Telegraphic News.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 244, 22 July 1876, Page 9

Telegraphic News.

Auckland, Friday. Grey’s central committee have placed Mr. David Goldie in nomination for City West. A landslip occurred on the railway near Mercer last night, extending a hundred feet long and fifteen feet high. As the night train approached the engine-driver observed it, and he shut off steam and reversed the engines, but not in time to prevent the locomotive from rushing into the mass of earth. The engine ran off the line, and fell over on its side, but both driver and stoker escaped unhurt, by jumping off. Only four passengers were on the train, who were all unhurt. The carriages remained stationary on the line. Saturday. The Mechanics’ Institute was packed last night. Many were unable to get admittance to hear Mr. Bees. His address was received with great enthusiasm throughout. He referred to the exclusion of his name from the Accounts and other committees. He received an overwhelming vote of confidence. Another motion was passed, approving of the policy of Sir George Grey and Mr. Bees, and three groans were given for Sir Julius Vogel. Mr. Coleman Phillips went South by the Wellington, to support his petition for redress in connection with the South Sea scheme. The ship Bebington, 160 days from London, arrived to-day. Since leaving London there have been 60 cases of scarlatina and rheumatic fever. Already 16 deaths have occurred, and there are two bad cases still. The returning officer has appointed Saturday next for the nomination for Auckland City West, and Tuesday for the polling. The central committee have announced Goldie. The only other candidate is Farnall. It is thought probable that the latter will withdraw, and leave the election uncontested. The Bebington has been placed in quarantine. There is only one case of scarlet fever and one of rheumatic fever aboard now. The voyage was protracted by putting into Algoa bay through being short of water. Monday. The. special jury cases, Jones and Ware, sub-contractors, involving claims amounting to about £6OOO, came on in the Supreme Court. Travers, for the defendants, agreed that the case should be settled by the arbitration of Captain Heale. The Bebington’s passengers are doing well at the quarantine station. The barque Lady Franklin is driven higher up on the bank at Kaipara, and is advertised for sale by auction. Singleton Bocliford, formerly District Judge at Hawke’s Bay, is announced as a candidate for City West. Bobert Graham, ex-Superin-tendent, has also been solicited to come forward. An American telegram states that the Ncvj York Herald of June 7 is informed that the recent escape of Fenian prisoners from Australia was planned in that city, and carried out by parties sent from there; the money to defray the expenses was also raised in that city. The breaking of the cable between Java and Australia was part of the plan to prevent pursuit. The Virginia Chronicle says the escape of all the Fenian prisoners in

Western Australia was the successful culmination of the patriotic efforts of Irishmen in America, who kept their secret well and did their work neatly. For some time past subscriptions have been quietly raised for the purpose of liberating these prisoners transported from England; Virginia city alone contributed 1400dols. With these funds a vessel was fitted out as a whaler and sailed, osti» sibly on a whaling voyage, to the South Pacific. The deliverers had to wait until all the Fenian prisoners were concentrated upon one part of the coast, and then swooped down and carried them off. Only one man, whose name is yet unknown, was left behind, probably because he had not been able to reach that portion of the coast. Tuesday. The central committee have accepted the resignation of Goldie in favor of Tonks, who will be run for the City West with almost a certainty of election. It is understood that the representative of the Pacific Mail Company went up to Sydney by last mail steamer to secure the abandonment of the New Zealand coastal service, and that in the event of such a concession not being made there is a probability of the sudden termination of the service, the risks of entering the New Zealand ports and frequent grounding of the steamers being considered too great to run. Thursday. Corcoran, a nephew of the landlord of the Greyhound Hotel, in getting out of an upstairs window, apparently to reach an adjoining room, fell to the pavement and was killed. The New Zealand Loan aud Mercantile Agency’s produce telegram confirms the late wool reports, and says :—Tallow, less trade demand, mutton, 425.; beef, 415.; leather market flat, 4000 sides sold since last report ; best showed Is. 2d. per lb. decline on previous rates, others in proportion ; wheat market