WEEKLY EPITOME.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume I, Issue 50, 11 April 1874, Page 6

WEEKLY EPITOME.

The ' Independent ' sajß that the cause of delay in the publication -of the Handbook of the Colony is, that portions of the Handbook relating to two of the principal provinces hare occupied longer in preparation thun whs expected; but they are promised in the cours* of another week. It believes that the intention novr is to send ih« Handbook home for publication, aud distribute it there iv targe numbers.

Tho 'Taranaki News' thinks that in the appointment of th« Agent-General " a mistake wm made."

Th« polling mod election of three out of fire candidates to repregfot Hsath^ote in the Canterbury Provincial Council took place a few fay* ago. Great interest was taken in the election. Mr Montgomery*, the President of the Executive Council ; Mr Fisher, m former member ; $ir Cracroft Wilson, M H.B ; and Dr Foster, M.D., were in favor of Secular Education ; Mr E. W. Stafford, M.H.R., supporting Denominationalism. The following is the result .—-Montgomery, 483 ; Fisher, 315 ; Wilson, 230 ; Foster, 221 ; Stafford, 163. Th> agent for Messrs Sietnen Bros, has submitted an offer 'to th# Government of New South Wales to lay a cable to New Zealand. IT is stated that the gold which was forwarded through th« Provincial (iovernment some weeks ago to Melbourne by certain Otago Winers has been returned in the shape of sovereigns, and that the actual average return has amounted to £3 16s 2d per ounce, or 8d per ounce more than the bank* are now paying. THB * Lyttelto« Times,' in showing how the efforts of immigration agents in the "United Kingdom might be aided by the co-operation of colonists, remarks :— " There are, in this province alone, scores of men who, having landed either penniless altogether or with very small capital, are novr in a position of independence. Many are even wealthy, and they readily acknowledge that no amount of toil, of prudent forethought, of careful husbandry, could have raised them to a similar position in the old country. They have prospered in spite cf ' bad times ' now and again, and in no way ran they better show their gratitude for success than by taking every opportunity of making it krtown among such ot their friends at home as they think would make good colonists." Mb Hollow at is to be specially invited to Taranaki, to report on its advantages for immigration. A sum of money has been voted to pay his expenses while there. Th« Napier ' Daily Telegraph * says :— *• A kit of potatoes would not appear to an ordinary slave dealer a high price for a young healthy boy, but this, we are informed, was what was paid by a Maori the ether day for a Scandinavian child. Whether the parent or guardian of the boy really did sell him, or merely pawned him, the matter requires to be looked into." Ax the luncheon given at Auckland to the Rifle Representatives of that Province, Mr McLean said he intended to introduce some stringent regulations to prevent the volunteer movement becoming a sham, Mk Ste-WABT, a Special Immigiation Agent for the North of Ireland, is visiting the Tauranga district to select a site for small farm settlement. He is v«ry favourably impressed with the land. Thk Directors of the New Zealand Steam Shipping Co. have vnder consideration the question of placiag one of their fleet in the Fiji and Auckland trade. Thk ship Hindostan has soiled from Auckland for London with a cargo valued at £61,917. ; Messrs Sandkbs and O'Mailet, of Wellington, contractors, are the successful tenderers for the reclamation of 49 acres of land from the harbor. The tenders ranged from £56 000 (accepted) to £120,000. They estimate that the work will occupy two years and a half, with a hundred hands employed, and that the commercial value of the land when completed will be £4000 per acre. The Census returns of fight districts of the Province of Auckland sent in, show an increase of 27, 533 souls over last Census. There are six district returns to come in. Waikato shows the largest iacrouse, viz., 1311. The accepted t nders for the light railways to be constructed for the Otago Provincial Government are :— Waiarek* Railway, W. D. Morrison, £45,000 ; Orepuke, David Proudfoot, £28,397 9* ; Riverton to Otautau, Uavid Proudfoot, £37,104 2s j Otautau to Makerewa, David Proudfoot, £32 080 0s 8d Thk Tuamarina Hotel, Blenheim, was burnt down at midnight on ♦he Cth inst. It is believed to have been caused by a fire left smouldering on the hearth. The total loss is £880. The landlord is tho owner •f the house. He is insured for £450 in the New Zealand Company. The family were in bed, and escaped by the window. The population of Marlborough is 6143, being an increase of 908 Btnce the tuking of last cen*us. It is stated that Mr T. Henderson, of the Auckland firm of Henderson and Macfarlano, who is now on his way to England, intend* purchasing a complete plant for the establishment of a woollou manufactory in the Auckland Piovince. Fokms of application and Regulations nnder the free nominated passage system, may be obtained at any of the School-houses and Police Offices in this Province out of Dunedin. At the chiistening of some new machinery at Charleston, the proprietors, Messrs Parker, Thompson, and Sullivan stated that they were really sarguine of being able to clear £100 per week per man now that they had proper for working their claim, and that it would be years before 'their ground was exhausted. This speaks well for Charleston. Accobdij<g to Sergeant John Cassels, Inspector of Nuisances for the Town of Cromwell, that town is the dirtiest in New Zealand One yard in it is alone sufficient to cause sickness in the tews. Bx the outgoing English mail on the 7th inst there were forwarded through the Immigration Office, Dunedin, applications for 168 immigrants— eqxial to 1454 statute adults. These nominations were made between the 18ch ult. and the 7th iust. The nationalities of those sent for are as follows :— Scotland, 82 ; England, 52 j Ireland, 32 ; ftermany 2. Mb JiEAiTHWAiiE'a run of 2,600 acres, about eight miles from Napier, has been sold to Mr Maney, for £10 per acre, Jhe stock at A debtblctivb fire occurred in Bridge street, Ne'.son, a few days ago. It broke out in Phillips's soap works, destroyed them and his shop, Thornton's, saddler shop on one side, Wymond, a draper's Bhop, on the other ; also the billiard rooms and stables belonging to the Trafalgar Hotel. Wymond's store is insured for £4100, and the buildings, which belong to Harley, for £1400 ; Plnllips'a shop and Ikouse for £900. Thornton was uninsured, and Wymond's loss is fur

