GENERAL NEWS.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1880, 1 August 1874, Page 3

GENERAL NEWS.

The proceedings in Parliament, the opening of which was anaouuced in our last summary, have been the principal topics of discussion during the past mouth. Many of the leading members did not arrive in Wellington until more than a woek after the opening of the session, and after all the members had assembled there seemed to be no desire on their part to enter into the consideration of any debateable topics whereby the session would bo made a lengthy one. To use a rather vulgar expression, the business is to be allowed to " slide" through the Assembly with the utmost rapidity, so that the Ministry may carry out the policy announced by Mr Vogel prior to the opening of the session, which is to be one of "rest and be thankful." Soon after the opening, the usual number of quostions were put to tho Ministry by members thirsting for information, and returns were called for upon a variety of subjects, the most important of them

being a return moved for by Mr T. B. Gillies, to show the actual working of the Land Purchase Department, about which there hare lately been some rather disgraceful scandals in circulation. The Native Minister was absent. at the time, taking a pleasure trip in Australia, and the Premier promised that so much of the return as was desirable in his opinion should be given, would be laid upon' the table of the House, but no more. 'The return has since been furnished, and although it does not touch upon, or show some of the worst of the abuses that have grotvn up, it shows quite enough to prove that the charges made by this journal, backed up and confirmed by the statements mado by other sections of the Press in the North Island, were not without good foundation. Tho Financial statement was delivered in the House of Representatives on July 21st, and was more of a simple narrative of the financial position of the colony,,and the state of the revenue and expenditure, than any of the previous budgets prepared by Mr Yogel. It did not contain any startling sensations. The revenue of the colony showed an increase of £300,000 over the previous year, probably two-thirds of which was the result of the increased taxation leviod'last year by the chauge of the tariff. The revenue from all sources for the coming year is put down at £1,704,010, and the expenditure at £1,630.000. The total indebtedness of s'ew Zealand, exclusive of the accrued sinking funds, which the Colonial Treasurer always 'takes care to deduct from the debts, amounted to £12,506,000, but tho total, debentures in circulation, amounted to £13,411,736, probably the largest debt per head of tho population in the world. Tho provinces are not to be allowed to raise loans on their own separate account, and the policy proposed last year in this matter has been entirely reversed. The Puolic Works Statement was delivered by .ir '•{ich.wlsiu on July 25th, aiid-lws been rec-Mv-il *jth favour in rite •>•.»«'>. '• i. b<u- «mii considerable dissatukciion in the North. That the largest expenditure out of the loans is going on in the South is evident from the length of the lines of railway authorised, or already constructed. The length authorised in the various province is as follows, in miles: -Otago, 332; Canterbury, 251; Auckland, 166; Wellington, 133; LNelson, 38; Hawke's Bay, 45; Marlborough, 18; Taranaki, 18; Westland, 7. There yet remains the Statemont ou Immigration to be delivered, and it is generally believed that the Ministry in it will propose to recall Dr. Featherston, the present AgentGeneral. The work of the session is being pushed on with great rapidity, and the prorogation is expected to take place in about four weeks, ' On July 7, the Vulcan mine at Twiru, with the crushing plant of nine head of stampers, was sold b? auction for £120. On July 7, a meeting of the shareholders of the Bendigo Independent Gold Mining Company was held for the purpose of increasing the capital of the company, but it was deemed advisable to call an extraordinary meeting for the sth instant, The annual meeting of Messenger's Company was held the same day, when the report and balance-sheet were adopted. Authority was given early in the month by the Provincial Government for the expenditure of £200 on a rifle range at tho Thames. The half-yearly meeting of the Una Company was held on July 9, when the usual routine business was transacted. The directors of the Bank of New Zealand have given a bonus of teu per cent, to all the officers in their service, The anniversary of the Twelfth of July was celebrated by an Orange soiree at St. George's Hall, at which there was a very large attendance. The soiree was held on Monday, the 13th July, the Rev. J, Hill (Presbyterian) presiding. On July 13, the half-yearly meeting of shareholders in the City of York Company was held, when the usual report and balance-sheet were adopted, and on the 15th the half-yearly meeting of the Watchman Company was held. The Operative Bikers Association colebratod their anniversary by a ball and supper on July 15. The Rev. B. C. Butland (Congregational) having to leave the Thames for Kngland, the members of the Star of tho Thames, 1.0. G. 11.,I 1 ., gave him a valedictory soiree on July 16, when 200 persons sat down to tea. On July 18 a similar entertainment was given in the Congregational Church, when a purse containing £55 was presented to the Rev. Mr iiutlaud. A number of miners who left the Thames nomo months ago for the Palmer rush, Queensland, hive returned and found ready work at advanced wages. Several spurious florins have recently been put in circulation at the Thames. The engineers and engine drivers of the '"hames have petitioned the Assembly to introduce a clause in the Machinery Bill now before the House for the purpose of enforcing the eight hour system of labour. An accident occurred in the Bird-in-Hand mine on July 18 to a man named John McKee, who narrowly escaped with his life. A general meeting of (lie Queen of the Thames Company was held on July 18, when Messrs Morrin, Fryer, Tyler, Goldsworthy, and Walker were elected directors. Tho annual meeting of the ratepayers of the .Kauwaeran.ua Highway District was held on July 20, having been adjourned from a priviuus date, f lie following were elected trustees for the ensuing year :-Messrs Bagnall. W. Thomas, T. Walker. Greenville, and W. Chappell. A compauy has boen formed for the erection of a battery of 80 stampers for the use of the mines on the Waio-llaraka flat. On July 20, snow was seen on the hills near Grahamstown. The attempt to establish a denominational school by the Catholics at the Thames has not been very successful, and some difference has arisen between Father Lonergan and some of the leading members of the Church on the matter of school management. A rather stormy meeting wes held on July 19. A very handsome medal, made from Thames gold and silver, has been presented to the Thames Scottish Company for competition by Lieutenant Dey. Between 400 and 500 natives are assembled at Whakatiwai, ou the Miranda side of tho Thames, where a great talk is shortly to take place. The price of meat at the Thames is to be raised twopenco por pound immediately. Tho annual meeting of ratepayers for tho Tararu district lapsed through want of attendance. Several cases of diphtheria have lately been treated at the Thames, but only in one case has it proved fatal. At tho annual meeting of the ratepayers of the Waiotahi district, hold on I July 29, tlio following were oleoted trua-

tees for the ensuing year Messrs W. Kowe, Brodie, Cootes, C. Hill, and A. Porter. The Thames Borough Council have voted a salary of £150 per annum to tho Mayor.