firm. Grahamstown, Saturday. Bapana Maunganoa, a noted Thames chief, died yesterday of bronchitis, aged seventy-t vo years. Deceaed was a man of influence, being the principal landed proprietor of the Shortland township. Thursday. A preliminary meeting has been held to form a branch of the Church of England Temperance Association here. Napier, Wednesday. At twenty-five minutes past four o’clock this morning an exceedingly shai’p shock of earthquake passed over Napier, travelling apparently from south-west to north-east. It was the severest shock experienced for some time past. No damage is reported except the throwing down of the upper part of the chimney at the boiling down establishment, Clive. New Plymouth, Friday. The furnace of the Ironsand Company will be blown into to-night for the first time. Saturday. Great dissatisfaction is expressed at the division of New Plymouth county, and a public meeting is to be called for Wednesday, to protest against it. Atkinson’s constituents and strong supporters say they cannot understand his proposing a boundary. Monday. Owing to a rumor in town that the smelting at Henui had been a failure, several shareholders went and interviewed Whatton at the works. He told them he had not succeeded in smelting the ironsand, and was blowing the furnace out. He refused to give further information either to the shareholders or public, as he says he is only responsible to the directory. The furnace will be kept clear and in good condition for further trials. He will give no opinion as to the future, saying he has done his best, but has not yet succeeded. There is great excitement here re the boundary of New Plymouth county. A deputation waited on the Deputy-Superintendent, who has called a public meeting for Wednesday next at two o’clock. Wednesday. A public meeting was held this afternoon re boundaries of counties in this province, when the following resolution was unanimously passed : —“ That it is undesirable to divide the province into two counties as proposed by the Counties Bill, as being financially unjust, and being calculated to produce financial difficulties and complications ; that the formation of the whole province into one county would avoid this, and is calculated to work equitably, and to fairly adjust the various interests concerned.” The resolution is to be forwarded to the members. An earthquake lasting for several seconds, and of a violent nature, occurred here this morning at 4.12. The Taranaki with English mails has arrived. She left for Nelson at ten o’clock. The Henui furnace is cleared, and the men are paid off. Patea, Wednesday. A severe shock of earthquake was felt here this morning about 4.30. It lasted one minute. Marton, Wednesday. Heaviest shock of earthquake at 4.20 this morning that has been experienced for years, accompanied with loud rumbling. Wanganui, Wednesday. A very violent shock of earthquake was felt at 4.15 this morning. Westport, Wednesday. Good crushing of Alpine Company’s stone. 150 tons gave 130ozs. of gold. There was an earthquake shock here this morning at 4.17. It lasted 10 seconds. The Tui left for Grey mouth at 10.30 this morning. Greymouth, Wednesday. An important public meeting was held to protest against proposed boundaries of the county of Ahaura, by the exclusion of Beefton from the county. Besolutions were unani-

mously passed that the Government be requested to make the county the same as the electoral district of the Grey, as the commercial interests of Reefton were identical with those of Greymouth. A shock of earthquake was felt at three o’clock this morning. Hokitika, Saturday., Luke Moore, a schoolmaster at Callaghan s, has been committed for trial for an indecent assault on three little girls, his pupils. Stewart Hill was released from the tunnel yesterday, not much injured. J Tuesday. A numerously attended meeting of the shareholders in the Mount Rangitoto Silver Mining Company was held last night, John Lazar, Esq., in the chair. The rules and regulations under the Joint Stock Companies Act were adopted, and the following gentlemen appointed directors: — Messrs. J. Churches, J. Holmes, H. Hanson, W. D. Banks, M. Bollock, James Bevan, and H.' Hyams. The company was ordered to be registered forthwith. Wednesday. The steamer has returned, having landed the Italian immigrants at Jackson Bay. They are all well pleased with the appearance of their future home. Arrived : Alhambra, from Melbourne. The Waipara goes out to-night to tender her, but will not return till the morning. A smart shock of earthquake was felt here at four o’clock this morning. Lyttelton, Wednesday. A smart shock of earthquake was felt here at 4.10 this morning, lasting several seconds. Christchurch, Friday. The City Council have expressed warm approval of the Municipal Corporations Bill. John Beamish