Telegraphic News.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 242, 8 July 1876, Page 9

Telegraphic News.

Auckland, Sunday. The Customs’ duties for the half-year ending 30th June, amounted to £102,782. The friendly societies have resolved not to send a delegate to Wellington, but to entrust their interests to the central committee already formed there. Monday. The City of San Francisco passed Napier without calling for mails or passengers. The mail agent entered a protest, the alleged reason for not calling (rough weather) being considered unwarranted. In the Supreme Court, the Judge, in his chai’ge, commented strongly ou the committal of Captain Morris on a charge of bribery at the East Coast election, on the unsupported testimony of one witness. He directed the Grand Jury to throw out the bill. Wednesday. W. C. Wilson, proprietor of the Neio Zealand Herald, died at five this evening, aged 66 years. Thursday. At the Supreme Court one Maori was sentenced to two years and another to six months for breaking into the Bank of New Zealand at Opotiki, and committing other depredations in the district. A brutal outrage was committed to-day on a married woman near Drury. The woman was knocked down, gagged, and violated. The offender has been arrested. Grahamstown, Friday. Na Tamati Tangeteruru died at Shortland to-day, after seven days’ illness. He was a chief of Ngatipaoa. The Customs revenue for the port of Thames for the month amounted to £909 os. 9d.; for the quarter ending June, 1876, £2512, Is. Id.; and for the year ending June, 1876, £9625. The delegates of the friendly societies have decided upon a number of alterations in the Friendly Societies Act, differing in some respects from those agreed upon by other conferences, but which are unexplainable by telegraph. A cutter yacht was wrecked the other night. The crew, consisting of two Maoris, are missing, and are supposed to be drowned. The cutter has been recovered. Wednesday. The borough election resulted in a majority of four votes for Dr. Kilgour. The numbers were—Kilgour, 277 ; Curtis, 273. A scrutiny was demanded ou the part of Curtis. Tauranga, Monday. The mail-coach subsidy will be discontinued for a period of four months. Armed Constabulary orderlies will carry the mails once a week through to Napier and Wellington. Peters, of Napier, places two-horse coaches on the road between Tauranga and Ohinemutu, for the convenience of tourists. Thursday. Great dissatisfaction is freely expressed by both Europeans and Maoris at the delay in commencing the investigation of the native titles to Tauranga lands. Mr. Brabant was ostensibly appointed to this work some time ago. Alexandra, Wednesday. Tawhiao and party, with Major Te Wheoro, reached Rangitikei to-day, travelling slowly, feasts being prepared at all the settlements from Kuiti. They proceed to Aoteroa, beyond Wliarepapa, where a large meeting is to be held. Napier, Friday. In consequence of Andrew Young not proceeding with the contract, the coaches on the Taupo line are to be knocked off after to-day. The mails are to be carried on pack horses by the Armed Constabulary. The native people are dissatisfied, and hope some arrangement will be made to start it again. The next lowest tender to Young’s is said to be Seter’s. Monday. The steamer City of San Francisco not calling here created much disappointment. Several through passengers and the mail were left behind, and no steamer is in port to go after her. Had the City been detained twenty-four hours in Auckland, which the Government was able and willing to do, it might -have been caught. Tuesday. The Napier Municipal Council j>assed the following resolution last night, —That this Council, in the absence of a Chamber of Commerce, desires to express its sense of the injury inflicted upon the mercantile community and inhabitants generally of the province, in consequence of the uncertainty prevailing in connection with the present arrangements for the despatch of the Hawke’s Bay mail via ‘San Francisco. A copy has been sent to the Superintendent, with a request that he urge that some measure of relief be provided. At the sale of Crown lands in the Seventy Mile bush some lots sold well; for others there were no offers, Mr. Routledge Kennedy’s sale of the whole of the draying and coaching plant on the Taupo line will take place on the 19th. Wanganui, Monday. Duthie and Watt have purchased the s.s. Clyde for the Patea, Foxton, and Rangitikei trade. Professor Hadley, N.Z.A.M., has accepted the appointment of pianist to the Di Murska Troupe. The speech of the Hon, Mr. Waterhouse in the Legislative Council, on the Wanganui election, caused much excitement, and an indignation meeting is talked of, for the purpose, of calling upon him to prove his remarks, which are looked upon here as totally false. New Plymouth, Wednesday. ’ The Herald publishes another of Grant’s letters, in which he says the Government and

