Untitled

New Zealander, Volume XXIV, Issue 2612, 17 March 1866, Page 2

Messrs. Harris and Laurie have been appointed agents for Reuter's Telegram Company, and will transmit telegrams to England via Point de Galle or Suez. The ‘Souchays’ brought to Brisbane, via the Torres Strait route, English news to the IGth of January. The news, however, was anticipated in Auckland by the arrival of the ‘ Ceres ’ from California on Tuesday last. We extract the following from the General Government Gazelle, published on the 3rd instant:—“ Treasury, Wellington, February 9, 1866. His Excellency the Governor has been pleased to appoint the Hon. Daniel Pollen to be Receiver of Land Revenue for the Province of Auckland. This appointment to date from the Ist day of February, 18CG.—E. W. Stah-ohd.”

The annual licensing meeting of the Justices of the Peace for the districts of Drury, Papakura, Wairoa, Mauku, and Waiuku, in the Southern Division of the Province of Auckland, will be held at the Resident Magistrate’s Court, Drury, on Tuesday, the 17th day of April, at noon, fur the purpose of taking into consideration applications for licenses to sell spirituous liquors, wine, ale, and beer. A meeting of the members connected with the Newton Temperance Society was held on Thursday evening, at the Old Congregational Chapel, Karangahape Road. There was a good attendance. Mr. G. Holdship occupied the chair. The meeting was addressed by several friends, and a few songs and glees were sung by some of the members of the societtu

The condemned prisoner Stack seems to indulge in the hope of his ultimate pai ami. .1. - under any allusion to his guilt. When conducted to his cell after his trial he asked for the governor of the gaol, and was particular in his inquiries as to the probable time of his execution. He was informed that, the Governor being at the Kawau, it was possible that it would be at an early period. Ho protested his innocence in the strongest terms, and charged Mrs. Weaver with swearing his life away. He requested to be visited by a Roman Catholic Priest, and we believe that he is attended by Father Walter McDonald. He was visited by his brother-in-law, Alexander Finnegan, on Monday, when he beseeched of the prisoner to say where the boy Johnny Finnegan was buried, but the prisoner remained impassive and silent, with the exception of a remonstrance against being asked such a question. The interview was a very painful one. No intimation has yet been given as to the day of execution.

Captain and Brevet-Major Thomas McDonnell is gazetted major in the New Zealand Militia; date of commission, Jan. 8, 1866. The following are also notified : —Captain and Brevet-Major James Fraser to be major; date of commission, January 9, 18GG. Ensign William McDonnell to be Lieutenant; date of commission, Feb. 16, IsGG. Lieutenant William McDonnell to be captain; date of commission, Feb. 17, 18GG. Ensign Lewis Harris, Onehunga Ride Volunteers, to be Ensign in the Auckland Militia; date of commission, January 9, 18G6.

An investigation into the circumstances attending the late fire at Messrs. Kittenberg and Co,s premises, Victoria-street, was held on Wednesday afternoon, at three o’clock at the house of Mr. Robert Evan's the Cottage of Content, before Dr. T. M. Philson, coroner, and a respectable jury, of whom Mr. Jamieson was foreman. Mr. Beveridge and Mr. Elliott appeared to watch the cas * on behalf of the New Zealand Insurance Company, with whom Messrs Kittenberg.s stock had been insured for .£IOO. A number of witnesses were examined, and the jury, after a short deliberation, returned the following verdict; • —“That it is impossible to determine whether the said fire was accidental or intentional; at present the origin is involved in mystery."

The adjourned meeting of tbe Odd Fellows’ Special Settlement Society was held ou Thursday evening, at eight o'clock, at the house of Mr, E. Mills, the. Market Hotel, Mr. Robinson in tbe chair. There were about 20 members present. The secretary having read the minutes of the previous meeting, which were confirmed, the chairman explained tbe object for which tbe meeting had been called, namely, to receive subscriptions from persons willing to become members. Several gentlemen then paid the requisite subscription to entitle them to membership. The secretary read a' somewhat lengthy paper on the working of the society, and in refutation of remarks made in a recent issue of our contemporary —(he New Zealand Herald. The first half-yearly meeting of the shareholders of the Northern Land Association is advertised to be held on Monday afternoon next, at half-past 4 o’clock, at Mr. Beveridge’s office, for the purpose of receiving tbe half-yearly report, and to fill up vacancies in the committee.

The statement of receipts and expenditure of the ordinary revenue for the quarter ended December 31st, has been published. The total revenue was £222,974 4s lid.; the total expenditure was £171,035 6s Bd.; leaving £71,720 15s 9d. to be paid to the provinces. There was no surplus over the threc-a ghths. The total revenue for the half-year was C-424,494 3s. sd, ; total expenditure, £261,603 13s ‘2d.; paid to provinces, £130,830 2s. 10., making together £392,523 16s. The revenue of Auckland for the quarter was £42,304; of Taranaki, £5,091 1,65. lid.; Wellington, £23,068 13s. Oil.; Tiawkes Bay, £7,143 ,3s. 1 Id.; Vplsnn, 12,245 Is. 9d.; Marlborough, £2,171; Canterbury (including "West Coast), £64,724 7s. 7d.; Otago, £55,997 7s. 91.; Southland, £7,982 19s. On Thursday Sergeant-major Molloy, Sergeant Lipsey, and Constables Hughes and Morrison, discovered in a gully in the Titirangi Ranges, a still in complete •working order. The Sergeant-major, therefore, despatched a man to town to acquaint Mr. Commissioner Naughton, who, on receiving the information, immediately engaged an express and, accompanied by Sergeant Lipsey. proceeded to the spot indicated, where they found the Sergeant-major in charge of the whole affair, consisting of a still (mounted), with head, worm, and all other appliances, five barrels of material ready for distilling, a cask of molasses, a small bag of oatmeal, tubs, buckets, funnels, and two small barrels of ready-made liquor. Mr. Commissioners Naughton caused the five barrels to b" broken open, and their contents scattered about ; and the still, after being allowed to flow off, was, together with the worm, &e., brought in to the Police Station. The value of the material ready for distillation, and which was destroyed, amounted to between £3OO and £4OO.