committed suicide owing to heavy losses by the Oxford bush fire some weeks ago. At a meeting of the Chamber of Commerce this afternoon it was resolved to suggest to the General Government the advisability of asking the Imperial Government to make arrangements for occasional visits being made to and provisions left at Crozet Island, where the Strathmore was wrecked. The draft of a new Bankruptcy Bill was adopted, and ordered to be sent to Wellington at once with a strong request to the Canterbury members to support it. The draft of a Lyttelton Harbor Board Bill was also adopted, and ordered to be forwarded to Wellington. Wednesday. The directors of the New Shipping Company have issued their report, to be presented at the general meeting on 2nd August. The operations since Ist January, 1575, show that there had been a profit of £43,177, which they propose to appropriate —first, to liquidate balance at debit of profit and loss account on 31st December, 1874, £14,360; second, to transfer to a reserve fund £20,000; third, to pay a dividend for the half-year ending 30th June at 8 per cent, per annum, £5000; and to carry the balance, £3817, forward. A severe shock of earthquake was experienced at twenty-four minutes past four this morning. W. G. Brittain, one of the pioneer settlers, and for many years Chief Commissioner of Lands, is dead. Dr. Turner, who has been travelling the colony lecturing on hydropathy, was brought up at the R.M. Court to-day, charged with stealing an overcoat belonging to a passenger on board the steamer Wellington. He was remanded till Friday. Dunedin, Saturday. A meeting of cricketers will be held to-night to consider the last proposal of the English eleven. At the railway works a man named Miclcae has been killed by the falling of a stack of logs. Mrs. Lad was found dead in a stable at West Taieri, from natural causes it is supposed. The University vacancies have been filled by the appointment of Messrs. Macandrew and James Fulton. A cottage was destroyed by fire last night. It was insured in the National for £228. A memorial against Stout’s Local Option Bill has been transmitted with 1600 signatures. Monday. Marshall, a milkman, well-to-do, and with a large family, has been arrested for a criminal assault on a child of eleven years. The Lingards were an immense success in “ Our Boys.” The theatre was densely crowded, and hundreds turned away. The case of Marshall, charged with rape, has been adjourned till Thursday, bail being refused. The Mayoral nominations are going on throughout the province. A case of seduction —Alex. Fraser v. William Allison, both of Tokomairiro —came on at the Supreme Court to-day. The accusation sets forth that the plaintiff’s daughter’s intercourse with defendant resulted in the birth of a child ; that the defendant wished the daughter to accuse an innocent party, and attempted to induce her to commit infanticide. Subsequently he accused his own brother of having committed the offence, and made over his property and absconded when proceedings were instituted against him. The case has occupied the Court all day. In the seduction case the jury returned a verdict on all the issues. Damages, £3OO. Wednesday. It is understood that Mr. Caldwell has, through his Honor the Superintendent, challenged Mr. Reynolds, in the event of it being correct that the latter opposed him when in the Ministry, to prove a single charge against him during the whole of his official career. The Auckland correspondent of the Times telegraphs that the captain of the City of New York is reported to have stated that when he reached Lyttelton he would telegraph to Dunedin, asking if the authorities were pre- 1

pared to guarantee against risk in taking the steamer into Port Chalmers, and that unless they did so he would send on the mails from Lyttelton. The Bruce Herald is being published in Dunedin owing to a misunderstanding with a banking institution. The half-yearly report and balance-sheet of the Colonial Bank of New Zealand, to be submitted to the meeting of shareholders to be held on Wednesday next, shows that the position of the bank continues steadily to improve. The capital has advanced to £322,967; the net profits for the half-year, after deducting all salaries and expenses of management, rent, and other charges, as well as making ample provision for bad and doubtful debts, and interest accrued on deposits, amounts to £6134, to which add balance of profit and loss account carried over from 31st December last, making a total of £10,084 to be dealt with at the present meeting. The directors strongly recommend that it shall be appropriated as follows : In augmentation of the reserve fund, £6433 ; to be carried forward to next half-year, £3651. Mr. Alex. Rennie has withdrawn from the contest for a seat on the directory.

