TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5544, 4 January 1879, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

(from our own correspondent). Auckland, Friday. Eewi has come to grief with his people for having brought a Government officer, Dr. Hector, with him from Mokau. This has been added to the number of his sins. Tupatabi and others rated the old chief soundly for his sayings and doings at Taranaki. Eewi denies that he made a promise about the railway to Waikato. Grey said to him once, “ Manga, let me make the railway from Waitara, and you shall have the management and all the receipts.” Eewi answered, “ The time has not come for such talk.” Sheehan wanted him to go to England to see the Queen ; he refused. He wanted to see Lord Normanby, but Grey would not consent. Major Te Wheoro has come back from his bootless errand to Tawhiao. The King’s children are not coming to school at present, as the weather is not fine enough. Sheehan is expected up soon at Kopua. The people are determined to be present at any meeting with Eewi. “No more gammon,” they say. Official lies are very dangerous when found out, as they are sure to be amongst Maoris, who keep no secrets. The lying from first to last appears to have been profound and solid.

(PEE PRESS AGENCY). Marion, Friday. A fire broke out this afternoon in Bussell's workshop, High-street, which communicated with the Temperance Hall, and which was totally destroyed. It is insured in the Victoria for £250. Lyons’ premises were only saved by dint of the most unceasing exertion. Grahamsiown, Friday. Mr. Stewart, E.E., and Mr. D. Beere, C. 8., arrived to-day, and commenced preparations for starting the first section of the Thames Valley railway. The local authorities have also been communicated with re the acquisition of the land for the lines. The greater portion q{ which is expected to be given.

Grettown, Friday. The nominations for nine councillors of the Greytown Borough were received to-day. The following are the candidates:—J. Baillie, T. Barnard, J. Fuller, G. Gray, W. R. Hastwell, A. B. Jackson, T. Kempton, jun., E. V. Smith, J. Smith, W. J. Salmon, R. J. Thomson, H. Udy, sen., R, A. Wakelin, B. Gallagher, ond John Macarra. The elections take place on the 9th instant. Napier, Friday. Mr. Kennedy, at present holding the position of District Judge of New Plymouth, is expected here shortly to supersede Mr. R. Sheath as R.M. ; he will also fulfil the duties of District Judge. The public of Hawke’s Bay are not satisfied with having another District Judge imposed on them, as it has been tried three times previously, and on each occasion proved an utter failure. Hoskins’s Dramatic Company is drawing miserable houses. It is probable, however, that when Hoskins arrives himself theatrica matters may improve. Colonel Whitmore has ’arranged to sell the Grange and Clifton estate. The latter belongs to Gordon Hill; the latter partner, however, objects. A steamer has been engaged all day taking soundings, with a view of obtaining a site for a breakwater. A company is being formed to make the purchase. Should the speculators succeed it is presumed it will injure Napier, as a port is easily obtained in which vessels can obtain splendid anchorage. There is some excitement over the municipal contest. There are seven candidates for two seats. Mr. H. A. Cornford, the well-known solicitor, is the popular candidate, and generally expected to head the poll. Mr. M. R. Miller, land and estate agent, is next favorite, and it is generally supposed that he will be elected. The other candidates are small fry, and it is hard to say how they will figure when the ballet-box is closed. Karatiana, the member for the East Coast, still remains in a precarious position. He will not converse but with his old friends. He has again been removed from his hapu at Pakowhai and taken to Napier, and occupies, with his family, the Maori Club, in which Mr. White, late editor of the Wananga, resided. Great complaints have been made with respect to the manner in which the ferry between the Eastern and Western Spit is conducted, and the Harbor Board is blamed for negligence in the matter.

To-day arrangements have been concluded by the Hawke’s Bay Racing Club for the lease for twenty-one years of some ground at Hastings, now held by the Pastoral and Agricultural Society. It will form a splendid racecourse. A new racing club has lately been formed here. Owing to antagonism between the two clubs the old club has shown a desire to become more popular, and to step out of its present exclusiveness. It is rumored that Mr. E. H. Bold, the engineer for Hawke’s Bay and Waipawa Counties, succeeds Mr. Floyd as chief electrician on the East Coast.

A man named Alder was run over by a dray yesterday. The horse bolted and Alder, in attempting to jump off the dray, got his legs entangled in the reins. He fell and the wheel passed over his left side aud wrist. He lies in a precarious condition at the Farudon Hotel.

Colonel Whitmore, accompanied by an engineer, is to-day taking soundings near his estate at Clive. It is proposed that a company should be formed (Murray, Common, and Co., with Mr. Miller, ara at the head of the movement) to purchase the Grange Estate to form a [township and erect a breakwater, and so make a harbor. It is supposed that in such an event Napier would have great competition. The continued drought causes much apprehension in the farming districts. Constable Denis, who apprehended a Maori in the Waiapu district, who was found guilty of horse stealing at the last sessions of the Supreme Court, has been awarded £5 for the tact he displayed.

The total revenue collected at the Customs at Port Ahuiri for the quarter ending 31st December was £9990 13s. 3d.