its agents are trying to damage his fair fame and credit. He says Dunedin is literally swarming with fallen women. There are not less than 500 there. Thursday. At a meeting of the Education Board it was stated that there were no funds to pay last quarter’s salaries to teachers, and the General Government was to be asked to assist in the matter. Nelson, Wednesday. Mr. Charles Elliott, Immigration Officer, and the original proprietor of the Nelson Examiner, dropped dread this morning while going to port to proceed on board the Camperdown. Greymouth, Saturday. A man named David Henry Harrison was drowned last night while crossing the Ahawea river. The body was recovered to-day. A body, supposed to be that of the second steward of the Tui, was picked up in Canoe creek, north of the Grey, frightfully disfigured. Sunday. This morning at one o’clock a drunken sailor on board the ketch Sarah and Mary named Charles Donovan, came on board and wanted a man named James Hudd, who was sober in bed, to come and drink. Hudd refused, and Donovan then nagged him out to fight, which at last he consented to do. During the tussle both men fell overboard, and Hudd was drowned. The body has not been recovered. Donovan has been arrested. Hudd had a master mariner’s certificate, and lately arrived from Home. Monday. The Wealth of Nations Quartz Company’s (Inangahua) crushing for the month amounted to 2870z5. 17dwts. of retorted gold. Lyttelton, Monday. Eight sailors belongingto the ship Desdemona were committed for trial to-day for the larceny of cargo of the vessel. Christchurch, Friday. At a conference of the chairmen of the Hoad Boards yesterday it was resolved, —That it is desirable the Hoad Boards of this province should have an opportunity to consider the new Local Government Bill before it becomes law ; and officers were appointed with the view of calling another meeting when the matured proposals of the Government are before the public. The Canterbury Agricultural Association have acceded to a request to appoint judges for certain classes of stock at the North Otago Association’s show, provided the latter association will do the same for the annual show here in November. The calendar for the criminal sessions contains nine cases, which include manslaughter, bigamy, arson, horsestealing, forgery, burglary, larceny, and false pretences. Monday. A project to establish a skating rink here has completely failed. The Lydia Howarde Company are doing a capital business, and have engaged the Music Hall for six months. The criminal sessions of the Supreme Court opened to-day. McNicol, convicted of perjury, was sentenced to eighteen months ; Gordon, for horse-stealing, a recent arrival, and said to belong to a wealthy family, but a victim to billiards and drink, was sentenced to two years. Allen Wright, for forgery, twelve months. The weather is very stormy and wet. Tuesday. The young salmon were counted to-day. The total number is 175. The City Council last night carried a resolution favorable to the construction of street tramways in the city by a public company. A man named Arthur Boland was committed for trial for manslaughter to-day. He was returning from a shooting expedition, when he met a jgirl stopping at his father’s house. He called out that he would shoot her, and soon after the gun went off, the contents lodging in the girl’s head. Boland said the gun went off accidentally while carrying it at trail, but the girl before her death told her sister he presented it at her. At the Supreme Court, Alfred Bishop was charged with maliciously wounding a sheep. He was killing sheep, when one became unmanageable, and he deliberately cut off its nose. He cut both eyes out, and turned it back into the pen, and killed nine others before putting it out of its misery. Judge Johnston expressed his strong abhorrence at the crime, but only sentenced the prisoner to three months’ imprisonment. Wednesday. The Supreme Court was occupied twelve hours yesterday with the trial of William Townsend for manslaughter in a midwifery case. Verdict, guilty. Prisoner was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment, with hard labor. Dunedin, Friday. The police have commenced a raid on the horsey fraternity. Two of them have been charged under the Vagrant Act for having no lawful means of support. The Bench holds that they must prove that they get their living *>J honest means, and that it is not for the police to prove that they do not, On one of them “ crooked ” dice were found. The charge against Coleman has been remanded. Monday. The Times denies the statement made by Waddell that he told the Port shipping reporters that the city of San Francisco touched in coming in last time, and denies that it was so. The departure of the Suez mail is delayed till to-morrow. The Supreme Court criminal sittings opened to-day. The calendar is light, and the Judge’s charge was brief, containing nothing special. Tuesday. In reply to a letter from Mr. Bradshaw, complaining of the unsatisfactory manner in which coroners’ duties are carried out in this

