WELLINGTON.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 416, 28 August 1877, Page 2

WELLINGTON.

August 27. A meeting of Licensed Victuallers and others interested in the liquor traffic was held this afternoon. There were about thirty persons present. Several speakers in commenting 011 the Local Option Bill, considered its provisions most unfair to merchants and licensed victuallers. It was remarked that although many merchants were largely interested in the Bill yet very few were present. It was resolved that the members for the city and outlying districts of Wellington provincial district be asked to receive on Wednesday next a deputation from that meeting, so as to learn their views on the Local Option Bill. It was suggested (and though not formerly put and carried, will be acted upon) that the Wellington members be induced to get the committal of the Bill postponed for another week, so as to enable the delegates of the licensed victuallers from the various parts of the Colonj' to arrive here. The City of New York, with the London mails of July 26th, left San Francisco on the loth inst., for Auckland via Honolulu. The Zelandia, with the New Zealand July mails, arrived at San Francisco on the 22ud inst. Siie left Auckland on the Ist inst., making an excellent run of twenty-one days. Calling at Honolulu has been resuinad, and the contractors have notified that they will continued to do so.

Only three witnesses have been examined in the Walca Maori libel case in the Supreme Court. The chief points of note were that Clark, Under-Secre-tary for the Native Department, deposed that when one of the libellous letters was given him to translate he declined to do so, and recommended it should not be inserted, as it contained statements regarding a gentleman in another part of the Colony which he considered it improper to publish ; that subsequently some natves complained of the letttr not being published ; and that about a month after a telegram was sent by the Native Minister, giving instructions to publish the letter in the Waka Maori. Two natives were called to prove that their names had been attachad without tiieir authority. The ca:je is expected to occupy eight or ten days. Two jurymen, who absented themselves, were lined LlO each. The Court was crowded all day.