NEW ZEALAND TELEGRAMS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5394, 1 March 1879, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND TELEGRAMS.

(PER " BERALD " SPECIAL WIRE.) [FROM OUR OWN* CORRESPONDENT.] THAMES, Friday. Gold Returns — Moanataiari tribute, Gavin, 37ozs. ; Inverness tribute, Grubb, 340z3. 4dwts.; Duke claim, 2ozs. Moanataiari.—The tributes, Gavin and party, have crushed 23 tons of general stuff, for the return of 37czs. melted goid. Inverness.—Grubb and party, tribucers in this mine, have crushed a parcel of stone, for the return of 34ozs. 4dwts. melted gold. COROMAXDEL, Friday. At 10 o'clock last night Mr. Clark's house, near the hospital, was burnt. Everything was destroyed. There was no insurance. At 4 o'clock in the morning, Mr. W. Spence, Cadman's Creek, wa3 burnt out. The family escaped in their night-clothes. Premier.—There is some excitement about this mine. They have a good show of gold in driving west, and a quantity of picked stone is on hand. DCXEDIX, Friday, The Times discourses this morning upon the reported division in the Cabinet. It says:—"The Zealand Herald the other day only did justice to our criticism of the tendency of certain members of the Ministry, when it credited us with a sincere j desire that the present Government should remain in office to carry out what we may term their accepted programme. We do not ; see any other possible Ministry in the present Hoase that could command the general j support of the couu-ry. The policy of the ! Government, as declared in the House last se33ion, is, we have little doubt, the policy which will prevail with the constituents, present or prospective; but, when it come 3 to something like personal rule, j and we are called on to support the head of I a liberal Government in an arbitrary exercise of power, and in d:stegarding and overriding the advice of a large majority of his ! colleagues, although his judgment may be right in the particular ca«<e in point, and theirs wrong, we cannot justify his action. We lately had many reasobs to fear that Sir George Grey was gradually losing the confidence of the people, first liberally accorded to him on account of his great talent and the presumed purity of his motives, and when the Hen. Mr. Stout seemed dispo-ed to stand by Sir George's advanced theories through thick and thin, we felt that he was not carrying his constituents along with him. We have every hope that the difference which has now arisen between Sir George and his colleagues will be arraoged. It is altogether too Email and too personal a matter to separate political friends. Still the very fact of a disagreement cannot fail to do harm, and produce a feeling of distrust in the public mind, already somewhat disturbed by those other causes to which we lately adverted." The Age stoutly defends the Premier's action. The scratching of Titania for the Cup yesterday has created a strong feeling in the city, and Mr. hay's conduct is commented on in no gentle terms. The numerous sweeps and large demand which there was for Titania at 5 to 1, even up till the morniDg of the race day, accounts for the public indignation. One young man who drew Titania in a big sweep, refused £40 for his ticket a few hours before the scratching was announced. In Dodson's sweep the first prize goe3 to the Peninsula, the second remains in -Dunedin, and the third goes to Wellington. The successful persons in Drake and Collins's sweep were : McDonald and Co., Waimate, Ist prize; Jas. Khodes, Port Chalmers, 2nd prize; wm. Bray, Dunedin, 3rd prize. Arthur Barber, a promising young man, died suddenly to-day, from the effects of an accident at. football in July last. He received a kick in the back of his left ear. • [PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, Friday. The Corporation have resolved to construct filter-beds for the waterworks, at a cost of £7000. A telegraph station will be opened at the Rifle Association Camp, Bridgewater. The St. Andrew's Lodge, S.C., was consecrated last night with great ceremony. A committee was formed of officers of the Scotch, English, and Provincial Grand Lodges of the craft to raise a Masonic contribution to the Kaitangata Helief Fund. The annual meeting of the New Zealand Tinies Company was held to-day. The retiring directors were rc-eleeted, and it was resolved to advertise the paper for sale. If no eligible offer was received within six months, then to place the company in liquidation. The compositors* Btrike has collapsed. The men have withdrawn their demands for an increase of pay. -the gas compaoy, it is understood, have borrowed £15,000 from the Australian Mutual Provident Society for three years, at 9 per cent., to avoid the necessity of calling up additional capital to meet the expenses of extending the works. The Customs revenue, this month, here has been £21,906, as against £15,145 for the corresponding month uf last year. 56 deaths, 63 births, and 26 marriages have been registered this month in the city. Mr. Cor, assistant-geologist, has left for Otago, to give evidence as to the condition of the Kaitangata miue at the last official mspection. Dr. Hector goes South to-mor-row to attend the University Council, and also probabiy give evidence re the Kaitangata disaster. A meeting of the creditors of Aarelias Moriand Smith was held this morning. The oaukrupfc was subjected to a long and

