SPECIAL TELEGRAMS. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Otago Witness, Issue 1324, 14 April 1877, Page 15

SPECIAL TELEGRAMS. (FROM OU R OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

' "'. . --W;ellington, April 9th.; The new Civil Service regulations, frirbidding leaving the building during office honra, and all smoking, came into operation ' to-day. The Argus notes the change thus :—: — The abolition of the usual half-hour for luncheon was to-day productive of sach an ' r ;eilbttnous importation of provisions into the 'building that it is understood all the rats on th© r town will probably «oon congregate there to feait' on the crnmbi. Fortunately, the

weather permitted the wearing of great coats, and the capacious pockets of Ulsters ware taKen advantage of to introduce all varieties of edibles and drinkables, ranging from cucumbers to bottles of beer. As no regulation aa yefc exists against officers in the Civil Service having their' luncheons sent to them, we believe that from twelve to two the passages were fragrant with the scent of all kinds of savoury viands sent down by careful wives in all Boris of domestic vessels, and by a multitudinous army of small boya and' girls, who individually seemed rather lost in the intricacies of the new Government Buildings. One small girl, we learn, plumped down a savory mess of tripe and onions under the nose of a Minister of the Crown, under the impression that he was Mr Jones, of the Treasury, having, of course, been wrongly directed as to the room ; and it is further reported that the Minister's appetite appeared to, through his olfactory orgau3, get the better of his dignity, and, whilo poor Jones went lnncheonless, and no doubt kicked up a row when he got home, the Minister in question found it unnecessary to lunch as usual at the Club. The smell of tobacco was also particularly strong to-day in the neighbourhood of the Audit depart ment. The late Provincial Governinsmt officers have had their claims for compensation cut down on all sorts of frivolous technical grounds. One claim of £150 was cut down to £12 103, and another of £140 to £59. A man named Petersen committed suicide to-day, using the rifle of his son, a volunteer, to shoot himself in the mouth. Death was instantaneous. He had been drinking A? woman is also reported to have been stabbed by a man, but the police heard nothing of it. 1 Commodore Hoskins landed to-day. The local artillery fired a salute. Moanataiaris fell to-day to £14, closing with sellera at that, notwithstanding a dividend of 50s. The cause is attributed to pure panic, or through the operations of bulls, who declare that gold has gone over l head, although as good aa ever on the downward vein of reef. Other reports from ih6 m»ne say the reef is as good as ever above •and below. . - ! ' An important discovery has been made in the ■ drive from the Pnmpiag Association shaft' into the Kurunui Hill ground. Gold has been found in a small reef at a depth of 600 ft., being the first positive proof of precious metal at low depths found during "the progress of this gigantic work, on account of which a grant of £50,000 was obtained from the Colonial Government. This debt has been presented by the Government to the Thames County Council. Kurunui shares; selling at 20s on Saturday, advanced suddenly this morning to 503, but declined during the day to 32s — the small vein of the find not being considered to warrant co rapid an advance. . ' \ '.The only candidate positively announced lor .Qity. West, vice Tonka resigned, is Dr iWallis,.who announces himself to support Grey; : Separation, and the enlargement of Highway Board powers as a substitute fo£ Counties. He has never been a very hearty supporter of Sir G. Grey, and, at Sir Gi Grey's last return — at his reception in tbe Theatre — attempted to carry a vote of cenv sure,(Pf the members for increasing the honorarium. The seat is sure to be con.tested. Sir G. Grey and party make no sign, politically — Sir George remaining in Btriot seclusion at Kawau. It is believed Separation will again be the Parliamentary programme of the Opposition. ' ' ' i Judge ' Gillies to-day sentenced a brutal wifortjeaiier^-an immigrant recently arrived — tbjhree years.' , , \ J ! ; A bush schoolmaster, who .struck his wife and^step-daughter, was sentenced at the Police. Court ty two months' hard labour 5 , aud afterwards to find bonds to keep the peace/ ," ■ * '.'■ - A' London' private letter by the mail froip a 'shipping firm' says freights for Southern ports ' of" New' 'Zealand are very low, and likely to continue oo for some time to come. Yeasels Jjang on the. berth a long time afteV the advertised date. . ' , - < ■.. i . . April 10th. '. - Six or seven years ago, when the Provincial) Government was in difficulties, unable to pay oven the Police, most of its employer, were discharged, after" being months without salary: When affairs got better, they, were' re-engaged, many of them in the interim having" continued without pay to discharge their duties. Now, however, in calculating ' their compensation allowance," all service prior to their last appointment, in some cases many years, is altogether disallowed. J. B. Steelb had an enormous house for his benefit last night with Mrs Scott-Siddons. He left for Christchurch to-day. , Henry Powell, mechanist in the theatre, was to. day committed for trial for a libel on Hillsden, the custoc iau, contained in a letter addressed- to Dr Johnston, one of the directors, warning him that the Theatre Royal Company was being defrauded by Hillsden, who was in league with the checktakers and the lessee, consists of a percentage oh the gross receipts. The letter was anonymous, but the handwriting was really proved, and strong corrob9rative evidence was adduced. A man and woman and child fell into the harbour last night from the breastwork. The woman was intoxicated and fell in first.' The husband and child fell in trying to save her. All would- have been drowned had it not been for a man named Ferris, employed at_ the Lion Foundry, 1 who, hearing their cries, managed to rescue them at considerable risk. All three of the Anglican churches in the city have resolved to adopt "Hymns,; Ancient and Modern." The Governor is likely to go south with the Commodore in the Wolverine, and from Otago go on the Hinemoa to visit the West Coast Sounds. To-day the railway employe's met to present a handsomely illuminated address and a dressing case , worth £15 to Mr Allison Smith, late Traffic Manager, who proceeds to Chrißtchurch as Locomotive Superintendent. The proceedings were of a very hearty character. The Wanaka had a fearful passage from Napier. She left on Saturday, and early on Sunday morning met the full force of a south-east gale oft' Castle Point. Captain Malcolm sayß the gale was the heaviest he hu experienced for years. He kept her hetd -to it, and when the gale broke this

afternoon he was off Cape Campbell. The companion doors were stove in by a sea, and the windows were broken. The captain says the steamer behaved admirably. She arrived here soon after 5 this evening. When Abolitioa took place the Governor took the distribution of charitable aid out of the hands of the Inspector of Police, and gave it to the Mayor, who has distributed pretty freely. On tae subsidy due to the Corporation being paid a day or two ago, he was disgusted to find every penny so bisbursed deducted. He has accordingly refused to distribute any more, and now ?efera all applicants for assistance to the General Government direct. J