TELEGRAMS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 961, 19 May 1879, Page 2

TELEGRAMS.

(per press association.)

WELLINGTON.

May 17. The Government find that they have no power to substitute Monday for Saturday as a bank holiday. Cowan, the bigamist, has been further remanded. The Government have decided not to take any steps in reference to the false statement made by the Timaru Herald, that the Bank of New Zealand had dishonored several Government cheques in consequence of having insufficient funds to meet them. Ministers are believed to regard the report as calculated to affect the Colony rather than the Government, and the bank does not deem the attack, coming from such a quarter, of sufficient consequence to call for legal proceedings against the author. It is worthy of note that the Government credit balance in the bank at the time referred to was L 243.000. The Government have received a telegram from Mr. Slieehan to-day to the effect that he started for Kihikihi to conduct some further negotiations with Rewi, with the object of arranging for throwing open some additional country, and setting it aside for railway purposes ; also, with the view of further cementing and improving the alliance with Itewi and his tribe. May 19. In the Divorce Court to-day decrees absolute for divorces were granted in Digby v. Digby (Christchurch), Matthews v. Matthews (Wellington), George v. George (Wellington), and Eyley v. Ryley (Dunedin). In the case of Henderson v. Henderson and Flynn, a decree nisi was granted. In the Divorce Court a decree absolute has been granted in the case of Jeffrey v. Jeffrey, of Christchurch, and rules nisi in the cases of Harvey v. Harvey, Christchurch, and Jackson, v. Jackson. Wellington.

DUNEDIN.

May 17. The wrestling match for the Eleven Stone Championship of the Colonies came off at the Caledonian Grounds this afternoon. The competitors were—J. Tiffin, who for twenty years was nine stone champion of the world, and who has frequently since his arrival in Dunedin, given us instances of his prowess ; and W. Hudson, winner of the last Eleven Stone Wrestling Match at Liverpool, of the All-comers Stakes at Invercargill, on New Year's Day, and of tlie All-comers Stakes at Dunedin on Easter Monday. In addition to the Championship, stakes of LSO a side depended on the present contest, in which considerable interest has been evinced by the public for some weeks past. Out of six rounds Tiffin scored four falls, and Hudson two. Tiffin therefore won the match. Mr. J. A. Mackenzie, the local manager of the Cromwell Quartz Mining Company, received a telegram yesterday stating that a cake of gold weighing G410z., the result of 4G4 tons of stone (the usual four weeks' crushing), had been brought into Cromwell. During the present year, 31170z. have been crushed from 2142 tons of stuff.

CHRISTCHURCH.

May 17. A meeting of the unemployed was' held to-day in Cathedral square. From 100 to 150 were present. John Lee, a wellknown stump orator, spoke first, and complained that men of property were trying to reduce the working man's wages fromlOs to 5s per day. What he wanted was, for them to bring pressure to bear on the Government to find work for a 1! those out of employment. Another speaker, who said he had been induced to sell his happy home in England and come out here, stated that he arrived in January last, and had only obtained one month's work since. This was a good country for young girls to come to, and they ought to have been told before leaving that it was only a woman's country. At? the close of the meeting a Committee was formed to make arrangements for other meetings, the first to be held on Monday next. Mr. H. Prince's Australian yearlings were submitted to auction to-day by Messrs. J. T. Ford and Co. There was a fair attendance of sporting men present. For the Goldsborough colts, Hilarious and Sylvanus, the bidding reached L2OO and Ll5O respectively. Both were passed in. No bid was received for the Yattendon colt. Mr. J. J. Lee, for many years proprietor of tha Leeston Hotel, and lately carrying on rarming on a large scale in that district, attempted to commit suicide to-day by shooting himself in the head with a gun. He shot away the right side of his "face, but as Dr. Chapman was quickly in attendance, it is believed that he will recover. The cause is attributed to the present depressed times.

AUCKLAND.

May 19. An iron steamer, the Rotuku, has been launched to the order of Mr. J. C. Firth, for carrying wheat from his Mata Mata estate to Auckland. She will carry 12.000 bushels, with full coal bunkers, on a draft of 2ft. 6in. of water.

Arrived—H.M.S. Emerald, from the Auckland Islands. During the north-east gale last night Kissling's yacht Dapliine parted her cable in Judge Bay, and drifted on the Breakwater. Boats and crews from H.M. Sandfly succeeded in getting her off before much damage had been inflicted. Mrs. J. M'Cosh Clark's cup was won by Vol. E. Cooper, Victoria Company, with 66 points. The Herald says, in Saturday's impression, "A telegram was published from Napier, stating that the Hon. Mr. Sheehan had been sued on a promissory note, and that judgment had gone by default. It is only due to Mr. Sheehan that the facts should be stated. The bill in question was not to the extent of one shilling the private affair of Mr. Sheehan. It was given to cover a multitude of debts owing by the Natives to a local storekeeper, and the amounts were payable by other parties, for whom Mr. Sheehan only acted as agent. The summons was served on Mr. Sheehan as the steamer taking him to the Waikato meeting left the wharf in Wellington. He immediately informed the really responsible parties, and had no doubt that they had protected him. Considering that Mr. Sheehan has sacrificed entirely his private business to the public interest, it must be somewhat mortifying to him to have his name telegraphed over the Colony as having been found liable on account of a dishonored bill. Kummer and Co.'s premises, in Fortstreet, were broken into last night, and a quantity of tobacco stolen. The vessels in the harbor were searched by the water police, but no clue has been got yet. The Board of Education have suspended the head master (Johnston) of the Newton East school, as the result of the School Committee's enquiry remitted to the Board. TIMARU. May 18. James Strachan, draper, has filed. His liabilities are said to be about L 12,000. Samuel Durham (veterinary surgeon) and A. M f Alister (ex-publican) have also called meetings of their creditors. INVERCAK.GILL. May 17. The New Zealand Company's Spar Bush Estate was sold by auction by Mr. G. F. Martin to-day. The attendance was large and the bidding spirited. The land generally brought good prices, sections contiguous to the line of railway bringing as much as L 6 per acre. The lowest price obtained was for some heavily timbered ancl rough land, which sold at from L2 5s per acre. The block was subdivided into convenient farms of about 250 acres each. The terms were easy, and the purchasers were bona fide settlers. May 19. It is expected that the River ton railway will be opened at the beginning of J una The question of Bible reading in schools is causing a good deal of interest here. The matter is to be brought up at the next meeting of the Education Board. Complaints are being made of the light weight of bread here.