LATEST TELEGRAMS.

Press, Volume XIV, Issue 1863, 5 April 1869, Page 2

LATEST TELEGRAMS.

[from otjb own - cobbespondent.] Wellington, April 4, 4.22 p.m. No news from the front. The tender of Mr Ben. Smith (with modifications) for the erection of Gro-vernment-house has been accepted at £10,583.

Mr Donald McLean arrived from Napier on Friday with three Maori chiefs, to meet the Prince. A large number of Maoris is expected to be present on his arrival. The Provincial Council has refused to refer the Patent Slip question to arbitration in England. A Bill has been brought in to repeal the Volunteers Free Grants Act.

Mr Groodison has been committed for trial.

Kaiapoi.—An election of a member for the Borough Council is advertised to take place on the 21st instant, and nominations are to be sent in to the Mayor before four p.m. on the 6th.

Ball.-—A subscription ball was held on Saturday night at the Colonists' Hall, Lyttelton, and proved quite a success. We understand that subscription balls will be held monthly during the winter.

Lyttelton Bobough Council.—Up to Saturday the only nominee for the vacant seat in the Lyttelton Borough Council was Mr Balestiee. Nominations can be received up to four o'clock to-day.

Election.—The election of two members for the Rangiora and Mandeville Road Board takes place to-day at noon at Rangiora. The retiring members are Messrs Dixon and Pearce.

Cube Boating Club.—The annual meeting of the club, which was to have been held last Thursday, was adjourned for a fortnight. The Lyttelton Borough Council having declined to. bear the expenses of conveying the boats to Lyttelton for the purpose of enabling them to take part in the procession on the arrival of H.R.H. Prince Alfred, the club declined sending them. The City on Satueday.—A large number of persons came into the city on Saturday from the various country districts, and the railway station, upon the arrival of the southern trains, was full of bustle. Large quantities of grain and other produce were also brought in by rail and drays, and tbe streets presented quite an animated appearance from the number of visitors and the increased traffic.

Ellesmebe Fabmebs Club!— This club met in Mr Loe's Hotel, on the evening of the the 2nd April, the Rev Mr Bluett in the chair. The chairman gave a short statement of the purpo.es for which the club was instituted. Owing, however, to there being so few of the members preaent, the meeting was adjourned until next Saturday, at four p.m.

Ellesmebe Book Club.—A meeting of the Ellesmere Book Club was held in the Hotel, Leeston, on tho 2nd April, the Rev Mr Bluett in the chair. A set o( rules for the club was submitted to the meeting and approved of. The subscriptions already collected were then paid in the treasurer, amounting to £15 10s. Two new members of committee were elected, viz., Messrs Dudley and McAlpine. Mr Bluett was empowered to purchase at Mrs Xnyvett's sale any books he thought suitable to the wants of the club.

The Goublay Family.— Mr and Mrs Gourlay and their family arrived by the steamer Gothenburg on Saturday, and purpose giving the first of two drawing room entertainments at the Town Hall, Chriatcharch, this evening. We can speak from experience of the talent possessed by these artistes. Mr Gourlay is a splendid delineator of Scottish character in all its various phases. His pour - trayal of the part of "Daft Willie" in "Mrs McGregor's Levee" is in itself a finished study. Mrs Gourlay is a pleasing vocalist, and their son little Johnny, although but a boy, is nevertheless most mirth-provoking, and has a capital conception of the characters he uourtrays. The Weatheb which, for some time past has been beautifully fine, underwent a change on Saturday. The day was fair and warm, but late in the afternoon heavy masses of clouds in the horizon and a mildness in the

