TELEGRAPHIC BRIEFS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1974, 19 September 1889, Page 18

TELEGRAPHIC BRIEFS.

The steamer Whampoa, which left Wellington for Hongkong on Monday, took 150 Chinese — only a few of whom are expected to return. The Whampoa also took 1700 tons Westport coal.

The arrivals in the colony during August were 940, and departures 1248. Of the latter, 787 went to New South Wales, and 272 to Victoria. New South Wales is also credited with 340 of the arrivals, and Victoria with 170.

The Canterbury Board of Education on the 12th received a deputation of the Master Printers' Association, who asked that school books compiled and printed in the colony should be used by the board's schools in preference to imported. The board decided that so far as consistent with the proper education of the children of North Canterbury, they will afford the utmost possible assistance to support the object set forth. They, at the same time, suggested that the association should approach the Minister of Education on the subject, so as to secure uniformity in the quality of books. They also adopted a subcommittee's report in favour of sending the inmates of Lytfcelfcon Orphanage to the public schools in town in preference to declaring the Orphanage a public school. This would effect a saying of £155 per annum alone, and the committee consider the step advisable, as inclusive to making orphans more sociable.

At a meeting of the Waikato Farmers' Club, Mr Anderson stated that for the conveyance of one ton of bone dust from Auckland to Cambridge he had been charged £1 6s Bd, and had been informed by the stationmaster that it would have been possible for him to have had two tons car tied for 8d less than it cost for one ton. The Railway League are busying themselves with such anomalies.

News is to hand of the death of Queen Charlotte of Tonga, who died suddenly on September 8. She was talking to some of her attendants, and suddenly fell back into the arms of one of them and expired. The queen waß buried on Tuesday, the lOfch, with all regal pomp, thousands of her countrymen attending her funeral. She had been ailing for some time.

The adjourned inquest on the body of the newborn child of Mary Kyle was held at Napier on the 16tb, when a verdict equivalent to manslaughter was returned, and she was committed for trial on that charge. In the course of the inquiry one witness said : — " Mrs Kyle told me the father was a constable." She was stopped before the name was mentioned. At a later stage Inspector Kiely asked that the witness should be asked to state the name, so that the stigma should not rest on the whole police force, but counsel for Mrs Kyle objected, and the coroner found (hat it was not relevant to the inquiry.

The Post states that a private letter has been received by the mail from San Francisco, and written by a well informed correspondent, who says :— ■" There is a very strong agitation on foot to adopt a polioy of subsidising American -steamship linns as a measure of national defence against British aggressive policy, and this feeling has been intensified by the terms of the latest Canadian-Pacific subsidy as embodied in a Treasury minute. A great representative conference on the subject of steamship subsidies and an Australian cable will be held here on the 29bh inst. It is probable Congress will meet in October nexfc r but that is uncertain. I have do doubt the Australian service will be subsidised by Congress."

The Finance Committee of the Invercargill council, who presented a statement of the borough's finances of a discouraging nature some weeks ago and proposed advances of rates to cover deficiencies, seem to have exaggerated the difficulties, as a statement laid before the council on Monday shows affairs are not in so desperate a condition as was supposed—that, in fact, for this year at all events there is no necessity for an increase of rates, whatever may be the case next year. The council, nevertheless, increases the water rate, but leaves the general rate and price of gas at former figures. The extra taxation will therefore*be 3d per pound for water and 3d for the harbour; but these, owing to the reduction of valuations, will bring in no more money than formerly.

Tawhiao has received a letter from the Government remonstrating with him for calling so

many meetings of Natives, pointing out that injury is caused by wasteful expenditure of food and money. It ib said Tawhisohas sent messengers to the tribes, telling them of the instructions he has received and stating that he will be arrested if he disobeys them, but that in that case they are not to think of him, but leave all matters to the care of Providence.