Telegraphic News.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 220, 27 November 1875, Page 9

Telegraphic News.

Auckland, Saturday. A large quantity of Mqa bones and Maori relics, such as stone hatchets, &c., were brought to town to-day from near Whangarei Heads for Auckland Institute. These are the first Moa bones discovered north of Auckland.

Captain Burgess, chief harbor-master, has laid an information against the captain of the Vasco de Gama, for refusing to allow him to take command of the vessel, as pilot, when coming into port the last time.

News from Norfolk Island says the supply of stores has run entirely out. The people are living on island produce.

Monday. A Malcetu telegram positively denies the report that the survey of Te Puke and Rangururu blocks had been stopped by the natives. The owners thoroughly understand the position of the Government action in negociaton. Both blocks will be thrown open in three months.

Tuesday. The City Council has resolved to again call for tenders for street tramways.

Wednesday. The Vasco de Gama made a good passage of four days fourteen hours. She was docked and overhauled in Sydney. The Oyphrenes was to leave Sydney for Kandavau on the 20th, to await the inward mails. The Government have detained the Vasco de Gama until noon to-morrow to take the Ladybird’s supplementary mail. The captain of the Vasco de Gama pleaded guilty at the Police Court to-day to a charge of refusing to give the pilot command of the ship on her last arrival, and was fined Is., and costs.

Thursday. It is stated that Hall has expressed great willingness, on behalf of the mail contractors, to reduce the subsidy by more than the £SOOO stipulated last session of the New Zealand Parliament, in consideration of the discontinuance of the New Zealand coastal service ; but the Sydney Government show strong indisposition to make any concessions, and would prefer to begin negotiations over again, if the present contract is set aside.

The Ladybird arrived in ample time to transfer the supplementary southern mails to the Vasco de Gama.

Sir George Grey convenes a meeting of his constituents for city west for Monday. “To acquaint you with my views on the present state of public affairs in the colony.”

Geahamstown, Friday. Dividends paid since Ist November, £4902. This is exclusive of amounts of dividends by tributers. The Native Lands Court is sitting. Snider rifles have been issued to the volunteer companies. A race meeting for Christmas week is decided on.

Saturday. Promising indications in Pumping Association shaft at depth of 264 feet. In the air shaft, “ruby silver” came upon, which, in higher levels of Caledonian, Golden Crown, and Manukau, almost invariably indicated gold being near.

Monday. The City of London obtained 6910z5. of gold from 350 tons of stone crushed during the fortnight. Another dividend will probably be paid.

W. J. Hurst and John Gibbons are spokenof as likely to contest the Thames.

Tuesday. A requisition is being signed asking Sir George (ircy to allow himself to be nominated for the Thames.

Napier, Saturday. The borings on the line of piers proposed in Carruthers Harbor Works scheme are partially completed, with a satisfactory result. A boy, eight years old, was sentenced to a whipping for robbing gardens and hen-roosts. Other boys implicated will probably be dealt with in the same way.

The Wairoa Land Court is over. All the cases are satisfactorily disposed. Two or three adjourned cases will be heard at Gisborne. The reserve for the lighthouse on Portland Island passed the Court, at Mahia, on Friday. The Government has completed the purchase. Monday. There is some talk of another candidate for the Napier district—Joseph Rhodes (absent in England), but no address is out. An inquest was held to-day on the body of Ernest August Weber, agod seventeen, son of Charles Weber, the Prpvincial Engineer, who met death under melancholy circumstances. The deceased was a cadet clerk on the railway. A gun belonging to Miller, the manager, was left loaded in the ticket office. Another cadet named Webber was playing with the gun, and deceased was showing him how to fire (neither knowing the gun was loaded). The gun went off and shot Weber dead, on tho spot.

The jury returned a verdict, adding a rider of regret at the culpable and prevalent practice of persona leaving loaded firearms in places acccssable to others.

