NEW ZEALAND.

Press, Volume XXXI, Issue 4289, 29 April 1879, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND.

O__SSS A&ENCT.J Auckland, April 28. The representative chiefs of the Ngapuhi left for Waikato this morning. They,go up with the firm determination either to hare Sir Q-. Grey and Mr Sheehan at the meeting or to return. "Wellington, April 28.' ? The City of Sydney, with the London mails of 27th March, left San Francisco on April 14th, contract date. The Australia, with the March colonial mails, arrived at Ba_ Francisco on April 23rd, one day in advance of contract date. The following tenders were received at the Public Works Office, Wellington, for the Invertiel contract of the Clutha and Cation's Biver Bailway. Accepted, George Mackie, Dunedin, •£5388. Declined, G. Bain, Balclutha,-65828; W. M. Morton, -.6112; J. Muirand Co., Kaitangata, _39563. It is understood that important changes will, in all probability, be proposed in the Bankruptcy Law next session, especially in regard to certificated accountant a in bankruptcy, as an effort will be made to do away with them altogether. The Government hare decided to proceed immediately with the reclamation of an additional ten acres for the purposes of sites for engine-sheds, receiving- sheds, &c., in connection with the railway. The butchers of the city have given up the practice of sending round carts with meat for sale, finding it did not- pay. They now only send out carts one day to collect orders for the next. In the evidence taken at t_e_preli_ui__y enquiry into the wreck of the Bubyit was shown that tha vessel was carried on to "Wa-ter'a Bock during a spring tide, while working through tba boat passage. The tide was running about fire knots. As soon as the vessel struck she commenced to fill. There was no chance to _are -3» plant ot tha " Boss (_twrdian_ , Vb_taig__g

to Mr Carle, of the " Wellington Chronicle," is to be utilised is the prodnction of a newspaper at Fielding. Three hundred people assembled at the cricket ground to sec the first gamo of football played under the Victorian rules, and 1 the general opinion seemed to be that it was superior to the game played under the Kugby rule*. ■ ■ The captain of the. Taiwoa wfti brought up this morrang for carryingswwe passengers than he was allowed Iqr the Act. Mr Bell, who appeared for tile defence, urged thai it was impoeeib'e for steamegs coining round the coast, anS arriving at places' at midnight, to prevent persons going oa board. In this case, especially, they were bringing-tho maU and. tarrying down as fast as possible ; besides, through the company's having lately lost two steamera, they were more inconvenienced than they otherwise would have been. The Collector of Customs said he had been authorised by the Government not to press for a heaTy fine. Mr MansfoW, 8.M., who is recovered euffieiently to attend to his duties, said that there had been a breach of the law, Ibut, taking surrounding, circumstances into consideration, he would only inflict a fine of 40s for the breach of the Act, and Is for over; passenger in excess of the proper number, making in all £2 16s, with the costs of the Court. The information was laid under section l≥ 6rf the Shipping and Seamen's Act,_lS77, which permits a fine not cxceeding£2o to be inflicted for carrying more passengers than is allowed by certificate, and also a sum not exceeding, double the amount of the fares of all passengers in excess of the number authorised by certificate. I&lasteeton, April 28. A new prospecting company hoe been started here, with an influential provisional directory; HoKTrrKA, April 28. Jans en Christiansen, a Banish seaman, aged twenty-three, who met with a frightful accident on Tuesday on the schooner Prosperity while un. loading timber, by a crowbar slipping and going through his thigh, died last night at the Hospital. Bis leg was amputated yesterday above the knee, but he never rallied after the operation, and died at seven o'olock. j>BOJr Ol7a OWN cenusßVOsusßt.l Timaru, ApriT2B. A numerous and influential committee has been appointed to arrange for the Governor's reception. The ball in honor i3to be a grand affair, [Press Special Wire.] Auckland, April 28. Sir George Grey and Mr Sheehan visited the : waterworks to-day, and expressed pleasure with the pumping machinery and general ariaagements.. New Plymottth, April 28. A passenger by the fl.s. Wellington for Anckland, who had been on shore during the stay of vessel at this port, while returning in the cargo boat, jumped overboard in a fit, but w»s saved. Mapibb, April 28. -It ias been decided to hold an inquest on the body of the wife of JBoderick Hugh McLennan, who was recently captured on the Patangata ranges by the police. Mrs McLennan died at the Masonic Hotel some weeks ago under suspicious circumstancis. The police authorities called for an enquiry, anda warrant for the exhumation of the body has been issued by tlie coroner. The inquest will commence on Wednesday next, but will only be a preliminary enquiry for the purpose of identifying the bod; prior to sending the stomach to the Government analyst at Wellington, after which the inquest trill be resumed. WangAntti, April 28. At the Supreme Court to-day true bills were returned against Alfred Luxfora for horse stealing, John Byan for burglariously entering and stealing, John Donaghay for stealing from the person, G. B. Worgan for felony, Wilson for misdemeanor, and Melchet for assault. Byan was found "Not Guilty" and Donaghay "Guilty." The latter will be sentenced tomorrow. Wellington, April 28. To-day's " Post" says—" There are come great public questions on which it is the duty of patriotic politicians to sink minor differences and unite for the general good. Such was the lute European difficulty. Such are now the Affghan and Zulu wars. Such is the present Maori complication, and such is the proposal which has been made simultaneously in all parts of this colony that the present cheapness of money in the Home market should be taken advantage of to float a new colonial loan." > The "New Zealander" cays— "The land revenue must fall woefully shoit by 30th June next. At utmost .£900,000 will be realised out of '£1,200,000 estimated for. One circumstance causes the deficiency, the necessity which has arisen for withdrawing temporarily from salo the Waimate plains, from which £400,000 was expected. The returns of the first six months of the land tax cannot be realised till next financial year, owing to the unavoidable delay in obtaining the valuation." I The following- is the statement of <3eo. j Thomas' assets t-r-liabflities, £13,940. Assets —Book delti ftood), £3431; do. (doubtful), £725; stock, £2276; shares, £300; bills for collection, £1500; total, £8232. Deficiency, £5703. The deficiency is made upas follows:— Bad debts, £5000; loss on vessels, £2500. There ia no truth in the statement that Thomas' failure ia due in any way to undue pressure on the part of the Banks. The Wellington Patent Slip Company declared a dividend o! 5 per cent. The first pile of the Bailway Wharf was driven to-day." : . ...... Dunedin, April 28. There are at present thirteen candidates for the Otago University m a trioulation examination, which commences on Thursday. There are also three candidates for the preliminary examination in medicine. ; The proposed banquet to bis Excellency the Governor has been postponed sine die, on account of his suffering from an attack of asthma. He to-day visited our chief public institutions, and will to-night be present at the theatre. - . , . .. Invebcabgill, April 28. At a meeting of the Town Council this evening, a letter was read from the Colonial Secretary's department, stating that the position taken up by the Council regarding , the.appointment of trustees for the municipal sinking fund . was untenable, and that - the Government hudi not made the appointment without full consideration. The Suez mail arrived this morning, and was despatched to Dnnedin and Christchurch by express train.