TELEGRAPHIC.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7143, 22 April 1885, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC.

(from our own correspondent.) Wairoa, Tuesday,

Mr Bailey Hawkins, solicitor, from Paltnerston North, arrived by the last steamer to settle in this district aud practise his profession. [j?2B UNITED pkkss ahhouza rroir.l Auckland, Tuesday. A section of 700 acres of the Taupiri coal reserve, adjacent to the Taupiri coaT mine, was put up to-day by the CroyTn Lands Board for lease at £25 per annum, and was run up to £530 per annum, the purchaser, Mr W. H. Clarke, out-bidding the Coal Company. A young man named Wm. Hicken was drowned to-day while rafting timber at Whangaroa.

Wellington, Tuesday. Mr W. Gray, seoretary to " the postoffice, has received a cable message stating that the captain of the Cunard steamer Palmyra reports that, tin March 24th, in the Bay of Biscay, about 200 miles north of Cape Finisterre, he passed a lifeboat of the Eastern Extension Cable Company's repairing steamer Magnetic. She was in good condition, and was fitted with masts and oars, but no sails. There was

no evidence of the boat having been ocA cupied. There is now little doubt but B what she foundered at sea. The Government have under consideray tion the case of Prendergast, convicted and sentenced to death at Auckland for murder, and who was recommended to mercy. Parliament will, it is believed, be called together in the first week of June. The expense of the defences of the colony is estimated at a quarter of a million.

One of the proposals of the Defence Minister with reference to amending the Militia Act next session is that the first and second-class militia shall consist of unmarried men only. The ages for the first-class militia are to be from 17 to 30 ; the second-class will be composed of men from 30 to 40 ; and the third-class will include all married men from 17 to UO years who may be capable of serving. It is understood that the above is the way in which the militia are enrolled in Canada.

It is . stated that the director.3 of the Colonial Insurance Company have dec'ded to recommend to tho annual meeting of the company next month the payment of a 10 per cent, dividend.

The medical men of this city have fistablished a medical association, with Dr. Johnston as president.

Mr J. G. \Vilson, the member for Foxton, addressed his Johnsonville constituents on Saturday night. His speech was principally a recapitulation of last session's work. Although not a supporter of the present Government, he thought they would remain in power so long as Sir Julius Yogel remained in it. He favored a property tax, also the extending of the franchise to women. A vote of confidence was passed.

It is the intention of the Defence Minister to amend the Volunteer regulations. There will be four branches of service, the first being garrison volunteers in towns, with a capitation of £3 per man ; the second, country volunteer corps, with £1 10s per man ; the third honorary corps ; and the fourth honorary reserve corps. The honorary corp3 will be under the same regulations as the garrison corps, but will be without capitation. The honorary reserve corps will be allowed to frame their own regulations, but they will have to be approved by the Defence Minister. In each case, however, the Government will supply the necessary arms. The new regulations are framed so as to allow each company to increase its strength to 100, but capitation will only be paid for the present maximum of 03 for each town corps, and 50 for country corps. As the number of parades which the country corps have to attend to qualify for capitation* haa been found to press very hard on some of the volunteers the number of parades has been fixed at six, two-thirds of which have to be attended before qualifying for the capitation.

Mr Barlow is still missing, Search has been made among the debris of the fire for his remains, but without success. His relatives scarcely think he was burnt in the Te Aro House fire.

At the election to fill three vacancies on the Board of Directors of the WelliugtonManawatu Railway Company Messrs Levin, Nathan, and John Kirkcaldie were elected.

A poll was taken to-day for the proposal to double the capital of the WellingtonManawatu Eailway Company, and resulted as follows: — For the proposal, 2470 ; against, nil.

A meeting was hold this evening of members of the Island Bay Park Company and others interested in the formation of a jockey "club. It was decided to form a club to be called the Island Bay Jockey Club, and that one day's racing be held (on May 9th) the week after the Wellington Racing Club's meeting. At the local option polling for Te A.ro ward to-day the ratepayers decided by a largo majority against an increase in licenses.

CHEisTCHuncH, Tuesday. A special meeting of the Senate of the New Zealand University commenced here to-day. A deputation from the Canterbury College urged that two books of Terence prescribed for a pass in the Latin course were so unfit for reading from a moral point of view that twelve lady undergraduates had petitioned to be allowed the use of alternative books. After a long discussion the Senate decided to adhere to its former decision, and retain the books in the syllabus. The Senate also considered the report of the London examiners with a view to granting degrees, and then adjourned till to-morrow.

On Saturday last James Daley, an old f<. and respected settler at Akaroa, was found dead in bed. He had been in the habit of taking German chloroform for sleeplessness, and on this occasion had evidently taken an overdose.

A dispute ha 3 arisen between the actors and the management of the Silver King company on a question of salary. The actors are claiming payment for the first day the company was in Chrisfrchurch, on which there was no performance. A test case has been brought in the R.M. Court, and it will be heard on Friday next. The management are resisting the claim as being contrary to the principle of "No play no pay." Five stacks of wheat at Alford Forest, belonging to Mr Benjamin Ede, were destroyed by fire to-day. They were insured in the New Zealand office for £200. Mr Booth, the temperance lecturer, concluded his mission here to-night. He was presented with a piece of plate, and Mrs Booth was the recipient of a jewel case filled with sovereigns. The total value of the gifts is about £100. During the mission 5286 persons have donned the blue ribbon, 3072 of whom have signed sthe pledge.

Balclutha, Tuesday. Mr Thomson, M.H.R., addressed a large meeting of his constituents at Clinton last night upon the pasfc session, fully explaining his own action in moving the motion by which the Ministry was defeated. The meeting was enthusiastic in Mr Thomson's favor, and passed a unanimous vote of thanks and confidence.

Invercargill, Tuesday. The criminal sittings of the Supreme Court opened to-day. There were only two criminal cases to be tried. The Crown Prosecutor intimated that he would enter a nolle proseqiu in the case of Garrie and Meible, who were arraigned at the last sittings on a charge of perjury, and in "whose case the jury disagreed.