Cargill, Gibbs, and Co. received a telegram from Helmuth, Schwartz, and Co., dated June 21st, as follows :—The wool sales opened with a moderate attendance of both home and foreign buyers. The total arrivals comprise four hundred and seven thousand bales. The market is very depressed. Both home and foreign buyers act with much reserve. Prices for fleece, washed, and scoured show an average decline of to 3d., and grease 2d. Crossbreds show a less marked decline compared with closing rates of last sales. Prices expected to rule without further change during the remainder of the sales. At a meeting of the Albion Coal Company to-day the attendance was limited, and, in accordance with the rules, the directors retained their seats. Thursday. The Union Company’s steamer Taupo, was berthed alongside the Dunedin wharf this afternoon. She came up the harbor with the greatest ease, drawing 12ft. 6in. SPECIAL TELEGRAM. (from our own correspondent.) Auckland, Wednesday. The Southern Cross writes thus of Whitaker and Wakefield’s motion :—“ At last comes up in Parliament the real question of vital importance to the colony, the question of the land fund, and its conversion into colonial revenue as being the produce of colonial lands. This will prove a crucial test of parties, before which they will be compelled to bow. Now comes the true Ithuriel’s spear (and it is in the hands of a veteran politician, Whitaker), the touch of which will test the sincerity of the Opposition and Government followers alike, and produce a re-arrangement of parties and a change of front by many. In the teeth of the repeated avowals of Sir J. Yogel, from the time of his Wanganui speech up to the delivery of his Financial Statement, in favor of localising the land fund, we have not ceased to declare, as we have done for years, that the consolidation of the land fund was the only true mode by which the injustice the North has suffered in the past might be remedied, and justice to the whole colony be meted out for the future.. This motion of Whitaker’s is the ordeal of trial for the Yogel Ministry. We have always maintained that abolition and the land fund was the true colonial motto ; and if the Government are now prepared to take a bold step straight in the direction that Whitaker’s motion points to, they will gain the support of the North and the country at large. If they fail to do this—if they adhere to the nibbling process announced the other day—we believe their days are numbered. No one can tell what unforeseen combinations may arise; but we hail with pleasure the notification given yesterday in Parliament of Whitaker’s motion as an embodiflient of that great public principle of equity and right for which we have in these columns contended for years. We cannot believe that the Government, as one of our correspondents telegraphs, will remain spectators of the fight as between the two parties that this motion will create. The Government, in a question of such magnitude and on which hang such issues, must declare their opinions. It would appear that a choice of two projects is offered. The motion of Wakefield, for giving one moiety of the land fund to the locality and the other t© the colony is but a half measure, which would awaken dissatisfaction in the localities themselves, and ultimately necessitate the fighting all over again of the battle now imminent, and which, when fought, should be decisive. Half measures are unsatisfactory, and are now too late. We therefore hope that, unheeding consequences, no matter who may stand or who may fall as the -issue of the approaching debate, Whitaker will triumphantly carry his motion. The proposal is one which every reasoning man in Auckland must acknowledge to be for the benefit of this province, and we shall now see who are the true friends of the North —they who talk of separation, or those who strive for justice to the North as represented by the land fund and its substantialities.” The Herald says:—“ We desire most heartily to see Whitaker carry his present ac . tion to a successful issue. Whitaker’s chief support will of course be from Auckland members, who will indeed be all with him except one, or perhaps two, who are bound to the Government. He may also have some assistance from Nelson, Marlborough, the West Coast, and even Canterbury ; but we are afraid the Ministry will be too strong for Mr. Wakefield’s string of resolutions, which may yet give the Government a very great amount of trouble. Probably they may be taken as emanating from the Stafford party, and in the event of a defeat of Whitaker’s resolutions, they would not unlikely be supported by the whole force of the Opposition.”

