TELEGRAMS.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 4099, 24 January 1878, Page 2

TELEGRAMS.

CABLE TELEGRAMS.

|SI'ECIAIi TO THE MKLBOUKSE " AIUIUS."] MELBOURNE, January 23. The present crisis is the all engrossing topic. Yesterday a solicitor applied to the Chief Justice in Chambers for a mandamus to compel the Assistant Registrar of the Court to issue a summons. The officer said he had been instructed by the Crown Lands Department not to issue any summonses. The Chief Justice said he had no discretion in the matter, and granted a rule for a mandamus. Upon the Government being informed of his step, they at once dismissed all the Registrars and Assistant- Registrars, so that it is now impossible to bring a case before the County Court. The Judges having previously been suspended, a number of Acts of Parliament are now wholly or in part inoperative, owing to the persons appointed to administer them having been dispensed with. The Governor, Sir G. Bowen, is absent in a neighboring country. His absence has been much commented on. Already the facts of the crisis are being felt in business circles, while the greatest misery is caused to several large employers of labor, who will be forced to reduce their establishments. The question has been referred to from the pulpit. The Government intend to revert to the system in force prior to 1862, and to make payments on the authority of the Assembly alone, and send an Appropriation Bill to the Council at leisure. In Riverina and other parts of New South Wales the heat has been intense, killing birds and animals. There is no grass and very little water anywhere in the country. The Hon. Neil Black's sale of pure bred cattle at Mount Noorant realised £10,710. The gold yield last year shows a falling off of 144,421 ounces as compared with the previous year. The number of miners has also fallen off, the total up to the end of December being 38,006.

[From the Press Agency.] AUCKLAND, January 23. An order of the Supreme Court was obtained yesterday for instituting criminal proceedings against David Hamilton, a bankrupt, for concealing a portion of his estate. A warrant was signed for his arrest. A fire occurred in Elliott-street this morning, in Francis's crockery store. It is supposed that the cause was heated damp straw. Owing to the prompt measures taken, the fire was confined to the upper storey, where two firemen worked courageously, with respirators, amidst dense, damp, overpowering smoke, unknown to their comrades. When their safety was feared, they knocked on the upper floor, apprising their comrades that they were safe. The building and stock were insured for £814 in the New Zealand Company. The damage was about £100. Mr Samuel Hesketh has been admitted a solicitor of the Supreme Court. DUNEDTN, January 23. The New Zealand Churchman is said to have changed hands, Bishop Neville having disposed of his interest to the Rev Mr Stanford. Roberts, the champion billiard player, is playing here with very poor success. CHRISTCHURCH, January 23. A serions fire occurred this morning in a block of buildings bounded by Colombo and Cashel-streets, being the centre of the city. It commenced in the back of the premises of J. Barrett, hairdresser, and quickly spread. Both sides, north and south, had obtained a hold before the alarm was sounded, and before the fire brigade, which turned out smartly, had got properly to work the shops occupied by Mr Parker, commission agent, and Scrimshaw, furniture warehouse, on the south side, were in flames ; also, Roberts' watchmaker's shop, on the north, and the flames were making way through the windows in the brick partition of the Al Hotel, which was three storeys high. Superintendent Harris being unfortunately out of town, the efforts of the fire brigade were not so well directed as usual, and after a time a scarcity of water was also experienced. The brigade arrested the progress of the fire on the south side after it had partly damaged the shop of Phillips, clothier, next to Scrimshaw's, but while the brigade were endeavoring to save the Al Hotel, the fire communicated round near the hotel with the shops of Lane, butcher ; Beath, draper ; and Watt, draper}; in Cashel-street. The brigade after all failed to save the Al Hotel, which was completely destroyed, and had a hard fight to prevent the fire extending along Cashel-street, to Highstreet. The fire raged three hours. The following damage was done :— AI Hotel, containing about fifty rooms ; Scrimshaw's Parker's, Barrett's, and Robert's shops were totally destroyed. Phillip's shop and stock were damaged, and the back premises of Beath's drapery shops were destroyed, the stock in the front shop was damaged, and the stock of Pratt, diaper, was also damaged. No particulars as to the value of the damage or insurances are yet obtainable. The origin of the fire is unknown. The Times this morning says :— " The Hon. James Macandrew passed through Christchurch yesterday, on his way to Wellington, to be present at a full meeting of the Cabinet. One of the objects of the meeting is, we understand, to make arrangements for the coming appropriation for public works in accordance with the means available, and on a basis that will be fair to each provincial district." Later. The following are the insurances on the premises destroyed, and from which very little stock was saved : — New Zealand, £250 ; National, £3650 (half re-insured) ; Transatlantic, £1000 ; Norwich Union, £250 ; Hamburg and Bremen, £750 ; Standard, £250 ; Union, £100 ; London and Liverpool and Globe, £1950 ; Phoenix, €1500 ; South British, £700 ; Northern, £1000 ; Britannia, £1500. Insurance on bnildings and stock damaged : — Victoria, £1.000 ; London and Lancashire, £1000 ; South British, £1500 ; Transatlantic, £500 ; Phcenix, £500 ; Standard, £1000. WELLINGTON, January 23. Sir George Grey and Mr Shoehan procoed to Wairarapa to-morrow morning. The Ministerial party will remain at Grey town on Thursday, going to Masterton the next day, and returning to Wellington on Saturday. At the Good Templar meeting last night, presided over by the Yen. Archdeacon Stock, he said there was less drunkenness in Wellington now than when he came twenty-two years" ago. He thought drunkards ought to be sent to gaol without the option of a fine. The police hero state that during last year there wore 87 prisoners for miscellaneous offences fewer than in 1876.