TELEGRAMS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume III, Issue 728, 17 July 1878, Page 2

TELEGRAMS.

WELLINGTON. July 16. It is generally understood that Ministers will be ready with their principal measures as soon as the real business of the session commences. The Financial Statement, it is understood, will be ready to be submitted for discussion at as early a period as the House may desire after the opening of Parliament. Copies of the Licensing Bill will be available as soon as it is mature, and out of Ministers' and printers' hands. An inquiry was held to-day re the stolen copy of the draft of the Licensing Bill, with Mr. Stafford's note 3. Mr. W. A. Baker was suspected of giving the information to the Press Agency, but Mr. M'Carthy completely vindicated him. It was a malevolent charge brought by illwishers. Mr. Didsbury also has been exonerated by the Press Agency, but the resuit of the enquiry is that no one knows who supplied the information, as Mr.' M'Carthy refuses to divulge the informant's name. Mr. W, A. Baker is completely exonerated from (suspicion of uveii complicity in divulging the Governmeiit information. Copies of the proofs were certainly stolen and circulated, and it is asserted that the Press Agency gave the information to the " Chronicle." Booth's enquiry 1« still sitting, and will be concluded on Thursday,

NEW PLYMOUTH. July 16. Mr. T. Kin<? was presented with a handsome testimonial, in the shape of a silver tea service, by his friends and the customer;: of the Bank of New Zealand, on his retirement from the management. The Kew Plymouth Borough Council j agreed that the Mayor alwuld attend the Municipal Conference in Wellington on tho 2!) th inst. — =-. * AUCKLAND. July IG. The Harbor Board has received letters from the Government asking for permission to reclaim seven acres for a railway sratirm at the Queen-street Wharf. The Hoard resolved to defer its decision until after the receipt of Messrs. Conyers and La«son's report. ! The man Black, the victim of the attempted murder at Arch Hill, is recovering. Tiie schooner Merlin, from Waitara, in crossing Kaipara Bar, sea being heavy the Captain got into rigging to poin£ out the channel; other two men were on deck, one j steering. The Captain seeing terrific seai rushing on vi-ssel, cried out, " Look out." 1 The man at the wheel got frightened, pan I forward, when wave completely coyered i the vessel, broaching her to and causing the ! ballast t.o shift, and throwing her almost on beam ends. When the wave receded j two men on deck weremissing. _The Captain ■ got tho schooner near the Pilot Station, where it wasnoticed something was wrong, and a boat was sent off; righted ballast, and anchored vessel the same evening. The Merii# .then proceeded to the Mills. _.♦ ■ NAPJER. My isAt a meeting of the Harbor j??oard jfco.day, a vote of thanks was passed to Mr.; Carruthers for his services m r£J*Pac£ of; the Napier harbor, and a sum. of JjWQ was voted him. ♦ CHJEtISTCHURCH. July 16. Mr. J. E. Brown, member for Ashley district, addressed his constituents at Amberley last night. He said attendance at Wellington had now become absolute

slavery, and he doubted for some time whether or not to resign his seat. After referring to various measures of last sessbn, and the course he adopted, Mr. Brovn said the course followed by the House regarding the land fund was wise, but the Government was not sincere, and had not kept faith with Canterbury. He decidedly opposed manhood suffrage, which would be a great mistake—in fact, almost a crime. He also opposed the land tax. The property tax was the fairest one we could have. He advocated the extension of the railway to the West Coast. He said Ashley should have two members, or Hurunui should be the boundary. The Premier had not yet enumerated a single point of policy that he would support. Votes of thanks and of confidence were proposed, but the vote of thanks only was carried.