TELEGRAPHIC NEWS

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIV, Issue 5017, 14 December 1877, Page 3

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS

AUSTRALIAN CABLEGRAMS. [PKEVS AOESCV.I MELBOURNE, Doccmber 13. In the Legislative Council the Appropriation Bill was read a first time. The ■second reading has been postponed until Wednesday next, when it is certain to be rejected. A bill has been introduced for the eradication the /' h (//<).!'( ("a r«.*tatri:c. It provides for the destruction of all grape vines on infected land, without compensation to their owners. The weather is still very dry. SYDNEY, December 3.'!. Mr. Gales [? ParkesJ lias relinquished the task of forming a Ministry. The House has been adjourned until Tuesday. NEW ZEALAND TELEGRAMS. [FROM OUR OWN COr.RESrONDENTS.] WELLINGTON, Thursday. SIR G. GKEY'S ItETUIiN TO AUCKLAND. Sir G Grey and Mr. Shechan left this sfternoon for Napier in the Ilinemoa, accompanied by Mr. J. C. Brown. MOVEMENTS OF MINISTERS. Jilr Larnach has returned from Nelson very much better, and remains here till the others return. Mr. Macandrew will probably leave for Ofcago at the end of the week. CONTRADICTIONS OF REPORTS. An absurd and entirely untruthful report has been published here, that Parliament will re-asscmble in February. Tnere is no likelihood at present of its meeting before .Tune. It is also untrue that any offers of Ministerial seats have been either made or refused since the House rose. APPOINTMENTS. Mr. "VV. Mitchell, a Hansard reporter, is appointed private secretary to Sir George Grey, and Mr. \V. A. Barker private secretary to Mr. Sheehan. SALARIES TO CIVIL SERVANTS. The Estimates of the late Government included a number of departmental increases in salaries, and when the Appropriation Act passed, Ministers were asked to authorise the drawing of the arrears of increases from the commencement of the financial year, as usual in such cases. The authorities to do this in some departments were actually signed, when Ministers bethought themselves of looking into the grounds on which these increases were granted, and they soon found that favouritism, and uot merit, was the chief ground, so they stopped all the authorities until Sir George Grey's return, when the merits of each ease will be looked into. „ MR. H. W. FARNALL'S CLAI&I. The Government has given Mr* H. W. Farnall permission to try his claim to compensation in regard to his Auckland immigration agency in the Supreme Court, promising not to raise any technical defence, but to allow the case to be determined on its merits His claim is £1500. The House struck out a vote of £500, which would have settled the matter. The writ will be served this week.

DUNEDIN", Thursday. FIRE.—EXTRAORDINARY" CONDUCT A fire occurred tliis morning at three o'clock in a small cottage in Union-street, occupied by a woman named Wood. The building was entirely destroyed. It was insured in the South Hritisli for £'200. Mrs. Wood was in an intoxicated state, and could give no information as to the safety of her two little children, who were supposed to have been in the house with her. They were discovered afterwards asleep in a coalshed, having been turned out of doors early in the evening by their unnatural mother. The father, who recently went to Melbourne, once held a responsible position in the Provincial Treasury. THAMES, Thursday.

The Caledonian crushed 200 tons for 25940z5. amaleam, which produced 1041ozs. lOdwts. retorted gold at the Prince Alfred battery, and turned out melted gold, 102Gozs. lOdwts. Crushing will be resumed in a few davs. The tributer Heravel obtained from 2Sloads quartz 22ozs. gold. The Kuranui Hill Company are breaking out a large parcel o£ good ore from the All Nations block. The tributes Catran brothers lodged 2150z5. lOdwts. gold as an interim retorting. As much more is t > come on completion of crushing. The Crown Princess. —Kendall (tributer) obtained 7ozs. lSdwts. gold from 3 tons quartz. The Sultan.—Charlton obtained 3ozs. Tdwts. of gold. The Hand of Friendship.—Challis had a trial crushing for ludwtf. gold. CGROM ANDIOL, Thursday. 1] yles and party, next the Corby north side, have the reef in hand, carrying a good show of gold. Bright Smile. —Very little work has been done since the crushing. The show continues very eood. Tokatea Tribute.— Nichol and party are crushing their specimens and a few tons of general stuff. A large yield is expected. The concert in aid of the Catholic school last night was verv successful. Mis 3 Lynche's song. "The Flower-girl," was the gem of the evening. [PRESS AGENCY.J TAUPO, Thursday. AN ENGI.TSH AKTIST DESPOILED BY THE HAUIIAUS. The Hanhaus of Rotoaira hare seized the horses and equipment, baggage, &c., of Mr. Connelly, who had just returned from sketching views of Tongariro and Kuapehu Mountains. Mr. Connelly is now at Tokano, on the south side of Lake Taupo, seeking assistance from the friendly chiefs ; but Topia Turora, a friendly chief of Rotoaira, is just now absent at Wellington. WELLINGTON, Thursday. Arrangements have been completed for a change in the date of the sailing of the San Francisco mail boats, whereby, from January next, th« service will, in so far as practicable, be fortnightly with the Suez mail-boat". The land sales for the last fortnight were 37.042 acres, value £21,343. Seven thou-and acres have been thrown open for settlement at Kawitia, near the well known Fielding Settlement. NEW PLYMOUTH, Thursday. At the criminal sittings of the District Court, Crauu, for indecent assault on a little girl, received 5 years' penal servitude, and three flaggings within six months ; Cru, obtaining goods under false pretcnccs, 3 years ; Myers, for larceny, received nine months'impri.sonment, with hard labour. The Hurunui immigrants met with a hearty welcome, and all were engaged quickly.

BALCLUTHA, Thursday. At the inquest, at Colins River, on the body of Mra. Stevenson, whose husband found her in the passage with her throat cut, the jury found a verdict of suicide under temporary insanity. Mrs. Stevenson leaves six children. An inquest has also been held as to the burning of Dutton's house on the 7th instant. On evidence, it appeared that Mrs. Dutton. was roused about four in the morning by finding the kitchen on fire, and got out her children and some furniture. Dutton was from home. The house contained eleven rooms, and was valued by Dutton at £000, and the furniture at £200. 1 he house was insured in the South British for £200 and in the National for £250. An open verdict was returned. TJMAItU, Thursday. in the libel case of Judge Ward v. Bull, proprietor of the South Canterbury Times, .Fudge Johnston said the preliminary proceedings taken in the 11.M. Court were irregular. ami as no depositions had been taken he ci»uld not offer the Grand Jury advice in the matter, and, after explaining the law of libel, he left the case to their consideration till Friday morning. The Grand Jyxlge of New Zealand South of Good Templars decided regarding the union of the two Grand Lodges of New Zealand to defer the question till the next auuual session, and resolved to send a Grand Officer to the annual session of New Zealand North, to be held at Wellington next month. JNVERCARGILu, Thursday. The eleventh annual show of the Southland Agricultural and Paßtoral Association

was hold to-day. The weather was delightful, and the attendance of visitors very large. Shorthorn and Ayrshire cattle mustered in strong force. Horses also were well represented. Sheep were not so numerous as in former years. There were altogether some 490 entries.