NEW ZEALAND TELEGRAMS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5499, 2 July 1879, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND TELEGRAMS.

(■PER "HERALD" SPECIAL WIRE.) [from our own correspondents.] THAMES, Tuesday. The local papers only contain Mr. Ballance's Eide of the question over which the Ministerial rupture has occurred. The general impression is that Sir George Grey has been too dictatorial. Unless the present complications can be explained, he will lose a number of friends here. His beßt supporters cannot uphold him in his present line of conduct. COROMANDEL, Tuesday. DEATH OF AN OLD COLONIST. Captain !<' innis died to-day, after a short illness. He was a very eld .settler, and had been in Auckland nearly forty 3 ears. Mr. Mellsopp'B child nearly chopped hiß finger 0.6f to-day. It had to 'be amputated. CAMBRIDGE, Tuesday. The Farmers' Club held its monthly meeting last evening in the club-house. The attendance was not so numerous as usual, owing to the inclemency of the weather. Two gentlemen were admitted to membership, and a resolution was passed that in future the meetings be held at 2 p.m., instead tof 7 p.m., as hitherto. Mr. John Runciman was to have read a paper on "Labour-saving Machines," but apologised by letter for his absence, in consequence of press of business. Twc of Carter's coaches left the barraoks at 2 p.m. to-day, in charge of Sergt.-Major Heaney and Sergeants Steele and Dunn, and 129 men, en route for Taranakl. They were

cheered heartily through the town. They are nearly all well-trained men, many of them were with Colonel Whitmore through the laat campaign, so that to them Maori warfare is nothing new. It is quite refreshing to hear the way in which they speak of the colonel, and their expressions of willingness to follow wherever he may go. The number of young men to be seen in Cambridge today implies that Lientenant Colonel Lynn will have a larger number to select from tomorrow than on the last occasion. There is no lack of young men eager for the fray, yet it is a hard thiDg to see a respectable n.an unemployed. If Canterbury was to send two or three hundred of its unemployed to Waikato they would soon be absorbed. The Ngatihinerangi have at length settled the dispute re Okauia. 264 names are to be ■ inserted in the Crown grant for reserves, which will be about 7500 acres, and CO names in the Crown grant for the remainder, which will be divided into three parts and taken over by their respective purchasers. It is expected that the Mangawhero block will be completed this week. ' KIHIKIHI Tuesday. A deputation, &eut by Taonui aud headed by Taliana, a leading Ngatimanapoto chief, waited on Manga yesterday, requesting him at once to call a meeting of the Ngatimanapoto tribeonly to separate themselves from all other tribes, after which to have their lands surveyed and put through the Court. Manga thought well of the proposal, and told them that as Parliament was about to sit, he had a lot of business on hand, and could not give his decision at present. They were, however, to hold a meeting of their own, and discuss the subject, and after the sessions were over he would consider the important subject aud give his opinion. Re\ri proceeds on Monday to Otaroa, having received an invitation to attend a meeting of Ngatiraukawa natives, who seem very anxious as to how the present session of Parliament will terminate, they being very pleased with the present Government. We have now a small detachment of Armed Constabulary recruits stationed here, and the public mind is much easier in consequence. [from a correspondent.] WELLINGTON, Tuesday. I understand that the Premier has communicated with Colonel Whitmore in regard to the accounts which have been published of the affair between himself and Mr. Ballance, which has led to the resignation of the latter. The Premier states that some of the assertions made are incorrect, and he asks Colonel Whitmore to suspend his judgment until his I arrival in Wellington. Mr. Wakefield, member for Geraldine, is spoken of as the possible successor to Mrllallance. His capacities as a financier are as yet untried, but he would be useful to the Ministry, as they are weak in debating power. Mr. Wakefield has committed himself to the Opposition, but office might tempt him to join the present Ministry. [press association.] NKW PLYMOUTH, Tuesday. The millers have raised the price of flour £1 a ton, and the butchers their meat Id per lb. to-day. WELLINGTON, Tuesday. The p.R. Charles Edward, which arrived this moraine, brought over from the West Coast some 227G0?,5. of gold for the Bank of New Zealand. TIMARU, Tuesday. The floods are rapidly subsiding, and mail communication with C'hristchurch and Oamaru is expected to be re opened to morrow. The trains will not run for a day or two. Connection with the up country districts is almost entirely suspended. The Customs revenue at Port Timaru for last quarter was £6,215, as against £5,502 for the corresponding quarter of last year. OAMARU, Tuesday. A rather important civil case was commenced at the JResident Magistrate's Court to-day. Russell, a sailor, sued Messrs. R. Wilson and Co. for £18.. under the following circumstances :—On the IBth April last, Mr. Wilson agreed, at a meeting of creditors in the estate of Edding, Bust, and Co., to take over the estate and pay 10s in the pound, the debtors agreeing to the plan with an additional 2s 6d. At a subsequent meeting, on the 20th May, Mr. Jones (Mr. Wilson's manager) attended, and stated that Mr. Wilson would not complete the arrangement, owing to deceit on the part of the debtors in not properly making up their statements, the assets being found to be less, and the liabilities greater, than set forth at the lirst meeting. Mr. Hislop, for the plaintiff, contended that defendant was nevertheless liable to the plaintiff. Air. C. Allan, of Dunedin, contended that the agreement had not been legally executed, and raised a nonsuit point. This was overruled. The case was adjourned for a week.

