TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5282, 16 January 1879, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

[By Cable. J [retjter's telegrams.] BERLIN, January 9. A bill lias heen introduced by Bismarck in the Federal Council with the object of suppressing Socialism, which is also condemned by the Pope. BOMBAY, January 11. A powerful tribe of Mongols, having assumed a threatening attitude, General Eoberts consequently decided to return to Kurum, and concentrate his forces. The Sirdars of Cabul have written to Major Cavagnari in friendly terms. Latest advices state that Abzul Khan, commanding the Afghans at Candahar, has disbanded his army and left the province. \ General Donald Stuart was one day's march from Candahar on the Bth inst. January 12. The Deputy-Governor of Candahar has tendered his complete submission to the British, and now awaits the arrival of Stuart and Biddulph's forces to surrender the city. Candahar was formally entered on the 9th. All the leading officials and troops in Candahar fled to Herat. January 13. General Donald Stuart, with his forces, marched through Candahar unopposed. LONDON, January 10. The trade returns for December show a decrease in the imports of five and a half millions, and in the exports of one and a half millions, as compared with 1877. Earl Beaconsfield's health is completely restored. January 11. A semi-official statement is made that the Ameer is now in Turkistan, and will receive sympathetic hospitality from Russia, but the idea of Russian mediation on his behalf is illusory. January 12. The Russian budget for 1879 is published. The estimates show an intention to preserve the equalibrium between revenue and expenditure by increased taxation. The programme of the Grand Vizier of of Turkey includes the reduction of the army to a minimum, and the decentralisation of the provinces. January 15. The Times has reason to believe that I Yakoob Khan has been officially informed by the Indian Government of the terms oh which peace will be granted, and that these are such as he can favorably accept. The Midland Institute in Birmingham, which contained the largest Shakespearian library in the world, has been totally destroyed by fire. The official inquiry into the explosion on the Thunderer shows that it was attributable to imperfect loading. An Imperial Ukase by the Czar of Russia announces the appointment of commissioners to consider the best means of reducing the public expenditure. MELBOURNE, January 14. In the oricket match between the Canterbury Eleven and the East Melbourne Club, Canterbury's first inaings closed for a total of 270 runs. East Melbourne's second innings closed for 180. Canterbury's second, 99 without the loss of a wicket. They therefore won by ten wickets, (Received at 3 a.m.) LONDON, January 13. The November mail has been delivered. Adelaide wheat is Is lower. Total afloat, lw million quarters. January 14. The French Minister of War has resigned. General Greohy succeeds him. A Frenchman named Madden threatened to shoot the Queen. He is detained in the Broadmer prison. The distress in the operative districts is increasing. MELBOURNE, January 15. In the cricket match, Canterbury v. Bohomians, Canterbury's first innings closed for 197. The Bohemians have two wickets down for 157. A telegram has been received stating that the Loch Sunart, on her return voyage from Melbourne, was wrecked on the coast of Belfast, Ireland. Mr Pearce was one of the passengers. [special to the press association.] LONDON, January 11. Money is plentiful, with a slack discount demand, but the Bank of England minimum is unchanged. The market rate is 4 per cent, for three months' bills. The Bank reserve is steadily rising, and it is now over ton and a-half millions. The Bank has advanced three and a-half millions to the Government. The stock market is steady, and consols arc rising ; they are now 95J. The market for Australian securities is remarkably firm. The corn market is unchanged. January 12. Goneral Roborts attacked the Afghan insurgents on the Bth, and after a sovoro and protracted contest, the Afghans wore dofeatod, with the loss of 500 killed, and iuimorous prisoners, herds of cattle, and quantities of grain. Marshall Espartero, Spanish statesman, is dead. BOMBAY, January 13. Tho excitement amongst the natives caused by Gonoral Robert's victory, is subsiding. He has decided to garrison Khorst with provisions for two months. BRISBANE, January 15. The Queensland Parliament met yesterday. Mr King was elected Speaker. The members of the Queensland exploring expedition have reached Powell's Creek, South Australia. They lived on game. Latterly they were unable to cross the dry swamps, and killed three horses in attempting it. They were re* lieved by the occurrence of thunder storms,

