TELEGRAMS

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1309, 17 June 1880, Page 2

TELEGRAMS

WELLINGTON. June 16. A letter from the Minister for Public Works, in reply to one from the Mayor, asking what steps the Government intend to take in view of the fact that a number of men at present engaged on corporation works will be shortly thrown out of employment, owing to the close of the works, states that Government are not losing sight of the necessity for providing employment, as far as the means afforded by Parliament will permit, but the Minister trusted that the corporation on that account would not fail to push forward such works as may be calculated to afford relief. June 17At a meeting at Johnsonvillelast nighi, it was resolved that the repeal of the property tax is desirable ; that an income tax should be substituted, and that a land tax should be levied on land in the districts which have constructed railways. A petition to the House of Representatives against the Municipal Corporations Act Amendment Bill, 1880, is in course of signature. At a meeting between brewers and publicans the former stated that they were determined' to adhere to their first resolution that the tax should be charged upon customers. DUNEDIN. June 16. The: takings at the Benevolent Carnival yesterday, were Ll30 —L 26 6s at the doors, arid LBS 12s at the stalls. CHRISTCHURCH. June 16. On Saturday and Sunday nights Messrs Cass and Hallenstein's drapery establishments, close to one another in Cashelstreet, were broken into and several articles of apparel and some money were taken out. A man named Wood has been arrested on suspicion, and to-day he was remanded till Monday. Mr. R. H. Rhodes has made an offer to the Cathedral. Commission to.build the tower for them according to the modified plans. It is understood that the cost of the spire and peal of bells is also likely to be defrayed privately. June 17. The Committee of the Industrial Exhibition have already received 78 applications for space. A meeting of farmers at Lincoln on Tuesday passed a resolution condemning the property tax as unfair in principle, and advocating a land tax and income tax instead. The meeting also, passed a resolution endorsing the policy of the Government in discontinuing the subsidies to local bodies and making reductions in the Civil Service. At a meeting at Oxford on Tuesday it was resolved to petition the Government to proceed with the construction of the railway from Oxford to Sheffield without delay. A resolution was also carried affirming the principle of local guarantee embodied in the District Railway Act, and expressing the opinion that the people should have a voice in the management, of district railways. AUCKLAND. June 17. Arrived Mormon, from Dunedin; Seagull, Saxon, and Omaha, from Lyttelton; Look Out, from Sydney; Coronet, from the Islands ; Fair Play, from Adelaide. The Star publishes a strong scandal about a doctor who recently, purchased a practice here. A young Swiss lady, to whom he had got engaged on board ship six months ago, came out by the last mail steamer with her trousseau ready prepared and expecting to be married in three days. He never went near her till forced by the chief officer of the mail steamer, and subsequently he said he would not marry her and must have been drunk when he proposedr It then transpired that he was engaged to a lady living at Rarigitikei, j where he has since gone, leaving the poor Swiss girl to her fate. The affair is creating a great sensation here.

NAPIER. June 17. The jury, after being locked up all night in the case of Shaw, for arson, brought in a verdict of guilty. The prisoner pleaded guilty to the charge of embezzlement, and was sentenced to four years' imprisonment for arson and three years for embezzlement, the sentences to run concurrently. Daniel Eagen, for larceny as a bailee, received two years' imprisonment. INVERCARGILL. June 16. Mr. Gurr, of Featherstone, Wellington, has been selected from a number of applicants for the Head Mastership of the District High School. The Southland brewers have agreed to bear a share of the beer tax of 6d per gallon. They will pay the excise duty direct, recouping the publicans' proportion by charging 20s additional per hogs? head.