Interprovincial Telegrams.

Bruce Herald, Volume IX, Issue 890, 20 March 1877, Page 7

Interprovincial Telegrams.

Auckland, March 15. Judge Gillies rules the word " meetii-g," in the Bankruptcy Act, means more than one person proceeding upon proxies, and that where there was not more than one person present, the " meeting " was invalid. This applies to several discharges granted under the Act of 1875, which were granted on proxies, and a great number discharged bankrupts here will have to be re-white-washed. The Bank of New South Wales has bought a site for new premises in Queen street, near the Bank of New Zealand, an extent of 40 feet frontage, at £120 per foot. William Moyle, landlord of the Wharf Hotel, has been fined £20 for Sunday trading' on the evidence of one witness, although the witness was distinctly contradicted on oath by defendant and his wife. March 16. A charge against Captain Carey caused a scene to-day in Court. Carey was not present. Captain Lodder appeared, and asked for an adjournment. The charge was that of neglecting to pay George Frost, lately mate of the Star of the South, £15 4a, balance of wages due . Mr Russell, solicitor for the plaintiff, objected to Captain Lodder appearing for defendant on the ground, that he was not a professional man, aud had no right to appear. The Bench considered the case dhould be* adjourned, Captain Carey being at sea. Mr Russell protested, and a scene ensued. The case was adjourned. There is excitement in shipping circles in consequence of Captain Moffat, of the barque Saratoga, having been arrested on a charge of smuggling. The captain was released shortly afterwards on bail. The two charges bear at present a very strong semblance of Customs' persecution. Captain Moffat, when he arrived from England, had a harmonium on board he wished to sell, and one of the first persons he spoke to about it was the Provisor of customs, who told him he would have to pass an entry. AMr Goulc, at the last moment, bought the harmonium as the barque was going off into the stream, and the instrument was landed, At the Police Court to-day Gouk pleaded guilty to having .uncustomed goods on his premises, and was fined £25. Captain Moffat also pleaded guilty, and was fined £25 ; another charge against him being withdrawn. The Presbyterians' soiree in connection with the New Hebrides mission was a great success. The Revs. Messrs Inglis and Watt delivered addresses. A lolly shop proprietor named Dampiere has lately made complaint to the police of numerous thefts committed on his premises by boys. Dampiere is a Roman Catholic, and goes to mass every morning, so he is in the habit of leaving a lad in charge during hui absence. The boys came round and committed depredations; Watch has been kept for the last two days, resulting in the.

[arrest this morning "of five boys, named M'Clearthy, James Smith, John Smith, Richard George, and Thomas O'Neill. The youngsters are now in the lock-up, and will be brought before the Magistrate to morrow March 17. Rotorua Rewi Maniopto and his followers. accompanied by Major Mair, R.M., h-ive arrived at Taupo. The Native Minister is expected on. Monday. It is believed that, as one result of the meeting, all opposition to the Taupo and Cambridge road will be withdrawn. Gkahamstown, March 15. The missing man Halliwell was brought into town last night. He has been 17 days in the bush without food. For some days he xvas demented, but he is now rational and well, though reduced from long privation. March 17. The'Moanataiari yielded for the fortnight 4912 ounces. Reef still looking well. Napiee, March 16. The Rev. S. Robinson, late curate of St John's, was to-night presented with a purse of 200 guineas and an address by a number of the parishioners previous to his departure from the Colony. A set of resolutions to be passed at the Native meeting to be held in this Province has been issued in Maori from the Wananga office. One of ihem exhorts the Natives not to take part in the elections for County Councils, lest they should be made to pay rates. Another resolution expressed approval of the action of those Natives who keep possession of the Oamaranux block. Blenheim, March 15. The Marlborough County Council have passed a resolution not to adopt the full powers of the County Act. Hokitika, March 15. Scarlatina is so prevalent in town that the public schools have been closed until further notice. Two more deaths are reported, and one death has occurred daily for several days past. Chiefly young people are attacked, but the disease in the last two or three cases has been of a more malignant type. The Board of Health are now using every precaution to stay the spread of the disease. Wellington, March 15. There was a scene in the City Council this evening over the Town Hall competitive designs. Councillor Dransfield accused the Mayor of having given an unfair and interested decision. The Mayor left the chair and withdrew from the room, but subsequently returned, when Mr Dransfield, instead of retracting, placed his resignation in the Mayor's hands. Recent private advices from Australia state that Adelaide will not export this year more than seventy thousand tons of bread - I stuffs, as against two hundred thousand tons last year ; and that Sydney will this year be a large importer of grain consequent on the severe drought. Mrs Scott-Siddons made her first appearance last night in " Romeo and Juliet," and the house was crowded in all parts— the lirgest attendance ever seen since the Opera Company's performance. She met with a fine reception, and there was enthusiastic applause throughout. The ' Times ' says that Captain Campbell Walker's term of engagement as Conservator of State Forests expires with the termination of the present month. It says nothing will be done in the way of organising a Department until his report has been laid before Parliament. Captain Walker leaves the Colony on a visit to Australia and Tasmania next month. March 17The Hon. Dr Pollen leaves per Hinemoa this evening to attend the Native meeting at | Tapuaeharnau. t The New Zealand ' Gazette ' contains the Registrar-General's annual comparative report for 1876, on the vital statistics of New Zealand. The births in 1876 are stated to have been as follows in the four principal cities: — Dunedin, 995; Wellington, 827; Christchurch, 597 ; Auckland, 593. The deaths wex*e, in Dunedin, 389 ; Auckland, 303 ; Wellington, 299 ; Christchurch, 280. The respective death rates were —Auckland, 24.93 per 1000; Christchurch, 22.63 per 1000 ; Wellington, 19.74 per 1000 ; Dunedin, 17.4 per 100Q, Chbistchurch, March 15. The Bam Fair to day was a great success. There were 1744 rams entered, being double last year's number. The grpater iaumber of the rams were of very high quality. Messrs Sutton Bros , Southland, the New Zealand and Australian Land Company, Southland, and Dr Webster, Oamaru, hadhi large number of entries. There were also some splendid met ito rams from Ercildoun, Victoria. A much larger amount of business was done than last year. Mr T. H. Murray, of Wdirarapa, purchased a considerable number of Lincolns. Mr J. C Wason, M 8.8. for Coleridge, addressed his constituents on Tuesday night, and received a vote of confidence. The Waimato branch line from the Great Southern Railway will be open for traffic on Monday next. March lfj. The Ewe Fair to-day was not very success? ful. 1477 ewes were entered, but only a small portion sold. Anothet lot of rams was purchased for the Wairarapa. The Ashburton County Council have decided not to bring the third schedule of the Counties Act into force. March 17. | At the Resident Magistrate's Court this

