TELEGRAMS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 855, 11 January 1879, Page 2

TELEGRAMS.

(r-ER. I-KESS ASSOCIATION). WELLINGTON. January 10. Great changes are being made in the Land Transfer Department. It is transferred from the Ministerial Department of Justice to the Stamps Department, and the officers have to communicate through the Under-Secretary of Stamps. Each branch is required to send in immediate returns of arrears of work as far as possible. The offices of the Registrar, Examiner, and Deputy-Registrar of the Stamp Department will be amalgamated. The returns of revenue for the first hair of the financial year are most satisfactory, although not complete. The December Customs quarter amounts to LBIG,G9O. making a total for the half-year •of 1/582 OG4. The Customs duties show an increase of LIO,OOO over last quarter compared with corresponding quarter last year, and this although little or no duty has been collected on tea and sugar during the quarter. In stamps the half-year shows an excess of L16,3G7 on the estimated revenue. This would have been increased by L7OOO had not Mr. J. S. Macfarlanc, as trustee in Read's estate, refused to pay duty, because of some dispute about a title to some native land. The Government has given instructions to the Lpw Officer immediately to sue him. In March the stamp duty on Rhodes' estate, amounting to L 20,000, will be due. The Treasury abstract of accounts this quarter will be issued in a new form, prepared by. Mr. Baliance, which, will enable everyone to clearly understand the figures. January 11. Parliament has been further prorogued till the 14th of March. Mr. Luckie, the editor of the Post, has been offered, and has accepted, the Commissionership of the Government Annuities Department, at LBOO a year. The late Treasurer of the Star Boating Club, whose cash was nine months ago found L 123 short, has refunded the whole amount by cheque.

DUNE'DIN. January 10. The long-pending breach of promise • case—Kayford v. Carruthers —came before the Supreme Court again to-day, when : there was an argument on the rule nisi to set aside the Judge's order to have the case tried at- the January sitting of the Supreme Court at Dunedin. The Judge j reserved his decision. I The Directors of the Colonial Bank to- ■ day resolved to recommend the proprietors, at a. meeting to be held on the 29th inst., to declare a dividend of 8 per cent., and to add L6OOO to the reserve fund, which will then amount to L 40,000. The Blueskin show to-day was a great success. K. B. Fergusson was the largest prize-taker in shorthorns, and Peter Orr in Ayrshires. R. Couborough's Rob the Ranter was adjudged the best entire. The largest winner in dairy produce was Mrs. Colin M'Donald. January 11. The single females by the immigrant ship Oamaru, from Glasgow, were disembarked this morning, and conveyed to the Caversham barracks, where they will be hired out early next week. They are a promising lot, and appear to have been carefully selected by the Home agents. Since the Otago University was removed from the city to the Water of Leith, it has been found almost impracticable to get a meeting of the Council. Yesterday, there was no quorum, as usual, and it is now intended to hold the next meeting in the Education Board's office.

Mr. Stout's speech of last evening is considered one of the best that he has ever delivered in this city. He spoke for upwards of two hours, and was frequently applauded. The theatre was crowded with working men and leading citizens. An able-bodied woman named Turner applied at the Police Court to-day for the admission of her two children to the Industrial School, when the master of the school (Mr. Tichener) came into Court and pi-otested against the school and the Police Court being made conveniences of by parents who wished to be relieved of their children. At present the school was so overcrowded that he had just written on the subject to the Minister of Justice. There were one hundred under eight years, besides seventeen infants, and at the present rate there would be between four and five hundred in two years. Owing to want of accommodation and adequate provision for infants they were dying rapidly. The last infant admitted had to be farmed out. The Resident Magistrate suggested that the provisions of the Act should bo enforced, and runaway fathers apprehended and punished. The children were sent to the school for five and seven years respectively. James Paterson, a wealthy settler, from Southland, was charged with stealing a pair of gold earrings from a woman of bad repute with whom he had spent his Christmas holidays in Dunedin. Paterson, who was alleged to have removed the jewellery unconsciously while suffering from his debauch, was defended by a leading barrister, and discharged.

