Telegrams.

Otago Witness, Issue 1205, 2 January 1875, Page 14

Telegrams.

Wellington, December 24th,

A Gazette proclamation notifies that Mr Charles Alfred St. George Hickson has been appointed chief clerk and accountant in the office of the Commissioner of Stamps, vice Edward de Bathe Brandon ; and Mr Charles Leins Wiggins to be clerk to Deputy Com- j missioner of Stamps, vice Mr Hiokson transferred. Mr J. Sperrey has been appointed Superintendent of Collectors of Agricultural Statistics for 1875 for Otago, Mr James Paterson, of Port Molyneux, has been appointed Justice of the Peace. During November the Provincial Government sold 32,543 acres of Provincial land. The amount received was £24,618 cash, and £425 in scrip. The Marquis of Normanby has intimated to the Mayor that he and Lady Normanby •will attend the Citizens' Ball on any day which is fixed. The customers of the Bank of Australasia intend to give a dinner to Mr Buchanan, the retiring manager. Last night, Mr Lee, Travelling Colonial Inspector for the London and Liverpool Fire Insurance Company, had the Central Brigade turned out to test the water power of the city. The Brigade sent nine jets playing at once, each throwing the water about 80ft. high. Mr Tee said it was the best display of water power he had seen in New Zealand, and gave £10 to the Brigade. Messrs Greenfield and Stewart, the local aaw-millers, have obtained the contract for the supply of timber for the construction of the new Government Buildings on the reclaimed land. By a proclamation in the Gazette, January, February, and Maroh are declared a close time for oysters within certain prescribed limits in the Province of Auckland. December 26th. Arrived. — Ship Langeton, 104 days out,. from London, with 26 passengers, and a lot of sheep for Napier and Wanganui. Mr Buchanan, late Manager of the Bank of Australasia, who has accepted an appointment in the National Bank, lias accepted an invitation to a public dinner, which will be given to him on the 12th of January, To-day was observed as Boxing Day, and Monday will also be a holiday with many. Some disappointment is felt that Monday was not made a general holiday instead of Saturday. December 28 th. The Agent-General, in a telegram dated November 12th, states that the following immigrant ships have been despatched : — India, with 163 immigrants for Auckland ; Hudson and City of Vienna, with 721 for Napier ; Rakaia, with 331 for Canterbury j Gareloch, Oamaru, Wellington, and Dunedin, with 983 for 1 Ofcago, together with a large quantity of railway material. The Agent-General also confirms the report that Sir Arthur Gordon has been appointed Governor of Fiji. His Excellency the Governor paid a vieit of inspection to the Government offices, with the view of personally acquainting himself with the system and routine of the Civil Service of this Colony, and comparing it with that of Queensland. His Excellency is said to have been highly pleased with the results of his inspection. December 29th. A Judgeship in New Zealaud has been offered Mr Higinbotham, of Victoria. It is not thought likely that he will accept it. Captain Wheeler has resigned the command of the Taranaki. It is said he goes home to bring out one of the new steamers for the Harbour Company. It is reported that the Customs authorities intend to proceed against the Steam Shipping Company for carrying, on the excursion trips yesterday, more than the regular number of passengers. December 30th. There are only four cases at the Criminal Sittings on Monday — one of assault, two of obtaining money under false pretences, and one of petty larceny. There were over two hundred applications this morning in response to an advertisement by Turnbull and Co. for a storeman, and a short time ago about the same number applied for a job of driving a baker'B horse and cart. Auckland, December 24th. The Resident Magistrate dismissed a charge brought under the barmaid clause of the Licensing Act, on the ground that the barmaid eaid she stayed in the bar after 11 voluntarily, ami was not kept by tho landlord or under his control. He said, after examining the definition of the word employ, he was satisfied, from the absurdity of the clause, that the drafter of it never intended to secure a conviction. In a number of cases there has been a re-

