General intelligence.

Clutha Leader, Volume II, Issue 75, 16 December 1875, Page 6

General intelligence.

A. monster ineetin^ Las been held in Melbourne in favo* of tlie, dissolution of Parliament. Fifty thousand .persons werfr. present. ..: •..:,.. ThVSupreme .Court. commenced its sitting^at Tiraaru, on Friday. There were thirteen cases, including 1 murder, arson, forgery, bigamy, and other serious crimes. .

A telegram from Auckland says,: — The Brandon, schooner from Apia, reports that a European named Keyes was murdered in cold blood by a native at Apia, for refusing to give him a bottle of scented hair oil in. his possession.

In the Yictorjan Assembly, a Supply Bill for £380,000 has been introduced. The debate was very personal. The Opposition threaten to delay business until a dissolution is granted. The Eastern Extension Company have left to Sir Julius Yogel . and Dr Hector the selection of place where the cable from Australia is to be landed, and they have fixed upon Waikapuwaka near J*q>iri's Island, in Blind Bay. Only about six miles of land line will tfe required to join with the existing wire.

The Government have called upon Messrs Brogden for payment of the whole of their promissory notes given under the immigration contract, and have notified the contractors that, in deiault of payment, they will detain the money from outstanding contracts sufficient to cover the amount of the notes. This action will probably result in important legal proceedings.

We ' Daily Times ' are in a position to state that Mr T. L. Shepherd will not stand for the Dunstan or any other constituency, having: determined to retire from political life. Mr Shepherd has represented the Goldfields in the General Assembly and the Provincial Council for nine years. He was presjed to stand both for the Wakatip and Dunstan districts, but declined.

Sir George Grey will not visit the Maori King. When the invitation was sent to him by a special messenger some time ago to act as mediator, lir referred them to the Native Minister, declining to go unless Tawhiao would put in writing his desire for a mediator. The Kingites expressed their reluctance to place on record any account showing 1 that, they made the first overtures. They also declined to communicate with the Government,

The annual show of the Southland Agricultural and Pastoral Association canie off on Thursday and proved a great success. The weather was beautifully fine, and 3000 people were present. Last year the number of exhibits was 243 ; this year it was 415. Amongst horses tbe strength lay in draughts j in cattle, shorthorns and Ayrslrires ; sheep," in the long-woolled classes. The winner of the first amongst the shorthorn bulls was Mr M' Donald, of Inch Clutha; and Messrs Reid and Gray, of Dunedin, in agricultural implements, carried away many of the honors. Altogether the show was the best of the kind ever held in Southland.

Heavy floods are reported from various districts in the north island. Two portions of the railway between Auckland and the Waikato were washed away, and the traffic much interrupted. In the Waikato district property was destroyed, and fears are entertained that the large bridge across the Waikato at Cambridge will be washed away. The water is now on a level with the floor of the bridge, and the river is still rising at the rate of one foot per hour. No damage is done in the immediate vicinity of Auckland.

The s.s. Taiaroa, for Otago from Glasgow, stranded on the Old Man Hocks a quarter of a mile to theN.W. of Dog Island, on Friday morning. The Express got up steam to render assistance, hut before she reached the, scene the Taiaroa floated off, but was making water, so the Express took her in tow. She was beached. The three compartments contained water. She appears to be damaged most amidships. The actual damage is not yet known. The Taiaroa put into Hobart Town on the 30th November to goal. Captain Gil pine } the late master, died off Algoa Bay on the 3rd November. Mrs Gilpine and three children are on board, all well.

The 'Southern Cross,' the newspaper which is partly owned by Sir J ulius Yogel, thus comments upon his intention to come out by the Zealandia instead of by the mail boat leaving San Francisco on the Bth December, as he originally intended : — " This," says the * Cross,' '* means his arrival in New Zealand about the end of January, instead of the beginning. There is a little too much of these delays— that is if, as we believe is the happy fact, that his health is now pretty well restored People are getting tired of the repeated postponements of the departure of the man whose policy' and finance, it is admitted, require his presence and counsel in New Zealand, and Ye hope ~ that this is. * positively the last appearance ' of any bulletins indicating delay. If not, the public, wijl think that tlia wanderer means to return ho mure; .and we suggest to Sir Julius colleagues the r propriety of telegraphing to him that these postponements of the ' statesman's return 'must no further be! attempted under any pretext whatever."

A telegraph has been opened at G6re. C 5 Oce wMl. shortly be opened, a$ Edendale. Mr fienjamih Britton • laterin;aste;r of the Industrial School* imrii; din (Heft from inflamation of lungs on Saturday.; A dwelling-house was burned down at Napier on Saturday morning; The cause was accidental upsetting of a lamp. Another house was, .burned to the ground same afternoon. The caiise was a spark from an engine dropping on some staw near the. premises. A man named Patrick M'Makon I has stabbed his wife and a solicitor. \ named Boag at Brisbane. The former is, not expected, to live. M'Mahori stated that he intended to murder both for'consorting together. , Messrs Barr and Oliver, Engineers, Dnnedin, have gained the bonu9 of £150 offered by-tjie municipality of Oamaru for the best scheme of watersupply for that town. The proposition is to bring in, the supply' from the Waitaki.

The long-talked-of alteration in the gauge of the Bluff and Northern lines of railway is to be at one© commenced. For this purpose traffic on the Bluff line will be stopped on the 20th, and on the Oreti line on the 18th instant.

