LATEST TELEGRAMS.

Press, Volume XIII, Issue 1725, 12 September 1868, Page 3

LATEST TELEGRAMS.

[By Interprovincial Telegraph.] [ September 9. Mr Fox proposed to give the provinces a capitation allowance of thirty shillings, each province to pay the interest and siuking fund on its loans. This allowance would have increased the aggregate provincial revenues by £85,960 last year, and by £18,670 this year. Instead of the Defence Minister, he -would have a Secretary for the Provinces, to. be appointed to secure as far as possible uniformity of action, unity of purpose, and harmony of temper, instead of the conflict and uncertainty and intense bitterness which now exist. A reduction in taxation, however small, ought to be attempted, if only to show the determination of the 'Government" in this' direction. He thought some slight' reduction possible. He would delegate to the Superintendents of the North Island provinces the management of native affairs, giving Mr M'Lean of Hawke's Bay the whole of the East Coast district,, as rebellion in any province meant ruin, he believed they would solve the native difficulty satisfactorily. He proposed to give £100,000 for each of two years, and £75,000 for each of three years, out of the consolidated revenue, for native and defence purposes. This sum to be apportioned among the North Island provinces. To stimulate peace efforts, each province would be allowed to spend whatever balance it saved from its allowance, on works requiring native labour: 1 He desired to extend real local-self-govern-ment to the agricultural and .mining districts) in subordination to, but not set over Provincial institutions. But, if Provincial Governments were : lax, the Assembly might justly interfere in obtaining such subordinate institutions for local purposes as might be. desirable, in connection with the provincial centre. In this policy he saw an opportunity given to reinstated provinces to devote to their proper colonizing which now are ■ rendered. all but whpqssibie— Stewart's Island need noionger continue a waste ; the west coast of Otago unpeopled; Westland uncertain of its future; Nelson ifl. constant fear of doing justice to its outlying districts, because of the prospect of dismemberment; Taranaki without a career or a hope; Hawke's Bay oppressed by an intolerable incubus terbury, Auckland, and Otago, paralysed by the dread of a constantly, recurring organic change. ' In the Government policy, on the other hand, he saw nothing but a perpetually dissolving view—a thing which had; no centre, and no circumference.. B;e saw a policy cqmposed of insidious destructiveness in one direction, and of. purposeless drifting in another, galvanised into life by the application of a system of unblushing political bribery, addressed to those sections of the community which were ever ready to sell great political birthrights for small but immediate messes of tempting and savoury pottage. At present, and until the colony had been brought back to a position in which it might prudently expend, he did not propose to incur asy."additional loans. '.'-,' Messrs Graham, Curtis, and Beynolds supported Mr Eox*B motion of " No Confidence," and Messrs Stafford; and Brown opposed. ;•-:- ■.- • ; The debate was-then adjourned. a* < ■■'■ ■ September 10> {7.30 p.m. Mr Stafford has iuotopduced aPJuI enabling Provincial Councils jtp maW Superintendents chairmen, by resplution of a clear.majority/. 8 < 1 h Mr Hall has introduced a Bill repealing a portion of the Constitution Act, with a view to defining and subordinating the powers of Superintendents and Councils. The Bills are not yet printed. Wellington, Sept. 10,12.35 p.m. The Lady Bird returned last night from the Sound, with the body of the diver named Burton, who was drowned [That morning while engaged at the t wreck of the Taranaki. It appears that Burton, who was an experienced diver, went down at 9 a.m., and signalled all right for a quarter of an hour, after which nothing more was noticed until his red cap , vaa seen floating. Efforts were immediately made to haul him up, but they failed for an hour, as the diver was entangled in the rigging. The body was brought ?,?' ? n , d *! ?¥*. tben ascert ained that . the helmet had become unfastened S-30 p.m. A private letter states that out of the fourteen men killed in the nt engagement, five are friendly natives Surgeon Best is also an|ong 4 e killed,' and most of the dead were left —i, | they fell. Tbe force started at a » returning to camp at 11 p,xa. '

