TELEGRAMS

Star (Christchurch), Issue 2043, 24 September 1874, Page 2

TELEGRAMS

[Peb Angio-Austbalian Pbess Tblegbap^

Agency.] Gbahamstown, Sept. 23. At a banquet laßt night, Mr Sheehaa, in reply to the toast of his health, spoke for nearly an hour, referring to the opposition offered to the Waste Lands Act in the Upper House. He said he was not inclined to go to extremes regarding the Upper House, which had given evidence of a aound conservative spirit. He said the one question however in which they are always wrong is one in which they are so deeply interested that they are prevented from dealing with it fairly arid justly, and that is the question of the land. There were very few members of the Upper House without very large estates, and some reckon their properties by hundreds ;6f thousands of acres. These men jealously scrutinised every measure which '■- has for its object to enable the people to acquire land easily, and settle down upon it. The bill which was introduced was in the hands of people in the position that, the person who was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho was, when he fell into the hands of a certain company, which he need not particularise. Referring to the representative ' question, he said he saw that whenever a proposal waa made to give another member" to a North Island constituency, it was met by £ cry, tiiat the balance of power. waa in danger. /He found that the Southern goldfields* members always came forward, manfully and straightforwardly on the gold fields' questions, and that the opposition to the alteration of the present representation came mainly from Wellington and Taranaki. Those provinces knew their case was rotten, and that if the House decided on an increase of representation, it would be made at the expense of one or other of them. The claim of the Thames to an additional representation was so just that the Houso could not longer delay to recognise it. He thought the Native department viewed the proposed railway from the Thames to the Waikato with disfavour.' He characterised the tactics of the Native department as of an Arabian kind. For yeara pa9fc, they had been content to let " I dare not wait uponl would." Hb believed the Bame department viewed with alarm the very advancing wave of civilisation, thus hastening the time when their services. would no longer be required. He considered' that the veil of mystery waa about to be lifted, and Ohinemuri opened, whioh, if not auriferous, contained a hundred thousand acres which would profitably repay men to settle down upon as farmers. " , . •

Auckland, Sept. 23. A very heavy westerly gale has been blowing ail' day, which has done about £15,000 damage to the shipping and wharf. "Tho barques Thames, East Lothian, Harriet Armitage, and Nonpariel, and the schooner Mora, were damaged by grinding againet the wharf. The gale ia moderating. Napibb, Sept. 23. The Diocesan Synod met yesterday.- There was a long address from the Bishop on the affairs of the Churoh. He calls attention to the spread of intemperance, and commends the consideration of the subject to the earnest attention of the Synod. ,

New Plymouth, -Sept.: 23. The Comptroller, Mr FitzGerald, is nowhere inspecting tbe books of fcho various Government departments.

Land is changing hands at fair prices. Mr. Vavasour, cf Wellington, has purchased Mr William Baylee'a Tartarimaka property at £8 per acre. Mr Drake, of Wellington, haa bought Mr Dingle's farm at Asusua at £3 10s per aore. Some land in Devon street sold at £12 per foot. In the centre of the town £15 to £20 is asked per foot.

Wellington, Sept. 23. Mr Borlaae, the Mayor, is bringing aa action against Mr Ludlam of the Hutt for libel contained in words used at a recent? meeting reflecting on his character and capabilities as Provincial Solicitor.

Hokitika, Sept. 23. The Tararua, from Melbourne, is in the roadstead. There is no likelihood of hei* being tendered, as a gale is blowing from the south.