NEW ZEALAND TELEGRAMS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5495, 27 June 1879, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND TELEGRAMS.

(PER " HERALD" SPECIAL WIRE.) [from our own correspondent.] THAMES, Thursday. The show of local exhibits for the Sydney Exhibition was largely attended today. There is a good collection of various articles of local production and manufacture. Among the exhibits is a fine collection of New Zealand ferns, very well got up, some of the designs being really beautiful. There are nlso a number of very fine pictures, and a valuable collection of water-colours of New Zealand wild flowers and berries. Messrs. Foy Brothers have a good collection of photo views of the Thames goldfield. The collection of mineral speoimens, though very good, is not -what it should have been, considering the resources of the district. Our local manufactures are well represented. Altogether the collection is a very creditable one, and will enable visitors to the Sydney Exhibition to judge of the many and vast resources of the Thames district. TAURANGA, Thursday. SUICIDE OF \ BANK MANAGER. Mr. George Noble Gair, of the National Bank here, was found dead in the bank this morning. The wound in the left temple is believed to have been self-inflicted. No cause is known, as his affairs are believed to be all correct, but he had been drinking heavily lately. KIHIKIHI .Thursday. Rewi's settlement is very quiet. Rewi himself is waiting for the Ngatiraukawa meeting, after which he is likely to proceed to Wellington. Hitire, the leading Taupo chief, who accompanied Rowi on his Auckland tour, leaves to-morrow with his party for Taupo. CAMBRIDGE, Thursday. There has been a very heavy fall of rain all day. The natives' interests look deplorable. The Court has been sitting all day. The natives are orderly, and the only trouble to them is that they cannot push the Court on faster. Your informant re the row on Saturday, and the Hamilton gentleman, mu3t have drawn on his imagination. The origin of the affair wae, that one of the gentlemen struck a Maori boy. Hβ may have deserved it, but at the same time it is very injudicious to interfere with them. Your contemporary refers to Mr. K. Parr as t.ikiDg a prominent part. This too, lam informed by a gentleman from Auckland, attending the Court, is a mistake, for Mr. Parr did not come on the scene till the gentleman who opened the window had escaped. I have Been many native gatherings in Cambridge and elsewhere, and this is certainly the most orderly gathering I have ever witnessed. There are so many natives here to whom Cambridge is a home, that they exeroise a good influence on the others. It is a pity that anything should be either said or done to excite public fear. So far as an outbreak or disturbance in Cambridge is concerned, the settlers have not the least fear. The want of protection in Cambridge I have never heard mentioned. The Armed Constabulary recruits lately enrolled are being forced into shape as rapidly as Lieut.-Colonel Lyon aud his able staff can manage. There is nothing but drill, early and late, and in a very short time they will be fit for any emergency—in fact, most of them are ex-Armed Constabulary men or Volunteers. Wi Maihi Te Raugikaheke held a meeting last night. It was a complete failure, very few attending. I was misinformed in reference to Mr. R. Graham being in any way connected with Maihi in his election. A good deal of sympathy is felt for here our respected postmaster, who is completely prostrated by his severe and laborious duties since the opening of the Court. He has literally been working day and night without extra assistance. The post-office must be an unhealthy place to live in, as the front of the house almo/'': up to the front door is a pool of water. DUNEDIN, Thursday. Beaver Brothers have filed a declaration of insolvency. Liabilities, £19,748; assets, estimated at £27,655. James Macassy, one of the leading lawyers, ie spoken of ns a candidate for the seat rendered vacant by Mr. Stout's retirement. If returned, he would be an opponent of the Government, especially on the Education question. Mr. James Green, M.H.R. for Port Chalmers, last evening severely criticised the Government, and ehewed a decided leaning to the Opposition. Tho inquiry into the fire at the Athenajum has only made its origin more mysterious. The evidence given by a woman living next door to the Athenreum stated that the buildings had been used for immoral purposes, and that a lamp had been broken, and the persone left the building to burn. The Coroner, in summing up, said that, from the evidence, it ought, almost, to be concluded that the actinglibrarian, C.ummock, was freed from responsibility in connection with the fire. The jury returned a verdict that the tire was the work of an incendiary, but, by whom caused there was not sufficient evidence to shew. Cummock, against whom a warrant was issued for embezzlement, has not yet been arrested. [press association.! NAPIER, Thursday. There was one omission in the telegraphic summary of Mr. Ormond'e speech, which he wishes rectified. While he ebjected to the land tax, on the ground that it was unwise to impose c special impost of this nature, which was calculated to disturb the confidence of English capitalists, he advocated its replacement by a general property and income-tax. The telegraphing of Mr. Ormond's speech was one of the best pieces of work yet performed in the colony. Mr. Millar, of Napier, was sent to Waipaws, and he put the whole message through at an average of 35 words