MELBOURNE, January 15. Three prisoners have escaped from Williamstown by forcing a casement. SYDNEY, January 15. The New Caledonian insurrection is languishing. Two tribes have surrendered, and have been sent to the Isle of Pines. Daly, master of the Heather Bell, has been arrested, and the vessel is ordered to the Fiji High Commissioners' Court. [By Special Wibe.l CHRISTCHURCH, January 15. The x'ain fell on Monday and Tuesday, registered at Christchurch, was 2-14 inches. The rain was particularly heavy on Tuesday morning early. The opening of the lino to Invercargill has been definitely fixed for "Wednesday next. The invited guests from Christchurch will leave on Tuesday, and remain at Dunedin that night. A special train will leave Dunodin at 10 a.m. the next day. Mr Conyers returned to-day, after a month's absence, inspecting the Westland and Nelson lines. The case of Henderson v. the Napier Harbor Board begins to-morrow, and is expected to occupy a week. Messrs Macassey and Harper appear for the defendants, and the Attorney- General and Mr Rees for the plaintiff. Mr J. F. Graham's benefit to-night was well attended. DUNEDIN, January 15. The line from Amberley to the Bluff will be opened for through traffic on "Wednesday next. An express train will leave Dunedin at 9 a.m. and another will leave Invercargill at 9.30 a.m. The trains will meet at Clinton, arriving at 12.30 p.m., and there a stoppage of 15 minutes will bo made for lunch. The express from Dunedin will stop atßalclutha and Milton. At the "Waste Lands Board to-day it was resolved to offer for sale 370 acres of the Hawksbury Commonage, close to the township, at £10 per acre. That land is said to be worth £20,000. The bdard also took into consideration the disposal of twenty runs, the leases of which expire in March, 1880, and resolved that Teschinaker's, No. 98, and Webster's, No. 99, Kauroo district, comprising 9000 j acres, should be sold as rural land. The board resolved to re-lease two other runs i which are all rough country, those carrying over 5000 sheep to be divided into two portions. In the case of Smart v. Brogden and another, a claim for £608 8s 6d, balance due on a contract for railway work at Mosgiel, the jury to-day returned a verdict for £571 6s, being the amount claimed less the sum paid into Court. The case occupied three days. All the single girls by the ship Oamaru were engaged at from £30 to £40 a year. The University Council has decided to ask the Governor for power to borrow a | sum not exceeding £10,000. Should the j desired power be granted, the Council t intend to endeavor to borrow a portion | of the amount from the Benevolent Ins- , titution Committee, out of £8000 to be received by the latter body from the savings bank, in accordance with the Act of last session of the Assembly. When the line is open, the journey from Invercargill to Dunedin will occupy six hours and a-half . The Presbyterian Synod of Southland and Otago commenced their sittings last night. The Eev. Dr. Copeland was elected Moderator. INVEROARGILL, January U. A dispute has arisen between the incumbent of St. John's the Rev. W. P. Tanner, and the joint committees of the hospital and benevolent institute, regarding the holding of a bazaar. It would seem that both parties had arranged for the holding of a bazaar at the same time, the arrangement being made unknown to e"ach other, and that both parties were in treaty for the same hall. The Rev. Mr Tanner writes to the joint committee anent the matter, appealing to the lot not to set up their bazaar against the one contemplated in connection with the Church of England. He goes on to say, "I think it very objectionable that you should endeavor to obtain the room that we have engaged, that you should seek for help that has been already promised to us, and that you should invite members of other communities to engage in an undertaking which has features of antagonism, though it carries the terms of benevolence. The members of the Church of England on your committee will be supposed to give influence opposed to their interests. It is from the members of other churches that we must expect courteous treatment. The position is peculiar. I should at once say that it is the most disagreeable and unjust transaction that I 'have observed in Invercargill, ! were* it not that lam well aware how many mistakes may be accounted for by ignorance. I wish to be very clear in expressing my opinion without saying anything unnecessarily unpleasant. I don't wish to allow the members of the Church of England to be placed in the disgraceful position of contending for their interest, or rather for the interest of the public worship, before a wondering public, but I find it to be my duty to be careful in the young men in this young community, yet not to give license to what appears to be incivility and rudeness, on account of the unplea- | santness of checking it. The benevo- j lence of our citizens will not be lessened, and the wants of the poor will not be ' neglected