SPECIAL TELEGRAMS. (From Our Own Correspondent)

Otago Witness, Issue 1540, 14 May 1881, Page 10

SPECIAL TELEGRAMS. (From Our Own Correspondent)

Naseby, May lOih. The election for a councillor for the Mounb Ida Riding, County of Maniototo, in place of ConmcilW Shannon, resulted as follows :— W, Guffie, 67 ; B. Gordon, 27 ; H. Woodhill, 13 Mr W. Guffie was declared duly elected. Mr Gordon said that he should enter a protest, on the ground that the election was held outside the riding, which was illegal. Wellington, May sfch. I hear on good authority that the Government have not yel decided on a course of action in regard to the Inspector of Lunatic Asylums. Dr Skae's full reply to the report of the Eoyal Cominußion on the Mount View Asylum has at length been received, but there has not yet been time for the Cabinet to take it into full consideration. It is believed, however, that this matter will come before the Cabinet at an early date, probably to-morrow, but it is thought that the weight of feeling in the Ministry is favourable on the whole to Dr Skae'u retaining office. I hear that two sureties have at length been found for Whitelaw, the late superintendent of the Lunatic Asylum. The sureties, it is said, will be Mr Young and Mr V. Jackson, a member of the Harbour Board, each in Ll5O. Proceedings relative to Mrs Kettle's salary, aa matron, alleged to have been received by Whifcelaw and not accounted fcr, will now drop, Mrs Kettle having to day Bigned a documeat giving a full discharge for the same, Accordingly WhiteUw now only stands committed for trial on a charga of cruelty to a patient, and, bail being forthcoming, he will in all probability be released from gaol tomorrow. There is a decided revulsion of public feeling in hia favour, owing entirely to a sense of unfairness in Dr Skae and Mr jVauoe escaping scot free while WnHelftw w degraded ani impris.ou<3&

The other threatened Asylum case will fall through, the Crown Prosecutor having advised that there is no case for a jury. The 161 Maori prisoners recently released were eafely lander! from the Hinemoa at Opunake to-day. They appeared in excellent spirits and good temper, expreseieig most pacific and law-abiding sentiments, and the utmost good-will towaids their late custodians. I have received official information that further sales of the Paribaka block have taken placs, and more than half of the sections thrown open for sale have now found purchasers, three-fourths of these being on deferred payments. The buyers are described as genuine settlers of a very good class, and the businesslike way they are going to work, as well as the readiness with which the land has been taken up, appear to indicate that the practical and permanent settlement of the district haa fairly commenced. Out of about 80 sections thrown open for application, 70 have been already taken up at the upset price, and of these 13 are on deferred payment ; buyers have purchased adjoining sections for cash. The result proves the Government right in refusing lower priebs, as they were pressed to do [ by the land ring, which successfully worked to render the first sale of the Parihaka block a failure. May 7tb. The following circular is to be issued to all Education Boards throughout the Colony :— " I am instructed by the Minister of Education to inform you that circular No. 17, of date sth November, 1878, is hereby cancelled, and that after the 30th of June, 1881, capitation grants will not be paid to Boards on account of the attendance at public schools of children under five years of &ge. I am therefore to request that the attendance of all children under five years be excluded from your attendance summary for the current quarter, on which, as yon are aware, next quarter's payments are calculated, and to suggest the advisability of the Board forthwith issuing instructions to school committees and teachers to exclude the attendance of all such children from their schools' attendance return for r the present quarter,— John Hislop." The question as to the definite date of the meeting of Parliament was only settled to-day. Friday, June 10th, was the day on which it had been intended to convene Parliament, but for various reasons it was ultimately determined to meet one day earlier, and a proclamation was accordingly issued summoning Parliament for the despatch of business on Thursday, June 9ch. Owing to sensational stories circulated about the alarming increase of Chinese immigration to New Zealand, the Government have had a return prepared showing the arrivals and departures of Chinese in and from tbe Colony during the last two years. From this it appears that in 1879, 329 Chinese arrived in New Zea. 'land, and 396 departed— a decrease of 67 } ia 1880, 296 arrived and 386 left, being a further decrease of 90. The total decrease in number of Chinpse in this Colony during two yeare was 156. Th 9 present year, however, is believed to be likely <;o reverse the order of things, the tide of Chinese immigration apparently having again set in towards New Zealand. On thishead, however, no reliable information is of course forthcoming as yet.