TELEGRAPHIC BRIEFS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1892, 15 May 1890, Page 24

TELEGRAPHIC BRIEFS.

The Auckland Chamber of Commerce, have affirmed the desirableness of immigration as essential for the progress and prosperity of the colony. Some of the members opposed the resolution because they feared that an immigration scheme could not be carried cub without further borrowing.

It is stated that the Government have promised to take over aud work the Faihu railway. One of the six men discharged from the Auckland Lunatic asylum has escaped from the " Prison Gate Brigade Home. He was employed in the city next day as sandwich man. He cannot be re-arrested, of course, as he is a discharged patient.

It was mentioned that Mr Blair is to be engineer-in-chief and Mr O'Conor marine engineer. It has been further decided that Mr O'Conor will give up the secretaryship of Public Works, and that this post shall be held by Mr Blair. Thus the latter will contain in himself the three offices previously held by himself, Mr Blackett, and Mr O'Conor.

Ministers received on Friday a cable message from the Postmaster-general of South Australia, asking that the New Zealand Premier or some other member of the Government should attend a Postal Rate Conference in Adelaide, but the Government replied that as the Parliamentary session is so close at hand, no Minister could be spared ; and further, the Premier has already intimated to the Premier of South Australia that the New Zealand Government are unable to agree to Mr Goschen's proposal. The reason for this decision is that the proposed change would mainly benefit one particular class at the expense of the taxpayer generally, which is deemed inequitable and inexpedient.

The Maritime Council on Friday received a cable message from the National Labour Association of Queensland asking for support in the dispute which has arisen from the employment of non-union shearers by certain squatters. The secretary was instructed to cable for full particulars regarding the dispute, and when the council receive these the matter will be considered.

At a monster meeting of the Trades and Labour Union at Kaimata, Stoney creek contract, Midland railway, a ballot was taken as to whether the men should go out on strike in consequence of one member of that body being dismissed without just cause. The result was : — For a strike, 59; against, 15. The men go out on strike on Friday next unless the man is reinstated.

At a meeting of tramway and 'bus employes at Wellington it was decided to form a union, aud regulations (which come into force on June 2) were drawn up. They demand nine hours per day for drivers aud guards, aud 10 hours for grooois, with overtime for Sundays; also, that wages be 45s per week, paid fortnightly instead of by the calendar month. The s(.oremen also formed a union on Saturday nighfc. It is stated, that Alfred Bremble, recently com-

mitted for trial at; Wellington for a criminal offence, has absconded from bail, and that the police have wired to San Francisco to have him arrested, it being supposed that he left for there by the last mail steamer. The Trades and Labour Council have received a recommendation from the committee to ask Mr W. P. Reeves to arrange for a conference with the executive of the council on the subject of uniformity of text books in the State schools ; also to secure the co-operation of other trades and labour councils in the matter, and to endeavour to have text books printed in the Colony.- The Railway Servants' Society were affiliated with the counoil, and it was resolved to apply for affiliation to the Maritime Council. It was also resolved to send delegates as missioners to Oamaru and the South. Auckland, May 14. _ A private letter has been received by Sir George Grey from Mr Henry George, who is now in Queensland. Mr George has received a number of letters urging him to include New Zealand in his tour, and stating that a liberal offer had been made from Wellington. He still feared, however, that his arrangements would not allow him to come here, though he felt inclined to make special efforts to comply with the wishes of his correspondents. News from Samoa states that Thursday, May 8, had been proclaimed by King Malietoa as a day of national thanksgiving for the restored peace of Samoa. A murder, accompanied by cannibalism, has been discovered at Apia, a Line islander— an old man— having been killed and part of his body eaten. It is supposed that deceased became involved in a quarrel with Borne foreign labour boy. The German Consul is investigatißg the matter, but no clue to tt-e perpetrators of the crime has yet been foundi The Elinor Vernon, from Wellington, reports that when off the East Cape, in a gale, on Monday morning Charles Pahl (boatswain) fell off the jibboom and was drowned. He had been sent out to furl the flying jib. The vessel tacked about for an hour and a-half, but no trace of him could be found. Pahl was a German, and about 28 years of age.

Wellington, May 14.

The electric light is still giving dissatisfaction. One of the arguments used in its favour was that it would be kept going all night ; and there is no doubt but for this there would have been more opposition to the project* For months past it has been shut oft at 1 a.m., and it is understood this time will be adhered to except in session time, when an hour or two extra will be given. The Times this morning reiterates its assertion that the ratepayers are not being honestly dealt with, and throws the whole blame upon the City Council. Some interesting returns have been compiled showing the present condition of New Zealand in trade and commerce as compared with various former periods. It appears that bank discounts have decreased by £359,935 in the last quarter, and stand at, say, £2,631,925 as against £4,592,405 in 1885 and £6,884,866 in 1878. Deposits, on the other hand, have increased by £609,683 in the quarter and £805,422 in the year. By the simultaneous contraction of advances and increase in deposits and note circulation, the balance of indebtedness of the community to the banks has been reduced in the last three months by over £1,000,000. The excess of advances over deposits and circulation was, say, £1,361,864 for last quarter as compared with £3,715,180 in 1888, £4,127,291 iv 1887, £5,022,491 in 1886, and £5,576,996 in 1884. Il is deduced that whereas four, five, and six years ago the New Zealand trading community was u&ing five to five and a-half millions of the various banks' money, it is now so using little more than one million, and that this indebtedness is being very steadily reduced. A grain return shows that there was a decrease this year of 7 per cent, in the area under crop, but a decrease of only 3 per cent, in the total yield, owing to the superiority of the crop over that of the preceding year. Oats show an increase of 16 per cent, in area and 24 per cent* in yield. The total yield for the colony is estimated at 8,448,596 bushels of wheat (average, 2515, bushels per acre), 13,657,092 bushels of oats (average, 3909 bushels per acre), 1,342,873 bushels of barley (average, 3167 bushels per acre). In consequence of the danger to vessels of deep draught loading at Westport, a scheme is being considered to construct a basin which shall give sufficient depth at all stages of the tide. At present steamers have to be hurriedly loaded and taken off immediately, or they run the risk of grounding, with its attendant possibilities of serious damage. It is thought that if a basin is excavated communicating with the river, and giving some 6ft or so more depth than is now attainable, cargoes can be taken on board in a more leisurely manner, and vessels can choose their own time for going out. One of Mr O'Connor's first duties will probably be to look into the feasibility of this proposal.

Christchurch, May 14

A mysterious loss of 415 sheep from a flock of 1070 sheep is reported by Mr K. M'lntosh, of Southbrook. They are supposed to have been stolen.

Henry Groves, a railway shunter, was run over by a truck and killed at^2.55 p.m. to-day while shunting at the Addington] station. No one saw the accident. Groves was a single man, aged 40. He was very steady, and had been employed for 10 years on the railway. Yesterday a boat, belonging to a fisherman named Walker, upset in the surf at New Brighton. Thomas Frost, who was riding along the beach, put his horse into the sea, and with great difficulty saved Walker, who was almost exhausted.

Timahu, May 14.

The Geraldine County Council to-day received notice of a writ of mandamus to be applied for this month on behalf of certain ratepayers, to compel them to reconstruct and maintain for geaeral traffic one of the county bridges, which has been useless for some years and which it was proposed to repair sufficiently for stock only.

Invkrcargill, May 14.

The Southland Freezing Meat Company, who recently increased the size of their refrigerating works at the port, will proceed shortly to further extend these.