TELEGRAMS.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume IX, Issue 945, 21 May 1881, Page 3

TELEGRAMS.

(from our own correspondents). Divorce Court Decision. Census of tlie Colony. Te Whiti & Tohu supplant the Holy Trinity. Social Scandal in High Life. Marine Phenomenon. Mr. Oliver Resigned. Mr. Rees’s Land Scheme. Wellington, May 20. The case Hill v. Hill, has concluded in the Supreme Court, the Judges unanimously granting a rule nisi. The Chief Justice in giving the decision said : “ We are satisfied that the tale of the respondent is from beginning to end a tissue of falsehoods. His conduct during Lis married life has been utterly degraded and unworthy of a man.” Judge Johnston said the petitioner had told a plain and credible story, but the respondent was a man who had perjured himself, he was a bold liar, but evidently an experienced one trying to avoid laying himself open to prosecution. Judge Gillies said he entirely concurred in the strong remarks made by his brother Judges. The respondent had attempted to set up a false case, and tried to bolster it up by a tissue of falsehoods and perjury. The total census returns show that the population of the Electoral Districts of the Colony amounts to 486,861; Shipping return, 2,500 persons ■ Chatham Islands, 200. This gives a total European population of the Colony of 489,561. In 1878, the population was 414,412, having increased from the census of 1874 at the rate of 38’36. The present showing a numerical inersase of 75,149 over the census of 1878. The Government have received a telegram re the Parihaka meeting. Te Whiti’s and Tohu’s speeches are very pacific, and moderate. All returned prisoners, 256 in number, were present, and 2,500 other Natives. Tohu announced that the Holy Trinity had ceased to be, and that he and Te Whiti had taken their places. The Government have given Dr. Skae six months’ notice for the termination of his engagement as Inspector of Lunatic Asylums. Mr. Oliver, Minister for Public Works, has resigned. Dunedin, May 20. What promised to be a very exciting case has missed fire. The facts, shortly, are these : —A lady who moves in the highest circles surprised her husband in a very equivocal position with her servant ■ unfortunately she made a mistake regarding the identity of the female, and spread among a number' of her fashionable acquaintances, the scandal concerning an innocent woman ; a nurse latterly heard of the accusation, when in a neighboring distirict, from a lady in a high position, and legal proceedings were immediately instituted against the husbands of six ladies in the best positions in Dunedin, for defamation of character ; they have settled matters by each paying the aggrieved party £5O, or £3OO in all. Auckland, May 20. A most curious marine phenomenon was witnessed on the last voyage of the steamer Glenelg from Tauranga ; when between Slipper and Mayor Islands, a large volume of water was observed to suddenly rise about twenty or thirty yards away from the steamer, it gradually increased until a circle of about sixty feet in circumference, was covered and rose about 4 or 5 feet in the air ; mud, sandstones, and shells, were sent flying about over the surface of the water, and the whole kept in a state of boiling for some time. The Glenelg, although but a short distance away, hardly felt the shock, and the eruption seemed

to be confined to a very small space. Some gentlemen on board, were of opinion that De occurrence had some connection with White Island, which is situated nearly 50 miles away, but of course this is purely conjecture. Mr. J. B. Russell offered Mr. Rees three per cent, on the Native lands and law work connected therewith and to take over the Poverty Bay land transactions. Mr. Rees declined, saying he wanted to shunt him. Russell replied, “ Don’t be afraid of that, you can have all the fortune to yourself,” and withdrew from the negotiation. Russell thinks highly of the scheme, but that success depends upon good administration. Wi Pere was anxious that Russell should have a finger in the pie Buckland reports, to-day: 100 loads of fodder sold ; oaten hay, 2s 6d to 3s 6d ; meadow, 2s 3d to 3s 6d; clover, 4s per cwt.; carrots, 4s ; mangolds and turnips, Is 6d per hag ; maize (weavily), 2s 6d. Horses yarded in limited numbers ; draught horses, £24 to £4l 10s ; light hack and harness (inferior), £4 15s-to £9 15s. None of Smith’s thoroughbreds sold.