TELEGRAMS.

Colonist, Volume XXX, Issue 5024, 6 October 1887, Page 3

TELEGRAMS.

(Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, October 5. Tht recent inspection of police in tbt South Island by the Commissioner of Polic* shows that" the present strength of- sergeants and first class constables U reported to b>» in excess of r. quiremenu. Th«r* are no fewer than four sergeant-majors and 6fi sergeants in the fore a, or one to every sit constables, la the case of first cl-iss constables the pro* portion is out of all reason as compared with , second and third class, the numbers beinj 140,100, and 147 respectively. It i« recommended: that the strength of non-commis-sioned officers should; be reduced to four sergt.-majors and 52 sergeants, and that the strength of first class constables should in . future be 100, and second class 100, the reductions in all cases to be effected gradually as the men retire on account of age or for other reasons. The Hon Wi Taka Ngatita, M.L.0., if lying dangerously ill at his residence Lorer Hutt. The Eimutuka from London to New Zealand arrived at flobart at two o'clock this morning, and was io leave for Wellington at noon, reaching her£ on Sunday. ; William Beaton Orr, master of tbe barque Peru, was arraigned on an indictment chargiug him with having rescued Frederick Palmer, cook on board his vessel, from the lawful custody of Detective Chrystal, on the 2oth . April, 1882. After an hour's deliberation, the jury returned a verdict of not guilfcy. Alfred Robin and Alfred Woreford, clerks lately in the employment of the Gear Meat Company, were called to answer the charge of embezzlement. Worsford appeared, but Bpbin was not present, though balled upon to B&ye his recognizances. The Crown Prosecutor entered a nolle prosequi in the case of Worsford. Robin ii believed to have left the Colony DTJNEDIN, October 5. The Direct Importing Company's third ° annnal meeting was held to-day, B. Hallenstein presiding. A dividend of 6£ percent on share capital and G per cent on shareholders purchasers was declared. The number of customers wa3 stated to have increased, and there was an increase of 500 new shareholders since the last meeting. Nearly all the Otago and Southland members left for Wellington today, most going by express to Christchurch, where they join the Penguin. • CHRISTCHUBCH, - October 5. A banquet was given in the^dd-fellows' Hall this evening to the newly elected members of Parliament, Mr W. H Spackman, President of the Electors' Association presiding. About 200 were prasent, including the following M.H.E.'s:—Meesra Stewart, Walker, O'Callaghan.Feldwiok.Joynt, Valentine, Jojce, Perceval, Blake, Buxton, Beeves (St. Albane), Rhodes, and Loughrey. Apologies for non-attendance were received from Sir J. Hall, and Messrs Fish, Grimmond, Seddon, "Turnbull, M'Gregor, and Beeves (loangahua). The speeches weie not strongly partisan in character, the subjects most dwelt upon being the necessity of union among all parts of the Colony, and general welfare of ■ the people of New Zealrnd. After the banquet the members were driven in a drag to tbe railway station, when they left by train to catch the e.s. Penguin for Wellington. A larga crowd saw them off, and cheered heartily. HOKIIIKA, OctjberS. The last of the election returns came in to-day, and give the totals: Grimmond, 830; Bev*n, 610. AUCKLAND, . October 5. A house occupied by Captain Linduay'at Nguruawhia was destroyed hj fire> this morning. It was iaiured for £750 in the New • Zealand office ~ An incipient rush to Waitoa having set in correspondents there deprecate this, aud state that nothing will be gained by rushing pending the result of the testing of the field. The land in the vicinity of th« field hasriseu in value. "■' ;:',V " 5 ■;" '.'/'"'■ ''■ -\ ; ;"' '~-.