NEW ZEALAND TELEGRAMS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5373, 5 February 1879, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND TELEGRAMS.

(PER " ÜB.RALD " SPECIAL WIRE.) [FROM OUR OWN" CORRESPONDENTS.] THAMES, Tuesday. RETURNS. Oi dwt.gr. Mo.mrit.iuri tribute. R.ie ... ... I*o 0 0 Queen of Beauty tribute, Wilson... 4 5 0 Ditto ditto, Moore ... ... 32 8 0 TliUile claim ... ... ... ... 7 0 0 Blackbird claim 2 11 0 Total ISC 4 0 Kae and party, tribnters in the Moauaiaiari Company's mire, have crushed 25 tons general dirt, with Colbs. of picked stone, for the escelUnt return of l-lOoza. gold. Alburnia.—The general crushing for the tympany is shewing up pretty well. The gas rose yesterday and drove out the men from the Caledonian Xo. 3 level, and put a stop to the operations in the Golden Calf mine on that level. 'Die gas rose to within 40 feet of the Caledonian Xo. 2 level. It is supposed this is owing to the stoppage of the pump. The heavy weather, however, would be one cause of the gas rising. There are rumours of a dispute between Mr. Ronald Maedonalri and the authorities oi the Thames Catholic Church, which will probably be brought before the Supreme Court for a-ljudication. Money matters are Eaid to be the cause of the dispute. The first meeting of the Governors of the Thames High School takes place this evening.

HOKIANGA, Tuesday. A brutal assault was committed at Whirinaki on Sunday by one native upon another. They were playing cards in a whare, aud a dispute arose, when one knocked the other down, and bit a piece right out of his lower lip, making a frightful wound. A warrant has been issued for the apprehension of the culprit, but he has cleared into the bush. DUXEDIN, Tuesday.

At the Police Court this morning, a young man named David Morrison was charged with stealing a pair of cricketer's boots, the property of Jame3 Tattersall. It appears that both prosecutor aud prisoner are members of the Albion Cricket Club, and that during a matzh played about Christmas, Morrison stole the boots and a pair of pads, and pawned them. Seven days' imprisonment was imposed. The Otago Cricket Association have declined an invitation to play a match at Auckland this season, and have also declined asiiLilar request from Timaru. The Age discountenances the prospect of a farewell ceremony to the Governor. [press association.] NEW PLYMOUTH, Tuesday. A deputation waited on the Immigration Officer to-day, for the purpose of asking him to get immigrants sent to Taranaki. In reply to Mr. Kelly, Major Stapp said that out of 03 immigrants originally shipped by the Hermione for Taranaki, only 03 had arrived here. A number of othera were remaining in Wellington. The Immigration Agent also said he had written to Government, drawing attention to the want of labour here, and enclosed copies of advertisements that have been inserted by Hursthouse and Berry and Caley, the former for 210 men, and the la'ter for 30. He also stated that Messrs. Hurstbousc 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, shewing the demand there was for meeting the railway works, public works, and labour generally. He put the question how many we thought we could absorb duriag the current financial year, and they stated about 1000, including 200 single women. Of this number they had only reeeived, up to the present time, 195 souls, and therefore, a3 a deputation, they represented their case to the Government, and trusted the request made to the Minister would be regarded favourably by Government. Major Stapp promised to bring the views of the deputation before Government.

WELLINGTON, Tuesday. Fully 400 people assembled in Mr. Duncan's sale-rooms to-day, when the reclaimed land was offered. In all there were 40 flections offered, having an area varying from 13 to 19 perches each an-1 a frontage of about 2200 feet. Colonel Whitmore was present on behalf of the Government. The bidding was spirited, and all but four allotments were sold. Tho prices ranged from £31 to £153 per foot, and the total proceeds at the auction were £99,144 16s. It is understood that the four sections passed have since been sold for some £8000 more. After the sale about 150 gentlemen, at Mr. Duncan's invitation, sat down to a splendid champagne lunch. Colonel Whitmore, in complimentary terms, proposed the auctioneer's health, and his own was then drunk. In replying, he stated incidentally that the Secret Commission of distinguished officers at home, in their confidential report on the defences of the colony, devoted a long and complimentary paragraph to the exertions of Zealand settlers in times past to their own defence. The health of Mr. Bunny, as representing the late Provincial Government, by whom the reclamation had been undertaken, was also honoured. Mr. McKenzie, who was burned out on oatarday night at Taita, was collector for tue Hutt Road Board, and £40 of their nioney and hooks were destroyed. His started ' 3 A- subscription is

2 ,r°, the evening papers have strong •fticles condemnatory of the light sentences Q jCity of Glasgow Bank directors. At the inquest on McKenzie-'s fire it lamp which exploded not been cleaned fer two months#

It is understood the Government surveyors have discovered a very easy line for the West Coast railway between Porirna and Paikakariki. „

The Australia, with tha mails, left on January 21, one day late. The City of New York arrived at San Francisco on the 29th, one day before contract date.

The Education Commissioners proceed to Auckland at the end of the week, probably by the Hinemoa, to conduct the inquiry there.