We regret to announce the death of one of our most highly esteemed fellowcolonists, Mr. Hugh Reid, accountant. The deceased gentleman was, up to his death, secretary to the Auckland Gas Company, and proved himself a most ■valuable officer in connection with that institution.

Tlie remains of the late Mr. Hugh Reid were interred in the Presbyterian burialground, on Thursday, the funeral cortege being attended by a numerous body of friends and acquaintances of the deceased. The members of the Masonic lodges in Auckland mustered in full force at ‘die late residence of deceased, in order to pay a last work of respect to a lamented brother. There were about 50 gentlemen present, representing Lodge St. Andrew, of which deceased was first senior warden and secretary; Lodge Arn, and the Royal Arch Chapter. The brethern were all attired in plain mourning costume, with white gloves, and out of their number were selected 12 bearers, wbo were relieved at intervals by other 12, after the cortege left deceased’s late residence in Vincent-street for the cemetery. The coffin was placed upon rests supported by the bearers. Beside s the members of the Masonic lodges, who represented many of the leading firms in Auckland, there was a numerous attendance of citizens desirous of showing their respect for one who was so generally esteemed whilst amongst us. The funeral service was impressively conducted by the Rev. David Bruce, pastor of St. Andrew’s Church.

A meeting of the Surveyor’s Association took place on Wednesday evening at the Belfast Hotel, when the following report ■was brought up by Mr. Randall:—‘The Committee appointed at the last general meeting to draw up a scale of survey fees, having met for that purpose, submit the following : —Subdividing land: The present Government rates of payment for survey are consulere'l fair, and should be adhered to as far as per printed copy form attached, and that in the even* of surveyors being sent to Tauranga, Opotiki, or any place of danger, or where difficulty exists of obtaining provisions, that twenty per cent, in addition be allowed, as formerly in the Waikato.—Cutting boundary line by acreage : For survey of all blocks where payment is made by the acre, that the charge be not less than 2.5. fid, per acre, for any block of land containing not more than 300 acres; above 300 acres, and not exceeding GOO acres, at the rate of 2s. per acre ; above GOO acres, and not exceeding 1,000 acres, at the rate of Is. 6d. per acre ; and above 1,000 acres, at the rate of Is. per acre.—Cutting boundary line by mileage : For lots of 500 acres and upwards at the rate of-—For bush, £9 per mile ; fern, £5 per mile ; open traverse, £8 per mile. For lots below 500 acres—Bush, £lO per mile ; fern, ZG per mile ; open traverse, £-1 per mile.”

The half-yearly general meeting of the proprietors of the Bank of New Zealand will be held at the banking-house, Auckland, on Friday, the '27 th April next, at noon, for the purpose of receiving the report of the directors for the half-year ending the 31st instant; for the election of a director and an auditor; for the consideration of alterations in the deed of settlement, [imposed to the meeting of proprietors, hold on the '27 th October; and for any other business that may be brought before the meeting. Persons desirous of becoming candidates for the office of director must give 30 days’ notice in writing to the board of directors.

Last evening an entertainment was given by the Young Men’s Christian Association, at their buildings, Wellesley-street, which passed oil most harmoniously. Recitations, glees, and songs, were given, and Mr. King read the trial scene from the Merchant of Venice, and Tennyson’s May Queen, most effectively. Mr. Brown presided at the pianoforte, and contributed much to tbe cveuing’s entertainment.

Although no official intimation has yet been received, or proclamation inserted in the New Zealand Gazelle , of a Author prorogation of the next meeting of the General Assembly, it appears certain that a further delay has been determined upon. It will be remembered that the members of both Houses were called upon to as•emble at Wellington on tbe 16th April; but we observe that tenders fur reporting and printing the debates of the next session of tbe General Assembly will be received at the Colonial Secretary’s Office, until the 15th day of May. “ A resident at Breakfast Creek,’’ says the Creswick Advertiser , “ states that five persons in that locality have bad a narrow escape from death by accidental poisoning. They bad partaken of tea made with water which bad run oil a new zinc roof, and were soon after taken seriously ill; the principal symptoms being violent vomiting and internal pain. Medical advice was, however, promptly obtained for them, and they were with some difficulty recovered. The physician attending tbe sufferers has no doubt that the partial poisoning was the direct consequence of the use of the water which had passed over the new zinc roofing.” The Wellington Advertiser says.— “ Information lias reached town to the effect that a half-caste, named Turton, murdered a native woman at Ilorawbenua, West Coast, on Sunday last. The man was at once taken into custody. It is said that tbe murderer is a lunatic, and this is the only reason assigned for the commission of the deed.”

The Wanganui Chronicle of the 10th March contains a list of the now Parliament, from which we find that Mr. Bryce has been returned for Wanganui, in the room of Mr. Harrison, the late member, who contested the seat. Mr. Brandon has been returned for Porirua, for which he sat last parliament. Mr. Bunny has been re-elected for Wairarapa.