BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 1109, 6 March 1879, Page 2

BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

(FROM Ol'H OWX CORRESPONDENT.) 'Dunedin", tlii.s day, March 6th. Parliament is prorogued to May 14th. The Land Board has decided to throw open 7,300 acres of blocks 1., 11., and 111., Kuron, on the deferred payment system ; also to release Kay's Run, jS t o. 417, Upper Wakatipu, at £GO per annum ; and Roger's Run, 420, Lower Wakatipu, at £IOO. Valuation, to the amount of £4OO, has been allowed on Run 417, There are 39 nominations for the Champagne Stakes of 18S0. At Nelson the Colonial Prize Firing, so far, as follows :—Raynter, of Nelson heads the aggregate with 106 ; Bellinger, of Wellington, 105; Coventry, Otago, 104; Smith, Otago, 103; Christie, Otago. 101 ; Hutcheson, Otago, 101. A young girl at Auckland accidently poisoned herself by putting laudanum to her mouth for toothache. At the election for Auckland City West Mr Goldie beat the Roman Catholic candidate Mr Dignan by 776 to 2GI, which caused great surprise. At Invercargill, yesterday, a man named Appleby fell from a ladder, and died shortly afterwards. A miner, named Denis Harley has been killed at Maori Gully, Greymouth, by a fall of earth, A tire at Invercargill has burnt Cogorn's Boarding House and other buildings —insurance, <£3,000. A fire at Masterton resulted in £ 12,000 worth of damage being done, eleven buildings being destroyed. The Rialto has arrived from London with 27 passengers. A fire at Gisborne has destroyed property worth £2,000. Markets. —Wheat, 3s 6d to 4s 9d ; oats, 2s lOd to 3s per bushel ; Barley—there is none in the market. Beef is 27s 6d per lOOlbs ; and mutton 2d per lb. LATEST CABLEGRAMS. London, (undated.) Shere Ali, the Ameer of Cabul, died of internal gangrene from an old wound. Yakoob oilers to make peace with the British. The Suez Mail arrived at the Bluff last night. _____________

The owners of the Antrim and Jano Williams announce, in another column, that they will continue to run their boats to and from Kingston as hitherto, at greatly reduced rates. The charges made by these enterprising firms should be lew enough to satisfy the most fastidious. The Quarterly Licensing meeting for Queenstown and district, appointed for Tuesday last, has been adjourned till Wednesday 10th instant. The Assessment Court of Lake County, was held before Mr Stratford, R.M., judge at the Wakatip Hospital, Frankton on Friday, when some five or six objections were dealt with. r lhe only cases in which reductions were allowed, were those of J. Jack, Queenstown riding, the objector having been rated as a publican, but had not obtained a license, and J. Rodgers, Kingston riding, runholder, who was assessed for a run which he had thrown up —reduced from £260 to 150, Mr W. Turton, solicitor, and Mr M. O'Meara collector, appeared on behalf of the Council.

Had the directory of the Wakatip Steam Navigation Company made the selection they could scarcely have chosen better weather for the fiee trips of the Mountaineer than Thursday and Friday last. The only fault,' if any, is that sufficient notice had not been given to allow many persons from down-country to pay the district a visit. I 1 riday was a lovely day for the trip up the Lake, and although the boat carried her full complement of of passengers —and probably more if the truth were known —it is to be regretted that the enjoyment of it and the grand scenery at the Head of the Lake could not havo been shared in by a larger number of comparative strangers. After a few very pleasant hoursspentat Kinloch, where mine host Bryant dispensed refreshments to thirsty souls, the boat left Kinloch at three o'clock, highly delighted with their doo's outing. It is only fair to mention that Capt. Patterson did all lie could to supply the wants and add to the comforts of all. The Queenstown Brass Baud discoursed sweet music both on land and water, and we are happy in stating that their valuable services were deservedly appreciated. Dancing and other amusements were freely indulged in.

Mr S. Myers (says a Southland contemporary), our local dispenser, took an excellent plaster-of-Paris cast of the face of the murderer Walsh immediately after his execution. The curious in such matters can inspect the cast, as also several other relicts in connection with the execution, at Mr Myeis establishment. Those who know the man Walsh affirm that the likeness is perfect.

A report supplied to the Christchurch papers say s that money is tight, but the proceeds from the sale of this season's grain and wool will no doubt have the effect of relaxing the great stringency existing. The tightness of the money market is attributed to the large withdrawals of specie to meet the demand for money in Australia. Mr Barton, M.H.K. for Wellington City, has left for San Francisco. The Southland 7 invs says we hear he expects to return before next session of Parliament.

We hear from Dunedin that puerperal fever of malignant type has appeared in the city, and within the past week has carried off four healthy women. It is said to baffle medical skill.

Ah showing the rapid rate at which the suburbs of Dunedin are being settled, says the Dunedin Herald we may instance the Borough of Morning, ton. In 1876-7, the valuation roll showed a total of £S.'?7O ; 1877-8, the total was £11,320 ; in 1878-9, the total was £12,990; while the valuation just completed for 1879 80, shows a total of £ 15,499, or nearly double that ot four years ago. Picnics are all the rage about Canterbury just now (says a contemporary). Ne.yly every trade profession and business has had its special gathering # The climax was reached last week in a way that is sufficiently indicated in the following clip from the Press " The only persons present at the hour appointed for the meeting advertised for Saturday night at the City Hotel, re the lawyers clerks' picnic, were two reporters. The legal profession was unrepresented, even by the individual who advertised die meeting. The suspicion is that the advertisement was a hoax, very probably with a view to ridicule the prevailing mania."