TELEGRAMS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1069, 23 September 1879, Page 2

TELEGRAMS.

WELLING T< )X. Sepix-mber 22. A deputation from the Working Men's Rights League waited on the Premier and tlie Xlinister of Lands this morning, for tho purpose of urging up- a the Government the necessity of providing working men with the means of setilemenr, on country iands. Sir George ' ;roy said the Government intended reintroducing a Pol! which had been framed last session. The Xlinister of Lands said the object of the Bill Mas to reduce the price of land on deferred payments to a minimum fixed at 30s, but it would rest with land boards to raise the price in case of very choice lands. Another proposal was that the Government should take the power to survey lands in the vicinity of public works, and sell them under orders in Council, fixing terms of payment. By arranging the sale in this way settlement would be effected

as soon as possible. It was also proposed that the size of sections should vary from ! acre to 40 acres, the greater number being 10 acres, to meet the case of men employed on public works, who could spend half their time improving their land. Tiie Premier thought the deputation would find the scheme to meet their views entirely.

The ship Matilda, which loaded at Kapiti with railway material landed from the Hyderabad, and then came on here prior to sailing for Adelaide, is in a dangerous position oil' Wellington Heads, owing io a strung southerly breeze springing up, with a heavy sea, rendering it impossible for her to get out of the bay in which she is anchored. A steamer was sent out to her assistance, but, owing to the heavy sea running, was of little avail. The pilot went to the vessel in the Satnson. Information has been received from the pilot station that the stock of one anchor has gone and the vessel is dragging. The pilot says if- she has to slip tlie other anchor he will run into port, and beach her in Wellington harbor. September 23. At a meeting of the Wellington Racing Club last night, the Stewards recommended that the race meeting intended to be held during the ensuing session should not be held. It was decided to ask his Excellency to become patron of the Club. The ship Matilda, whick was in a dangerous position off tlie Heads yesterday, rode out the gale safely last niglu and came into the harbor this morning. AUCKLAND. September 22. Seven seamen of the Minister of Marine, who were sentenced to three months' imprisonment for malingering, were previously examined by Drs. Goldsboro and Hains. Alfred Cole, the prosecutor in the cruelty case against Captain Murphy, said he would be able to prove that he was really ill, and further said that the Bench would confer a favor on him by sending him to prison, as he would by that means escape the persecution to which he had been subjected on board the ship. The surveyors at Rangiriri have received instructions to desist surveying at Waikari Lake for the present, and to gj on working at the higher districts. Some of the natives at Rangiriri say it is not