by our following the common rules of courteous behaviour." The hon. ! secretaries of the respective committees have been instructed to reply that they will postpone the date fixed for their bazaar. January 15. At a meeting of the Bluff Boating Club last night it was decided to send a crew to compete for the champion fouroared prize at the forthcoming Henley I regatta. The polling for the Mataura election has resulted as follows : — Mr Shanks, 288 ; Mr Kinross, 249. One return has yet to come in, but it will in all probability only augment Mr Shanks' majority. NEW PLYMOUTH, January 15. Complaints are made through the papers of the mails not being sorted on same days when the steamers arrive, or until the morning after. The staff, consists only of the postmaster, a cadet, and a messenger, which the Herald says is not sufficient. It advises the public to agitato till the grievance is rectified. The Herald publishes the following from Te Awamutu : — It is correct that Rowi starts from Te Awamutu on the 18th instant to gather the natives, and it is his intention to go across the boundary lines and form a new settlement on lands of his own. The tribes are turning against him. Taimi, who accompanied him to Waitara, has ako turned against j him and gone back to the King's old place. TIMARU, January 15. An inquest was held yesterday, touch-, ing the death of Mary Connor, who hung herself at Waitohi Flat on Monday. A verdict of suicide while laboring under temporary insanity was returned. The deceased had been in the colony about a year. WANGANUI, January 15. A man named Scott was to have crossed the river yesterday on a half -inch wire rope, but owing to the strong wind the \ attempt was postponed till Saturday. The charge against Sergeant Donnelly | and Constable Buchanan, of committing j a breach of the peace by fighting in the . street, will be heard to-morrow. WELLINGTON, January 16. The Governor, it appears, asked Ministers to give him the Hinemoa to take him to Melbourne and bring Governor Robinson back, but they replied regretting that the steamer could not be spared from New Zealand waters.

Mr Dignan is to be at once called to , the Legislative Council. The following are the full returns of Customs' revenue for the December quarter: — Auckland, £53,764 3s 3d; Thames, £2105 2s 9d; Bussell, £438 11s 4d; Mongonui, £82 17s 2d; Hokianga, £407 9s 7d; Kaipara, £405 10s 8d; Tauranga, £514 0s Id; Poverty Bay, £2299 5s Id; New Plymouth, £2120 9s lid; Wanganui, £6276 os9d; Wellington, £49,880 10s 4d; Napier, £9809 2s 6d; Wairau, £1148 oslOd; Picton, £353 lls 9d; Havelockj £197 13s 3d; Kai- , koura, £321 lls 6d; Nelson, £7526 5s | 11; Westport, £2889 18s 8d; Greymouth, £8479 16s lid; Hokitika, £6015 17s 4d; Lyttelton, £56,347 2s 9d; Akaroa, £56 18s; Timaru, £5525 15s 2d; Oamaru, £5184 8s ; Dunedin, £84,344 8s 7d ; Invercargill, £12,440 16s lOd; Riverton, £908 8s 9d. Total, £316,782 14s Bd. The revenue forthe corresponding quarter of 1877 was £302,792. The conduct of the College. Governors in discussing the reorganisation of their staff with closed doors is severely condemned. They are understood to have resolved to retain the services of the present principal, Mr W. S. Wilson. S. G. Hill, who was recently in gaol for contempt of Court in persecuting his wife contrary to the injunction of the Court, is again in trouble, having been remanded on a charge of threatening language towards his wife's shopman. , The Forest Queen is not much injured, and may possibly be got off. The question of penny banks has been considered by the Education Department, and the system will be introduced when the schools re-assemble. Books have been prepared by the Postal Department which -will render the account keeping a very simple matter. It will rest with the local school committees to appoint trustees and treasurers, and in many cases the master will probably undertake the duty of cashier. Any scholar having saved five shillings will be able at once to transfer his account to the Post-office Savings' Bank without expense, as the two banks will be connected. i The seventh New Zealand district meeting of the Primitive Methodist connection is being held in Wellington this week. A large number of delegates from all parts of the colony have arrived in the city, and it is anticipated that the proceedings will be of an important and interesting nature. The opening sermon was preached last evening by the Eev. B. J. Westbrook, at the Sydneystreet Church. To-night an ordination service will be held at the same Church, when the Eev. John Guy, who arrived from England last July and has since been assisting the Eev. J. Ward, at Dunenin, where hehas achieveda considerable amount of popularity, will be fully admitted to the ministry. Several more of the Hermione immigrants will probably be released from quarantine this week. A novel affair occurred in the Supreme Court this morning. Mr