TELEGRAMS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 8794, 2 May 1890, Page 2

TELEGRAMS.

(Fee United Pukss Association.)

Auckland, May 1. A singular error has been discovered in the city valuation roll. It appears that in 1885 the Auckland Gas Company had their valuation fixed at £3600, and when the roll was made up in 1886 the amount appeared in the rate book as £1500. The Gas Company have consequently had the benefit of this for about four years past, aud tho city has thus lost £800. The error was a clerical one, ths valuer writing £1500 instead of £3500, tho amount of the reduced value of the property, and this has only now been discovered, A special meeting of the City Council will be^beld to consider the subject. The City Council has decided to make reductions to the extent of £500 in the annual expenditure upon the Free Library, the sum so saved to be expended in tho purchase of books. The items of reductions include the librarian's salary, which now stands at £100 with house allowances, whilst tho services of two assistants out of three at present employed are to be dispensed with.

The llev. George Preston, of Napier, was inducted to-night as incumbent of St. Mary's Anglican Church, Pornell.

It is reported that an Australian syndicate intends to build and conduct an hotel of 20 rooms at Rotorua.

Informations hays been laid against some of tho persons who assembled at M'Brkle's premises and caused the disturbance when a number of his employes were leaving work. The Tailors' Union have resolved to assist the tailoresses by a strike levy.

The vessel to be built for the Melanesia mission is to cost £0000,

An assay of stone from Puhipuhi is said to have yielded at the rate of 2770z 01 silver.

D. J. Evans, auctioneer, who recently became bankrupt, has left suddenly for Fiji without consulting his creditors on the subject, but in a letter to tho official assignee he states that he had met with so many disappointments that he was thoroughly disheartened, aud his remorse was added to by the fact that hii family was (.cantily provided for. Friends having given him a passage to the islands, he had gone there hoping to return by the end of May in better circumstances.

In regard to the labour demonstrations at Home, the Auckland Kaights of Labour have passed a resolution sympathising with the labour movements throughout the world in their efforts to obtain legal recoguitiou of eight hours per day, and trusting_ that our Parliament will in its forthcoming session pass an Eight Hours Bill.

The City Council have finally declined the application for permission to use the surplus water at Edgeeumbe's creek, one of the sources of the city water supply, for fellmongery purposes.

Several cases of influenza prevail at Ohinemutu.

Mr J. Lester, an English geologist and naturalist, who has for some time past been employed in scientific researches in the Tonga group and adjacent islands, is now iv Auckland on his way to England.

New Plymouth, May 1. Mr Sadler, a man of means, who sent his son out to thia district and afterwards followed with

his family, through Mr Courtney's ageucy, says:—"Mr Courtney never posed in England as a Government emigration sgent. Ho was not

wrong in sending youths from the towns of England to team to become farmers iv thia colony." One of them had told him that his lot

in Ta'ranaki was far better than his father's had been at a corresponding age at Homo. There are a largo number; of these cadets in Taranaki.

Gisborne, May I. Complr.iuts .ire general as to the excessive charges for bringing cases before the Commission uudtr the Native Land Act of last session. Jinny persons are withholding iv the hope that Parliament' will during the coming session reduce the charges.

For leasing the Harbour Board endowment, tho Tauwhareparae block of 44,150 acres, only four tenders were received, applying for 7700 acres at 2d to 2nd pi:r acre rental.

Napier, May 1, Mr Christie Murray is engaged in writing a comedy drama, tho scenes of which are laid iv OtaßO. The public will look with interest to the uses to which Mr Murray will put his 1* ew Zealand experience. He has had some dramatic

experience, having been associated with Henry nerman, of "Silver King" fame, in a drama shortly to be produced in London.

At the monthly meeting of the Scinde Lodge, the oldest Masonic lodge in Hawke's Bay, there was a large attendance of members and visitors. A resolution congratulating tho craft on the formation of the Grand Lodge of New Zealand was carried by acclamation.

Mastkrton, May 1. A man named Tekler, 22 years of age, has been killed at Uketahuna by a falling tree.

Wellington, Kay 1. At a meeting of the Oity Council to-night a letter was read from the secretary of the Single Tax Society asking the mayor and city councillor to join in giving Henry Georgo a public reception in tbo event of his paying a visit to Wellington. It was stated that there was a possibility of Henry George returning to New Zealand, and tho council decided to defer conHideration of the matter until his future movements were definitely known.

To-morrow night a deputation from tho Kuights of Labour will confer with a committee appointed to make arrangements for the formation o£ a co-operativo butchery. The scheme has been promised a large amount of support, and there seems every prospect of a Btrong company being floated. The action of butchers in raiding the price of meat id meeting with general disfavour.

The following regulations wit.h reference to the precedence of Imperial and colonial military officers hari been received from Iho Secretary of State for War, and is published in to-night's Gazette:—"Officers of our army serving in any of our polonies or dependencies (except as provided in article 112) under commission signed by Ihe Undersecretary shall have precedence of colonial officers of equal rank, but any such officers holding local rank conferred upon them by the colonial authorities shall take rank with cplonial officers according to the dates of their respective commissions. Local or temporary rank granted to an officer of our army on assuming command of colonial forces, or when proceediog to a colony for auy special service, shall be conferred by us, and such officer shall have precedence of all colonial officers of equal rank."

The meteorological returns for March show the total rainfall ia inches as follows:—Ancklaud, 2 0 32; Wellington, 2 2 30; Lincoln, Canterbury, 19 83; Dunedin, 3 2 82. Number of days of rain:—Auckland, 8; Wellington, 13; Lincoln, Canterbury, 11; Dunedin, 12.

Keefton, April 30. A large and influential- public meeting was held in the County Chambers last night, presided over by the county chairman, to consider tho action to be taken relative to the reported removal of Warden Bird. It transpired that there was no definite information, confirmatory or otherwise, of tho report, and it was decided to wire to the Minister of Justice for information, at the same time protesting strongly agaiii6t the contemplated action and intimatiuc that a large memorial would be forwarded. The meeting expressed the fullest confidence in Mr Bird's honour and integrity, and tho fullest satisfaction with his administration. A committee of 23 influential residents, including the local justices of the peace, was appointed to give effect to the wishes of the inhabitants.

CHRISTCHUBOn, May 1. A meeting of the creditors of Josiah White, the debtor who was arrested 011 thi> Melbourne steamer at tho Bluff, was held to-day. The statement showed—liab lilies, £220; assets, £98. Mrs White stated that she had £300 out of her former husband's estate when she married White, to whom &ho advanced it all. Some of it. was paid. She had about £200 now. The offer by bankrupt's friends to pay the creditors in full if they abandoned proceedings against him was declined.