in excess of his. insurance. The total insoraret is-~South Britflfc £1400; Norwich Union, £500; National, £1000 1 Victoria, £l9to] New Zealand, £l00Q; London and Liverpool, and Globe, £1506. The flames had secured a complete hold of the building before the alarm was given, , A. bxhabeablb instance of youthful heroism ocearred lately 'ft Auckland. Some lads were b ithing in the sea, at Wynyard's pier. tad. one of their number named George Brown, aged six years, who oookL not swim, took a dive, hut did not rise to the sfcfsce. The other boys, saw bubbles rising from, the bottom, and a noble little fellow named Reuben Connolly, whose age. is only seven years, at onre dived *ftgp him, and rescuing his playmato brought hin> ashore on his backs whes»> after a little treatment by his youthful plfty-fellows, the boy rewired from the effects of his immersion. Thk last Northern. Escort, which arrived in Dunedtn, brought down the following quantities of gold :'— Qnpenßtewn, 1,694 oz Odwtsj Cardrona, 236 oz 6d«ts; Arrowtown, 785T0X 0 dwts.;. Cromwfeb/ 2,195 or ldwt; Clyde, 500 oz Odwts; Alexandra, 832 oz Odwt*Teviot, 399 ok Odwts; Blacks, 250 ot Odwts; Mount Ida, 7600* 16dwts; Palmerston, 68 oe 1 dwt. Total :|?,201 oz 9 dwts. Our Auckland correspondent telegraph* :— South British lite** ranee, 4&a 6d ; National In*urenee, 31s ; Auckland Gas Company, £Hjf Standard Insurance, 10s 6d; Sash and Door Co., £8 10s; Bright" Smile, 8.0t ; Alburnia (New Issue), 17s 6d, I6e 3d, 16s 6d ; Caledonian, £9 10s ; City of London, 235, 23s 6d, 245? Cfeueen of May, lie 6dfy" Bismarck, 14s; Caliban, 6s 6d; New Pacific, „! ts ; Ruby, 8« ( 054 Whau, 7*. 7s 64, 7s Bd, 7s lOd ; Cure, 6*. Total duties reouveit, Tuesday, £1360 9s.