■••"Jung examination by Mr. Ollivier, after which an adjournment; for a fortnight was carried. It was intimated that probably an arrangement with the creditors will be proposed. Mr. Berry has been elected trustee in Mr. John Henderson's estate. A boy, aged thirteen, named Richard Palmer, has been sentenced to 48 hours imprisonment and a private flogging for a tiHrobbcry and stealing a gold ring, and to be sent for three years to Burnbam Reformatory. A girl, aged seventeen years, was charged to-day with stealing a watch. It seemed she had been living with the prssecutor for some time, but left him. He followed her, and offered to marry her if she would come back. She refused, and he said he would give her in charge for stealing a watch which he had given her. The Resident Magistrate dismissed the charge, saying it was clearly a revengeful one, bccauae she refused to marry the man. There are now about 1477 statute adult immigrants afloat for New Zealand, and Government are seriously considering the propriety of cabling to the Agent-General to send out 2000 labourers immediately to meet the demand for labour in the colony. The Zealandia, with the January colonial mails, arrived at San Francisco on the 2Gth, one day in advance of contract time. BLENHEIM, Friday. GREAT FIRE IN BLENHEIM. A terrible fire broke out this morning in Market-street, and raged furiously for several hours. Had there been any wind, the greater part of the town would have gone. The following places were burnt : I Harleston, bootmaker ; Scott, confectioner ; I Jensen, barber; Preaawood, watchmaker; Griffiths, auctioneer; Dobson, stationer; Homo and Pcllyman, butchers; Quinu, j watchmaker ; Macoy, photographer ; Collie, stationer ; O'Sullivan, commission agent; MeNabb, barrister. The insurances are only partial: New Zealand, £1250; Colonial, £SSO ; Norwich, £G00; Union, £700 : National, £200; Standard, £150; South Biitish. £200 ; Northern, £400 ; Victoria, £150. NELSON, Friday. Tbo Patea arrived this morning. The chief officer, Mr. Chant, fell overboard about twenty miles north of Kapiti. He apparently made a false step and lurched off the vessel, and fell over the rail. A life-buoy was thrown within his reach, but it is thought he was struck by the propeller. The steamer was brought to, but owing to the gale no boat could be lowered. He was an old settler at the Mokau. The Northern Rille representatives arrived to-day, also some from Westland. They were received by Volunteer officers in uniform and the reception committee, and driven to town in a coach. A large number of visitors are arriving. CHKISTCHURCH, Friday. The Ashburton Fire Brigade wore practising yesterday near the line as the train was passing, and completely soused the passengers standing on the platform. Legal proceedings are threatened. By the Tararua, yesterday, 19 grand Leicester rams arrived from Hobart Town, for Wilkins and Co., from Gibson, Tasmania. At the Presbyterian Assembly yesterday a spirited discussion took place on the question of Bible-reading in schools, introduced by the report of the Committee on Education. In the course of his remarks the Rev. C. Fraser said he admired the stand taken by the Catholics on this subject. Eventually an amendment was carried that the introduction of Denominationalism would be disastrous to education in general. A number of entries have been received for the Metropolitan Ram and Ewe Fair, to be held on the grounds of the Agricultural and Pastoral Association, on March 6 and 7. At the Magistrate's Court, this morning, some publicans were fined 20s for using unstamped measures, which were, however, correct as to quantity. The Bench told the defendants that as soms had only recently entered the houses in question and had purchased the measures from the previous landlord, they would not in this instance be forfeited, but he desired to warn publicans using unstamped measures that the offence not only rendered the articles liable to forfeiture, but also themselves to a penally of £10. After this notice the law would in future be stringently adhered to here. As instancing the suitability of ironbark as timber for constructing wharves, one of the piles of the old jetty of Lyttelton was drawn to-day. Although it had been driven without a coating the wood was found as fresh as when put down, twelve years aeo. The question to re-organise the City Council staff to-night was remitted to a committee, after a long discussion. The number of deaths in the Christchurch district during February was 91, nearly as high as last month, which was an exceptional one. The deaths in the city it-elf numbered 49, actually the highest recorded. The births shewed an increase of 15 ; the marriages were equal to last year. TIMA.RU, Friday. ■ Sergeant-Major Kerr was thrown out of a buggy at Temaka yesterday, and died of concussion of the brain. The Chairman of the Geraldine Council received a letter from the Minister of Works, stating that instructions have been given to commence the survey of the Temuka section of the inland Canterbury railway at once. The Customs revenue at Temuka for February shews a large falling off compared with 187 S. OAMARU, Friday. A meeting of those willing to aid in getting subscriptions for the Kaitangata Relief Fund was held in the lecture-room of the Mechanics' Institute to-day,—the Mayor in the chair. There was only a small attendance. A letter wa3 read from the Kev. Mr. Dewsbury, regretting his inability to be present, and promising assistance ; and a letter from Mr. Herdman, of the Union Bank, forwarding a cheque for £22, and enclosing one for £5 os from the Hon. J. Miller. A committee was appointed, including the ministers and the principal business men of the town. The Mayor was appointed chairman. It was decided to send subscription lists to the country ministers and schoolmasters, and to divide the town into districts, and it is expected a large sum of money will be raised. IN VE RCA K GILL, Friday. At a meeting respecting the Ivaitangata disaster, held to-night, a committee was appointed to canvass the townforsubscrfptions. Steps are to be taken to thoroughly test the quality of the Nightcap coal. Messrs. Murray and Dalgleish have employed meu to raise 100 tons of coal, which will be tested at InvercargilL A meeting of gentlemen was held to-day to consider the expediency of forming a Whaling CoropaDy. A committee was appointed to make enquiries, to purchase a suitable vessel, &c. : Mr. Daly, manager of the local gasworks, I has resigned his position, in consequence of disagreement with the CounciL