sißtance of the education rate, to defend which a public subscription was raised. The case was settled by payment out of Court, counsel for defendants advising their clients that the only possible way to disprove the validity of the Act under which the rate was levied was to take it to the Appeal Court. The body found near Rangitoto has been identified as the cook of the steamer Lallah Hook, who fell overboard lately. December 26th. The races to-day were attended by about 200 people — not so many as were expected. The racing generally was well contested. The results were as follows : — Trial Stakes Mr Delamain's The Belle, 1 ; Parawhenua, 2 ; Sir Charles. 3. Railway Plate : Ngaro, I ; Belle, 2. For the Auckland Cup Yatterina was a hot favourite ; but cpntrary to expectation, Templeton v, on ; Toi, 2 ; Yatterina, 3. Midsummer Handicap : Never Miss, 1; Toi, 2; Kingfisher, 3. At the finish of this race Kingfisher's rider was thrown and badly hurt. Arrived. — Assaye, from London, with immigrants, all well, She had a long and tedious passage. The barque Otago, from Dunedin, also arrived to-day. December 29 th. Thomas Harvey, steward of the Rosario, was fined £100 for smuggling tobacco, which Conley, the waterman, was convicted of having in his posesaion. Conley 's wife informed, The news per Star of the South, from Fiji, is unimportant. Trade at Levuka is improving. The Samoa Merchants have arranged to establish a line of packets of from 20 to 30 tons to trade between Samoa and Fiji. The Star states that Judge Gillies will be located at Auckland, visiting Nelson, and probably Taranaki ; and Judge Richmond is going home and will not probably return. Hokitika is probably included in the Christchurch Circuit, and Chief Justice Prendergast will be located at Wellington, and will probably hold courts at Napier and Wanganui. A direot shipment of refined sugars from Yarraville, Victoria, realised fair prices : Best white crystal, £35 10s, £37 15s in bond ; other whites, from £30 10s to £35 10a. December 30th. Hervey, steward of the Rosario, paid the fine of a hundred pounds, inflicted for smuggling. The whaler James Arnold arrived at the Bay of Islands with 263 barrels of sperm oil, the produce of a seven months' cruise. She reports boarding a water-logged ship on the 6th December last, in latitude 25 N., longitude 30 W. The ship was 998 tons register, and laden with yellow pine timber. Uwing to the fact that hur stern was all smashed away, it was impossible to decipher her name. The crew had evidently abandoned the vessel some time before, as all the boats were missing, The vessel was apparently an English one. It is reported that the Australian Steam Navigation Company will carry on the San Francisco service six months longer. The Cyphrenes sailed at one o clock. Mr Andrew goes as mail agent. Arabella Goddard is a pußsenger. Christchukch, December 30th. Another branch railway thirty miles long, from the Racecourse Station, near Christchurch, to Southbridge, will be opened for general traffic in February, The Acclimatisation Society have decided to request the Superintendent to remove the protection from house sparrows, which have become a nuisance in the Province, and to sanction the issue of licenses for fishing for trout in the river Avon.' Taranaki, Deo, 26th. The dispute about the removal of the wreok of the steamer Paterson in the Waitara river, is assuming grave proportions, The Act of 1863 has been proved unworkable. The authorities maintain that " who haß the onua of removing the wreck," ia the j question to be determined. Tiie Waitara is the best bar harbour in the Province, hence cumulative injury to the river and harbour. The News says Mr Brogden will appeal to the Privy Council, and that the Province will be abolished ere judgment be given, and that the Colonial Government will then undertake the removal. The newspaper insinuates that Levin and Co. are the actual defendants, having bought the wreck with all liabilities, Brogden and Co. holding an indemnity for all accruing action?. The whole question hangs .on , tbis, "whose work is it to remove wrecks or sunken vessels obstructive to traffic ?" Grahamstown, December 26th. , The day was observed as a general holiday, and Monday also will be observed as a holiday by the tradesmen after 11 o'clock. I December 31st. Thirty diggers, with swags, left for Ohinemuri, with the intention of waiting on the apot until the opening is proclaimed. - Samples of coal were shown in town today. They are said to be from a seam on the land between Hikutaia and Ohinemuri. New Plymouth, December 24th. In an action between the Provincial Government and the Brogdens regarding the "removal of the wreck of the Paterson from the mouth of the Waitara River, the Court decided against Messrs Brogden, and fined them £50. Notice of appeal has been given. The question to be decided now is : Who is the liable person, and who owned the steamer at the time of stranding, Or the person who owned the steamer at the time notice was given to remove the wreck ? ' The ship Langstara, from London, for Wellington, was signalled off Kaipiti this morning. , Napier, December 28th. , Two boys, eleven and nine years old, sons of Mr Curtice, the Town Bandmaster, were drowned whilst bathing in the Tutaekuri river yesterday. The elder boy waß drowned trying to save the other. December 30th. The affairs of Stuart and Co. are being settled satisfactorily. A. T. Stuart and Co., of Wellington, have arranged with the creditors to take over the estate, and to pay 17s 6d in the pound by instalments at three, six, nine, .and 12 months, with interest. The assent of the, requisite number of creditors Has been obtained, BuaineSs will be carried on as usual.