NEWS OF THE WEEK.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume II, Issue 54, 9 May 1874, Page 7

NEWS OF THE WEEK.

Is the Provincial Council on the 30th ult., before proceeding to the business of the order-paper, the Provincial Secretary informed the House that the Executive had tendered their resignation to the Superintendent the day previous. The reasons given by Mr Turnbull for the step taken were, that he found his time so taken up with I private aflairs, as to be unable to devote sufficient attention to the duties of Provincial Secretary and I'ieaourer; he said also that some differences existed among=r the members of the Executive m regard to the administration of public affairs. It had been the intention of the Goven ment to have tendered their resignation some time since, but the representations of the Secretary of Lauds, that such a step would not be fair to the members of the Council, to the Superintendent, and to the country, had influenced his colleagues, as eucb a step during recess would lead to serious public inconvenienca. Patrick Long, who had been found gmltv of manslaughter, and remanded for sentence, was brought up on Friday the Ist May. On beiiig asked if he had anything to say before the sentence of the Court should be passed upon him, prisoner, after thanking the jury for their yatient hearing of the case, made a lorg statement, admitting that he had shot McDonald, but denying that it had been done intentionally. He stated that he intended 'to fire the pistol over the heads of the crowd to cause them to disperse, and that he had not the slightest malice towards deceased. The learned judge after commenting in strong terms upon the reckless use of deadly weapons, sentenced prisoner to five years' penal servitude. This is, in fact, only equal to three years and a half, as good conduct will obtain a remission oi four months in each year. As- accident of a somewhat serious nature occurred to a Mrs Clark, who resides at Cosy Dell, on Sunday evening. It appears she was rt.tmi.ing from Kaikorai to Maori Hill, and stepping into a blind hole, fell forward, and broke her leg below the knee. As she was alone when the accident occurred, she remained helpless for some time. She is now in the Duuedin Hospital. The feed? of discord and party spiiit so lavMily sown by Mr Barton appears to have taken root' and to be already bearing fruit We notice' th.it at a meeting of the Orange Lod r -e held on the 2nd mst., Mr Barton's epistle was read and much npplamlc i b\ the me.nibirs, and an v\ mion expressed of the desu-abi'in of Oiangemcn m futi.ie ucoi Jir-2 a block \ote. It must, honour, in ju-tice be stated that Dr Moun's reply had not bt-vn then pubh-ued, and consequently the resolve wa=> taken from an exporle tt iteiiu rt. Admitting tint tV intention be adhered to, wo que-tiuu much whether ilr U.a-ton ■will be the gainer by the ti ansuction. The efforts of Dr Webster towards forming an Executive have been unsuccessful, and on Monday he informed the Council that he had recommended the SupuimendcEt to stud for 31 r Reid HiUonor acted on the suggestion, and a motion was earned that the Home meet from day to clay, so that in the event of success attending Mr Keid'a eflorts, the business ot the province might be proceeded with. Eepoets from the Mauukiu Mine, Thames, are ot the most promising nature. A ton of stuff, estimated to contain 2ozs. to the lb ; has bten taken tut.

