LATEST WELLINGTON NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 5918, 4 November 1880, Page 5

LATEST WELLINGTON NEWS.

[by telegraph, from oor special correspondent.] Wellington, Wednesday. THE KYEBURN MURDER. A meeting of the Executive Council was held this afternoon at Government House, the Acting Governor presiding. Present: Messrs. Hall, Rolleston, Dick, Bryce, and Oliver. The business was mostly official routine, excepting that the case of the Kyelnirn murderer, Ah Lee, was reconsidered, the Bishop of Dunedin having interested himself warmly in the case, and made earnest representations against carrying out the .sentence of death. The whole matter was carefully considered, but the Executive Council came to the conclusion— by a majority, I believe—that tiie case was not one calling for the exercise of clemency, and decided that the law should take its course. The prisoner is therefore to he executed on Friday morning. THE SALE OF THE WAIMATE PLAINS. The Minister for Lands received a telegram this evening from Mr. Wray, the Commissioner of lands at Hawera, that the sale of small farm allotments on the Waimate Plains, about the township of Okaian had been a great success. All the lots wore taken up, ami sections offered were vigorously competed lor. Those on deferred payment went without competition, except in two instances. The result is regarded as most satisfactory and encouraging. THE NATIVE FENCERS. The native fencers did not come down to the fence near the Constabulary Camp today, but went to the Parapara fence. It was expected that they would stop the road contractor there, but they did not. The natives called out to the constabulary not to pnll i.lown the fence where it crossed the road, but no notice was taken of them. Directly the fence was pulled down, however, it was re-erected by some Maori children. THE NEW AGENT-GENERAL. The Post to-night says, "A story has been freely circulated to the effect that the principal reason which influenced the Government in appointing Sir F. D. Bell AgentGeneral, is that they are desirous of his services in London, in order to prepare the way for raising another loan in 1882. This is a pure canard. The only reason which influenced the appointment of Sir F. Dillon Bell was his special fitness for a post which it was deemed necessary to fill i suitably and at once. The question of another loan has not yet been even broached in the Cabinet, and we understand there is not the slightest possibility of the subject being even considered for at least another year and a-half, as we are wholly debarred from applying to the London money market for two years still to come. Even a rumour that the Government had already begun to contemplate and prepare for a new loan is calculated to injure the credit of this colony at Home, and the circulation of such wild guesses cannot therefore be too firmly discountenanced. The statement which has been made in a most positive manner by several journals that the Government intend to fill up the vacancy in the Legislative Council caused by the appointment of Sir Dillon Bell to the Agent-Generalship by calling Mr. Oswald Curtis to the Upper House is entirely without foundation, and probably was originally circulated as a mere guess in the absence of more sensational and reliable news." THE PAE.IHAKA LAND. At a meeting of the Cabinet held yesterday afternoon, after a lengthened discussion, a very important decision was arrived at in regard to native affairs, involving no j change of policy, but the taking of a new departure which may lead to very pronounced results. The decision was to proceed immediately with the survey of the whole Parihaka block of laud, with the exception of the portion reserved for the natives under the recommendation of the West Coast Royal Commission —that is to say, the entire strip of laud along the seaboard opposite Parihaka will be surveyed immediately, and then placed in the market with all convenient despatch. The reasons which induce the Government to take this step are very powerful ones. The survey of the Waimate land has been completed, one block successfully sold, and a second on the point of being sold. The present time is eminently favourable for survey operations, both as regards the season of the year and the position of the Armed Constabulary. Above all, the natives require to be taught plainly and unmistakcably that the Government are in earnest in their determination to have the West Coast difficulty thoroughly settled once and for ever. If the natives attempt any interference with the survey and sale of the land, they will receive a prompt and sharp lesson which will effectually preclude any chance of such interference being repeated. If, on the other hand, they make no such attempt, then the maiu of Te Whiti and Tohu will be fatally shattered, and the native difficulty on the West Coast completely and finally crushed out.