"EXPRESS" TELEGRAMS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XI, Issue 875, 13 December 1876, Page 6

"EXPRESS" TELEGRAMS.

Sydney, Dec 12. Parliament opened to day. The Governor's speech ment : onod the preparation o£ various measures,- including an Electoral Reform Bill and a Publ.e Dabt Consolidation Bill, and mentioned the probability of the Pacific Service negociations with New Zealand bring satisfactorily concluded. The Englishmen at Newcastle have four wickets down for thirty-four runs.

London, Dec. 9. At the Conference held m London under the Presidency of the Duke of Westminster Earl Shaftsbury and many members of Parliament were present. A thousand delegates from different parts of the country were also present. Amongst the speakers wag Gladstone. He condemned the ambignom policy of the English Government, and said that the nation had a right to expect it to be more explicit with respect to its intentions. He said the English nation was unanimous against defending Turkey, and urged a cordial co-operation with Russia on behalf of the Christians m Servia, Bulgaria, and other provinces.

The Parliament of Great Britain is summoned to meet on the Bth February. The English Government have admitted the correctness of the American reading of the Extiadition Treaty.

Bluff, Dec. 13* The Arawata has arrived from Melbourne, bringing dates to Dec. 8.

Sydney, Dec. 8. The Sydney fifteen finished their innings for eighty-one. Spofforth and Ooates played well for nineteen and eight respectively. The bowling of Shaw was splendid. Emm'ett was also good. The English fielding, as usual, was perfect. The English are making a good stand m their second innings, and four are down for seventy-one, Ulyett making thirty-six. The Sydney bowling and fielding are very creditable, but the English batting is too strong. About twelve thousand spectators are again present.

Melbourne, Dec. 8. All negotiations for the purchase of the Hobson's Bay Railway by the Government are at an end, owing to the House declining to give the price settled by Government! This will probably determine"Government m their railway policy, and bring the Session to an early close. An immense number of petitions from all parts m favor of a grocers' license has caused the Assembly considerable embarrassment, and the clause has been re-inserted. A second attempt to expunge it was made last night, but defeated by a majority of two. A railway accident occurred on the line being constructed between Ararat and Hamilton, by which four men were killed and several wounded.

Henry Taylor, the working man's delegate, has met with little success from his own classes on account of his strong free trade views, but lias been lionised by the Free Trade League.

A murder and suicide have occurred at Emerald Hill. A man named Carrinstton cut his wife's throat, and then his own ; they have only bean married six months.

The Tararua replaces the Otago m the New Zealand trade.

Business is very brisk m sugar, brandies, rum, geneva, kerosene, soda, and cornsacKs, all of which have risen m price considerably. Probably eighteen of the Melbourne cricketers will play the English team on Boxing Day. Great preparations are being made for the match.

Auckland, Dec. 11. The Auckland Fire Brigade leaves on Monday next. The practice for the All England match is energetic. A correspondent of the Star calls attention to a case of inhuman neglect of a corpse at Newcastle, Waikato. ' Jt was left towing m the water for three days. The Presbyterian .Genoral Assembly to-day read from Church Property Committee a repurt recommending that W. S. Reid be appointed the Legal representative of the Church m New Zealand. The report -was adopted. Bank of New Zealand : Buyers, £11 ; National Bank : Buyers, 14s 6d ; Colonial Bank (408 paid up) : Buyers, 335 ; South British Insurance : Buyers, £3 7s 6d; Sellers, £3 9s ; National Insurance : Buyers 235 ; New Zealand Insurance : Sellers, 945.

Port Chalmers, Dec. 12. The p.s. Comeran^ arrival from Cha3land's Mistake bringing Captain Calder, the officers, and seamen of the steamer Otago. The gold was recovered by Captain Calder and landed by the party before the Comerang arrived. The. ship still holds together. The petty officers and a constable were left at Chaslands Mistake to prevent pillage. A Court of enquiry is to be held.

Christchurch, Dec. 11. It is expected that the testimonial to Mr Rolleston, the late Superintendent, will amount to L3OO and will consist partly of plate and partly of money. The presentation is to be made at the Anniversary sports.

Dunedin, Dec. O'Brien lost the action for assault against Stanley of Rainer's panorama. The Railway Conference is still sitting. The wrecK of the Otago was sold for £125,

the purchaser being K. Abbott. The enquiry into the loss of the Otago is goirg on now.

A fire broke out at Beisull's this morning which nearly resulted disastrously as the wind was blowing fiercely. The fire was confined to the premises which were partially gutted. They were insured for £1500. The fire is supposad to have resulted originally from the overheating of a steam pipe.

Christchtjrch, Dec. 12.

The heary rain yesterday caused one of the greatest floods m Selwyn and Ashburton fivers experienced for many years. Railway traffic is stopped. The Seltryn bridge on the main South line is seriously damaged. . The permanent way between Pekara and A.shburton is very much injured. It is reported that the Selwyn bridge on the Southbridge line is partly wa3hed away, also the Home-bush railway station on the White Cliffs branch line, is partly desti'oyed.

