LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXIV, Issue 2921, 27 November 1869, Page 5

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

<* The Peovincial Council— The Provincial Council eat until an eavly hour this morning, discussing the contents of his Honor's Message No. 2, transmitting the Appropriation Act, and recommending provision for the expenses of carrying on tho Government in his absence. After a good deal of discussion, the various items recommended were agreed on, and reported to the Housd. The Government then moved the second reading of the Appropriation Act, but Messrs Bunny, Ludlam, and Johnston, objected to going on with that act until the Council had an opportunity of discussing the itemo of the proposed general expenditure during the eight months over which tho estimates of the current year •were proposed to be extended. These gentlemen pressed the matter to a division, and by a majority of one succeeded in negativing the motion that the Bill be " now " read. The Council on this adjourned, the Government giving notice that it would to-day again move the second reading of the Bill, and would then submit detailed estimates. Gold in Pbivate Land. — The following important notice appears in the last General Government " Gazette." In consequence of further information which the Government have received from his Honor the Superintendent of the Province of Nelson, and the Commissioner of Crown Lands at Nelson, on the subject of the sale of certain Bections of land, supposed to be auriferous, at Wangapeka, in that province, the Government do not consider it, under all the circumstances conductive to tho public interests to enforce the right of the Crown to the Gold in Buch lands, and have accordingly cancelled the letter written to the Superintendent of Nelson on the Ist instant in respect of the same. Although this enforcement has been waived in respect of those particular lands, the Government reserve their right in the interests of the public, to that enforcement in reßpect of other sales of auriferous land ; and j Commissianers of Crown Lands and Waste Lands Boards are cautioned against allowing such sales to be made, and the public interests thereby to be infringed. Goveenment Annuities Act. — The Hon. Mr Gisborne has been appointed a Commissioner under the Government Annuities Act, 1869. This appointment is understood to be preparatory to the issue of regulations under the act, and the establishment of a system of Government Life Assurance, in which the insurers will not bo exposed to the frightful risk of loss which recent revelations in connection with the Albert and European companies show are incurred by those who assure with private societies. Auckland Superintendence. — The proceedings at the recent election of a Superintendent of the province of Auckland eeem to have been conducted in something the same manner as the old Irish elections used to be in the days of the forty shilling freeholders. The rows and disturbances might look amusing and jolly if depicted by Lever or Carleton as illustrative of life and character, but the accounts given by the Auckland newspapers, although no doubt tinged by the excitement of the timos, show the proceedings to have been of the most disgraceful and illegal character. At the Thames a rowdy body of Mr Williamson's supporters took possession of the approaches to the polling booths, and prevented any of Mr Gillies' supporters entering, maltreating and abusing all who attempted to do so. At last they gave up attempting to record their votes, and Bonie 650 are Baid to have signed a protest on account of being unable to vote. A few ingenious GHlliesites hit on the plan of going to Williamson's committee rooms, getting his tickets, and by their exhibition obtaining an entrance to the booth. The dodge was, however, coon detected, and tho first person discovered trying it on was unmercifully punished. As tho hour for closing tho poll approached the excitement became intense. The windows of tho Gillies' committee rooms were broken. A green flag with a harp in the centre was taken from an Lotel and planted on the veraudah of the Courthouse, which was used as a polling place, and then carried through the town in procession, the windows of obnoxious individuals being broken as tho procession moved past. A most furious attack was made on the office of the " Thames Advertiser," and a good deal of damage was done there. An immense number of attempts at personation are said to have been made at various polling booths ; some of the men have been given in charge. Tho police seem to have been nowhere on the occasion, and it is said that several of the magistrates have resigned as tho others would not support their efforts to preserve order. Tho Provincial Government officials are said by the Gillies organs to have been very active in their exertions on Mr Williamson's behalf, and one of them actually went to tho provincial hospital and took out all the patients who were voters, and conveyed them in cabs to the nearest polling booth— a coneiderable distance. One of these men had to be carried into tho booth by threo others, and others had to have their hands guided by other people when signing tho poll book. It is also said that some free and independent electors were obtained from the Lunatic Asylum, and conveyed to the polling booth in close traps. Of course there is a great deal of exaggeration in the accounts published, but thero is no doubt that many disgraceful proceedings took place. Mr Williamson's committee, and that gentleman himself, entirely disown the illegal and violent actions of his socalled supporters. As far as can be judged from the roturnß to hand Mr Gillies is the successful candidate. He had a majority of 103 in Auckland, but was in a minority of 387 at the Thames.

The returns from other places gave him a majority of sixteen at the latest date, and it was believed that the few returns yet to be received would increase his majority.