Wednesday. Sittings of the Native Land Court will bo held at Gisborne on Tuesday next, before Judge Rogan, for the purpose of finally settling the questions relative to the boundaries of the Makauri and Raugatira blocks. Mr. Locke left to-day to attend. It is not expected to be a long sitting. It is now definitely stated that Mr. Joseph Rhodes will be a candidate for Napier. An old and much respected resident, Mrs. Witson, of Clyde Cottage, died yesterday, aged eighty.

New Plymouth, Friday. A meeting of the shareholders in the Titanic and Steel Company iu New Plymouth was held last evening, convened by Matheson, for the purpose of ascertaining the position of the company. Matheson condemned the action of the directors, in giving work to private persons instead of putting it up to public tender. He said he was of opinion that the directors did not want to make the company a success, and urged that a practical manager should be appointed. E. M. Smith also spoke, saying he considered a local directory should be appointed. The following resolution was carried:—“That a committee, to consist of Jackson, Smith, and Matheson be appointed to ascertain the correctness of the facts mentioned, and to report next Thursday, with a view to bringing the matter before the directors.

Wanganui, Friday. At a meeting of merchants interested in the formation of a harbor board, a resolution was carried to the effeet that a harbor board be formed. The feeling in favor of the resolution was unanimous. A committee was formed to carry out the object. A memorial to the Superintendent was also drawn out and signed by all present. Great interest is taken in the matter.

At a meeting of volunteers last night, strong opinions against the short Sniders lately issued were expressed. They are considered very inferior. The continual change in the rules for qualifying for the champion competition was also condemned.

Monday. W. H. Watt has issued an address to the electors of Wanganui announcing himself a local candidate. R. Pharazyn does not retire in his favor, as had been stated.

Blenheim, Thursday. The annual Flower Show of the Agricultural and Pastoral Society was held to-day. There was a large number of visitors, including many from Picton. The railway was also made available for bringing exhibits from Picton. Altogether, there was a fine show of plants, flowers, early fruits, &c.

Greymouth, Wednesday. The coming election for the Grey Valley is exciting a very large amount of interest throughout the constituency. Messrs. Woolcock, Newton, Comiskey, Guinness, and Harrison have announced themselves as candidates. The two former gentlemen have held meetings at several centres of population, declaring in favor of total abolition of the provinces. A requisition to Vogel has been numerously signed in the up-country districts.

A clearing up of the Energetic Quartz Mining Company resulted in 555 ounces 13dwts. melted gold, for five week’s crushing. A dividend of 4s. 6d. per 1000th share was declared. This company has paid six dividends during the last six months, amounting to £7BOO. An additional ten heads of stampers will be erected by the end of November, when the gold yield is expected to be considerably increased.

Hokitiki, Thursday. Tribe; M.H.K., was presented with a purse of sovereigns at a banquet last night.

Christchurch, Tuesday. Mr. Neill McLean announces himself as a candidate for the Coleridge district, making nine in the field for this seat. Mr. W. S. Moorhouse offers himself as a candidate for one of the Christchurch seats, and Mr. E. J. Wakefield is canvassing them for himself. Messrs. F. J. Stevens and S. P. Andrews, late M.P.C. for the city, are also candidates for the Christchurch seats.

Mr. J. T. Fisher, late M.P.C. for the Heathcote, is likely to oppose Sir Craeroft Wilson for that district.

The City Council last night voted £3OO to the widow and family of the late George Gordon, who had held the position of Town Clerk for 14 years. A narrow escape from fire, under somewhat curious circumstances, occurred last night. A man named Aarons, returning home from the theatre observed smoke issuing from the shop of A. W. Wright, furniture broker, near Martin’s Hotel, High-street. Assisted by constable Wheatleigh, he burst open the door, when they found it on fire in four separate places among piled up furniture in the front shop, and another fire in the back room. By great exertions they succeeded in extinguishing the flames before the engines got into play. Wright said his wife locked up the premises and left them all safe at 9 p.m. The stock was insured for £SOO in the New Zealand office, and £250 in the Batavian Fire and Marine Insurance Company, the latter policy being but a few days old. The building was insured for £l5O in the Transatlantic office. There was a large stock of new and secondhand goods on the premises, considered by many to be worth considerably over £IOOO. The stock was very inflammable, and the buildings in the locality are all of timber. Wednesday. Joseph Bcswick, who again opposes the Hon. C. C. Bowen for Kaiapoi, addressed a large meeting of electors at Kaiapoi last night.