[ Several tenders have been receive for raising tbe Taranaki, of from £500 to £7000, but the Company to tak nearly all risks. The wreck of a schooner is officiall reported as having been seen on Fare well Spit. Wellington, Sept. 11,11.27 a.m. Mr Sharland's store in Taranaki hn been burned ; insured for £370( which will only partially cover it. On tbe sth the smartest shock < earthquake ever felt there was exper: enced. The " Wanganui Chronicle " give the following particulars concerning the attack on the rebel position a Buaruru, about a quarter of a mile ii rear of Te Ngutu ote Manu. A forci consisting of about 200 Europeans au< 100 of the "Wanganui natives lef Waihi at three a.m. on the morning o the 7th instant, in two divisions. No. 1 was commanded by Major Yon Temp sky, and the following officers, SubInspectors Brown, Roberts, and Cumming, Captnin Palmer, Lieutenant! Hastings, Huuter, and Hirtzle. No. % was commanded by Major Hunter, Captain Buck, Captain O'Halloran, Sub-Inspector Newland, Sub-Inspectoi Young, and Lieutenant Eowan. Dr. Walker accompanied No. 1 division, and Surgeon Best No. 2. The force made a long detour to the right of Te Ngutu o te Manu, and at two p.m. found themselves in the rear of Euaruru. Here they came across an outlying piquet, who were fired into by the Wanganui Natives. The force then advanced and took up a position in a small gully about two hundred yards distant from the rebel position under very heavy fire from all sides. They remained here about ten minutes without any casualty, when Trooper Hogan was hit in the thigh, and soon after Lieutenant Eowan dangerously in the face. The men then began to fall rapidly. Major Yon Tempsky was shot dead, then Captain Buck and Capt. Palmer and Lieutenant Hunter ; Colonel M'Donnell then ordered the force to retire. The Wangajpfr Natives led the retreat, supported by about seventy Europeans; then the wounded. The rear guard followed under the command of Lieutenant Hastings and Ensign Hertzel. Lieutenant Hastings was killed in the retreat. The men and officers behaved well. The Wan r ganui Natives especially so; but for them our casualties must have been much heavier. I subjoin a list of killed and wounded; it may not however be strictly correct. All the dead were left on the field. The first men returned to Waihi about eight p.m., and kept ou returning iv small parties until ten a.m. next morning. The position of the natives who have hitherto remained neutral, has, since this disaster, become very unsatisfactory. The " Wanganui Times " says all the j wounded were brought to. the camp. Major McDonnell's clothes were shot through in several places. The killed, besides the officers" already .sent, as yet known are—Corporal'Burrell, Privates Allen, Hinistry, Kilgrew, Davis, Sainan, Hughes, G-eorge, Lumsden, Grant, Drake, Two, Darlington, and Downs (reported missing). The wounded are (many of whom, must now be dead) Lieutenant Eowan and Surgeon. Best, Private Houston, O'Brien, S. Hogan, Waldron, O'Conner, i Burke, Toyey; Privates' Shariigan, Harris, Caldwell, McMinnis, Waldron, Griffiths, Quincey, Melvin, and Loder, J. Wells, J. Hamblin, Holloway, Hoyland, Flyn. Wellington, Sept. 11, 7 p.m. Last night Messrs Campbell and Jollie spoke on the Government side, and .Messrs Borlase, Traverse and Bunny, on the side of the Opposition. To-day Messrs Kerr and Bunny spoke for the Government, and Messrs Collins and Eolleston, for the Qpposi* tion. Eraser's company of armed constabulary has been sent for from the East Coast to proceed to Patea. Mr McLean and the settlers interested in Hawkes Bay waited on the Government and protested. Colonel Whitmore has volunteered his services for Patea, which have been accepted. Colonel Haultain proceeds thither also. It is reported that the Government have offered compensation to several of the provinces in the matter of ther new finance arrangements; Nelson is to have £150,000; Otago, £15,000 • other provinces are also to get large amounts ;, but as the sum varies from day to day, we must receive all such reports cautiously. • .. ; r