Present majority for Gillies, 16. Reported majority for Williamsou : Whangarei Heads, 4. Returns have yefc to come from — Tauranga, Whangarei Heads, Aratapo, Paparoa, Hpkianga, Mangonui, Oruaiti, Oruru, Kaitaia. Cricket. — We are requested to notify that the meetings of the Wellington Cricket Club are unavoidably postponed tili further notice. Wesleyak Chapel. — The Rev. 3. Crump will preach in the Wesleyan Chapel, Manners street, to-morrow (Sunday), morning and evening, previous to his departure for Nelson. A.1.0.0.F. — A lodge of the ancient and independent order of Odd Fellow's has recently been opened at Ofcago. K.W.G.T. Brother Joel, and G.C. Brother Laudon attended on the part of the Grand Lodge of Otago, and conducted the opening ceremonial. The proceedings as usual wound up with a banquet. Insolvency. — Mr Akersten, who was recently a candidate for the Suporintendency of Nelson, has filed his schedule since his hopes of political preferment were blasted. What's in a Name ? — A few years ago certain islands were called "Peejee." Subsequently it became " Fiji," but now the English residents on the islands themselves adopt the Utle of " Viti.'< Which is it ? The Hon. Me^Holiies. — This gentleman was absent from his place in the Legislative Council last session, as he was then on a visit to England. We learn that he returned to Otago by the Omeo on her last trip. Haul op Fish. — On Wednesday evening some fishermen wero lucky enough to make an immense haul of fish in the neighborhood of the Te Aro Pa. The net brought upwards of 600 | fish to land, and most of them were wariou. CiTHi Seryice. — The Secretary to the Board of Ciril Service examiners notifies in tho Gazette that Mr Andrew Thomas Maginnity has passed his examination under the civil service regulations, and since joined tho Treasury department' A CnEAr House.— A pretty little bay gelding was sold at the Hutt pound the other day for the Bum of two shillings sterling, a sum which would not nearly meet the expense of advertising the sale. A Dishonest Bailiff — A man named James Maroney, baiiiff of tho Resident Magistrate's Court, Shortland, has been arrested for stealing bank notes out of a drawer in the clerk of the court's office. Money bad previously been, missed out of the drawer, so the clerk of the court had some mark put on some of them, and also took the number of the notes down. The notes wore found in the prisoner's possession, the numbers corresponding with those the clerk had written down. CiEHicAli. — Wo learn from our Auckland exchanges that the Most Rev. Dr Goold, Lord Bishop of Melboui'ne,and Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Auckland, has been pleased to appoint the Rev. Father Murphy Rector of Grahamstown and Coromandel. Coromandel will be erected into a mission as soon as a priest can be procured to fill the position. His Lordship has been pleased to appoint Mr Haughton, Mr C. O'Neill, and Mr Curtaino to be trustees of church property in said places, in conjunction with himself and Father Murphy. Light Coin. — An Auckland contempory feels ife a duty to caution all those who are in receipt of golden money that there has been a considerable amount of filing and sweating of gold coins lately. We were shown an Australian sovereign yesterday, the edges of which had been filed away until almost the whole of the " milling" had been removed, and we are informed that other gold pieces have been recently incautiously taken, from which a great portion of the precious metal had been abstracted through holes being bored in the edge, and afterwards neatly filled up with lead. The loss of weight from this cause could not be sensible to a person taking them incautiously. Every piece ought to be examined and then " rung," whon tbe difference in sound between a gonuineand a doctored coin would be readily distinguished by a practised ear. Falling Down a Trap Doob. — W. E. J. Morressy, formerly of this city and now of tho Masonic Hotel, Auckland, was the defendant in an action in the District Court there tho other clay, in which the plaintiff, aminer, sought to recover £50 as compensation for injuries for falling through an open trap-door into tho cellar of the defendant's house, and, after the caso had occupied the Court four hours and a half, judgment was given for £30 and costs. Accident at the Thames.— A miner, whoso name is not known, has been seriously injured by an accident which happened in the Euranui Gully, Thames, the other day. It was caused by a coil of rope that had been taken up the hill in the Kuranui to the Junction Gold-mining Company's Claim, and was loffc for a minute or so, when from some cause or other it commenced rolling, knocking the man down. The coil of rope in going down the lull smashed in the end of a cottage on the Shotover Claim. A person standing in the cottage had a very narrow escape from being struck. The unfortunate man was immediately taken to the hospital.

Willliamson, Gillies. Auckland 512 615 The Thames 818 433 Parnell 38 87 Nowton — ... 71 47 Newmarket 29 106 Flagstaff 38 20 Stokes Point 5 3 Onehunga 117 83 Henderson's Mill ... 15 12 Otahuhu 64 47 Paumure 19 36 Howiek 58 40 Papakura ... ... 14 41 Drury 28 44 Hamilton 32 55 Weiti 18 24 Mahurangi ... ... 8 48 Mahurangi Heads ... 13 1 Waiwera 37 5 Little Muddy Creek ... 7 8 Wauku 23 49 Wairoa 14 35 Riverhead ... ... 3 4 Tapu Creek 35 45 Coromandel ... ... 104 42 Helensville 27 9 Matakana 3 20 Whaugarei ... ... 34 86 Mangapai ... ... 11 25 Waipu 16 74 Upper Mauku 17 10 PortWaikato 1 27 TeAwamutu 12 18 Alexandra ... ... 15 9 Eaglan 10 13 Russell 9 30 Waimato ... ... 7 35 Wainguroa ... ... 3 9 Ktnvakawa 30 3 Manga wia 27 18 Port Albert 0 42 Total ... 2,332 2,313 I