday next. There were SO nominated immigrants here up to the fourth of the month. It is expected that after the return of Messrs. Macandrew, Fisher, and Sheehan, the Attorney-General will proceed .South and address his constituents. At the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company's first sale of wool, the bidding was languid. Crrss-brcd greasy wool of fair quality fetched from Sd to Sid. A preliminary enquiry has been held into the wreck of the Southminster. The captain says he is not certain as to the amount of insurance on the vessel, but values her at LI 2,000. It is not quite clear from the evidence what was the immediate cause of the wreck (every care seeming to have been taken), unless through the effect of a current setting the slm) in shore during the foggy weather which prevailed. A movement, arising out of the Sydney Chinese difficulty, has been set on foot, and a petition is now in course of signature here, praying the Government to have an Act passed imposing a 2 5 01 l tax upon all Chinese arriving in New Zealand as sailors or laborers, and making the captains of vessels responsible for the introduction of Chinese.

The mail steamer Zealandia, with the London mails of 7th November, sailed from San Francisco for Auckland on the 25th ultimo.

The following new regulation under the Land Tax Act has been gazetted : —"Every Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner shall, within fourteen days after his appointment, take the following oath before a Judge of the Supreme Court, a District Court Judge, or a Eegistrar of the Supreme Court: —' I, A B, swear that I will faithfully and honestly, and to the best of my skill and ability, perform the duties required of me under the Land Tax Act, IS7S.' " The wreck of the Southminster was sold to-day for L7O. It is stated' that the case of alleged mismanagement at Wellington Hospital is being inquired into. Labour is reported to be very scarce in Wairarajia. December 7.

Tbe report that the Marquis of Normanby has been offered and accepted the Governorship of Victoria, is confirmed. His Excellency and suite will leave for Melbourne at the latter end of next month.

John Hill, who was recently adjudged guilty of contempt of Court and ordered to be imprisoned immediately, left for the South, but he was brought back this morning in the Rotorua, and sent to gaol to await the pleasure of the Court. At a meeting of the ISTew Zealand Rifle Association Committee, the fact of volunteers and other intending members holding back their support was brought under notice, and the following resolution was passed :—That in view of the meeting of the Association being held about the latter end of February, and the intention of the Government to subsidise pro rata to the amount of subscriptions raised by members, it is absolutely rrecessai-y that officers in command of corps and local secretaries should immediately communicate to the Secretary the number of members who have already joined, to..,enable him to apply for the subsidy, and ascertain what amount of funds will oe at the disposal of the Committee, for the purpose of forming the range and preparing a pr jgramme of firing, as unless this is ascertained on or before 31§t December, the Committee cannot make any arrangements whatever. At the further inquiry regarding the loss of the Southminster, the evidence was mainly corroborative, with the exception of

one point, the Chief Officer stating that the ship, struck a rock three or four miles from land, while the Second Officer said it was only about half a mile. The Thorndon reclamation, which began in 1875, was completed yesterday evening. A merchant here has received a telegram informing him that Cameron's tobacco factory, Petersburgh, Virginia, U.5.,A., was destroyed by fire.

i It is rumored that Sir W. Fitzherbert will be made Speaker of the and Mr. O'Rorke Speaker of the ''S[anse:-of. Representatives. '"* The New Zealander says the income of the Telegraph Department has shown a very large increase since the beginning of the financial yeai*. The number of deferred telegrams sent in the first week of, July, when the system came into operation, was 338, and the number for the week ending 2nd December was 1017, the increase having been gradual and progressive since July. The sevenue from this source last week was L4O, and should the receipts continue in the same ratio the total for the year may be estimated at something like L4OOO. Since 1573 the telegraph revenue has doubled, and J if the increase should continue till the end of the year there will be a surplus over the estimates of LSOOO or L9OOO.

CHRISTCHURCH. December 6,

It is evident that Hayman was not the only offender against public morality, for a man named James Neval was last evening arrested on a similar charge. He has been completely identified, and was" brought up to-day and remanded till next Friday. The annual presentation of prizes took place at the Normal School to-day, when the Principal referred to the difficulty of teaching children unless they were regular attendants. The attendance at the school is rapidly increasing.

A fire broke out this afternoon at the timber yard of Mr. Daniel Reece. The firemen were soon on the spot, and extinguished it before it had done much damage. The fire originated in the engine-room. * AUCKLAND. December 6. Father Henneberry administered the total abstinence pledge to two hundred more persons last night. Mr. Knox's house and the adjoining building were burned to-day. They were insured in the New Zealand Insurance for L3OO. The loss is only partial. All but two grocers have signed the agreement in favor of the Saturday half-holiday. ♦ NELSON. December 6. Mr. Hursthouse addressed his Motueka constituents on Wednesday night. He said said he was a strong opponent of the present Ministry, and criticised unfavorably all their leading measures of last session. He received a unanimous vote of confidence. INVERCARGILL. December 6. The single women immigrants per Waitara were sent to town last night, and declared opened for engagement. The barracks were almost rushed, and every woman was engaged in a few hours. TAURANGA. December 0. Pasco Marks has been dismissed from the Government service for his late assault on Mr. Edgecombe, jjroprietor of the Times.