TELEGRAMS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LI, Issue 5600, 5 February 1879, Page 5

TELEGRAMS.

NEW ZEALAND. [TIMES’ SPECIAL WIRE.] AUCKLAND, Feb. 4. Government are expending £4OO in the renovation of Government House and grounds, in anticipation of the arrival of Sir Hercules Robinson.

Miss Bherwin gave a farewell concert before leaving for San Francisco. All Hong, on behalf of the Chinese gardeners, has made an offer to lease land from the Domain Board, which has been accepted. Mr J. S. Macfarlane has commenced proceedings against Mr Bees, M.H.8., for £IOOO damages for slander and malicious defamation in connection with Captain Bead’s estate at Poverty Bay. Messrs Whitaker and Bussell have been retained by plaintiff. Mr M'Cosh dark is to be asked to contest City West. Mr 3. S. Macfarlane has distributed this season among the country libraries in the district which he represents over 900 volumes of books. The cost of the whole is about one-half more than the whole amount of his honorarium.

NEW PLYMOUTH, Feb. 4. A deputation waited on the Immigration Officer for the purpose of asking him to get more immigrants sent to Taranaki. In reply to Mr Kelly, Major Stapp said that out of 93 immigrants originally shipped by the Herndons for Taranaki, only 63 had arrived here, a number of others remaining in Wellington. Tbe Immigration Agent also said he had written to the Government, calling attention to tbe want of labour here, and enclosed copies of advertisements that had been inserted by Messrs Hursthouse and Berry and Mr Caley, the former being for 210 men, and the latter for 30. He also stated that Messrs Hursthonse and Berry had brought 50 men from the Thames. Mr Carrington said that when the Native Minister was here a deputation waited upon him with reference to the supply of immigrants, showing what a demand there was for tbe railway works, public works, and for labour generally. He put the question as to how many we thought we could absorb during the current financial year, and they stated about a thousand, including 200 single women. Of this number they had only received up to tbe present time 195 souls, and therefore as a deputation they represent their case to Government, and trust the request made to the Native Minister will be regarded favourably by tbe Government. Major Btapp promised to bring the views of tbe deputation before the Government. WELLINGTON, Feb. 4, At the annual meeting of the Wellington Trust and Loan and Investment Company, held last night, a dividend of 12i per cent for. tbe year was declared. At the wnnmO meeting of the Wellington Gas Company, held last night, a dividend of 15 per cent tor the year was declared. The Chairman stated that the directors were carefully watching the progress of the electric light at Home, and if it became necessary would ask for power to purchase the patents and adopt the right to use the fight in Welk*'fhore were a number of applicants for the position of Secretary to tbe Exhibition Commission. , . The Government Surveyors have found an easy gradient for tbe West Coast railway over the Paikakarika. . The Commissioners on higher education propose to go to Auckland as won as too examination of the Chancellor and the Keg l ®’ tear of the University is concluded, wmen will be some time this week. An ice house is being built on tbe Hinomoa which will take the white fish ova on its arrival south to Canterbury and Otago, xn main portion is going to Southland. . The inquest on the fatal fire Wtoa, showed that a kerosene lamp exploded on the floor. M'Kenzie woe workmgby its light at tbe time. The lamp had not been cleaned for two months. MEe™, Collector for the Mount Hutt •“ on J and £4O of their money and the book d< The X Australia,with the **nion mibof Jan. 2, left San Francisco on Jan . 21, 7 late. The City of. New . York. January Colonial mails, amvod at cisco, on Jan. 29, on? day in advance of con persons assembled in Mr jjjj con’s salerooms to-day. when the reclamed land was offered. In all there tre

lions offered, having an arta varying from 18 to 19 perches each and a frontage of about 800 feet Colonel Whitmore was present on behalf of the Government. Biddings were spirited, and all but four allotments were sold. The prices ranged from £Bl to £l6B per foot, and the total proceeds of the auction wore £99.141165. It is understood that the four sections passed in have since been sold for some £3OOO more, After the sale about 160 gentlemen, at Mr Duncan’s invitation, sat down to a splendid Champagne lunch. Col. Whitmore, in complimentary terms, proposed the auctioneer’s health, and bis own was then drunk. In reply, he stated incidentally that the Secret Commission of distinguished officers at Homo, in their confidential report on the defences of the Colonies, devoted a long complimentary paragraph to the exertions New Zealand settlers in times past had made in thoir own defence, and the health of Mr Bunny, os a representative of the late Provincial Government, by whom the reclamation had been undertaken, was also honoured.

Both evening papers have strong articles condemnatory of the light sentences passed on tho Glasgow Bank directors.