a minute. The Waipawa wire wai, for the occasion, connected with the special wire, bo that the message was wired direct. WELLINGTON-. Thursday. Nothing has yet been decided in regard to filling up the vacant aeafc in the Cabinet Mr. Sheehan is expected here tonight, and Mr. James Mackay is coming from the West Coaat to meet hiai. This morning a deputation of the representatives of the County Councils of Manawatu and Wairarapa East and West, waited npon the Minister for Public Works, to request the Government te place £25,000 on the Estimates for the repair and maintenance of the main road through the Seventy-mile Bush. Mr. Macandrew said he fully recognised the Ri-flat difficulty cf the position in which the Councils found themselves in respect to this work, and in which other County Councils throughout the colony were placed in regard to similar works. He conld assure them theirs was not an isolated case. Applications of a similar kind were received daily, and the amounts asked for now exceeded £200,000. If any one of these applications was granted, he felt certain that not less than a million of money would have to be found for country works for the year. He did not see how he could comply with such a requeet. He had indejtd been cempelled to adopt tbe following stereotyped answer to all such applications :—" In reply, I am to say that the Government ia unable to comply with your request, as it opens up the whole question of local self-government, as determined by the Legislature in the Abolition of Provinces Act. It i 3 evident that, unless the functions which have been devolved by statute upon County Councils and other local bodies, are to be assumed by the colony, the numerous applications which are being made of a similar nature to that submitted by you cannot be entertained." That was the regular answer now sent to all. It was clear there was only one of two ways by which such cases could be met, either by going in for increased taxation, or by borrowing money. The revenue of the colony at present wae barely sufficient to meet the ordinary expenditure, and the Government was compalled to make reductions on all hands to make both ends meet. As to borrowing, however expensive it might be to borrow for the construction of roads and bridges, it waa clear that the repair and maintenance must be provided from some otiher source. He did not believe that the legislature would far a moment dream of borrowing for the repairs or maintenance. They must therefore have recourse to taxation, and this should be done by the local bodies, riot by the General Government. , This was the intention of those who had advocated abolition, and who had given the most solemn assurance that, in the millenium which wan to follow, neither roads nor bridges would be breathed of within the walls of Parliament House. As matters stood, be feared that, unless they took great care, they would hear of little else. He hoped, however, that they would not go into a scramble in the legislature. The sooner the people were proaght face to face with the fact that they must exercise self-denial and self-reliance, the better for them. His duty compelled him to look at the stern logio of facts. The deputation then withdrew. The Minister for Public Works has given intimation to have 200 or 300 men put on to continue the construction of the Stratford to Normanby railway. The Armed Constabulary in the district will also be employed upon the work , ). It is contemplated that Dr. Hector should be sent as a special Commissioner to represent the colony at the Sydney Exhibition. Wybert Reeve opened at the Theatre Royal last night, with great success, in " George Geitb." A fine new hall, recently erected by the Foresters, was opened last night by a banquet, at which 140 persons were present. The following tendera were received for the Hokitika contract of the Hokitika and Greymouth railway—Accepted : J. Morgan, Greymouth, £3GOI. Declined: J. Killock, Hokitika, £3954; J. Reynolds, Hokitika, £4960 ; W. Roper, Greymouth, £4234; P. Digan, Kumara, £4521 ; J. Meher, Hokitika, £4600 ; O'Connor and Gray. Ahaura, £4601 ; J. Clark, Hokifcika, £4639 ; Daley and Riley, Hokitika, £5783 ; Martin Morris and Co., Goldsborough, .