Invercargill, Dec. 13.

Information has been received here that the barque William Acres, which left the Bluff on Monday for Lyttelton, with a cargo of 185,000 feet of sawn timber, struck on a reef off Waipapa Point early yesterday morning. She drifted on to the beach, and is a total wreck. Seven of the crew are said to be drowned, including the captain. Three were saved. Another account says that the crew are supposed to be saved. So far as can ]:• ascertained t'le cargo is uninsured.

Queensland, Nov. 29,

The A. and E. Company offer to make Brisbane the terminus of the Torres Strait mail. For the subsidy £50,000 is asked. They will not do it for L 40.000.

Parliament will be prorogued on Friday. The Assembly voted £'21,000 for the Telegraph offices, and L9OOO for the Museum.

Masterton, Dec. 8. Salmon, Burns, and Co's drapery store was broken into last night, and a lot of jewellery and clothing stolen. It was very cooly done. A lamp was lit and an old hat left on the counter.

Chuistchurch, Dec. 9. Timaru wheat 63, oats 2s 6d. Several shpi.ments to Australia were made during the week.

The New Zealand Meat Preserving Company are recommencing work at Washdyke Factory.

John Hamilton, farmer, of Waitohi Flat, sentenced to one year's hard labor for having illicit spirits on his premises has appealed against the sentence, and been released on bail.

Port Chalmeks, Dec. 8. A party of shipwrights and divers left by Bteamer to-day for the scene of the wreck of the Otago for the purpose of recovering the gold &c.

A Chinese duputation waited on Mr McLean to-day and. urged a reduction of the duty on green ginger of threepence per pound. Mr McLean promised to do what he could to meet their request.

The official enquiry re the wreck of the Otago will probably be held on Monday. Underwriters have determined not to sell the wreck until an effort has been made to recover the gold, and divers have been sent down. Emmett goes to Invercsrgill on Wednesday under engagement to Sheperson. Two thousand salmon have been turned into the interior streams.

At a long and wordy meeting re the interprovincial cricket match with Canterbury it was resolved that the usual annual match should be played. It was generally conceived that the match was really of more importance and interest than that with the All England Eleven.

Mr McLean has pointed out that there exists no hitch re the County Elections. The fourteen days notice applies only to ordinary vacancies, provision being made m the Counties Act by which all difficulties can be cleared away for the first election.

The Association Rifle Matches proceed slowly. The second match was completed this morning. Sergt W. Grant took Ist prize, vol. Stewart 2nd, and Hillox 3. In the third match Vol. Anderson and Vol. Blackie, both of Clutha, were first and second.

The Hon. Mr Bowen is on the goldfields.

Melbourne, via Hokitika, Dec. 6. The debate on the purchase of the Hobson's Bay Railway has occupied the attention of the Assembly. There is strong opposition to the proposals by a section of the community both inside and outside the House. The Government approve of the purchase, and think it will prove highly remunerative. The settling over the races is not quite satisfactory to bookmakers, Beveral large sums being still owed to them by the fielders. Briseis and Calumny are the best favorites for the Champion Race. The case of the Rev. R. K. Ewing has occupied the attention of the Presbyterian circles. The Beechworth congregation still stand to him, notwithstanding the decision of the Church Assembly. The Free Trade League is making every effort to make its progress known, and is assisted by Mr Henry Taylor, Laborers' Union delegate, who is not being well received.

Sydney, Nov. 29. During the race for fishing boats, one capsized, and a man named Fernell was drowned.

Brady, a clerk m the Bank of New South Wales was found on the railway line with his neck broken.

Twenty-eight prospectors on the Canal Lead, Gulgong, have unearthed a nugget weighing 64ozs.

The English Eleven play twenty-one Newcastle men on the 12th and 13th instant.

A man named Mainwaring has been scalded to death by falling into a vat of beer.

Adelaide Nov. 25. Peacock has been re-elected Mayor without opposition.

The Government have restricted the number of immigrants to arrive during the winter to one full ship m two months.

A share m the Wallaroo mine was sold for £1050.

John Primrose, the -well-known .brewer, died, aged 73.

A crushing m the new Native Youth claim (Tasmania,) of 1100 tons quartz gave 1600ozs of gold.

Dxjnedijt, Dec. 8, The council of the convention has issued a circular as follows : — That while the Council is of opinion that it would be highly desirable that the people throughoub Otago should treat the Counties Act as a dead letter, at the same time, seeing that m every district there will be found some who will give effect to the Act, seeing moreover the large powers of taxation which the Act confers, and the annoyance and expense to which whole districts may be subjected against their will at tke hands, it may be, of a small minority, the council is of opinion that the whole of the people throughout the province should take part m the election of County Councillors, with a view to securing the return of men m whom they have confidence, and at whose hands the powers of the Act will not be abused.