FOXTON, Fsb. 4. The Pelican got off easily, and sailed to the wharf at seven this morning. She is now discharging her oaroo. The vessel is slightly strained, and is making throe inches of water per hour. NELSON, Fbb. 4. Yesterday the anniversary holiday was observed, when every business place was closed. | -.The Friendly Societies’ ttto, at the Botanical Gardens, was attended by over 2,000 people. The sports were exceedingly good. The champion race was won by Twohill, of Greymonth, with 18 points out of a possible 20. The Hunter Oup race of a half pile, for Nelson youths under 18 yean, was won by, Askew { time, 2 min. 12 sea The half-mile handicap was won by Webber (Wellington). The walking match, for Nelson youths under 16, one mile, was won by Hunter, who walked a dead heat with Tomlinson in 8 min. 18 sec. In the champion mile handicap (Ist prise £l6, 2nd £7, 3rd £3), Neame (92 yards start) was first ) Lines (50 yards), second; Webber Xsoratoh), third. Time, 4 min. 36 sec. Webber also won a gold chain. HOKITIKA, Fbb. 4. Tenders have been called for the first section of the Hokitika and Grey railway. They close on March A TIMARU, Pbb.4. The potato pest is rapidly spreading, and its ravages are heard of now from all directions. It is supposed to be the larva of a cockchafer or beetle. DUNEDitr,FKB, 4. The Otago team consists of Vernon, Austin, Fulton, M’Neil, Douglas, Paramor, Glen, Clark, Haskell, Crawshaw, and Spring. Mr H. Bose accompanies them as umpire. .The team go north by train on Thursday. A deputation, including tire Mayor of Ealclutha and the Chairman of the: dutha County Council, waited upon the. Minister of Public Works to-day, and asked that a loan of £IO,OOO should be granted by the Government, to be repayable in five yean.for the reerection of the Clutha bridge. The loss and inconvenience caused by the stoppage of commerce since the bridge was swept away was represented in pathetic terms, and it was stated that there was sometimes a difficulty in getting the corpses of old residents ferried across to the cemetery. The Minister expressed his heartfelt sympathy with the object of the deputation, but referred to the heavy demands of a similar character made on the Government, and said he did not think more then half (he amount asked could be advanced. Eventually, he promised to give a definite reply to-morrow. A member of the Albion Cricket Club named David Thomson was sentenced to seven days’ imprisonment for breaking into the box where cricketing material was kept, and stealing a pair of cricketing boots belonging to another member. Thomas Mead, who had his leg broken and. afterwards amputated through a fall of rock in a quarry, died at the hospital last evening. The weather, which, has been fearfully boisterous and wet since Saturday, has now cleared up. Leave to move for a new trial has been granted to (he plaintiff in the case of Richmond v. Hepburn. A conference of ministers yesterday approved of the constitution of the proposed New Zealand Alliance.

The Mayor to-day received a telegram from the Governor’s Secretary, stating that Bis Excellency will leave Wellington on Feb. 17, and arrive in Dunedin on Eeb. 19. He will hold an undress levee here, and proceed the same day per Bingarooma for Victoria. The Mayor has been requested by the leading citizens to call a meeting to see what steps can be taken to give His Excellency a suitable reception.

INVBBOABGILL, Fan. 4. A great improvement is recorded in Mr Conyers. The mails from England wore forwarded this morning by the Express, and will probably reach Christchurch within twenty-tour hours after arrival at the Bluff.

The immigrants ex Western Monarch were cleared out locally here, except one family, which was sent to Christchurch.

Messrs Ballance and Stout were extensively interviewed at Biverton yesterday; they lett for Queenstown to-day. During tin year 1878 the civil cases heard in the Besident Magistrate’s Court numbered 757, involving claims to the total amount of £B3ll 8s 2d, and of this earn the judgments recovered in favour of the plaintiffs amounted in the aggregate to £3490 3s 7<L This shows a decrease on the previous year to the extent of 300 cases, whilst the aggregate amount sued for was £2OOO below that of 1877.

The Customs’ returns for the month of January amounted to £446013s lOd. The vital statistics for the month of Jan. are—Births, 26 males, 12 females; marriages, 10; deaths, 2 males and & females. A man named Paterson was arrested this afternoon on a charge of lunacy. It appears ho came from Melbourne in the Arawata, which arrived at the Bluff yesterday. To-day he evinced a strong desire to get further into the water in the harbour than was desirable, and two persona who happened to be in the vicinity had some difficulty in restraining him. He then persisted iu getting on the railway lino, and narrowly escaped being run over by tbe train. Finally he was arrested, and at the time he had only a pair of trousers and au old hat on. The police have failed to find out where ho has left tbe remainder of his wearing apparel. The unfortunate man was brought to town this evening, and immediately conveyed to the police station, and from there to the gaol, whore ho awaits medical examination. Paterson avers that he is tub-editor of the Melbourne Argut, It is believed he is well known in journalistic circles in Wellington, Kelson, and elsewhere.