Ollivier, as solicitor for a plaintiff, challenged a special juryman. His Honor said the name should have been struck off at the proper time. He had no power to take notice of the objection now unless the other side would consent. Mr Travers, for the other side, said he could not give his consent. Mr Ollivier said he must then resort to challenge "for cause." As this right has only been once before exercised in the colony, his Honor and the Counsel on both sides were engaged for more than an hour in settling preliminaries and diving into law books to find the proper course of procedure. Ultimately his, Honor said Mr Ollivier must in that case state his objection to Mr Capper, and the Judge could then decide the validity of the objection or order it to be tried by the jurymen already sworn, but the latter course need not be resorted to if a jury could be got without Mr Capper. Mr Ollivier stated his objection, which was that Messrs Turnbull and Co., for whom Mr Capper was manager, were largely interested in the case, and asked his Honor to decide the question. Mr Travers wished it to go to a jury. About this time the whole proceedings were found to be informal, Mr Ollivier having taken his objection at the wrong time. The jury were therefore called, and took their seats. # They were sworn separately, and when it came to Mr Capper's turn, Mr Ollivier took his objection, and proceeded to question Mr Capper, who was sworn as a witness against himself, Mr Ollivier saying that though he objected to Mr Capper as a juryman, he had sufficient confidence in him to take his evidence. About half the examination had been concluded when it was recollected that a jury had not been sworn. After some difficulty as to the form of oath to be administered, Messrs Boardman and Warburton were sworn as the jury. Mr Capper's examination was then proceeded with again, but when he had got to about the same point in his evidence, it was discovered that he had been sworn in the wrong form of oath. This was made right, and once more he was examined. He admitted his intimate connection with the firm of Turnbull and Co., and that they were largely interested in the bankrupt estate of M'Lean. Coonsel then argued the point as to whether Mr Capper was disqualified, and at last the jury decided that he was interested, at the same time saying that they did not wish to cast any imputation upon Mr Capper. Dr Skey's report on the condition of the Wellington Lunatic Asylum shows it to be fearfully overcrowded. He says: — " The numbers now in the asylum are 66 males, and 46 females, total 112, being 40 more than when I first drew attention to its overcrowded condition. This has now reached a pitch which is quite unendurable, and baffles all attempt at good management. Almost all the bedrooms, intended for the use of one patient only, are occupied by two or three. There is, consequently, no possibility of safely disposing of excited and violent patients, and the risk of serious accidents, and even murders, is very great indeed, not to speak of the abominable vices which are liable to be encouraged by such a distribution of persons of disorderly passions, and bereft of self-control. The passages and lavatories are used as sleeping-places. Moal of the associated dormitories, are crowded with beds, to which less than half the minimum cubic space, thought to be consistent with good health, is allotted, The solitary dayroom of the male ' back ward ' is even more crowded than the dormitories. This room is 20 feet by 15 feet, and, when visited on the 29th ultimo, a rainy day on which the patients could not get out to the grounds, it contained 30 patients packed so closely together on the benches that they had not room to move their elbows. Although three windows and the outer door were open, the atmosphere was close and offensve, but the superintendent explained that it was nothing to what it usually was in wet weather, when it is occupied by 35 patients and two attendants, and the windows have to be kept shut on account of the strong cold winds. It is absurd to pretend that this place in its present condition has any claim to be considered an asylum. It would be an undeserved compliment to call it a prison. It is not morally justifiable to continue week after week adding to the numbers of its inmates. Whatever difficulty there may be in otherwise disposing of the insane, it appears to me necessary that a circular should be sent to all Eesident Magistrates and acting Justices in the provincial district, imforming them that no more patients can be received into the asylum until the building has been enlarged, or a reduction has by some means been effected in the number now resident in it. Unless some step as this be taken, it seems certain that some dreadful catastrophe will happen. It cannot be too distinctly stated that this asylum is already in a dangerous and unmanageable condition^'