CHRISTCHUROK. January 10. The Customs' authorities at Lyttelton to-day stopped the discharge of all general cargo, as the sheds in Christehurch were crowded. The stoppage will extend over to-morrow, and naturally great annoyance is felt. Gilligan's racehorses Javelin, Laertes, Merlin, and Lady of the Lake, will be sold by Ford and Co., on Friday. AUCKLAND. January 10. The Papakura races take place on 29th January. The following handicaps have been declared :—Papakura Handicap : PuiiL'a, Bst 121b ; Venus Transit, Sst 101b ; Xantippe, Sst 31b; Don, Sst ; Gillie Galium, 7st 121b; Yattapa, 7st 21b ; Barney, 7st; Ravenshoe, Gst 101b ; Golden Crown, Cst. Hurdle Race : Whitefoot, 12st : Loafer, list ; Johnathan Wild, lOst 51b : Wananga, lOst 41b ; Harry Mount, 10.it.

At the Supreme Court an application was made for a writ of habeas corpus in ] favor of Thomas Reynold, charged with j the murder of Captain Moeller, at Bantaritara. After argument, Judge Gillies I ruled that he had no power under the Foreign Offenders Act, 1373, to issue such a warrant as that under which Reynold was detained, and ordered a writ to be issued commanding the gaoler to bring the body of prisoner into Court. At a meeting of the Chamber of Commerce to-day, the probable stoppage of the pump at the Thames was taken into consideration, and a committee appointed to obtain data upon the matter, and to report to a special meeting as soon as possible. Mr. Hartley, accompanied by a native guide, has started_ to survey the line of the road from the Lake District to Cambridge, recently passed over by Mr. Moss. January 11.

Henry JNTichol, son of Mr. Nichol, shipbuilder, was charged at the Police Court to-day with the larceny of L4O from Henry Adams, of the Anchor Hotel. The prosecutor failed to identify the notes, and the accused was acquitted. The Court was crowded, and applause was suppressed. At tJio instance of Mr. Hesketh, solicitor, a writ of habeas corpus has been issued to bring up the body of Thomas Rennell, charged with the murder of Captain Moller, to test the legality of the Resident Magistrate's commitment. The Crocker early closing movement has been commenced to-day at 2 o'clock. Some employers have changed their payday to Friday. Certain school teachers having been gazetted as land-tax valuers, the Education Board has declined to sanction the agreement, as it is likely to bring them into collision with the people.

TIMARU. January 10. An important meeting of the Chamber of Commerce was held to-day. Resolutions were passed referring the question of the now railway station and the grain tariff to the Commitee, to report on Wednesday next. The most bitter feeling is expressed as to the undoubted intention of the Government to entirely shut up the port and ruin the trade of Timaru. Resolutions were also passed, urging the vital necessity of continunig the local immigration ofiieer. The want of increased Court accommodation was also considered. A deputation was appointed to wait on Messrs. Stout and Macaiidrew. IXVERCARftILL. January 10.

At a meeting of t]ic Education Board, the fallowing "resolution, was carried:— "That this Board desires to record its sorrow at the death of Sir John Richard-1 son, and to express its deep sense of the untiring zeal and energy displayed by him in discharging his duties as a member of the Board, and in the cause of education, and for the many valuable services rendered by him in a long career of usefulness as a public man. ,: Mr. Macdonald was elected a member of the High School Board, vice Mr. Cuthbertson, resigned ; and Mr. Harvey was re-elected. A plebiscitum was taken to-day to decide the water question. By a large majority the Town' Council was empowered to borrow LIOO,OOO, with which to bring in water from the Dimsdale Creek. TAURANGA. January 10. A disturbance has occurred, interrupting the survey of the Ruke block. Shand, who claims further reserves for the Ngatiwhakane, had a fight with Captain Goldsmith, and in a struggle the theodolite was broken.