AUSTRALIAN SUMMARY. Melbourne. Parliament was opened on Tuesday. The Governor’s speech stated that the estimated revenue had been fully realised, and that the finance of the country was in a satisfactory condition. A number of Bills are promised, including an Electoral Act to alter some of the existing boundaries, and to equalise the districts, and also to add about four members to the Assembly. Other Bills promised are those relating to Railway Extension, Harbor Trust, Mining on Private Property, Wines Beer and Spirits Sale, Land, and Education No mention is made of any fiscal alteration, and none is proposed. In the Legislative Council the address was agreed to after a few remarks, and in the Assembly no amendment was proposed, but in the course of the debate the speech was much criticised, especially for omissions, and it is not favorably received by the Press generally. The revenue returns for the year show a total of £4,322,000, with an increase of £190,000. Mr. Thomas, member for Sandridge, is dead. The Solicitor-General is a candidate for the vacant seat. The Government refuse to receive Stevensons’ invoices without proper headings, and their goods constantly arriving remain unopened, doing much injury to their business. Three bodies have been recovered from the Gettwood, and it is now almost certain that no lives were saved. Rain is very much wanted in all the Australian colonies. The average fall for the last half -5 ear is the lowest since 1848. Meat and vegetables are all getting dear. Sullivan is said to have left the colony. ADDITIONAL AUSTRALIAN NEWS, PER ALHAMBRA, AT HOKITIKA. Melbourne. John Gavan Duffy has been admitted an attorney. In the Legislative Council Mr. Wilson condemned the action of the Government with regard to the Stevensons’ case, and thought some mention of the matter should have been made in the speech. The opinion of the public was that the Government had bungled the whole matter, and that their action looked very like persecution. In the Equity Court, in the case Morley v. Nisbet, an application was made for a new trial on the ground that the verdict was against evidence. Mrs. Nisbet, widow of James Nisbet (Scotch Jock) disputed the probate of his will, on the allegation that deceased was not sober when he signed it, and that it had not been executed according to law. His Honor refused the application, and granted probate of the will. Sydney.

An inmate of the lunatic asylum at Paramatta was found dead and mutilated, and is supposed to have been murdered by another patient. Mr. Rae, incarcerated in a libel suit, has been liberated at the instance of the complainant. The schedule of Meyer and Co. shows liabilities over £28,000 ; assets over £II,OOO. The Yass Courier has been served with a writ, in which damages are laid at £SOO, for alleged libel on the coroner at Young. Adelaide. A verdict has been given against the Roman Catholic Bishop, on an acceptance for £3OO, for goods supplied to the Catholic book depot. Two sons of Mr. Birrell, bailiff of the local court, brought an action against him for malicious prosecution, but one was committed for perjury, and the other was sentenced to six months for assaulting his father in court. LATE MAIL NEWS. A Press Agency telegram informs us that the Khedive of Egypt is unfriendly to the new Sultan. From the Morning Call, a San Francisco paper, of June 21, we clip the following items hitherto unpublished : Berlin, June 15. —The Emperor of Austria will meet the Czar of Russia when he is returning to Russia, and their Majesties will travel a short distance together. Afterwards the Emperor of Austria will meet Emperor William at Ischel. Prince Bismarck will remain at Kissengen, some weeks after which he goes to Varien. Brussels, June 15. —Order is everywhere restored. It is apprehended, however, that the anti-clericals may resume demonstrations.