morning W. C Jacobson, formerly a teller at the Colonial Bank of New Zealand, was committed for trial for embezzling £3V of th© , Bank's funds. Timaru, March 16. Grain is pouring into town so fast that tho railway is quite inadequate to carry it. The stations are blocked up with grain, and large quantities are stacked in the open air. This year's export will be very large. The market ia very unsettled. Wheat is at 3s 6d to 4s 9d ; oats, la 9d to 2s 3d. Oamaru, March 16. A sad event occurred here last night, by which Captain Duncan Bain, of the topsail schooner Maid of Otago lost his life. The schooner is moored at a berth inshore of the breakwater, and last night Captain Bain came up to town. On his'way back again, at about midnight, he lost his footing while walking down the xxpper or old jetty road, and was precipitated to the rocks below, a depth of about 150 f t; he was found quite dead, lying on his right side, at 6 o'clock this morning, by the night watchman at tha breakwater. The body was conveyed to tha Northern Hotel, and at an inquest held thia afternoon, a verdict of tf accidental death " was returned. The doceased leaves a wife axxd family in Dunedin. Ri verton, March 17. Dr Monckton, in a letter in to-day's Western Star, expresses surprise that mention is made in the reports by H.M. Sapphire to the Dunedin papers of having seen tlxe ketch Awarxxa at the Axxckland Island. Dr Monckton states the Awarua left the Bluff last December with provisions for tlxe settlement • that by the Sapphire he has received a letter from Mr Nelson, saying that the Awarua arrived at Carnley Harbour, twenly miles from Port Ross ; that two boats belonging to her made a trip to the settlement, bringing him portion of the stores, flour, sugar, and sundries, and that the master informed him of hia intention to take the vessel to Port Ross at tbe beginning of January. Mr Nelson added, " JNothing has yet been heard of her up to date (7th March). Dr Monckton very much fears there has been some painful disaster to the A warm on the south or west side of the Island. His arrangement included the bringing of Mr and Mrs Nelson away, and leaving two of the Awarua's crew in charge of the settlement. March 18. Mr James Hood, a Baker, was found drowned in the river this afternoor!.. He leaves a widow axxd six children. Invercargill, March 16. A house in Crinan street, occupied by Mr Brydone, railway contractor, was burnt with all its contents this afternoon. No one was in the house when the fire broke out. The house was insured in the South British for £100 by the Permanent Building Society, which had a loan of £125 on it, and for £75 in Mr Brydone's own name. Lawrence, March 16. A special train, with passengers and loaded trucks, arrived at the Lawrence Station this day at 3 p.m. A crowd assembled to meet them, and the actual opening of the line is an acomplished fact. The Government are silent as to when they purpose opening it for traffic. The ballasting required near the Lawrence end can be finished by Tuesday or Wednesday next and if the line was opened it would induce a large crowd to visit Dunedin and see the Cup run for- There seems to be some mystery as to when the line will be opened — some motive power behind the scene, with influence against the unanimous will of the district.