their people who are causing the trouble, but natives from the King Country, who came down to Rangiriri for the express purpose of stopping surveyors. An alarm of fife took place at 7.30, through smoke rising up through the cellar grating? of Messrs. Kempthorne ami rrusser's premises in Shortland-street. Oil (lie p'.iin: atid Fire Brigade breaking in, it was discovered that rats had tampered with a jar of phosphorus. The officer in charge of the New Zealand Insurance Company's buildings promptly put the tlame out with one of Laconey's extinguishers. At a meeting of the Auckland Teachers' Association to-day. a motion was made that the salaries of teachers throughout the Colony be assimilated, and that the Northern teachers be placed on the same footing as those of the South. On the casting vote of the chairman. Mr. Worthiugton, the motion was lost. It is stated that the Ngatihakoes have determined to stop the navigation of the Thames river. Taipara has gone to Piako to warn the Piako natives of the consequence of joining the Isgatihakoes. The Thames authorities advise the Government to arm the settlers for their self protection. September 23. Mr. Warren, collector of the native land duties, is a passenger by the Penguin for Wellington. During hi.? stay here he investigated the land transactions under the Native Land Act, and will report to the Government the defaulters who have not paid the duties under the Act. Miss Cant, of Cambridge, has been terribly bitten by a savage dog. Thellesh was torn away for inches from her arm. William C. O'Meara has been charged with stealing gems, the property of a person unknown. The man, is appears, had been trying to sell some diamonds for LoOO. He has been remanded. Bail was allowed in L2OO. CH Lt I.STCHURC H. September 22. The following message was overloked by the Telegraph Office yesterday : An enquiry has been asked as to the validity of the Ashley election, contingent on the Ivaiapoi polling being invalidated. The 33 names which were struck oft' the Kaiapoi roll were merely printed on a slip and attached to the end of the Ashley roll. Robertson was sentenced to six weeks' hard labor by the Magistrate this morning, who treated him, singularly enough, as a first offender. Only one charge was brought against him. Ho has never been employed permanently on the Lyttelton Times. A number of unemployed met in Cathedral square this morning, and were informed by some members of their Committee that Mr. Austin, the Engineer had promised to provide work for any number of men at Weka Pass, and would issue railway passes to-day to those desirous of starting to-morrow. Two or three persons, who said they had worked at the Waipara extension, then addressed the meeting, and stated tl'at men were hardly able to make tucker" on the pay received for piece work there. It was useless to think that married men were going up with the idea that they would be able to send anything down to their wives and families. The body of men at once proceeded to the Government Buildings and asked Mr. Austin for Uay work. They were received by the District Engineer, who .anticipated such a visit, and was fully prepared for the occasion. Employment to as many as chose to go to the railway works at the Weka Pass section of the Ambc-riey and Brunuertou line was offered, together v.ir.h free passes. Tents and tools w>- del \-j supplied on their arrival oil the gr< :::id. Between forty and fifty men availed themselves of the oiler thus made to them. Those men will leave Christcliurch for the scene of operations by the first train to-morrow. There is now, says to-night's Star, no occasion for any man in Canterbury to be out of employment, if he is willing to work ; for, upon application at the Public Works Depot, he can be forwarded to the railways now in course of construction, and if they are found insufficient to moot the requirements of i-ho unemployed agitation thy Government are quite prepared to proceed with other sections. The drainago scheme for Christcliurch provides, amongst other things, a large air and water-tight tank some 30ft in diameter as a reception for the sewage, whence it is to be pumped. The site chosen has turned out to be a quicksand, and after weeks of pumping, which lias had the effect of lowering the surface of the surrounding ground for yards, the Engineer has had to <_'ive it up. To-day he recommended to the Board cither to chance sinking the walls of the tank till they found the bottom, or give up the site. As the system was devised on the basis of the present site, this will eauno great trouble and expense, NELSON. Sept-ember 22. Nothing further is known here as to the wreck of the Messenger. The weather has beon very thick with a heavy downpour of rain, so ihat little can be done in searching for the boat. The* steamer Lady Barkley left in search at 9 o'clock this morning. The IS aval Brigade boat went out at 10 this morning, and the steamer Murray is to go on her way to Kikirangu searching in the neighborhood of D'Urville Island. The rain storm yesterday was the heaviest known for years. Up to last night about live inches fell. No such flood has been experienced for 12 years. It caused some inconvenience, and the contents of one or two malthouses and some cellars were damaged by floods caused by the drains and sewers being insufficiently largo to carry off the. storm water. GISBORNE. September 22. Waituni Kapau and four other natives were committed for trial to the Supreme Court, Wellington, for forcible entry on Bond's land at Matawlicro. • NEW PLYMOUTH. September 22. Edward Evans was brought in yesterday morning from the German settlement-, charged with attempting to murder his wife and children on Saturday night. It appears that he 'went home drunk, and. fired a pistol at his children and his wife, but missed them. Ha was brought up today and remanded. TIMARU. Septembt ; 22. A heavy south-westerly gale sprung up last night, accompanied by a perfect downpour of rain. This morning it changed to southerly, and still continues. Many of the rivers are in flood, The sfavor proceeds to Wellington tomorrow or Wednesday, to try and arrange for an advance for the Waterworks by the Government until the loan is floated.