air betokened the approach of ram, and during the early part of the evening a few S slight showers fell. As the night came on strong gusts of wind swept from the SW.,and during the night the wind increased to a stiff gale, accompanied with violent squalls of rain. The gale and rain squalls raged through the whole of yesterday relieved by occasional glimpses of sunshine; but tho change in the weather although seasonable has been so sudden as to be somewhat uncomfortable on account of the change in temperature. ' Pbincb Alfred's Visit.—Tho "Otago Daily Times" learns that the probable time which will be spent in Wellington by the i Duke of Edinburgh will be three days, in Nelson two days, in Canterbury four days, and, in Otago four days. This would seem to indicate that the idea of tho Prince visiting the Lake district has been abandoned. Lyttelton Hook and Ladder Company. A. special meeting of this company was held in the Colonists' Hall on Thursday night. It was resolved that all the accoutrements of the company should be called in j and that Mr Woledge be requested to represent to the Lyttelton Borough Council that the .present organisation of the company is insufficient, and that it is necessary that other arrangements Bhould be made, and a certain allowance of money be guaranteed for necessary expenses. Concert.—The " Times" Minstrels gave a concert in the Town Hall on Saturday evening, in aid of the library fund and band of the Orphan Asylum. The performance, which was under the patronage of hi 9 Honor the Superintendent and the civic authorities, was much better attended than the inclement weather would have led one to expect. The pieces were of the character usually chosen by the Minstrels, whose exertions to amuse their audience seemed to bo appreciated.^ Pboyinciali Gazbtte. —A Provincial " Gazette " was published on Friday. It contains a proclamation by the Superintendent that all the native game mentioned in the fifth schedule to the Protection of Animals Act, 1867, as amended by the Act of 1868, may be killed during the months of April to July inclusive in that portion of the province not included in the Timaru and Gladstone agricultural district. Mr Alexander Lean ha 9 been appointed steward for the letting and managing of educational and other reserves. The railway traffic returns for February are published. On the Lyttelton and Christchurch line the receipts amounted to £2266 19s 2d, compared with £191916s 2d in February, 1868. On the Great South line the receipts were £1424 8s 9d, compared with £800 6s Id in the corresponding month of 1868. It is notified that a number of Crown Grants are ready for delivery at the Land office.

The Sixpenny Magazine. —We have received the January number of " The Sixpenny Magazine," which commences a new series of that periodical. It contains a tale entitled "Snowed-Up, a New Year's Gift from New Zealand and Australia," by B. L. Fargeon, a gentleman who has already acquired some literary reputation in this colony. The construction of the story possesses no claim to originality, but the details are well worked out, and Mr Fargeon's simple style often becomes very effective. It would, however, bear compression, and the results of a too close study of Charles Dickens' works frequently manifest themselves. The scene of the story is laid in New Zealand ; and the inoidents connected with the the wreck of the General Grant are introduced and dealt with in a highly artistic manner. Judging from numerous commendatory notices by English papers, "Snowed-Up" appears to have met with the approval of the home critics.

Social Gathebing-.—A very interesting meeting took place on Wednesday evening last at the residence of Mr Sharp, Mount Pleasant farm, Courtenay, near York town, Bealey's road. A number of friends from Christchurch were present, and although the means of announcement were of a primitive nature, and the appearance of the weather in the morning not so favorable as could be wished for, the attendance was most satisfactory, about one hundred persons being present. Tea was provided, and during the evening the young friends enlivened the proceedings by singing some favorite pieces of sacred and secular music. Interesting addresses were given by the Rev. R. Powell, Mr Clover, Mr Norris, and others ; Mr Cricks occupying the chair. A very liberal collection was made on the occasion, the whole of which we hear was given to the building fund of the Baptist tabernacle in Hereford street. The deacons and friends connected with that chapel publicly tendered their thanks for such generous aid. We hope ere long to announce the pleasing fact that success has attended the efforts to establish a place of worship at Courtenay. Thero is great need for it, and the result of the meeting above recorded proves how highly tbe people in that district would appreciate the boon.