He said, although as strong a believer as ever in provincial institutions, he felt it must be accepted as a fact that, notwithstanding the Abolition Bill had not yet become law, provincialism, as they had known it, was dead; and if returned he would endeavor to exercise his vote in such a direction as would give them as nearly as possible what they had lost, and what in his opinion had raised the country to its present state of prosperity, viz., provincialism. A motion that this meeting has every confidence in Beswick, and pledges itself to support him at the election, was carried by acclamation, without a dissentient voice.

R. L. Higgins, M.P.C., offers himself for Ashley, in opposition to J. E. Brown.

Timaru, Monday. Mr. R. R. Turnbull, M.P.0., an auctioneer at Timaru, has consented to stand against Bruce and Teschmaker. He is a strong Abolitionist and opposed to the squatters. He has democratic opinions. The Duke of Edinburgh immigrants are rapidly finding engagements, though some are very unsuitable. Great complaints are made as to their treatment on board. Captain Mosey brought his wife with him in defiance of the regulations in force since the Cospatriek disaster. The cabin passengers say they have been fed on the immigrants’ stores, the latter receiving short allowance. The immigrants were sent to Timaru six hours after the ship anchored at Lyttelton and no inquiry made. Thursday. Mr. Wilson addressed the Geraldine electors last night at Temuka. The meeting was not very large. The candidate declared himself an ardent abolitionist. On a resolution of confidence being proposed, seven hands were held up. The chairman declared the resolution carried. Mr. Wakefield was called for and asked to speak, but declined, stating that he would address the electors fully on Monday.

Heavy rain has fallen during the last few nights. The rivers are much swollen, and traffic interrupted. No great damage has occurred.

Dunedin, Friday. The Bruce Herald says Mr. Bastings for Waikaia, and Mr. William Fraser of Earnscleugh, for the Dunstan, are to be classed among the declared candidates. Mr. Hooper is to be requested to stand for Dunedin to be in Sir G. Grey’s interest.

Monday.

Councillor Isaac moves in the Municipal Council to-morrow a motion that members be paid two guineas a sitting, the same as the members of the Harbor Board. A similar motion is tabled for the Port Chalmers School Committee.

A deputation waited on the Hon. W. H. Reynolds to-day to ask that gentleman to use his influence with the General Government on behalf of the workmen on a contract on the Clutha and Mataura railway. Bradshaw said the contractor had failed, leaving upwards of £I2OO due to his workmen, and throwing them out of employment. These men, fifty or sixty in number, had tried every legal and legitimate means to obtain what was due to them, but without success, and they were consequently in a state of great distress. Reynolds said the matter was a very serious one, but as the deputation was aware it was not in his department, all he could do was to represent it to the Hon. Edward Richardson, Minister for Public Works, for his favorable consideration. He was perfectly certain that the Hon. Mr. Richardson would do all he could for the workmen, consistent with the interests of the public service, and as that gentleman was expected in Dunedin shortly the deputation might expect soon to have the matter determined.

It has been raining heavily and steadily all day. There is every chance of a flood if it continues much longer. The creeks are rising. Wednesday. The Medical Health Office reports a case of scarlet fever iu Dunedin.

In reference to the Round Hill Tunnel, the Tuapeka Times states that the contractors are simply carrying the work on until it gives such indications of an immediate and absolute collapse as will justify them in the eye of the law in abandoning it altogether. A climax of this kind is hourly expected.

Port Chalmers, Tuesday.

A rumor is current on the best authority that in the event of the Superintendent being elected as one of the Dunedin members for Assembly, Mr. John Joyce, the well known solicitor, will receive a numerously signed requisition, asking him to represent Port Chalmers.

Invercargill, Tuesday,

Requisitions are in circulation asking J. Lumsden to stand for Invercargill, and J. P. Joyce, editor of the Southland News., to contest Wallace. These have been got up by the Provincialists’ party.