NEW ZEALAND TELEGRAMS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5498, 1 July 1879, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND TELEGRAMS.

(PER "HERALD" SPECIAL WIIXE.) [from otjb own correspondents.] ALEXANDRA, Monday. The native meeting called for Thursday, but which opened on Friday, at Hauwai, near Kopua, was not oE particular interest. Some discussion, which at one time was likely to have brought trouble on Thompson, arose with regard to a sensational paragraph which, at the t : --e of the Kopua meeting, appeared in a r.,. wspaper, to the effect that Thompson's 1200 acres wonld, when he got the Crown grant, make him the richest man in New Zealand. This was looked on as Implying treachery on Thompson's part towards the King's laws, but eventually the blame was cast ou the paper's reporter, and Thompson absolved from blame, though at one time it was rosolved to burn his house over his head, as a punishment. Uther natives complained of the visits of Europeans into the King country, either for pheasantshooting or purchasing their cattle, and it was agreed tha< this must be peremptorily stopped, and sporhimen would have their guns taken from them. The garrison ol Armed Constabulary here has been changed. Ten lately recruited raembere of the force arrived here to-day. The party they replace left for Cambridge. The contractors have finished the new' conrt-house. It is a well and substantially constructed building. TE AWAMUTU, Monday. The Armed Constabulary garrison here, with the exception of one man, have been replaced by ten recently-raised recruits from Cambridge, under Sergeant Webb. CAMBRIDGE, Monday. Twenty-five men of the Armed Constabulary leave here for Auckland under command of Sergeants Steolo and Dunn, to-morrow, en route for Tarauaki. They are all old hands, the lately raised recruits being kept in Waikato for garrison duty here. The entries for the ploughing match must be sent in by the 9th of July. The prizes offered are liberal and numerous, and the field selected central and convenient. HAMILTON, Monday. I hear that on Wednesday the officer commanding in this district will call for the services of 30 men to serve in the Armed Constabulary to replace those now being drafted to the front. Constables Webb, Dunn, Gooch, and Forster have bean promoted to the rank of second-class sergeants. There was a large attendance at the meeting held to-day for the enrollment of a Hamilton Rifie Volunteer Company, and the election of officers. Sixty members took the oath. Captain Dawson, late of the 67th Regiment, was elected captain. The election of the other officers is going on. TAURANGA, Monday. THE ADJOURNED INQUEST ON MR. GAIR.

The adjourned inqnest re the death of Mr. (xair, manager of the National Bank, met thia morning, and, after mature consideration, returned the following verdict: —" That the deceased committed suicide by shooticg himself in the forehead while ia a state of temporary insanity and great mental depreiision, cansed by exoessive drinking." [IROII ANOTHER CORRESPONDENT.] CAMBRIDGE, Monday. Thore is great improvement in the ■weather. No progress has been made re the Okauia block. The claimants cannot agree who or how many names are to be placed on the Crown grant. This indecision has been going on for more than a fortnight. Mr. Hammond, Court interpreter, has been called away to Auckland, leaving Judge Monro and the Native Assessor to transact the busineaa. I hear the Kev. H. Lawry has joined the Native Office, and is expected in place of Mr. Hammond. Seventy-five men and two sergeants leave here to-morrow forTaranaki. Twelve of the recruits were marched to Kihikihi, and twelve to Alexandra yesterday. The natives are very orderly, and are constantly endeavouring to find out something fresh from the seat of disturbance. Every scrap of news is eagerly devoured. [PRESS ASSOCIATION. 1 WELLINGTON, Monday. The long-standing claim of Mrs. Meurant gainst the colony has at last been settled.

The Native Minister to-day forwarded to Auckland tie £2000 voted by Parliament. The sum is to'be invested in trust for Mrs. Menrant's children. The trustees are Mr. W. Swanson, .M.H.E., and the Native Minister for the time being. The masters and workmen in the iron trade are to confer on Wednesday. An investigation of tho affairs of Plimmer, Beeves and Co., produce merchants, who suspended payment after the late fire, by which they lost heavily, shews them to be perfectly solvent, with assets nearly doable their liabilities. Mr. John Plimmer, sen., has guaranteed the latter, and the firm will carry on business. The Post states iVnat the engineers in the employ of the New Zealand Shipping Company are holding out against the proposed reduction of wages. The company have not given way, but, pending the dispute, have decided to lay up the s.«. Stormbird. The Hutt nomination took place to-day. Mr. Henry Jackson and Thos. Mason were nominated. The show of hands was in favour of Mr. Jackson by 20 to 9. Tho poll will take place on Wednesday. CHARLESTON, Monday. Dr. Henry, M.H.E., addressed his Charleston constituents on Saturday evening. Two to three hundred electors were present. Hβ was enthusiastically received, and denounced every member of the Ministry. A vote of thanke and confidence was unanimously accorded him. ■ ■■:.":• CHRISTCHURCH, Monday. The contract for the Eyre Bridge on the interior line has been let to Henderson and Fergusson for £3788 10s. The same firm have also contracted for a bridge on the eame line at Temuka for £4318 6s Id. A man named Clifford, who had come from Sydney a few days ago, was engaged in diving at the wreck of tho Belle in the harbour to-day. He made three descents safely, but the fourth time he went down and remained to o long, that those above became alarmed and hauled him up, when he was found to be dead. He was quite inexperienced at the work. Only one case of infections disease was reported to the Board of Health during the last fortnight. The_ vital statistics for Christchurch—city and districts —for the month ending Jane 30, give births, 167 ; marriages, 29 ; and deaths, 46. For the corresponding month of last year the returns were —Births, 148 ; marriages, 68 ; deaths, 46. Total numbers for the half-year ending June 30, the births were, 123 ; marriages, 23 ; and deaths, 44. There was an alarm of fire at half-past 8 this evening. A window-blind in a shop canght fire and was extinguished, but not before the brigade had turned out with one engine. The entries for the Chess Congress, which commences on August 19th, , closs on Thursday. William Bampour, working in the bush at Pigeon Bay, was killed last night while as'.cep in his tent. He was completely buried. DUNEDIN, Monday. The charges of sly-grog selling against Andrew fieid and Jane Reid have been further adjourned until the 14th July. Several cases were adjourned, the witnesses being unable to attend owing to the floods. A man named Morris, a bankrupt, has been arrested for concealing a watch and three boxes of goods and chattels, rained at £19, with intent to defraud.