The floods have abated considerably, and to-day the weather has been line. CHRISTC HTJRCH, Tuesday. At a meeting of the committee of Mrs. Walter Hill's fund to-day it was determined to give two performances in its aid, and offers of assistance from numbers of amateurs have been received, and it is expected that a considerable sum will be realised. At a public meeting held at Sydenham to night it was resolved to agitate for its representation in Parliament. The captain of the B.L. has given up any intention of trying to float the vessel, and will hand everything over to "he Lloyd's agents. The man called Ned the boatswain, whs lost his life in the wreck of the Akbar, was a native of Southampton, England (Edward Crissen). The rain fall in June amounted to no less that 7J inches, the heaviest falls being on the 14th, £Sth, and 29th. An adjourned session of the Diocesan Synod was commenced to-day. A report of the commission appointed to consider the financial arrangements was read. It re-com-mended the securing of more accurate stipends and greater regularity of payment, and to affect which it is proposed to establish a Board of Assessors to classify the cures in the diocese, and fix the minimum guarantee for the cure. It is suggested this should be divided into two classes, the first of which should guarantee a stipend of at least £'240, and the other of at least £200. The minimum salary of a priest in Bole charge is to be £2SO, to be increased to £300 as Boon as possible, The difference between this and the guarantee is to be made up from the general church funds. The licence fees forjthe ensuing year are estimated at £4706, £1207 to be derived from Boroughs. DUNEDIN, Tuesday. A special meeting of the Athenseam committee was held last evening, for the purpose of considering the state of matters existing between the committee and the New Zealand Insurance Company. After , considerable discussion, it was decided that the Athenieum Committee endeavour to come to an agreement with Mr. .Elliott, and obtain a settlement. If the result was not satisfactory, the committe would at once communicate with the head-office of the company. The committee was very indignant at the action of the local agent for the company,—the books and other property remaining in the damaged building being injured by the water. Mr. H. J. Walter, Mayor of Dunedin, has been asked to stand for the vacancy caused by the resignation of Mr. Stout, but refused. A dispute has arisen between the Athenceum committee and Mr. .'Eliott, the agent of the New Zealand Insurance Company. The claim lodged by the committen was for £1125 on the building, that beiing the architects eeti-

mate of the damage done to it; for books, £1800 ; and'for furniture destroyed, £200. Mr. Eliott gave it as his opinion that £500 would cover the damage to the building, and £600 compensate for tho loss of boaks. Mr. Eliott called for tenders to repair the building without communicating with the committee, At the meeting of the committee, last evening, Mr. Eenniston, the vice-president, characterised this act as highly disrespectful and disgraceful. He said the clause giving a power of re-instalment was to protect companies from fraud, but to use it against a public body of this sort, and actually to advertise before their faces, without giving them the courtesy of a reply to their claim, was treatment they should strongly object to. Mr. Gillies felt inclined to take the bull by the horns, and order their architect to go onat once with the repairs, despite Mr. Eliott. The vice-president should find out first whether the clause gave him power to reinstate, or they might find themselves in a hole. After discussion, Mr. Gillies moved, and it was carried, " That the Athenaeum Committee communicate with Mr. Eliott, to try and obtain a settlement or a proposal, with a view to settlement, and, if necessary, that they should communicate at once with the head office of the company." Some 110 men applied to-day for work on the section of the Otago Central railway, set apart for the purpose of providing work for the unemployed. INVERCARGILL, Tuesday. The vital statistics for the luvercargill district for the month ended 30th June are thus—Births, 35 ; deathl, 15 ; marriages 15. The first mail from Dunedin since Saturday arrived in town to-night. The partial suspension of traffic has caused some inconvenience. Southland has been singularly free from floods. All the trains ran to-day ; the express, however, only proceeding so far as Clinton. The lightship recently built fov the Bluff Harbour Board has been favourably reported upon by an expert. Applications will shortly be invited for the position of a lightship keeper. A bill vesting the foreshore of Awaroa Bay in the Bluff Harbour Board will be introduced early in the session by Mr. Feldwick, M.H.R. The members in both Houses in the district have promised to give it their hearty support.

The Ringarooma, from Melbourne, is expected at the Bluff early to-morrow.