TELEGRAMS.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 351, 29 April 1874, Page 3

TELEGRAMS.

(From tlie Dunedin Dailies. )

■Wellington, April 21. The Customs returns for the Colony for last quarter give tlie gross receipts at £297,810, as against £210,497, for the corresponding quarter of last year. The greatest increase is in Dunedin, being £91,962 against £60,557. Auckland is £62.708 against £33,061 ; Lyttelton £45,227 against £29,825 ; Wellington, £32,866 against £19,154 The duties on weight and measurement goods have fallen from £49,271 to £14,644 ; but ad valorem duties have risen from £886 to £131,915. A large ship has been signaled outside the Heads, and is supposed to be M'Callum Mohr. The Luna has gono out to tow her in if for here. Auckland, April 24. At the inquest on the late fire, Mr. King, a chemist, deposed to accidentally knocking over a bottle of spirits of turpentine against another bottle, breaking both, and the contents blazed up. A verdiqt was returned that the fire was accidentally caused. April 25th. Father Norria, a Roman Catholic priest at the Thames, and formerly of Otago, died in the Auckland Asylum to-day. April 27th. The Coronet,' from Tahiti, reports the ship Durham, 1400 tons, as wrecked on Variety Island. The captain and crew made their way to Papeate, 700 miles distant, in an open boat, the thermometer, during the voyage, standing sometimes as high as 120. The wreck and cargo were sold for £800. At the Supreme Court the case against Messrs. Brogden and Sons for wages of workmen employed by a sub-contractor was determined in favor of Messrs. Brogden. The Chief Justice held that a contractor is only . liable for the debts of a sub-contractor to the amount of money due by him to the subcontractor. When all money due has been paid to the sub-contractor, the liability of the contractor ceases. The workmen must look to their actual employer for tL.eir -wages. GrBAHAMSTOWff, April 27th. Profound regret is expressed here at the death of Father If orris, who was much respected. Chbistchttbch, April 24. The complete census returns are now published. The population of the Province is — Males, 32,294 ; females, 26,467 ; total, 58,770 — being an increase since the last census of — Males, 6933-; feinaleß, 5468 ; total, 12,401. April 25th The Luna has arrived with a locomotive and railway material. All the packages were landed without any difficuly. New Plymouth, April 25th. The census population, published by the Herald this morning, shows the increase of population for three years to be 1000 souls. No bottle licences were granted to this district. . . Nelsom, April 25th. Yatterina, Calumny, and Kakapo have accepted for the Jockey Club Handicap, to be run on Wednesday. Castaway, Castanet, Parawhenua, and Dead Shot have paid forfeit. Hokitika, April 27th. The town was lighted with gas to-day for the first time. Lyttelton, April 27th. The ship Mallard has arrived, 126 days out from London ; also, the Eakaia, 86 days from Plymouth, with 504 immigrants, ten "saloon, and three second-class passengers. The deaths of six children are reported, and eight births. Bolh the vessels are chartered by the New Zealand Shipping Co. Blot*, April 27th. " The s.s. Omeo, Captain Calder, left Melbourne at 3 p.m. on the 21st, and arrived at the Bluff at 8 this morning. Of her cargo, 233 tons and 35 horses are for Dunedin, for which port the Omeo sails to-night. ATJSTKALIAN NEWS. Melbourne, April 21st. The nominations for the third and last batch of olections were Tiold on Thursday in 23 districts, returning unitedly" 37 members, of whom two only had a walk over. Sir James M'Culloch and Sir John O'Shannassy both found opponents iii journalists'; the seat' of the former is quite secure, but that of the latter is considered rather doubtful ; his friends, however, are confident of - success. The election campaign , will terminate with to-morrow's contests. * For the vacancy in the Council Messrs. Sargood and A. K. Smith are candidates. ■ The Victorian Government generally are fayorable to the offer of the Cable Company,

for reduction under -thtf present arrangement for. a pro rata subsidy according to the number of messages. Victoria would pay £13,000, and New Zealand LlBOO, but it is doubtful if the other colonies will agree to the terms for a year. Drummend, the bank manager has received a sentence of five years. A Company ia being formed to utilise the 'iron discoveries at Massacre Bay, Nelson. Detective "Walker has been charged with manslaughter for striking his wife on the head, but was acquitted. She was addicted to drunkenness, and died from natural causes. Sir Gavin Duffy proceeds to England by mail steamer to-day. O'Farrall, the Lands Office defaulter, is known to be in New Caledonia, but has succeeded in eluding the police. All the Communists have proceeded to England. Sydney, April 21. The Challenger has been docked. She proceeds next to New Zealand. The Tartar, with the mails on board, arrived at, California prior to the 15th inst. The rush to the Endeavour has ceased. CABLE TELEGRAMS. ' ' LotfDOX,' April 13th. • The Australian mail, via Brindisi, have been delivered. April 14th. In the House of Commons, Mr. Lowther, Under-Secretarv for the Colonies, in replying to Mr. M'Arthur, said that Lc had received nu official confirmation o£ the cession of the Fiji Islands, and promised the production of all the papers relating to Fijian affairs, and said the Commissioners' Report would receive the attention of the Government. April 15th. An agricultural lock-out has occurred in Somersetshire. The farmers refused to abide by arbitration, and the laborers are emigrating in consequence. In the North the disputes have been compromised, except in South Staffordshire, where matters are unsettled. April 16th. In the House of Commons, Sir Stafford Northcote introduced his Budget Speech at some length. The revenue for 1873 was £7*7,370,000; and th» expenditure £76,500,000, including the amount of Geneva Award and expenses of the Ashantee Expedition. The revenue for 1874 is estimated at seventy-eight millions, and the expenditure at seventy-two and a half millions. It is proposed to take one penny off the Income Tax, and abolish the sugar duties, and also to provide for the reduction of the National debt, by terminable annuities of four hundred and fifty thousand pounds. There would also be a contribution o£ a million towards the reduction of local taxation. After providing for above, a surplus of four hundred and sixty-two thousand pounds otUl rptnaius. April 16. A terrible colliery explosion has occurred at Dukinfield, by which fifty-one persons were killed. The Runnymede put into Pernambuco and discharged part of her cargo, which was much damaged by fire. Arrived. — Great Britain, Strathnaver, Electra, and Catheart. London, April 18th. Dr. Livingstone's funeral took place today. "Westminster Abbey was densely crowded. Dean Stanley officiated, and there was a full musical service. The Queen sent a beautiful wreath to be placed on the coffin. The principal pall bearers were E. M. Stanley-, 'Dr. Wainwright, Dr. Livingstone's two sons, several foreign ministers, the Lord Mayor and Corporation, a number of Anglo-Indian notabilities, and leading members of the Geographical Society, were present. Sir "William Furgiwuii, M.D., previously moJo »« autopsy of the remains. An Appeal in the case of Mount and Morris has been granted. The Russian squadron is about to visit Australia. The arrivals of wool to date amount to 206,000 bales. The next Colonial wool sales are expected to show a decline. New Zealand hemp is lower. Arrived — Otago, Fitzroy, and St. Vincent.