city, the Minister for Justice has replied, pointing out that an amended Coroners Act has been promised. The subject of establishing a paid fire brigade is under the consideration of the City Council.

Mr. Bobert Peatti, M.A., has been appointed head master of the Girl’s High School, in place of Mr. Pope, resigned. The Variety Troupe opened last night. The licensed victuallers are advertising a caution against signing a memorial now in circulation in favor of Stout’s Licensing Bill. Wednesday.

Arthur B. Moule, charged with forging a deed in connection with some Victorian property, and with aiding and abetting a lad 11 years of age in the forgery, was sentenced to two years to-day. A proposition in the City Council to alter the female franchise in the Municipal Bill, so that only women aged thirty, and possessing rateable property of £SO annually, could vote, was lost by the casting vote of the Mayor. A charge against Coleman, the bookmaker, of vagrancy, was dismissed, though the Bench thought there was strong presumptive evidence that be did not earn his livelihood honestly. Thursday.

The Chief Harbormaster submitted a report to the Harbor Board yesterday, denying the truth of the statement in a Wellington paper, that the City of San Francisco touched on the bar coming in and going out, and characterised the statement as in some respects dishonest scheming to injure the port of Dunedin. The Czarewich, wrecked at Big Bay, was on her way to Sydney with the second half {of the Southland railway plant, sold by the Otago Provincial Government recently for £10,900 to the Government of New South Wales. The plant landed at Sydney is comparatively useless without the Czarewich portion. The vessel was insured for £2OOO, as follows :—National Marine of South Australia, £SOO ; South British, £3OO ; New Zealand, £3OO ; Standard, £3OO ; and National, £3OO. The plant on board was insured for £2660 in the National.

The Education Board’s annual report shows that there were 157 elementary schools in operation at the close of 1875, in which 288 teachers were employed, and the attendance 16,097. The total expenditure, exclusive of school buildings, was £25,130, and £25,000 was spent on buildings and repairs. The Lingards left Melbourne to-day under engagement to Hoskins. Besolutions were passed at the Harbor Board meeting to-day favorable to increased wharfage accommodation, estimated to cost £36,000, the work to extend over four years. A resolution condemnatory of Stout’s Licensing Bill, and of his conduct in introducing it unasked and unconsulted, was passed at a meeting of the licensed victuallers last night. The Guardian concurs in the Hon. Mi*. MeLean’s appointment as Commissioner of Customs. The Dunedin Peninsula and Ocean Beach railway has been commenced. Professor McGregor has been appointed medical officer to the Lunatic Asylum. A petition, signed by 300 people, has been posted, requesting the House to pass Stout’s South Dunedin Validation Bill. Invercargill, Friday. Meetings are being held in all farming districts, at which resolutions are passed that the farmers are quite able to cope with the evils resulting from the spread of rabbits without the aid of special legislation on the subject. The repeal of the duty on powder and shot is suggested, as also that every settler he allowed to keep one dog free from tax.