WELLINGTON.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3145, 18 March 1879, Page 2

WELLINGTON.

This day.

The big guns for defence purposes have been landed from the Lorraine. They are two sizes—seven tons and threa tons, and are all muzzle loaders.

Mr Surveyor Jackson having refused to resign in these words, " poor and friendless as I may be, my self-respect forbids me to pocket a money consideration accompanied by a cruel indignity ", he was this morning informed that His Excellency the Administrator had dis missed him from the public service.

Jackson's reply to the charges brought against him by the Surveyor General is printed, and is very voluminous and ably druwn up.

All the Hudson's immigrants were open for engagement yesterday. All the singh females were engaged at rates higher than oa any previous occasion varying from 10s to 203 per week. Farm hands found emplo -ment readily, but the demand for tradesmen is not brisk.

The verdict after the inquest on the fire at Cohen's (jeweller) shop, was that there was no evidence to show how the ilre originated. It came out ' . evidence

that the stock which was exposed in the shop was valued at over two thousand pounds, but was only insured "for nine hundred ; while the building was insured for £800, and was valued at double that amount. Monday. An apparently semi-official article in to-night's Chronicle deals with the financial position and prospects of the colony. While considering the revenue so far satisfactory, it says the land tax is not likely to come up to expectations, and tie loss amoun's to the gear's revenue, and will more than absorb any surplus which may be anticipated from Cusloms ; the estimate was £ICO,OOO, and the cost of collection will reach £18,000, while the amount eolheted will be £120,0C0. The minor items of ordinary revenue (except railways) are likely to meet anticipations. The postal and telegraph departments show a steady advance. It had been hoped that £OO,C?D would be realised from, the Waimate plains, but the utmost that can be anticipated from the plams during the year is £120,000. It thinks the Treasury cannot hope to receive from the land revenue befo.,3 the end of the financial year more than a million, thus leaving a deficit on fiis i< Am of a quarter of a million, which will require all the ingenuity of the Treasurer, so as to prevent a deficiency in his next statement. Railways will go a long way to make up deficits in other departments. The estimate was £710,0G0, and receipts for half year reached £3C0,000, since which the Dunedin and Invercargill line has been opened, and an iacrerse in the rr-ilway traffic has taken ' place all over the colony, and from this braich of revenue a total of £800,C00or £903,000 is expected. The article goes on ; to say that the large estates can easily bear another penny on the land tax to make up for the falling off in the land'revenue. > Further c l it says:—Give tine and the i railways alone would carry the oolony > safely over all financial difficulties.

Despatc^iei 2l'om the Agent-General this mail contain a letter that has not been anticipated by cable intimating that the latest quotations for New Zealand stock were 102 for the last lo^n, and 104 for the consolidated, though these quotations difLr slightly from those in the Home News, which quotes the 4| per cent, at 98 to ICO, and 5 per mnt. at 103 to 105.

The forger, H-'nry Slebbing, was again brought up and remanded aboard the Feinglen, which is about to sail for London. Detective Hockey goes with him. * Mr McDowell, draper, while riding down the be^ch yesterday had Irs horse killed under him by a, milkman's cart, the shaft of which penetrated the horse's chest. = :

The action to recover £50 froitt Councillor Greenfield for Breach of Municipal Corporations Act, in setting as member of Council after receiving payment as a com-mittee-man, came on tlrs afternoon. After hearing counsel, the magistrate decided he haa no jurisdiction, and the case was dismissed.

At a large sale of suburbanland in the vicinity of the city the price averaged from £40 to £60 per acre. The proceedings were not ani aated, many lots being bought in. , .

Ui*:-le Tom's Troupe last night gave a sac.cd concert and lecture on slavery. •