Akaboa and Wainui Road Boabd.—A meeting was held in the Survey Office on Wednesday, March 31st. Members present— Messrs Waeckerle (chairman), Garwood, Piper, Saxton, and the Engineer. Tho following tenders were received for putting in culverts and clearing out drains on the lower portion of the old Okain's Bay road:— William Wilson, in three weeks, £7 10s; John Castles, do, £12. The Board decided to accept the tender of William Wilson. The following tenders were received for beaching and putting in culverts on the Red House road :—John Bunney, in two months, £32 6s; William Thomas, do, £33. The Board having considered the above tenders excessive, the engineer was instructed to invite fresh tenders. The following 'tenders were received for clearing some ten to twelve chains of bu9h on the Flea Bay track:—W. Higginsons, in two weeks, 8s per chain ; J. Tauejeoni, do, 6s per chain. The Board decided to accept the tender of J. Vauejeoni. The engineer was instructed to write to Robert Stewart, stating that the Board felt great dissatisfaction at the manner in which he was carrying ont the contract for the maintenance of the road from Akaroa to the head of the bay, also to point out. to him the clauses in fthe-specifications which he had failed to comply with. Some accounts having been passed for payment the Board adjourned until Wednesday, the 14th April, at seven o'clock p.m.

Otago Political AssdctATiON.—A meeting to inaugurate the newly formed Otago Political Association was held in Dunedin on Tuesday evening last. Acc*_imatisat_on.—We learn that the ship Mindora, with the second shipment of salmon ova for this province on board, sailed from Deal on tbe 4th January last. She may therefore be expected to arrive here towards the middle of next week.—" Otago Daily Times, April 2. '

Value of Station PEOPBETr—T * Messrs Driver, McLean, and Co ' 0 f t? We * acting under instructions from M e ,l„ n1 div » and Menlove, offered at auction th 7- i tt property known as Hydo Home Cm^ 1 Run No 362 of the province of 0 ' Cic & taining 50,000 acres of land, toml ? a °' Cou * 20,000 sheep, the highest ofl&Wbrtng S>S at which sum the property was withdrtif' Official Information.— We aro ■ understand that henceforth messen-jETV O may be sent from the West Coast Whitmore's despatches for the Q o l' hml will come to Wellington direct wf mffiU being excluded from all information^ 8 ? 1 object of this ruse may be, that the manuf™ turors of Government telegrams will bo * work, and Whitmore's despatches, aftw?.thoroughly -cooked" to suit * H New Industry.—A new industry arm likely to spring up in Queensland, in the»o_v vation of the tea plant. It a P p. arß made by some Chinese from plants |m>w___l! the Botanical Gerdens at Brisbane, was c.V bited at a late agricultural show held tb This tea was of three or four sorts, the mill boing said to be equal to that ordinarily B Z in the shops. It is said that the climate J3 soil of Queensland are woll suited for ♦£ cultivation of this plant, and the Pre_ 3 0 f til Colony is sanguine that it will ultimately form an important item of its produce. Tidal Phenomena. - The "Oata.*, Times" of Friday says :—« Yesterday B cm rather curious tidal phenomena were obasrred the ebb and flow being very variable, so that while the boatmen were at work they, while at one moment only up to the knees inVatsr | were at another up nearly to the armpits Rumour reaches us, too, which howofer wa have been unable as yet to verify, that W terday morning there was an unusual recein of the tide, which left the Landing Bervi<» boats (anchored in eleven feet water) fo? some little time high and dry. This is said to have occurred at 5.30 a.m.

Eueopean Abmies.—There can be no «•_. fidence in peace as long as Europe is o?etr_n with immense armies. The Frenoh aro aow boasting that their organisation is perfects., It is estimated that France could at once pu. into the field a good fighting army of 500,000 men : and that in the course of a short rata. paign a million Frenohmen could be niada to bear arms. Other countries are maintaining like armaments, and straining every nem to mako more complete their military prepay.. tions. The exact strength of the continental armies, as registered on paper, was given lately by Baron Xuhn in the Hungarian Parliament, as follows, including both the regular troops and the national or reserved forces ,—lrenes, 1,350,000; North and South German?, 1,229,117 ; Austro-Hungary, 1,053,000 j Bu» sia, 1,467,000; Italy, 480,461; tote!, 5,679,578. And these figures take no account of Spain, or of other less disturbed and anabitious states. They prove the existent*, of a volcano power in the very midst of Eoroju, that may at any time break out to destroy.