LATEST TELEGRAMS.

Grey River Argus, Volume XV, Issue 1952, 7 November 1874, Page 2

LATEST TELEGRAMS.

[ANGLO-AUSTRALIAN PRESS TELEGRAPH AGENCY.] Chaleston, Noa. 6. At a public meeting held last night, a Prospecting Association was formed, and it was decided that a bonus of L2OO be given to any person who should find payable ground in the country lying between the water-sheds of the Totara and Fourmile Rivers, capable of giving remunerative employment to 100 men for at least six months. Auckland, Nov. 6. The Coronet, from Tahiti, brings intelligence that two American ships, one named Moguel and other unknown, have been burned to the water's edge in the Pacific. The two calamities reported present very extraordinary features ; both vessels belonged to the same American firm, and were loaded with coal from Liverpool for San Francisco, and both were burned within a day or two of one another, and the crews of both found shelter in the Marquesas Islands. All the hands of the Moguel were saved, and were nearly seventy days in an open boat. The captain, mate, and I one boat's crew of other vessel are lost, but the second mate brought the other part of the crew safely to the Marquesas, after 22 days of privations and difficulties, having been all that time without instruments or charts. A small piece of cardboard, on which, the course was marked off, was the only means of reckoning used. The vessels, when burnt, were nearly 2000 miles from land. The first crew arrived at Tahiti the same day as the Coronet ; the last one arrived seven days' after Arrived, the ahip Hydaspe3 Owen, from London, after a voyage of 77 days from leaving the pilot, with 400 immigrants. 11. deaths from scarlatina occurred, and the ship has been quarantined. Sir George -Grey publishes another long petition, setting forth at considerable length the action of the British Parliament in 1845 in placing in the hands of the Governor of New Zealand the. sum of LIO,OOO for purchasing land from the Natives, and extinguishing the Maori title altogether. The objects of that action were that the profits from the sale of land so acquired might be applied to immigration and public works. Large quantities of valuable land were acquired in this manner in the North and South Islands, but being bought by British money became the property of the British people. That after granting the New Zealand Constitution Act in 1852, the Representative Act contained careful precautions for preserving the system already provided for extinguishing the Native title, 'and that such lands as were already acquired by the expenditure of British money should still be vested for the benefit of the Crown, because the despatch transmitting the Constitution Act to the Governor, contained clauses authorising him to use the money, and restricting the Assembly from interfering with it. The object was to create a valuable colonial estate, that would remain in the hands of the Crown for many generations to come. The principle involved being that the more nourishing parts of the Colony should assist the poorer parts. English commerce was built up in this way. The petitioner sets out as a general principle that if a more powerful Government deprive a weaker one of its revenue the latter gradually sinks into an object of contempt. The great depression of Auckland mainly arose from the General Assembly, in 1856, allocating to the Provincial Governments the control over lands belonging to the Crown, and owing to the want of due provision being made by the Amending Act of 3857 to relieve the territorial revenue from the charges previously made upon it. It was doubtful whether some of the Acts of the General Assembly, dealing with the waste lands of the Colony, were valid; and he also doubted if the Legislature possessed the power to pass the late resolutions disposing of the land revenue over the Colony, and he thought it probable that it would be submitted to the Home Government for action thereon. He maintained that Auckland should be afforded every opportunity for defending her rights in the Colonial Parliament or the House of Commons. Moreover, a Southern member of the Assembly had publicly admitted that Auckland had been unfairly dealt with by the resolutions of 1856 and said the Southerners were anxious to agree on reasonable terms. In. conclusion, h e hoped that the Superintendent of Auckland would secure the rights of his Province and prevent any hurried action by the British Parliament. Dunedin, Nov. 6. The following nominations have been received for the Dunedin Cup : — Guy Fawkes, Castaway, Kathleen, Braid, Earl of Lynne, Spritsail, Medica, Petrobe, Atlas, "Xatterina, Flying Dutchman, Right Bower, Webb's filly by Malton, dam Spray ; Webb's gelding by Malton, dam Ava ; Hercules, Templeton, Belle, Tambourini, Seabird, Boomerang, Merryman, Bobby, Nosworthy, Traitor, Somnambula, Wainui, Rangi, Nero, Toi, Both well, Captain Cook. Action has been taken on behalf of the Government fora new prosecution of the locomotive foreman who caused the late railway accident. The case will be heard on Tuesday.

Grain quotations unaltered. Oats scarce at 03 6d. The navvies on the Chain Hills contract, who were receiving 10s a day, have srruck for 12a. Wellington, Nov. 6. A Branch Bank of the Bank of New Zealand has been opened at Masterton in this Province. Christchtdrch, Nov. 6. Quotations : f.o.b. at Lyttelton.— Wheat, 5s 5d to 6s ; oats, 5s 9d to 6s ; flour, Ll2 10s to Ll3 10s ; bran and pollard, L 6 ss ; sharps, L 7; cheese, 8d ; butter, ll£d to 12£ d ; grass seed, 5s 6d. The market is bare.