TELEGRAMS.

Colonist, Volume XVII, Issue 1897, 6 April 1875, Page 3

TELEGRAMS.

Wellington, Monday. , The Customs returns, exclusive of any M)or dues, amounted last quarter to *36,984, against, for the corresponding garter of last year, £32,937. During the past fortnight there were imported 320,000 feet of timber, chiefly from floras Sound. Sailed: Wellington for North. Passengera—Mies Nicholls, Miss Purcbas, Messrs Jtocbas, M'Hugb, and Eaynor. _ Wanganui, Saturday. Ihomas Anslow was brought upon remand, «aarged with arson. A great deal of strong 6twence was produced, but the case was

again remanded for further evidence. Bail was allowed, but Anslow could find no sureties. Freeman R. Jackson reports as follows : — Fat beef, 25s per lOOlbs; cows, £5 10s to £7 15s; steers, £6 5b ; fat cows, £6 10s ; heifers, £3 10s to £5 ; fat sheep, half breds, 10a 3d ; ewes, 4s to ss. Horses sell very dull. ' Cheistchukch, Friday. The Hon. Watts Kussell died this morning of inflamation of the bowels, after a short illness. Mr Webb, M.H.E., Lyttelton, met his constituents on Wednesday evening, and made a very lengthy speech. The only important part was when he said, referring to the question of abolition of Provinces :— " So far as regarded his individual vote, he would vote for a bill framed on the resolationa passed by the House during the last session, reserving to himself the right to vote for its introduction in the other Provinces if it be thought an advautage. Under any circumstances he would vote for any bill which would take the land revenue from Canterbury." The meeting wound up with the following resolution :—" That the best thanks of the meeting be given to Mr Webb for explaining the events of last sessio ." Saturday. The market quotations, f.o.b at Lyttelton, areas follows:—Wheat, 3s 8d to 3s 9d; oats, 2s lOd to 3s ; barley, 5s 3d to 5s 6d; bran, £4 5s to £4 10s ; sharps, £4 10s to £4 15; cheese, scarce, 9d; butter Is 6d ; hams and bacon, none in market; new cure ready in a month. Monday. ■ The Superintendent, in opening the Pnr vincial Council, and reviewing the progress of the Province during the past year, said that 90,000 additional acres had been brought under cultivation. The estimated land receipts had fallen short by £ Fiftythree additional miles of railway had been opened, and within the course of a few months ninety-six miles more would be opened, making a total of 209 miles. He expressed his satisfaction at the way in which the newly arrived immigrants were absorbed amongst the population, and at the generally excellent class of immigrants, 10,088 of whom had been introduced during the year. Keferring to the proposed alteration in the constitution of the Colony, his Honor said that it was impossible to discuss the matter properly until it was known how the Colonial Executive proposes to give effect to the resolutions of the Assembly, but he was convinced that any change- in the constitution would have to be such as would be deemed advisable to apply to the whole Colony. The Secretary of Public Works laid a statement on the table to the effect that the railways had yielded a proHt of £20,000 during the past nine months. The weights for the Great Autumn Handicap of 300 soys, If miles, are:—Tambourini, aged, 9st 91bs; Tetnpleton, 4 yrs, 9st 71bs ; Yatterina, aged, Bst 121bs; Flying Dutchman, aged, Bst lOlbs; Pertobe, 5 yrs, Bst 51bs ; Traitor, 4 yrs, Bst 21bs ; Castaway, 5 yrs, 7efc 121bs ; Hight Bower, 5 yrs 7st lOlbs; Parawhenua, 5 yrs, 7st 71bs; King Phillip, 3 yrs, 7sb 41bs ; Tadmor, 3 yrs, 7st 31bs ; Guy Fawkes, 3 yrs, 7sfc 21bs ; Hercules, 3 yrs, 6st lllbs; Ngaro, 3 yrs, 6st 71bs ; Spritsail, 4 yrs 6st 71bs; Septimus, aged, 6st6lbs; W ainui, 3 yrs, 6st slbs ; Princess Mary, 3 yrs, 68t 51bs.

Dtjnedin, Friday. A private telegram received in town yesterday from Lawrence intimated that hia Honor Wilson Gray is dangerously ill; faint hopes are entertained for his recovery. He gave judgment in some intricate cases [last Monday, attended by two medical men, and was then carried back to his hotel. The Provincial Council will meet on the 4th of May. Two engines went off the line yesterday. No damage was done. The Customs duties collected for the quarter ending 31st March, £100,678; corresponding period, 1874, £91,961. Total consolidated revenue, from Ist January to end of March, £102,351. Gold duty £3149. Ad valorem duty for March quarter, 1875, £43,326; and for 1874, £38,649. The grain market is quiet. Fat sheep in excessive supply. The demand for young merinos continues. The following are the quotations:—Cross-breds, four tooth and upwards, lls to 12s 6d , two-tooth, 9s 6d to 10s ; do. lambs, 8s ; merino ewes, two, four, and six- tooth, 7s; full-mouthed, 4s 9d to 5s 6d. Monday. Mr J. P. Armstrong, M.P.C., has been requested to stand for Waikouaiti in the General Assembly. An old Otago miner writes from Cooktown of the exaggerated accounts of the Palmer goldfields, and cautions miners against rashly facing the dangers of northern Queensland. Judge Gray, betterknown as Wilson Gray, died yesterday at Lawrence, aged 63 years. Hokitika, Monday. The gas company recently imported a cargo of coal from the Grey, which has been pronounced of superior quality' for gas purposes, and the difference between the cost free on board, and the price of Newcastle coal here, left a very groat freightage for the Vessel. Auckland, Friday. The Star of the South, from Fiji, reports fearful mortality from measles among the natives, They are paralysed, and refuse to assist each other. All the head chiefs are dead. Three hundred died in the island of Ovalau alone, and in the other islands a greater number. The disease, which is always followed by dysentery, has assumed a form of plague. Several native towns are depopulated, at oi c the bodies lay for days uncovered, and were mangled by pigs. The natives are only burying the bodies a few inches below the surface, and the late rains have washed the soil off. The smell is fearful. In the island of Anquhu a great many natives are reported lying dead, as no one will bury them. Trade is at a standstill. The Star of the South returns with but little cargo—no one being about to to take it out of store and put it on board. The Bum and

1 Sugar Company are erecting machinery. i Messrs Brodijack and Evans have been committed for trial for manslaughter, natives ■ having died through their neglect. A misi sionary scandal is occupying attention here. ; Monday. , Judge Gillies took his seat at the criminal sessions for the first time to-day. Mr Whitaker, on behalf of the members of the bar, congratulated his Honor on the new dignity, and said it was a remarkable fact that not one of the newly-arrived immigrants was on the calendar, giving good promise for the future of the Colony. According to the representatives of the Education Board to the Superintendent today, there is a deficiency -of £8000 on the operations of the year, and they are completely out of funds and unable to carry on. His Honor promised to provide for their wants till tbe Council met, and said that the question of education was of such importance that it should be dealt with by the General Government.