TELEGRAMS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1006, 10 July 1879, Page 2

TELEGRAMS.

(PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.) WELLINGTON. July 9. Brother C. J. Toxward has received a commission from H.R.H. the Prince of Wales as M. A. and Master of England, appointing him successor to the late Sir Donald M'Lean, as District Grand Master for the Wellington Masonic District. The Commissioners to open Parliament on Friday will, it is said, be Sir William Fitzherbert, Sir F. D. Bell, and Colonel Whitmore. The Governor's speech will not be delivered till Tuesday. The House has first to elect a Speaker, and the Government has to approve of the choice. Morton Quinn, late district secretary to the Forresters, has been arrested and lemanded on a charge of embezzling the funds of the Order. The Land Tax Revision Court sat today. More than four-fifths of the appeals called on went by default, as the objectors did not appear. The appeals were sustained in only a very few instances. A large number of appeals were withdrawn after the sittings of the Court had commenced. There were 2,200 appeals set down.

The Post says it hears on good authority that the Government will propose the reimposition of the grain and timber duties. Another batch of Maori prisoners are expected by the Patea early to-morrow morning. The telegraph authorities have received a message from Mr. Todd in Adelaide, staving that the break in the cable is believed to be about 380 miles from Port Darwin. If all goes well it is hoped it will be repaired by Sunday. A steamer with telegrams may be expected at Port Darwin on Thursday or Friday.. 11l the Supreme Court, to-day, George England, of Hutfc, was convicted of malicious injury to property in liis father's house. The father was recently declared insane by a commission. As the matter was a family quarrel, and prisoner agreed to repair damages, he was released on his own recognisances to come up for trial when called on. AUCKLAND. July 9. The Auckland portion of the Chinese petition, bearing 3504= signatures, was forwarded per Mr. Swanson for presentation to Parliament. Unfortunately the Thames portion of the petition, which was very numerously signed, has gone astray. By the brig Matutu, which has arrived from Samoa, it is learned that the German war-ship Bismarck was to leave Samoa for Auckland on being relieved by the Albatross, now in this port. She is the largest German war-ship that has ever been on the Pacific station.- Owing to the prospect of civil war in Samoa, the foreign consols have warned foreigners against aiding or abetting either of the contending parties of Samoa. They have also made stringentregulations for the maintenance of law and order in neutral territory. July 10. A petition is to be presented to the Assembly, praying for the admission of Dr. Richardson's work on intoxication to the public school series. It has received 300 signatures, including Bishop Cowie and clergy of all denominations. A man named John Cuddy, at Newmarket, narrowly escaped suffocation last night. Being cold, he lighted a fire in a nail can in the middle of a room, and went to sleep. Two children were rescued in an exhausted state.

A three-roomed dwelling house of Constable Rist, A.C., Wakefield-street, was burnt down early this morning. It is insured in the New Zealand Oo's office for LSOO, by the owner (William Irvine.) The fire is believed to have originated in the fire place. The occupant's wife and children were awakened by a crackling noise, and simply escaped in night clothes. But a little furniture was saved, Constable Rist being in charge of police guard room at the time the fire occurred. Elizabeth Hayes, "who was rescued from drowning in Freeman's Bay, died from the shock. Deceased had wandered in the dark off the road into the tide. CHRISTCHURCH. July 9. Mr. C. C. Howard, principal of the Normal School, has received notice to quit from the Board of Education. Not a single of exhibit of bacon or ham has been received for the Sydney Exhibition, and of cheese there are only two exhibits.

The Supreme Court was occupied all day with the oharge of arson against Lewis, occupier of a fruit shop opposite the Bank of New Zealand. At five o'clock the case for the Crown closed, but the counsel demurred to entering into the defence after an exhausting cross-examin-ation. The Judge made some difficulty,, but eventually seeing there was no chance of concluding before midnight he agreed to. adjourn. There is still another ?defended case to try.

DUNEDIN. July 10. The criminal sessions of the Supreme Court closed to-day. The civil sittings will commence on Monday, when two common jury cases and one special are set down for hearing. The nomination of candidates for the vacant Dunedin seat in the General Assembly was held this forenoon at 12 o'clock. There were about 150 electors and non-electors present. Mr. W. Downie Stewart was proposed by Mr. T. Burt, and seconded by Mr. W. H. Hassell ; Mr. C. S. Reeves was proposed by Mr. 11. Wilson, and seconded by Captain Baldwin ; and Mr. J. G. S. Grant, a local celebrity, was also proposed, and seconded. Neither Mr. Stewart nor Mr. Reeves committed themselves to support the present Government. Mr. Reeves delivered a lengthy speech, in which he distinctly advocated a secular system of education, proposing also a new scheme by which a set of national secular text books should be drawn up for the use of all State schools, Bible reading to be given every day by non-secular teachers selected by the School Committee, at a specified time set apart from the hours of secular instruction. TIMARU. July 9. The South Canterbury Board of Education have determined to take a decided stand in reference to the appointment of teachers by School Committees, and the result will be that if they consider a Committee does not select the best of the applicants whose names are handed to them, they will appoint a teacher themselves. This step has been decided upon owing to the Timaru School Committee (in particular) and others apparently doing all they can to ignore and hamper the Board.

Mr. Turnbull, M.H.R., left for the North to-day by the express train, as well as many southern members. Mr. Wakefield probably leaves to-morrow. ASHBTJRTON. July 9.