The return of births, marriages, and deaths for the Napier district shows for last year—births, 440 ; marriages, 115 ; deaths, 224. New Plymouth, Friday.

By permission, of the Government a surveyor is about to proceed to Mokau to survey the land for which Jones and Co. are in treaty with the natives, preparatory to the sitting of the Native Land Court. Large numbers of natives are assembling at Parihaka, and large quantities of provisions are being conveyed thither. Extensive crops of potatoes are being cultivated there, and from the bearing of the natives it is thought that they willmake astand against the settlement of the plains. Hiroki is engaged hoeing potatoes, and carries a loaded gun with him. His wife has not died of grief, but is living with another man. Mr. T. Kelly, member for New Plymouth, aud Mr. H. Weston, proprietor of the Taranaki Herald, have been charged by the Harbor Engineer with conspiring to oust him from his appointment. A committee of the Harbor Board are investigating the charges. The matter has caused some excitement here.

Auckland, Friday.

The Hon. . Mr. Sheehan addressed the Working Men’s Club to-night. The room was tastefully decorated with flags, evergreens, and floral devices, and the motto “ Welcome to our president.” Bishop Cowie was in the chair; there were present also Mr. Rusden, Clerk of Parliaments in Victoria, Messrs. Tole, Swanson, and Dignan, M.H.R.’s, the Bishop of Auckland, the Mayor of Auckland (Mr. Peacock). Mr. J. A. Tole and Mr. W. Swanson also addressed the meeting. Mr. H. Hislop [proposed a vote of thanks to Mr. Sheehan; which was heartily accorded, and Mr. Sheehan briefly returned thanks. Mr. Sheehan, on rising to address the company, was received with loud cheers. He thanked the club for electing him as president in his absence from Auckland. He apologised for not having taken a more active interest in the club. He did not intend to deliver a lecture, as that was out of his line. He always spoke best when he knew his remarks would evoke a reply. The club opened on the 19th March, and it now had a total of 115 members —47 ordinary, 28 honorary, and 40 visiting members.

At the inquest on the body of Bridget Connelly the jury returned a verdict that deceased committed suicide while in a state of temporary insanity. Drs. Philson and Bowing, and the husband of deceased, gave evidence, . clearly proving that deceased swallowed carbolic acid.

During the month of December there were 22 deaths.

The Star says Sir George Grey will turn the first sod of the Waikato and Thames railway at Hamilton in a few days. Mr. Sheehan proceeds to Waikato to-mor-row to visit Eewi.

Mr. J. F. Moss arrived from Cambridge this morning. He reports that the track through the Kahora bush offers no difficulty for a good coach road. The Lake could be reached comfortably from Cambridge in one day. Auckland would be the best route. The road is fat superior to the 'J’auranga road. Moss left Awhou school-house at six o’clock on Monday morning; entered Kaharoa bush at seven and got out of it at three on Thursday afternoon; reached the native settlement, Topapa, the same evening, where the natives received him. Moss started during the night for Cambridge. The track not having been used for many years was quite overgrown. The natives had great difficulty in finding it. They had to cut their way right through the bush, not more than twenty miles broad. Tapapa is equally distant from Cambridge and A when. There are no creeks to bridge. It is a fine bush country for settlement. The timber is chiefly rimn, and the land good. Hennessy, of Opotiki, was tried this session for shooting a settler named Baonivetch. While fording a river on horseback Hennessy was drowned, his horse rolling over him. The body was found last Sunday. William English, brought up from Opotiki, will be tried for wounding Moore with a billhook.

The racehorses Lady Elizabeth and Repo were shipped per Southern Cross to-day for Napier. The match between the Taranaki team and eleven of the Auckland United Club commenced this morning. The weather is remarkably fine, and intensely hot. There were a great number of spectators on the ground. Auckland won the toss, and decided to go to the wickets.

Aley’s house and shop at Wangarei was destroyed by fire. The stock and building was valued at £650. They were uninsured. Invercargill, Friday.

This evening Mr. A. Kinress, a candidate for Mataura in Grey’s interest, addressed a meeting of the electors at Invercargill. He expressed himself most decisively in Grey’s interest on all party questions. He approved of deferred payments for land, and claimed credit for it. He would support a reduction of price of deferred payments for laud and extension of time, so that at the end of three years dummies conld not hand over their holdings to capitalists. Stout, as Minister of Lands, advocated manhood suffrage, with one year's colo-

nial and short local residence. Ballot papers should not be numbered. He believed in elective Councils, but the power to elect should he vested in proper persons. Capitalists now agreed with the principles of the laud tax, and thought there should subsequently be an income tax. He would support the Ministry in adopting measures to restrict Chinese immigration. There was a unanimous vote of confidence.

Christchurch, Friday. It is stated by the Waimate paper that when the Christchurch Volunteers were passing through that place they rushed a refreshment stali, kept by an old woman, and did not pay her. The criminal sessions commence on Monday. There are fourteen cases.

