TELEGRAPHIC.

Colonist, Volume XX, Issue 2343, 31 January 1878, Page 3

TELEGRAPHIC.

> Atrom&ASD, /Januaryi29. * The regatta to-day was a failure owing to drenohing rain and no wind. . • : . ,', A deputation from the Thameß to the Premier urged the importance of the Thames Valley railway. Sir G-eorge Grey replied the acquisition of land was being rapidly pushed on, and all obstacles to the line would soon he removed. . January 30. The Premier and Mr Sheehan left for the W t aikato this morning. They were received at Alexandra with triumphal arches and other demonstration of rejoicing. Eewi came over from his settlement by speoifio invitation ofSirG-. Grey to attend the Tekopua meet ing. A number of influential chiefs came from Wharepapa. Tawhiao is at Kopua with four hundred natives. Two hundred Ngatimanipolos arrived at Te Kopua yesterday. Altogether two thousand are expected to be present. Natives are pouring ni from all places as remote as Kawhai. Eight head of cattle have been presented for feasting by Ngatihua. The natives will pitch the tent for the|meeting<which will, teat Km rawapo. , , Gisbobnb, January. 29. There was a slight earthquake here at 2.20 p.m. on the 27th, and a smart shock at 10*40 a.m. to-day. Weimn&ton, January 29. The Superintendent of the Eastern Extension Telegraph Company has telegraphed from Batavia that the Singapore Batavia cable worked badly for some days prior to the total interruption. The repairing ship Edinburgh was on her way front Bangoon to Singapore, and communication will probably be restored in about a week. Steamers arrive at Batavia from Singapore on the 3rd, 6th, 17th, and 20th of February, but many local steamers are sure to arrive between these days. The Wellingtonians completed their second innings, sooring only a few runs. The Australians in their second innings got 10 runs with the loss of one nioket, which won the match. A single innings match then commenced, Wellington being sent to the wickets, and were not put out till 5*30, when the score stood 213. Stumps were drawn half an hour after the Australians went in, only 9 runs having been made. It is not likely the match will be con* tiriued. The annual report of the Wellington Gas Company shows an available profit for the year of over £5000. The directors recommend the payment of ten per cent on last half year, and on new capital ten per cent from date of pa} ment. January. 30. The Wellington sails far Nelson and North at 2 p.m. Passengers—Mrs Bowden, Captain and Mrs Neilson, Master Bowden Messrs Ladd, J. A. Wilson, and Watley. Mrssrs Travers and Reader Wood's resignations will bo gazetted to-morrow. In the Court of Appeal to-day, while discussing certain points of law arising out of the case before Court, Mr G. E. Barton, barrister, intimated in an unmistakable manner that the Court was animated by a spirit unfavorable towards him. The Chief Justice asked Mr Barton to explain the meaning of bis language, because the only construction that could be put on his words was that the Court was guilty of partiality in the administration of justice, if that was what he meant. Mr Barton replied that it was. The Chief Justice and Justice Richmond then retired for a quarter of an hour, and upon returning the Chief Justice informed Mr Barton that the Court fined him £50 for contempt. The Court then at once adjourned. On the Court resuming the Chief Justice remarked that since retiring the Registrar had informed him that upon the rising of the Court on Monday it had not been formally adjourned, consequently to-day's Appeal Court was not properly constituted, and the proceedings of that morning were therefore informal. Mr Barton asked the Court if his case would be affected by the informality j if so, he did riot wish to take any advantage of it. With-; out replying direotly to Mr Barton's question, the. Chief Justice continued by announcing that all the proceedings were annulled, After a long discussion an altercation took place betweea Mr Barton arid the Judges this afternoon in the oase Gillon v. M'Donald, during which'the Chief Justice several times warned Mr Barton and called him to order, ho at length told Mr Barton that the Court adjudged him guilty of contempt, and sentenced him toone month's imprisonment in the public gaol. Afterwards the Chief Justice informed the Inspector of Police that Mr Barton was in the robing room, and requested that lie might be immediately arrested which was done. About six in the evening he was taken to the gaol, and lodged there under a Judge's order. The second an* third attempt to blow op the hulk Eli Whitney were failures. At a meeting of the Colonial Bank shareholders this afternoon, the report was unanimously adopted, and a dividend of 6 per cent per annum was declared. £4000 was added to the reserve fund, which now amounts to £16,000, and £2111 was carried forward. Votes of thanks to the diieotors and officers were passed. New Plymouth, January 30. , At a meeting convened by the Mayor to teßt the question of raising a loan for municipal purposes, a resolution was carried in favor of borrowing £25,000 for water, gas, and public improvements. A poll will now be taken. Dtjnbdin, January 29. Nearly 1000 persons attended the meeting for the election of a Sohool Committee last night. The meeting was very stormy. The mode of election gave general dissatisfaction, and was severely criticised. The Catholics held aloof. Resolutions were passed to endeavor to have the defects of the Act remedied.

