TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4145, 3 July 1874, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

[Press Telegraph Agency.] THE ENGLISH SUEZ MAIL. ARRIVAL OF THE ALBION. Bluff, Thursday. The s.s. Albion, with the English mail on hoard, left Melbourne at 9 p.m. on the 27th. She experienced head winds throughout the passage, but made a rapid run of four days sixteen hours. She arrived at the Bluff at 3.40 p.m., and sails for Dunedin at 7 p.m. to-night. She brings 28 saloon passengers, 30 steerage passengers, and 250 tons of cargo for all ports. For Wellington the passengers are —Sir. and Mrs. Passmore and two children, Mr. Muggeridge, Miss Bridger. She has thirty tons of cargo for Wellington. Reports the sailing from Newcastle, for Wellington, of the Robin Hood on the 26th, REUTER’S SPECIAL TELEGRAMS. London, Juno 24. In the House of Commons, Mr. Plimsolls Merchant Shipping Survey Bill was defeated on the second reading—l 73 to 170. The Government opposed the measure, stating that the Royal Commissioners’ report, was signed, and would be distributed shortly. Tlie Queen is expected to visit St. Petersburg in September. June 25. At the Merchant Taylors’ banquet, Mr. Disraeli, in responding to the toast of Her Majesty’s Ministers, defended the Church as an institution of the country. He said that the policy of the Government was not a policy of inaction, but of progressive improvement for the people.

Earl Derby spoke on the general aspect of European affairs, which, ho held, were more and more tending to quiet. Paris, June 24. Distribution of photographs of tho Prince Imperial has been prohibited throughout France. UNPUBLISHED CABLE TELEGRAMS. LondON, June 20. V The Archbishop of Canterbury’s Bill for tho prevention of Ritualistic practices in the Church of England has passed the House of Lords. The statement that the Queen purposed visiting St. Petersburg is formally contradicted. A conference of German Bishops has assembled at Eulda, for the purpose of discussing the ecclesiastical laws. AUSTRALIAN NEWS. Melbourne, June 27. The Assembly is discussing the Constitution Bill in Committee. The chief point under discussion is as to how Money Bills should be dealt with—whether they should or should not be brought within the cognisance of the two Houses, sitting together. The steamship Somersetshire has arrived in fifty-six days from Plymouth. The s.s. Cyphrenes, with the Californian mail, left San Francisco on Sunday, the 21st of June. . Messrs. Samuel House & Co., grain factors have failed. Their liabilities are £15,000. Maher, who is charged with committing forgery in connection with the alleged will of the late P. C. Buckley, null be tried by a special jury. The Hurdle Race at Geelong was won by Rory O’More, and the Steeplechase by Sheet Anchor. The Governor attended the races. Several arrests have been made in connection with thefts of sugar from the store of Dalgety, Blackwood and Co. A monument is projected to the memory of the late Hon. J. P. Fawkner. About fifteen hundred pounds have been subscribed for the boys Bums, who lately lost their arms by an accident at a mill near Portland. COMMERCIAL. The markets are dull. Flour is lower. Oats are firm—stocks light. Prices ss. 4d. to ss. 7d. Candles are in good demand. There is a good demand for teas in consequence of news from Foo-choo-foo to the effect that the market rates are higher, although the quality of the teas is inferior.

A telegram from Batavia states that sugars are advancing rapidly. Another telegram reports that Coimessy’ [Hennessy’s ?] have commenced selling brandy at twenty francs per hectolitre. Salt has advanced in price, owing to the shortness of supplies shipped. Sydney, June 27. Parliament was prorogued on Thursday. The Vice-regal speech congratulated the Colony on the state of the revenue, and the establishment of the Californian mail sendee, aud promises early attention to the subject of the new telegraphic cables sanctioned by Parliament. The Governor’s minute on Gardiner’s case confirms the belief as to the Governor's intention to exile him. The matter is causing great public dissatisfaction. Mr. Neale has resgned his seat for Sydney. The Electoral Bill is shelved for a session. Incessant rains have been experienced in the coast districts. The steamship Flintshire has been got off, and proceeds to Sydney for repairs. Most of the passengers’ effects have been saved. Beisbane, June 26. The Land Bill has been passed by the Assembly. The Bill to legalise marriage with a deceased wife’s sister has passed its second reading in the Legislative Council. Adelaide, June 26. The barque Contest, bound for Port Darwin, has been wrecked on the coast of Western Australia, near Fremantle. All hands weresaved. Several ships have been engaged to take cargoes of wheat to the Cape of Good Hope. Wheat is quoted at ss. Auckland, Thursday, S p.m. Shortly after seven o’clock a fire broke out in the store of G. W. Owen, Lower Queen Street, adjoining the premises of Owen and Graham. The fire has just broken through the windows, and threatens to be most destructive. There was no water available after the first discovery, and no organised fire brigade. Mr. J. Mackay’s son was carried out of Owen and Graham’s store, apparently suffocated. Dr. Wright was soon in attendance upon him, and he is expected to recover. The wind is from the S.W., and it is likely that the whole block will be burnt, including the Waitemata Hotel. 9.15 p.m.

The fire has been confined to G. W. Owen’s building, in which it originated. It was extinquished chiefly through the large supply of water from Thornton, Smith, and Forth’s steam fire-engine, connected with their mill, a few stores above. The adjoining premises, occupied by Gillillan and the Harbor Board, twice caught fire, but it was soon extinguished After the roof fell in, the danger to the surrounding buildings was comparatively small, solid brick walla making the spread of the fiamea impossible. The store contained Kauri gum, paper, &c., which produced very heavy smoke, increasing the difficulty and the danger encountered by those engaged in extinguishing the fire. Nevertheless, a large number of volunteers, including Mr. Thomas Russell, mounted the roof, and did good sendee. The lad Maokay, who was carried out of a burning building, is recovering The amount of insurance effected upon the property destroyed is not yet ascertainable. 9.45 p.m.

The premises of G-. W. Owen, the Harbor Board, and G-ilfillan, belonged to the Hew Zealand Insurance Company. Owen’s premises were insured in the Victoria office for £■loo ; the balance in hia own office. Owen’s stock was insured os follows ; —New Zealand, £ISOO ; Koyal, £SOO ; Liverpool, London, and Globe, £SOO ; South British, about £BOO. The Victoria Company had £I2OO on the three buildings ; their loss will be only about £SOO. Nothing was saved from Owen’s store. Two seamen, belonging to the Rooparell, have committed a violent assault on a man in a house of ill-repute, broke his jaw, tore his eye out, and inflicted njuries on his chest It is believed that he will not recover. John Bascoe, one of the accused men, has been arrested, _ , Alexandra, Thursday, Tutawhiao returned to Ivopua last night. He appeared to bo very much pleased with his visit.