TELEGRAMS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 941, 23 April 1879, Page 2

TELEGRAMS.

(per press association.) WELLINGTON. April 22. Sir George Grey and Mr. Sheehan will leave for Auckland to-morrow, if the Hinemoa arrives in time.

A supplementary gazette contains regulations under the Sheep Act, as to crossing places, and the appointment of Sheep Inspectors to be registrars of brands, under various local ordinances. The Government ha 3 not heard anything of Sir J. Vogel's resignation as Agent-General. A report has been published that Te Whiti has assumed a defensive attitude, and orders all Europeans from his settlement, but no such information has reached the Ministry. On the contrary the Government have reason to believe that the proposal to appoint commissioners for the purpose of ascertaining—(l) the position and nature of awards of compensation to local natives, (2) particulars as to reserves made and promised to ex rebels, (3) what lands had been surrendered by the Crown, and thus had become native lands once more—has produced a very satisfactory impression, on the minds of the natives generally. April 23. The expenditure out of the Public Works Fund, between the Ist July, 1878, and the 31st March, 1879, has been as follows :—lmmigration, L 40,728 ; Public Works department, L 12,087; railways, L458,(508; surveys of new lines, L 10,408; roads, L 31,987 ; land purchase, L 61,890 ; water races, L 9,872 ; telegraph extension, L 18,983; public buildings, 109, CCC ; lighthouses, LG,838 ; miscellane.ous, L 95,497 ; charges and expenses, L 45.741 ; services not provided for, &c., L 8,572; • giving a total of L 950,878. The New Zealander, this morning, says : —" If, as may be assumed to be the case, the intelligence per cable of the retirement from the Agent-Generalship by Sir Julius Vogel is correct, it will most probably be found expedient to convene an earlier meeting of the Assembly than is mow proposed, for the position becomes fraught with grave responsibility. It is admitted that it is necessary to either raise at once a new loan in the London market, or to obtain temporary advances on debentures in anticipation or $ loan. The Land Fund of tho Colony, which it wag. expected would yield the means to extend tho railway system, has fallen off, arid there is no present prospect of the position being retrieved until money within the

Colony becomes again plentiful, which, though there is some budding promise, can only slowly result. But in the London market Colonial loans are in present favor, as witness the recent successes of Victoria and Queensland, in replenishing their impoverished coffers; and New Zealand could not embrace a better opportunity to obtain on satisfactory terms the few millions, needful to bring into perfect fruition here reproductive! public works. .But.the needful' Parliamentary authority must be granted before negotiations can be set afloat, and the sooner this is granted the better, especially if Sir Julius Vogel has retired from the agency of the Colon}'. We take it this does not mean absolute severance of good service, but that if action were promptly taken his assistance and influence would be still available. Hence the wisdom of prompt action. Arrived—Omeo, from Australia. The news is anticipated. DUNEDIN. April 22. A Queenstown telegram in to-night's Star says :—" The Governor arrived here at 4.30, and was loyally received by the Volunteers, under Captain Furnand, and a large assemblage. Addresses were presented by the Municipal Council and the Chinese. The Governor and suite proceeded up the lake at 10 o'clock fliis morning. The weather is simply grand. The proposed banquet has been abandoned at his Excellency's request, and it is stated that he will forego his visit to Arrowtown, his Excellency requiring rest He will probably visit the lakes again next summer. " The Bruce Herald was not published this morning, and it is said to be defunct. Ono of its reprints, the Clutha Times, is also stopped, but the other, the Mataura Ensign, has been taken in hand by Mr. F. S. Canning, an hotel-keeper at Balclutha. Julius Eastwood, the Timaru Volunteer who distinguished himself by riotous, conduct in Stuart-street after the late demonstration, was charged &t the Police Court to-day with stealing L 5, the property of 0116 of two girls in a house of ill-fame. The case was again adjourned. CHRISTCH DECH. April 22. The Cquysh'ig Club have extended the time for receiving nominations for the Birthday Stakes Nos. 1 and 2, and the Publican's Stakes, to 5 p.m. on Friday next.

Mr. Fuhrmann and the insura<r,pQ. oiiices offer L 350 reward for the> : conviction of the person whq a<ifc fire to his place on April 3-0,. The Globe to-night says th&t particulars have coniO to. light, which point to ths conclusion that the fire in the premises of Messrs. Edward Bennett and Co., originated in the act of an incendiary. At the time, Detective Walker expressed the opinion that the iron at the north-east end of the building had been broken up to admit of the possibility of combustible material being placed inside and ignited. Since a clearance was made of the goods in the store, it been discovered beyond doubt. t}iat- the place must have been broken open at the point indicated, and some liquid material,, oil probably, poured in between the iron casing and woodwork, which ran down, and passing beneath the floor, set fire to it, and then gradually spread till it attained a firm hold of that portion of the building. The appearance of things make it pretty certain that the place was broken into after the manner stated. Mr. H. E. Alport, the well-known auctioneer of Christchurch, was nearly killed at Rangiora last evening. He attempted to get on a train in motion, and slipped and foil between the carriages and the platform. A bystander rushed forward and stopped the train, while Mr. Back, the General Manager of Railways, at the same moment, jumped underneath the carriage, and dragged Mr-. Alport clear in a. very plucky manner. He was loudly cheered by those on the platform. Mr. Alport was only slightly hurt, though his clothes were much torn. AUCKLAND. April 23. While the barque Bonita was shipping spars at the wharf, for operations in connection with the raising of the Taupo, one of them fell out of the chocks, crushing the foot of a seaman named John M'Kenzie. Some of his toes will require amputation. Mr. Yesey Stewart, the founder of the Katik.iti ssttleiueut, proposes to form another settlement, on being put into possession of land which was to have been taken up by on behalf of English capitalists. lie informs the Waste Lauds Board that he, is willing to reserve a portion for settlers' sons, to meet the objection that there are plenty of people here already to take up the available waste lands. INVERCARGILL. April 22. The demonstration on the Governor's arrival and during his stay here promises to be a very quiet afiair. The proposed ball seems likely to fall through owing to the shortness of the time for making preparation. His Excellenoy has promised to attend the Garrison Band concert on Thursday evening. At the District Court to-day, John Wilson was sentenced to two years' imprisonment, on two charges of obtaining money and goods by means of valueless cheques.