Mr P. Armstrong is likely to become a candidate for the representation of Mount ?Ida in the General Aisembly if Mr Delatour carries out bis expressed intention of resigninghis seat. > Telephones are used here by one or two business people to connect their warehouses with the offices. Mr Henry Driver, for the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., to-day held the largest wool sale of the season. Two hundred lots were offered comprising about 1600 bales. Every lot was sold at prices fully a halfpenny per plound higher than any previous sale:—-Greasy merino, up to Is 3d; ditto, crossbred, Is; washed merino, Is 6d; ditto crossbred, Is 4d. CHEiSTOHtrfiOH, January 30. A pigeon race took place yesterday from Ashburton to Christohurch, a distance of 50 miles. Twelve started. The race was won by Mr G. Trigg's Heotor. Time, 2 hours 5 seconds. Sweet, who recently levanted, has fleeced the Midland Cricket Club of £75, and the Canterbury j | Cricket Association of about £100. He was treasurer for both. The moneys embezzled from the Presi Company, his employers, amount to a very large sum. ~ The Insurance Agents Association offer a reward of £250 for information leading to the conviction of the person who caused the recent fire. , ' ; , : -.:•.'.■■■;■■• Biotf, January 30. . The Tararua left Melbourne on January 23, »t 11 p.m., arrived at Hobart Town on the 25th, and lift again on the 26th ; had fine weather until her arrival at the Bluff at 11 a.m. today. She brings 69 saloon and 39 steerage passengers for all ports. Passenger j for Nelson; Messrs Todds, Burton, Buchholz, and the Eev. Mother Gabriel, Sisters Cecile and Emanual Esperance de Jesus, and six in the"steerage. '-!■■•, Mimoubhe, January 23, The political outlook is still very dark and olouded. The Government have apparently stayed their hands in the matter of dismissals as five departments remain untouched, and the Government, as if doubtful of past proceedings, are making arrangements to carry on the business of the law. courts. The Governor, it is stated, disclaims any sympathy with the unconstitutional proceedings of the Government, and stated that he signed papers at the Executive on the good faith of the Attorney-General that 'what was being done was within the law. In the meantime the Governor is becoming very unpopular amongst certain classes. At a dinner on the Murray lately, several refused to honor the toast of his health. At a country church the prayer for the Qomner in U» Litany met no responie from the

■'• ~' v.t*--,"-.-7^ t"^-.-, ,i, •. j,., -; „ ,-, v^s. dongregatibn/'ancf'generally amongifc1' tho betted classes the Governor is regarded as one of the causes of the preiont state of eflairs. The clergy of all denominations have taken the matter up, and politic cal sermons bare been delivered from pulpits while the heads of all tho Protestant denomination?, headed by the Bishop of Melbourne, addressed a memorial to Mr Berry, who at this meeting treated the matter sa a joke. , Mr Berry held an iinmenro meeting at Geelong on Monday night. Trains full of partisans were sent from Melbourne and Ballarat, and there was the greatest enthusiasm. Ii his speech, Mr Barry said he had submitted a minute to the Governor, in which he maintained that under the existing law payments could be. made on the voices of tho Assembly, also without an Appropriation Bill, and the Governor had referred the matter Home beforeaoting on the advice. Pending the receipt of a reply the Government were carrying on as economically us possible by reducing the .public service. It was theintention of the Government to submit a new constitution to the people, and in such a way that it could be adopted whether the Council liked it or not. He thought that even the Imperial Government could be prevailed upon to enact' a new constitution if thechoice of the -people was deliberately recorded iv favor of that course. These were the leading points of Mr Berry's speech, but in all his remarks he never referred to the dismissal of the County Court Judges. It is not improbable that before long there will be a dissolution. The action of the Government in reducing the Civil Service is popular with the working classes, who at; present have no cause to feel the crisis. Mr Francis in West" Melbourne yesternight was unable to obtain Vhe'aring. A party of roughs took possession of the ball previous to the meeting, and kept up yelling and hooting, then the gas was turned off.' Mr Francis went to an adjoining hotel and delivered his speech. The drought still continues very disastrous. Accounts from various parts of the' country Bpeak of the absence of water and feed. ' ■ Nearly all the members of the Council are absent. Seventy.members of the Assembly now refuse to take payment, believing it illegal. The eeßßion is practically at an end. The Ministers of Works and Custom's, in recent' speeches, held out all sorts of threats as to what the Government are prepared to1 do in the crisis, but none of them were referred to by Mr Berry. \ ■ The produce of the gold Gelds last year is estimated at 692,839 oz., showing a falling off of 144,421 oz. Business is dull and unsettled from the effects of the political situation. Four theatres are still open only doing fairly. The pantomimes are still running. Cooper and Bailey's circus is gone up country.