The action of the committee in taking action against Francis Valpy, the late secretary of the Railway Employes’ Society, was last night confirmed by a general meeting of the members. James Fallows was admitted into the hospital suffering from injuries inflicted at Springfield Coal Mine, through a piece of stone falling on him. There are now six reaper and binder agents in town. Another case of indecent exposure was heard this morning, when the prisoner, named Francis McLoughleu, was fined £i. The light sentence was in consequence of his being in a state of intoxication at the time of committing the offence. The Globe to-night announces its intention of publishing the names of the vendors of rotten fruit, of which a large quantity has lately been on sale in the city. The first sitting of the newly-established District Court will be held on the 20th inst.

The through traffic with Dunedin will be resumed to-morrow. The largo American engines will not cross the Rangitata bridge, but the small shunting engine, Kiwi, will be employed for that purpose. The railway authorities consider that the breakage of this bridge during last year through floods cost the country several thousands of pounds. Mr. Bills, from Australia, leaves Lyttelton for England on the 9th instant to select a shipment of birds for the Canterbury Acclimatisation Society. At a largely attended meeting of the railway employees to-night the committee brought up a report recommending the annual picnic to be held on tho racecourse. It will take place during the first week in February. The Acclimatisation Society only have about one thousand trout left. Five hundred of these will be set free in the Ashburton tributaries on Monday next. Five thousand have been, placed in the Avon during the season.

Seventeen carriages will come through from the South to-day. They are intended for the Christchurch section of the railway. A man named Joseph' Hull was arrested this morning for stealing a valuable retriever dog.

Au experiment will be made by the water supply committee with a view of testing the practicability of supplying the city from the Waitnakariri, The experiment will probably coat £2OO.

Lyttelton, Friday. The regatta prizes distribution takes place to-day. Ddnedin, Friday. Th* total receipts of the two days sports of the Caledonian Society are £1217, to which will have to be added the takings of Saturday and the annual subscriptions of members. The winter night classes are maintained out of the funds of the Society. Mr. Macindoe denies having been appointed land valuer for the Taieri County. He may not have been appointed land valuer for that county, but it is beyond doubt that he has received a billet under the Land Tax Act.

The body of Captain Hughes, of the Oreti, was brought to Dunedin from L New River today for interment here. The Presbyterian Synod of Otago and Southland will meet on the 14th instant. The question as to the disposal of Church funds for the purpose of endowing a new chair in the Otago University will probably give rise to a sharp discussion.

Two Presbyterian ministers and a Home missionary are expected to arrive from Scotland shortly. The Inspector-General’s classification of Otago teachers has produced general dissatisfaction. It is said that very few of them intend to abide by his decision. It is understood they will hold a meeting to secure joint action in the matter.

The result of the first crushing in the Weatherstone company’s claim, though net such as to fulfil the expectation of some of thespeculators, is, however, by no means discouraging. The yield represents £266 in money, and if the working expenses, including interest on capital invested amount to £230 or £240, the margin left will yield a fair dividend on the capital actually laid out, which scarcely exceeds £2OOO. It may be assumed for the purpose of a rough calculation that the company have actually worked for thirty days, employing twelve men daily at 10s. each per day, aud paying for their water power at the rate of £1 per day. The future yields may reasonably be expected to be better as the manager and men gat better accustomed to the work. The deposit has been tested so far as to show clearly that it will take centuries to exhaust it. What is at present required is capital, as the individual shareholders are generally speaking unable to spare the funds for erecting machinery. F. Goodfellow, the Australian short distance runner, has severed his engagement with Shepherd owing to the latter’s strange proceedings at last Saturday’s sports. Shepherd returned to Melbourne yesterday by the Albion, but Goodfellow intends continuing his projected tour through this colony. Mr. J. C. Morris, secretary to the Dunedin and Peninsula Steam Tramway Car Company, has written to the Ocean Beach Railway . Company asking on what terms they Will sell their interest in their property. The railway works have been valued by Messrs. Messrs. Blair and Higginson, at £27,000, to which has to be added £2OOO for preliminary expenses. At a meeting of the Ocean Beach Company it was resolved to offer the line at £19,000 with 8 or 10 per cent, interest added. There were about sixty candidates for the scholarships offered by the Education Board. Six junior and six senior will be awarded.

In addition to those who were arrested for disturbing the peace of New Y ear’s Eve, several others who were identified have been summoned, and will be dealt with in the Police Court this morning. On New Year’s Day 5004 tickets were issued at the Dunedin railway station. Mr. R. H. Leary was to-day elected for High Ward, without opposition. In Chambers this morning Mr. Smith obtained a rule nisi to show cause why the Judges order in Cayford v. Carruthers, the breach of promise case, should not be reconsidered. The rule will be argued next week. The railway to Invercargill will be opened on the 14th or loth inat.

The Oamaru, 86 days out, for Port Chalmers, has on board 310 immigrants. The Western Monarch is expected to arrive at the Bluff about the end of the mouth with 340 immigrants. During last year 120 children were admitted to the Industrial School.

There were only two cases of bankruptcy during last week.

The vexed question of the railway site is now virtually settled, the only point in dispute being the line of extension from Cum-berland-atreet to Anderson’s Bay.