£7332; J. Kirkpatrick, Reef ton, £8581. CHRISTCHURCH, Thursday. The Canterbury exhibits of the Sydney Exhibition aro to be sent direct from Lyttelton. About 200 unemployed marched yesterday to the Sydenham Borough Council Chambers and asked for work. A deputation from the men waited on a committee of the Council last night, and a promise was made to put a number to work on Friday. The result was communicated at 10 o'clock to the assemblage in waiting in Cathedral Square. The Volunteers are about to petition the Government to make ovor to them the drillshed and ground. If conceded, they undertake to put the place in a thorough state of repair. The farmers in the Woodend and Waiuku districts are about to meet to consider what steps to take to abate the sparrow nuisance. The sureties of the absconded Barnard were called npon to-day to shew cause why their bail should not be estreated. The evidence shewed there had been no collusion, and the recognisances were also drawn up in such a manner that they were wholly, useless. They were accordingly discharged. The following candidates have been nominated to represent the native electoral districts of the South Island to-day :—lhaia Tamihana, Taiaroa, Parahene, and Tare Mai Taihoka. The election takes place on July 7th, but it will take some time to collect the returns. The result ia net expected to be made known before July 13th. A meeting is to be held to-morrow at the instance of the primate, to consider the 3xpediency of forming a relief society for Christchurch and its neighbourhood. The Canterbury Railway Benefit Society have a credit balance of £200. At the meeting held this evening, Mr. Conyers idvocated the amalgamation of the Canterbury and Otago branch. OAMARTJ, Thursday. At a meeting of the Committee of the North Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Society held to-day, it was decided that the next show should extend over one day. DUNEDIN, Thursday. It is understood that Mr. W. D. Stewart, lolicitor, is likely to become a candidate for Mr. Stout's seat. If so, he will receive .vide and influential support. Messsrs. Vlacassoy, Keith, Ramsay, C. S. Reeves, j ind Hon. S. Fish aro also spoken of, but £ lothing definite is known. r Messrs. Peter Kenny, Jas. Galbraith, and fohn Darling are to be inrited by the Har)our Board to secure a suitable dredge at lome for this port. A small party of miners, who have a ' ilaiia below the township o£ Livingstone, f ia\ T e, as a result of three montha' work, y cashed 60ozs. of gold. Other claims ave ± jeing taken up in the vicinity. t At a meeting of subscribers to the Kaitan- t ;ata Fund held, last night, the report shewed t k total of £15,000. The consideration of the j scheme of distributing was agreed to. No. . t I clause, which reads as printed, " the capi- l ;al shall be vested in a body of three trustees," was altered to read '.' five trustees." No. 5 clause, which proposed shat any vacancy amongst the trustees i 3hould be filled np by.. the " contingent' i< brustees," was altered to read by the i ''executive committee." The following s were appointed truetees:—The Mayor, Mr. <

Oliver, M.H.R., and Messrs. Hodgkine," Turnbull, and McKerrae. Professor Solomond, Messrs. B. Wilson, A. Renm'e, W. Geddes, T. T. Ritchie, J. Patterson, Dun, M. W. Hawkins, S. G. Gillies, and Mayors of Auckland, Wellington, Ohrietchurch, and Invercargill, as'es officlo members, were appointed as an executive committee. Mr. Oliver strongly urged that Mr. J. L. Gillies should form one of the committee, and indeed should continue to act as honorary secretary. The success of the movement wae greatly due to the exertion of Mr. Gillies, and hepaid that gentleman a high compliment for the interest he had taken in the matter. The motion was carried. Mr. Gillies refused to serve notwithstanding. The Education Board to-day resolved, that for the opinion of the Board, i 4; is very desirable that the Education Act should be amended, with the view of allowing BiblereadiDg in the public schools. At the parade of the Cromwell Volunteers last night, the whole company, with three exceptions, offered for active service in the North Island, if called upon. The men evinced great enthusiasm. INVERCARGILL, Thursday. The Southland jVeios of yesterday had a leading article in reference to the proposal made by the Mayor of Auckland, to convert the portion of the Kaitangata Belief Fund into a colonial fund. It points out that, before this conld be done, the central committee would havo to answer a question, which might take this form : Have you any right, legal or moral, to deal with the money in hands, in the manner now intended by the subscribers ? Do you not know that to occupy is simply in the position of interim trustees, or depositors of subscription, pending the distribution amongst those for whom the benefit was given ? They do not appear to have realised the fact that it ia not they, but the wives and families of the Kaitangata sufferers to whom the money belongs. They do not seem to perceive that they are doing something which the Bench might stretch the language to stigmatise as robbing the widow and orphan.