LATEST TELEGRAMS.

Patea Mail, Volume II, Issue 182, 6 January 1877, Page 2

LATEST TELEGRAMS.

[Per Press Agency.] NAPIER. January 3. An action for libel has been commenced by the proprietors of the Telegraph against the proprietors of the Hawke's Bay Herald. The alleged libel is contained in a letter published in the Herald respecting the Gazette advertising contract. DUNEDIN. January 3. A telegram has been received from the Newcastle, N.S.W., coal proprietors, who refuse to make any reduction in the price of coal, as requested by the New Zealand coal merchants. Januarj' 4. William Henry Wood, the defaulting Secretary of the Colney Hatch Company, who was arrested on the arrival of the May Queen at Port Chalmers, was brought before the magistrate to-day. Detective Dalton, of the London police, identified the prisoner, and produced a deposition of the directors of the Company, which showed that the accused had embezzled over £6OO. He was committed to the Dunediu gaol to await the arrival of the Governor’s warrant for his transmission to England. AUCKLAND. January 4. The quarantined passengers of_ the Australia, express strong dissatisfaction at the alleged neglect of the Government in not providing the necessary comforts and medical attendance. On Tuesday evening an attempt was made to construct a raft with the intention of escaping. Thcy were with difficulty dissuaded from seizing a boat and coming to complain to the authorities. When Dr. Philsou visited the quarantine station the passengers used threats that if their wants were not attended to they would violate tiie quarantine regulations. Francis Lynch, on a charge of .appearing at Coromandel as a voter, and falsely answering to the name of William Wright, of Wangapoua, pleaded ignorance, and having done the act at tiie suggestion of another person, was sentenced to nine months’ imprisonment. In the Supreme Court. Mary Ann Kane pleaded guilty to concealment of birth. Judge Gillies commisserated her unhappy condition, and regretted that he could not punish her seducer. He then sentenced her to 12 months’ imprisonment. WELLINGTON. January 4. Rodolph Lawrent, a jmutli of seventeen, for a criminal assault on a little girl, was sentenced this morning at the Supremo Court to eight years’ imprisonment and twenty lashes. The Agent-General, under date of 27th December, telegraphs the despatch of the following shipments of emigrants ;—Oxford, 239, for Auckland ; Eernglen, 254, for Napier ; Northampton, 334, tor Westland and Wellington. Richardson this afternoon resigned hia seat in the Executive, and portfolio of Minister of Public Works. Donald Reid was sworn in a member of the Executive. The distribution of portfolios has not yet been finally arranged. The first meeting of a large number of County Councils was held to-day at noon. In the majority of instances the business was purely formal, such as the election of a chairman and secretary. The consideration of adopting the whole Act, or only a portion, has been adjourned in nearly every case.

January 6. Sir Donald McLean died about four o’clock this afternoon. Parliament is further prorogued till the 13th April. Mr D. Reid has been appointed Minister of Lands and Immigration, and Mr Ormond Minister of Public Works. At the Supreme Court this morning, M‘Cann, an elderly man, was convicted of rape on a young girl, and was sentenced to twelve years’ hard labour, and two whippings of thirty lashes each. Coleman was convicted of an attempt to murder his wife. Sentence was deferred till Monday. O’Shea reports produce prices Flour, receding. Adelaide, £l6 10s to £l6 45s ; oats, Tartarian, 2s 7d to 2s lOd ; milling, 3s ; bran. lOd to Is ; pollard, 8s ; bacon and hams, 8d to 9d ; cheese, 9d ; potatoes, 80s ; maize, 4s 3d.

AUSTR ALIAN. SYDNEY. January 1. Tattorsall Cup—Viva, 1 ; Valetta, 2 ; Melbourne, 3. Fourteen started, and it was a grand race, Viva winning by a head Time —3min. 37Jsoc. January 2 At Ballarat, the Englishmen made 123. Armitage, Hill, and Selby made over 30 each. Five of the Ballarat wickets are down for 8 runs. Januarj'4. The Australia arrived this morning, and was quarantined. The Ballarat match is drawn. The

Englishmen in their second innings made 179. Cbarhvood scored 66, Ulyett 36, and Pooley 30. The ship West Australian, from London, to Adelaide, spoke the brig Harbor Grace, from Africa to Liverpool. The crew wero starving. Three died of yellow fever. For five days they had nothing but palm nuts to sustain life. MELBOURNE. January 1. The weather is wet and cold, but there is a good attendance at the races, the Governor being present. Tiie following is the result; — Hurdle Race—Dalesman, 1 ; Arrow, 2 ; Gaffer Grey, 3. Two-year-old Stakes —King, 1 ; Lockley, 2 ; "Rawdon, 3. Time—lmin 16aec. Hundred Pounds Plate— Capper, 1 ; Poodle, 2 ; Benham, 3. 48sec. Midsummer Handicap— Rapid Bay, 2 ; Meteor, 3. Ten started for this, which was a fine race. Time 3min lOsec. Champion Stakes—Pride of the Hills, 1 ; Callamia, 2 ; Vcno, 3. This was also a fine race, for which seven started. Time — srain 34sec. January 3. The Ballarat 22 are all out for a total score of 146. In the second innings of the Englishmen, one wicket is down for ten runs. LONDON. January 1. The Conference have agreed to prolong the armistice till the Ist of March. January 2. The position of affairs has assumed a graver aspect, The Porte has submitted counter proposals. Envoys met under the presidency of General Ignatieff and decided to adhere to the original programme. The Conference afterwards met, when Lord Salisbury announced a resolution to the Turkish delegates, declining to discuss the questions of the appointment of a mixed international commission, supported by foreign genadarmes, or the extension of Servia. The Envoys asked the Turkish delegates if their refusal was to be considered absolute. They promised to refer to the Porte and give a final answer on Thursday.