Efforts are being made to establish a Post Office and bi-weekly mail service! between the Hinds railway station and the Hills. A largely signed petition has been forwarded to the Postmaster-General to this effect from the residents in that locality. Farmers are very busy preparing land for spring sowing. It is expected a large acreage will be under crop this year owing to the favorable condition of the plains since the recent rains have fallen. NEW PLYMOUTH. July 9. The Mountain Road is in a dreadful state, and there is a continuous sea of mud for a distance of several chains in different places through all the length of the road. There is nothing further in native news to report. There will be nothing stirring in these matters until Te Whiti's Parihaka meeting on the 17th. The Herald authoritatively states tha\ the staff of the Survey Department in this district will not be reduced. The Harbor Board have let a heavy contraat, and, with other works, L 250 per week will be expended in laborers' wages during the next three or four months.

GISBORNE. July 10. Captain Porter brought Tuta Mohoniho down this morning. WAITAKI COUNTY COUNCIL. The usual monthly meeting of the Council ivas held to-day, when there were present —The Hon. R. Campbell (Chairman), Messrs. D. Sutherland, Duncan, Murcott, Todd, Johnston, Falconer, and Thomson.

The minutes of last meeting were read and confirmed, and the outward correspondence was read and approved. A letter was read from the Secretary to the Maheno Public Library, applying for payment of the sum voted towards the institution. It was decided to hand over the amount.

A letter was read from the Poundkeeper at Maheno, stating that a portion of the Pound fence had been carried away by the llood. The Inspector was directed to have the fence repaired. The Chairman of the Maniatoto County Council wrote forwarding a copy of the following resolution passed by that body : That seeing the Chinese have now become SO numerous, and are still increasing in this and other goldfiekl districts and centres of population, and are competing for and obtaiug contracts oh public works at such prices as none but Chinamen coultl exist upon, to the exclusion of the European laborer (whose enterprise has been in a great measure instrumental in making the Colony what it is at present), in the opinion of this Council it is imperative th't the Government should check their further influx. That a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Government and the members for the district; and that a oiroular letter be addressed to the various County Councils in the Colony requesting their co-operation. It was decided to take no action in the matter.

A letter from the Under-Secretary for Lands was read, intimating that the Government adheres to its decision with reference to the site for County Chambers. Mr. D. Sutherland said he considered the decision of the Government as an insult to the Council, and was prepared to move that they should refuse the site offered, and that the Chairman should be requested to take a note of the matter, and also of that of the railway siding on the Waiareba line.

The Chairman thought it would be better not to refuse to accept the site offered. The decision arrived at was that of Mr. Stout, the late Minister for Lands. They had now a new Minister, and it was possible that he might treat the Council more liberally. Mr. Murcott, in a strong speech, expi'essed his surprise at finding that a Bill was to be brought in next session to grant the land, a portion of which they had been endeavoring to obtain, to the Municipal Corporation. He thought the town should not endeavor to prevent the Council securing a fitting site for County Chambers. If such a coarse were persisted in, the only thing the Council would have to do would be to meet in some other place than Oamaru.

Several other members having expressed their disapproval of the conduct of the Government, it was decided to request the members for the district and the Chairman to interview the Government on the subject of the site and with reference to the railway siding on the Waiareba line.

' The Resident Engineer wrote stating that the department would not object to any alteration being made to the culvert at Richmond's crossing, provided the work was carried out at the expense of the Council. The matter was referred to the Engineer and members for the riding. The Commissioner for Crown Lands wrote, stating that the ranger had been instructed to report upon the removal of soil from section GO, block IV., Awamoko, by those engaged <W the Oamaru waterworks, The Commissioner stated that the section was required for school purposes. It was decided, all the necessayy preliminary steps having been taken, to close the road in section 43, block -1., Moeraki. It was resolved that a meeting of ratepayers in the Waiareka District should bo held at the Cave Valley schoolhouse on a day to be fixed, to consider the closing of a road from the main road at Whitstone to the Waiareka bridge.

Mr. M'Kerrow waited upon the Council and pointed out that the foundation of his fence having been cut away in the road works of the Council, in the Hampden Riding, the fence had fallen down. He wished the Council to erect the fence, aud make it good. ' After Mr. M'Kerrow had withdrawn, some discussion took place, during which Mr. Sutherland said it would bo a dangerous thing for the Council to accept any responsibility for the damage. If they did so they might be rushed with similar claims. He knew that similar claims were not recognised by the Municipal Council, and he would move that, the Council accept no responsibility iu the matter. This was carried. The following petition was read : Maheno, July Till, IS7!>. To the Chairman and Jlcmbers of the Waitaki County Council. We the undersigned, residents and ratepavers, beg to call the attention of your Council to the Flat, south of Isluul Stream Bridge, having suffered considerable damage by the late flood, as there are a good many people likely to settle on the Flat if there was any means of protection to their buildings iu future floods. [Hero follow the signatures.] A little discussion took place, but it was decided to take no action in the matter. The Clerk to the Otepopo Road Board wrote intimating that the contract on the Breakneck Road had been let at L 220, and asking the Council to give some assistance in the matter. Mr. Falconer moved, and Mr. Thomson seconded, " That the Council vote LIOO to be spent on the contract under the supervision of the Engineer. After a little discussion, the motion was negatived, Messrs. Falconer and Thomson alone noting for it. The Clerk to the Hampden Road Board wrote requesting payment of the Council's share of the ranger's salary for the first three months. The request was agreed to. Mr. M'Leod waited upon the Council to request a settlement of his account for land purchased two years ago for road purposes. Mr. Murcott explained that Mr. M'Leod had only received a deposit of L 5 on the sale, and was anxious to have the matter settled. He had appeared before the Council several times with reference to the matter, which had beeu pending settlement for two years. It was explained that the delay had occurred through the Council's Solicitor not having prepared the conveyance, and tho Clerk was instructed to see Mr. Q'Meagher about the matter.

Left sitting.] B