The Hinomoa is having an ice-house built, to carry the white-fish ova expected by the next San Francisco steamer, from Auckland to the South. February 13 has been proclaimed a bank holiday in Hamilton and in the Counties of Waipa and Waikatj* [This is on account of the Waikato races'."] NELSON, Tuesday. The anniversary holiday was obeerved yesterday, when every business place was closed. The Friendly Societies' fele at the Botanical Gardens was attended by over 2000 people. The sports were exceedingly good. The Champion Point Race was won by Toohill, of Greymouth, with 18 points out of a possible 20. The Hunter Cup liaee, half-mile, for Nelson youths under IS years, was won by Askcsv : time, 2min.l2sec. The Half-mile Handicap was won by Weber (Wellington), scratch ; Hart (Blenheim), scratch, second ; Baird (Nelson), 25 yards start, third. The Walking Match, for Nelson youths under 16 years, was won by Hunter, who walked a dead-heat with Tomlinson : time, Smin. 12sec. The Champion Mile Handicap -.—lst prize, £15 ; 2nd, £7 ; 3rd, £1. Nairn, 92 yards, was first ; Lines, 50 yards, second ; Weber, scratch, third : time, 4min. 3Gsec. Weber also won a gold chain. HuKITIKA, Tuesday. Tenders have been called for the first section of the Hokitika and Greymouth railway, to close on the 4th of March. CHRIST CHURCH, Tuesday.

That the suburban Borough of Sydenham is making great progress may be gathered from the fact that the ratable value of the Borough for 1579 is £447,000, an increase of £50,000 over last year's assessment. Mr. Robert Scott, sen., of Windmill Road, committed suicide last evening by shooting himself in the temple with a revolver. He had been drinking. An extraordinary case of neglect was reported to the police last Saturday. A man named McGrath, a well-to-do-contractor, living at Bingland, employed his daughter of 14 years to herd cows on a native reserve near the estuary. Up till last Thursday she lived in a tent near the reserve. It was blown away by a strong wind, and afterwards she slept under a flax bush. Food was taken her at intervals by other members of the family. When found she was in a fearful condition, lying on a sack with some stuffing in it; a shred of a torn tent for a covering ; dirty, hungry, aud neglected. She is in the hands of the authorities.

The girl McGrath was brought before the Resident Magistrate as a neglected child this morning, and her father put into tho witness box. He prevaricated a good deal, and attempted to make out that when the policeman roused him out of bed at a quarter-past 11 last night, he was going down to see after his ohikl. The night was bitterly cold, and it was raining hard ; in fact, the girl would probably have been killed had she not have been rescued by the police. Eventually the heartless old scoundrel broke down, and pleaded that, if let off, he would not do it again. The child was almost starved, and had not taken off her clothes for 14 days. She had been in the same lonely pl*ce since December 16, and had been obliged on several occasions to beg fi-r food from th-.-neighbours. Mr. Melliah, R M., said : The girl will be sent to the Industrial School for two years, to be brought up in the Roman Catholic religion. He then said to the father : I won't let you go without telling you what I thiuk of your conduct. You ought to be thoroughly ashamed of yourself. You have been bringing up your children as perfect little savages, and what cm you expect your children to come to when you treat them in such a manner? It was but little wonder that your son wont to the bad. A grosser piece of barbarity and neglect 1 have never heard of. Xow, instead of making anything out of your children, I wi 1 take care that you will have to pay for her support for the next two years. This morning a case of deserting from a ship at Lyttelton had to be postponed, as no Bench could be got, in the absence of a Resident Magistrate. At the inquest on Scott, a verdict of " Temporary insanity " was returned. The total Customs revenue for the past month is £2:2,923 2s 2d, of which the largest items are—Spirits, £5373 3s 5i ; tobacco, £1578 Is Id; tea, 2s 10.1; sugar, £2999 10s ; goods by weight, £I(iSG; and ail valorem, £4534 lis 3d.

A man was arrested to-day for obtaining money by false pretences, by stating that he was a detective. TIMARU, Tuesday. The shipping community here are complaining bitterly of the high insurance rates charged on vessels frequenting the road' stead, the rates amounting now to per cent. There is little doubt that the insurance agents at Christchurch and Dunedin have increased the rate on purpose to still further handicap the port. The potato peat is rapidly spreading, and its ravages are heard of now from all ditectioul*. it is supposed to be the l&rvse of a cockchafer or beetle. DUNEDIN, Tuesday. A deputation waited on the Minister of Public Works to-day, and ri quested a loan of £90,000 to the district, for the purpose of re-building Clutha Bridge, destroyed by the late floods. Mr. Macandrew said the Go vernment would be prepared to grant a loan of £75,000. The latest telegram from Gore states that Mr. Conyers is & till progressing favourably. Leave to move for a new trial has been granted the 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 His Excellency will leave Wellington on the lSth, arrive at Dunedin on the 19th, hold an undress levee, and proceed the same day, per Ringarooma, fer Victoria. The Mayor has been requested by leading citizens to call a meeting to see what steps can be taken to give His Excellency a suitable reception. INVERCARGILL, Tuesday. During the year IS7S the civil cases heard in the R.M. numbered 757, involving claims to the total amount of £5,311 Ss 2d, and of this sum the judgments recorded in favour of plaintiffs amounted in the aggregate to £34,000 33 7d. Thi3 shews a decrease on previous year to the extent of 300 cases, whilst the aggregate of the amounts sued for was £20,000 below that of 1877.

The Customs return for the month of January amounted to £4560 13s lOd. The vital statistics for the month of January wereßirtbß : 26 males, 12 females; marriages, 10 ; deaths : 2 males and 5 females. A man named Petersen was arrested this afternoon on a charge of lunacy. It appears he came from Melbourne in tho 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 persons, who happened to be in the vicinity, had some diliicultyin restraining him. He then persisted in getting on the railway line, and uarrowly escaped being run over by the train, but finally he was arrested. When arrested he had only a pair of trousers and an old hat on. Tho police have failed to find out where he has left the 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, where he awaits medical examination. Petersen avers that he was subeditor of the Melbourne Argus. It is believed ho is well known in journalistic circles in Wellington, Nelson, and elsewhere.

Tlieman A.. Dogden, charged with larceny, waß remanded to Wellington.