SPECIAL TELEGRAMS.

Thames Advertiser, Volume XVI, Issue 5184, 3 June 1885, Page 3

SPECIAL TELEGRAMS.

[PBB. PBESB AeSOOIATIOH. . "' ; ■ ;i -''•'••■ ■ — ''' ' ■ ' ' Auckland, Tuesday. The news from Samoa by the mail stoamer is of an unimportant character. No further annexation trouble appears to have arisen since the previous information came to hand. On Sunday evening the Public Hall at Matakap waß burned, and all the. Road Board's books and documents were lost in tho fire. The building was insured in the Imperial Office for £150. Kelly's supporters have subscribed £250 for the purpose of unseating Sheehan for alleged corrupt practices at the late Tauranga election. Letters from Apia, of May 20, state that McArthur's schooner Olive was then on the reef at Paatolotat, but was expected to be got off. She ia insured in the South British for £1000, and her original cargo for £1200; two-thirds of both are roinsured. Matthews, tho American boxer, knocked out Donovan, the light weight champion of Auckland, in three rounds, in a glovo fight last night,

. Wellington, Tuesday. In reference to a cablegram published some timo back, which stated that tho Government of New Zealand had agreed to forego.clause 3,1 of tho Federal Kn• abling Bill, if Mr Griffith's proposal was accepted, it should lie' explained that tho moaning' is as follows:—The representatives'of the colonics at' Homo are fight-

ing over clause 31, which provides that a colony may withdraw from the Federal Council whenever it pleases. The AgentsGeneral of New Zealand and New South Wales are favourable to its retention, with an addition proposed by Lord Derby, that a colony retiring should cease to be bound by any past legislation of the Council, but the New Zealand Government have asked more than this, though it is an instalment in. the direction they seek; they have asked that no legislation of tho Council should be effective until afterwards separately agreed to by the Legislature of each colony. On the memorandum to this effect reachingthe Premier of Queensland (Mr that gentleman suggested, subject to the approval of Victoria, that the bill might bo so framed that the colonies joining, joined on the condition that the Federal Council's legislation was final One subject, as far as this colony joining was concerned, was as to its Legislature subsequently approving and'adopting tlio Boparnto Acts of the Council. The Government of New Zealand signified that, the proposal would bo acceptable to them. It need scarcely be said that the decision of the New ZealandGovernment iB not pledged, as the Federal Council Bill contains a provision that it is only to have force in any colony tho Legislature of which adopts it.

. The Minister of Public ; Works has appointed a Railway. Appeal Board for Otago, and tho following are tho members; —Messrs Carew, R.M,, W. H. Pearson, late Commissioner of Crown Lands'.for Otago, and James Robin, The question ;of railway rates for the carriage of native brown coal aro under consideration', and it will be gazetted shortly what deduction in .rates is to:be made, so as to, allow it to compete with imported and other coal. . The Customs revenue.collected in the colony for the last month was £107,834, as against £107,356 for the corresponding month of last year. Tho amounts collected at the. principal ports last month were :-Auckland, £24,282; Wellington, £20,474; Lyttelton : and Christchurch, £13,609; Dunedin, £29,730. The beer duty last month'for the colony was £4185, while for the corresponding month last year it'was'£4,2l9. The principal amounts last month were—Auckland; £247; Wellington,' '£391; Christchurch, £869; Dunedin, £467. ' . The Medical.Society of Christchurch have forwarded to the Colonial Secretary the following resolution, carried at a.meeting of the Society on the 7th May:— "That the Society expresses sympathy with;Dr Stewart under the, irritation, he must suffer from the terrible and scandalous attack which haß appeared in the Evening, Press, of .Wellington, on May 2isti 1885'?, ; The Chambers of Commerce at Auckland, Christchurch, and Dunedin, have decided to send delegates to Samoa. The Government have decided to increase the'size of the Exhibition Building, and the tender of tho contractors for

putting up the present building has been accepted; the amount being nearly £2000. The Thorndon Licensing Committee have granted all renewals except- in two cases, which were adjourned for fourteen

A meeting of the members of the Government Insurance Board Vwas. held this afternoon, when it was unanimously resolved that the opinion of the'policyholders be obtained as to the desirability of establishing local boards at a meeting of policy-holders to be hold : on the 27th inot. . Policy-holders will be allowed the privilege of voting by proxy, arrange-; ments are being made to supply them with the necessary papers, Christchuroh, Tuesday. , Shortly after.2 o'clock thjs'afternopn a platelayer namod John Lewis,' working oh J the Rangiora and Pernside ■ section of the I line, fell from a trolly going 'at the .rate of I 4or 5 miles an hour.. The wheel inflicted I injuries to his leg and side, the.extent not j being yet known. He also received a 1 serious blow on the head. ( Major Cautley, with Col. Lean and,, several other gentlemen, inspected the defence works at'Lyttolton to day. The permanent Artillery force were exercised in working some of the big. guns that are in position, and showed* great success, in their work. Notwithstanding the expedition with which the work has been pushed forward, the defence works-are by no means complete. :. The Hon. .Col. Whitraore arrived at Lyttelton to-day by the Te Anau. Dunedin, Tuesday. • : The_ suburban Cavershara Licensing .Committee have fixed on 10 o'clock as the

hour of closing for all the hotels. . The Committee of the Dunedin. Jockey Club mot to-night to discuss the question of the resignation of the hundicappors, but it was deferred till:a fuller meeting. Greymouth, Tuesday. The; strike amongst the coal miners of the Coal Pit Hoath mine ended last even, ing by the men resolving to go to work this morning. /The price agreed upon is 3b 6(1 per ton, and the men are allowed to "cable'"for places or draw lots for the particular part of the mine they shall work in, . "