TELEGRAMS

Southland Times, Issue 11653, 6 February 1891, Page 2

TELEGRAMS

(Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON Feb. 5. Sir M. O'Rorke has consented to act on the Arnaboldi Commission, and will not be appointed on the Native Commission. The third man for the latter is still unchosen. The Minister for Public Works has agreed to place L4OOO on the Estimates for the completion of the lunatic asylum at Christchnrch. Norbury and Trevor, at L 17,000, are the successful tenderers for the Purirua Asylum. The total area of Crown lands disposed of last month was 37,892 acre 3as follows : — Perpetual lease, '22,8.32 acres ; for cash, 13,150; on deferred payments, 1888. Sir William Fitzherbert is not expected to recover. The Government have asked Sir Harry Atkinson to act as one of the New Zealand representatives to the Federal Convention, but he has not yet made up his mind whether to go or not. The Government has received no further information from the Agent General as to the arrangements he is making for the conversion at an early dale of the remaining New Zealand loans on which high rates of interest are being pjid, but it is understood that Sir F. D. Bell is still negotiating iv the matter. Nineteen cases of typhoid fever are undt r treatment at the hospital, and four deaths from the disease have been reported this month. Malcolm Fraser, an expressman, died today (from the effects of a bite on the wrist from a katipo spider. New Zealand will be fully represented at the Federal Convention. Captain Russell, one of the delegates originally selected, has intimated his willingness to proceed to Australia. Owing to the serious illness of Sir Win. Fitzherbert Sir Harry Atkinson has been asked to take his place and will probably acceed to the request. Sir George Grey, who was also one of those first chosen, has been written to by the Government asking if he will be sufficiently recovered from his t recent illness to take part in the convention, I but as yet no reply has been received. Sir Maui ice O'Rorke and Dr Von Mirbach, of Waipawa, have been appointed by the I Government as commissioneis to inquire i/ito the charges against the medical officer of the Auckland Hospital. It is understood that the Hon. Mr Wigley, of Canterbuiy, has forfeited his seat in the Legislative Council by his absence from two sessions of Parliament without leave. In accordance with the assurance given to ' Parliament in the session before last the Government intend to set up a Royal Commission to inquire into the working of th« Public Trust office. The principal grievance is the delay and expense attached to the administration of estates. The question is now under the consideration of the Cabinet, but as yet no names are mentioned as com- j missioniTs. It ia unlikely that the Govern- i ment will establish a commission to enquire ' | and report on the Civil Service. j MANAIA, Feu. 5. | Mr Bruce, a candidate for Egmont, ad- ' dressed the electors last night. He de- j clared himself strongly oppose 1 to the ; present Government and said that he had ; been requested to stand by a large number i of electors, but eveu now was willing to I retire in favour of a local candidate. NAPIER, Feb. 5. The annual ram and ewe fair was held at ; Hastings yesterday. A very large number ; j were yarded ; the attendance of buyers was j large ; and the prices better than for years past. For animals that were at all fancied . there was keen competition The top price ', was 75 guineas for two shear sheep from Mr J John Reid (Elderslie), and other stud rams j from the same breeder brought up to 50 , guineas; the average of his stud being 2Si guineas. The Hon. M. Holmes' 10 shearlings averaged 16^ guineas, and MrF. Sutton's (.Southland) 1.) averaged 19 guineas. Three hundred Eudsleigh ewes averaged 1^ I guinea. The flock rams also brought excellent price 3. All the long woola were quitted, but merinos were neglected. CHRISTCHURCH. Feb. 5. At the annual meeting of the Gas Co to-day the balance sheet showed the revenue for the year to be L 27,916 as against L27,47S for the preceding year. The balance at credit of the profit and loss account was L 10,569, and the directors recommend a dividend of 5 per cent., which, with a similar dividend declared iv July, made 10 per cent, for the year ; L 569 14s 4d being carried forward. The length of mains laid to date is 59 miles; the number of public lamps, 554; of cooking stovea, 261. Mr Justice Denniston to-day issued a prohibition forbidding the Resident Magistrate from proceeding further in re the conviction of Selig and Bird, proprietors of the Referee, who in October last were each fined LSO or three months' imprisonment for a breach of the Gaining and Lotteries Act by taking money to invest on a totalizator, not doing so but presumably paying totalisator dividends on horses which won. The Judge held that there was no evidence lhat the money had not been put in a totalisator though Selig and Bird had not done so themselves, and the evidence in the case was not consistent with their having contrived a scheme of laying totalisator odds. Probably, however, the money had not been put on a totalisator, but that, though a fraud, would not affect their clients as long as Selig and Bird were solvent. He would not give costs against the Magistrate. It was contended that the application for prohibit}™ only applied where the Magistrate had exceeded his jurisdiction, but His Honour considered it applied to other cases though ho would like the point settled by a higher court. DUNEDIN, Feb. 5. At a meeting of parents of childron attending tho M^acandrew Road school, South L)uuediu, it was decided to dec-Hue to provide the children with Whitcombe and Tombs' school books, and a deputation was appointed to wait on the Educatiou Board in reference to the matter. It was also decided that if children brought home these books they should be taken away from them. Mr Earnslaw, M.H.R., who was present, said that when the Education question came up iv the House he would try to force the Government to provide uniform school books free of charge. Hilda's price for the Cup has shortened to 2*to 1 ; Prime Warden and Occident are at 4 to 1 ; and Crackshot and Freedom at 5 to 1. The Dunedin Presbytery have appointed Mr John Roberts their Commissioner to the Free Church of Scotland, and carried a resolution asking the Governor to use his influence to have effect given to the wishes of the Raratougan natives to atop the use o$ ptoxioants ia the Harvey Group.