The ship Commissariat arrived, at Wellington on Friday, from London, 98 days on*. She had"a rough passage. She brings 20 cabin passengers, and one was lost overboard narrfed Richard Cowan. In getting the lifeboat ready William Morgan was lost overboard. All attempts to save them f«i!ed. People who indulge in strong drink on Sunday Bad better stop indoors on that day. This morning at the Police Court several persons found to have been drunk in the public streets yesterday wore flned double the usual amount, the Bench characterising their cDnduct as a disgraceful insult to people on their way to or from places of public worship. — * Star.' A telegram from Hikurangi, dated Bth instant, says — There is no business of importance here as yet. Ail are ensraged learning hymns of the new religion. Singing is going on morn, noon, and night. Tawhiao's only speech as yet was his father's dying words — recommending them to live in peace, lovp, and truth in the future. The settlement is not so large as expected. There are only three large whares and several small ones. The visitors are accommodated with break- wind tents.

A good story is told of the ladies in the Melbourne metropolitan telegraphic department. Recently a document was sent to the office by the Deputy- Postmaster-General which required the ages of ail the operators to be returned. The men put their signature to it straight yff, but wh<m it was sent to the ladies' branch it was coolly ignored, and when reminded fof its existence, with a request for it to be filled up, the fair electricians returned it with a firm but respectful refusal to give the information asked for. The Deputy- Postmaster was for the moment staggered, but like a gallant officer accepted his defeat gracefully, and allowed the ladies to score their victory

over departmental routine without another word.

The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand closed its session at Christchurch on Wednesday nigh* Deputies have been appointed to attend a Presbyterian Synod which meets in fcdinburgh next May. The deputies from t;e Otago Synod. were heard on the question of union with this Church, and deputies were appointed to attend the Oa/o Synod, with the view of completing arrangements for the union. Deputies were received from the Canterbury Sunday Observance Lengue, and regulations passed sympathising with the object of this league and enjoining all members of the Church to support them. . Erection of a theological hall at Auckland was sanctioned and the desirability of

Otago co-operating in this work was recognised. The INew Hebrides and Maori Mission reports were discussed with marked interest. There were interesting discussions on church extension and the evangelistic movement recently going- on in so many pirts of the world. The report of the Education Committee called forth a warm expression of opinion against denominationalism, and in favour of a national, system of education. In cbnspqneriee of the meagre reports, in local papers, a resolution was passed that special arrangements he. made and reporters engaged, if necessary,for future. sessions of the Assembly. ;

An interesting experiment is beirijr mad<? in, the shipment of two nests of humble bees which have left Plymouth for Canterbury. The principle object aimed at in. the introduction of these insects into the Colony is the fertilisation of the common clover, the pollen : of which the, common bee is generally unable to collect, .while the " humble bee" havipw 1 a larger proboscis, and being ; much stronger, is able t to reach sufficiently deep into the flower to collect the fertilising dust. \ The bees are in two separate, nests, .proejir^d, by Mr Frank Bucklandj and Packed iia n suitable box, where -they axe supplied with everything 1 , necessary for, 4^e voyage, including honey, fairna, water. &o. They'iare .verjr^fine 'specimens of the humble bee. They pe . ail placed under the care of c the< Honl ..John Hall, who^takes a stock, of -ica for. the purpose of- keeping down the the temperature of the nests while passing through ; the tropics.

• Tfcie scarlet .jfeVer is very previilenTrit C.oromana^L \ Many; schools,. ar6 H ;sliufe A movement is set on foot. for . jthts; - formation of a .W ate? Color , Society, in Dunedin. .; " " <.'; ■' ■^i-,.:}'^- ,;/V.vV-V ; - </■'■-' $■ -Mr Luckie has published an address^ stating that his "busijo&j&i Engagements " will prevent his coming; forward for the city of Nelson. -■■•■„, ►-•' ; Mr Solomon, the commercial traveller recently committed at T Wellington for forger^; and uttering, ; ;has been . bailed by Mr Godfrey jWalwpablipan, and Mr Louis Solomon, importer, both of Dunedin. ' .- Mr, Mendershausei), pf Duhedin, has received from Auckland some cases .containing the mineral waters of the, W:iiwera. The ' Times' says, the "water" ib effervescing, pleasing 1 to the, taste, and, we have no doubt, will come to be iniich used in JNew Zealand for its medical properties. ''~ r "{' - ; A;telegran» from Welljmgton'on the Bth says-^There was a very violent gale and great fall of rain last night,, which continued all day, pausing races to He posipbne&r tilK the first, firiq day. Great anxiety was felt all day, about a number of people who. went out in boats being missing. Une man was nicked up on the beach in . a half drowned . cpnditit)n, was taken, to the tie Hospital, and has not been sensible since. The steamer Mapier examined the coast this afternoon and brought back a pnrty -of five castaways upon Soames Island. -There. are still a couple of seamen missing. Some of the squalls last night were the strongest felt here for. very many years. The following Cablegrams from London hre up to, the 27th ult :~ A. deputation from the Anti - Slavery Association urged on the Government the ndvisableness of preventing the departure of Ar.nit's.JNew Guinea expedition. Earl Carnarvon replied that he was legally powerless, hut promised to discourage the enterprise. ; He warned the adventurers embarking in such a dang-er^us course, as in the event of annexation the Crown would not reognise; holdings improperly acquired Foreign arrivals have been so large as to cause a depression the corn market. There are nearly two millions of quarters afloat — Tin is heavy and unsettled, and receding in quotations. Speculations have ceased. Australian is quoted from £81 to £82. '