We have received from St. Mary's Convent, Wellington, " The New Zealand Evening Hymn," arranged and published by Sister M. C. B. As a May offering it is a graceful tribute to our Blessed Lady, while the words and music tenderly invite her children of the Southern clime to adopt that beautiful practice of hailing at Vespertide the " Star of the Ocean." The Supreme Court ha 3 been occupied during the week with the hearing of the case Macassey v. Bell, an alleged libel case, ia which damages were sought to the extent of £1000. The defendant is the proprietor of the ' Evening Star,' and the action is brought for an article reflecting on Mr Mucassey, which appeared in that paper. A strong bar was retained on both sides, Messis Barton, Hnggitt and Stewart appearing for Mr Macassey; and Messrs James Smith and Stout, for the defendant. During the long and tedious hearing, many of the principal men of the town wee brougnt forward by Mr Barton to prove the injurious impression left against Mr Macassey by the perusal of the article in question. The case had not concluded when we went to press. On the assembling of the ?rovincial Council on Wednesday afternoon, a message was read tvom his Honor tiie Superintendent announcing the acceptance of the resignation of the Executive of which Mr Turnbull had been Piovincial Secretary, and the appointment of the following gentlemen as their successors : — Donald Keid, Esq., Provincial Secretary and Secretary of Land and Works ; George Turnbull, Esq., Provincial Treasurer ; Robert Stout, Esq , Provincial Solicitor ; and George Murray Webster, and George Lumsden, Esqs , members ot' the Executive Council. Mr Reid explained tl at, ns stated by the Superintendent, he had succeeded in forming an Executive, but the G-overnment had not had time to confer together, so as to place him in a position to make a statement as to the policy to be adopted with regard to the important measures to be brought forward during the session. Mr Fish Taunted Mr Turnbull with throwing over his lato colleacue, Mr Bastings, and characterised the coalition of Mr Reid, Dr Webster, aud Mr Turnbull, as an unholy alliance. Mr Turnbull, in explanation, stated that he had accepted the oth'ce of Treasurer only at the solicitation of a number of members and as the duties were merely of a routine character. We have to record another fire in the vicinity of Dunedin, being the third within the last fortnight. On this occasion the locality is Carersham, aud were it not for the energy displayed by Constable McKmlay, there is liHle dcubt but at least one life would have been sacrificed". It appears that a man named Law, who occupied the cottage in which the five originated, returned fro'n town under the influence of drink, on Tuesday ni^ht, and in carele?sly striking a lighr set fire to the place. The flames quu-kly spread to an adjoining co'tage, which wa> also totally consumed. Although Constable McKinlay was on the spot a few moments after the nUmi has been given, it was with difficulty he succeed in rescuing Law from the burning building. Both houses were insured, but Law states that, beside his furniture and effects, he has lost £75 in cash. The C||>wn Hotel was at one time in considerable danger, the gable end being considerably injured. It appeals that wo have at last really got rid of the notorious Sullivan. A semi-official announcement appears in a Wellington journal that Sullivan will probably reach England in the course of a few weeks. The ' Independent ' ju'tifies the step taken, and says that if newspapers had a juster conception of the cisc, Sulhvau would not have been debarred from going to San Francisco, as the authorities there would have been made acquainted of his coming, as those in England now are. It also adds, that the Government adopted the course after the case had received the hignest consideration possible to give it in the Colony. Ax inquest «s held on the 30th ult., at Schern's Hotel, Snowburn on the body of Oliver Jackson, who had died suddenly the day previous. It appears that deceased had been tur.utig a winze, when he complained of pain, sat do* n, an J expired immediately Medical testimony showed that disease of the heart was the cause oi death, and a verdict in accordance was returned. We learn from the Mount Ida Chronicle that tli- s.le at St. Bathan's townsliio will not be gazetted until an opportunity l.allowe I of showin" to the Waste Lands Board, the injustice th.it would his done to the inhabitants, if the upset price of £12 10s. per section be insisted on. CiPTAIs Fkasee, the Police Magistrate at the Thames, who entered a criminal action for libel against the Auckland ' Star, 1 offered to withdraw the action if the ' Star' would apologise, and pay £50 to the Hospital. To this proposition the 'Star' answers that i' Ciptairi Fraser will apologise to vhe police, and subscribe £50 to the Orphans Home, it will allow the case to drop. Alexa-sdek McDonald, who has been often mixed up with Maoii disturbances in the Munawatu district, and adopted as a member of a tube, shot one of the leaders in the Napier Coach, m assertion of his right 'to some land over winch the road runs. The members of the Genenl A-einblv were notified by telegraph from Mr Vo"el, that Ki< Exrellem v the G >vernor hid been advised to summon I'arh.iuicnt for the despatch ol"J bu*i.n?«, on the 3.-.1 ot Jul\ next. " Trus Local L-md Board at Reefton have accepted the 'ender of the < Herald' to publish its announcements at the r ite o two pence per inch rins has ra. *od the ire of the rual j urn.il, and it thus remark* on the cut throat tactics of its opponent :- ■ *\ c line no wish to bo a party to a modern representation of the Xukenny cats ; w^>: s h °" contetnporan joy, and implore somebo «y to build up a In- w.ill bet wo n us and the cLvil, aud a bigizer one bttveen us and our contemporary and put bioken bottles on the top of iA nra, unfortunately attended ' loss of l.fe, is r. po.-ie i fro-* Kel«on. A cottage, iv the cceupatu :. .l a "lis V\ right, at W..keh.> C, took fire on the Ist instant, and be! . - v-.suace could be rcn lea-d tl c unfortunate woman was burnt tj ue.-t'.i.

Ik another column will be found the Address of His Honor tbe Superintendent on opening the Session of the Provincial Council. Tbe Address is a lengthy one, but as the subjects touched upon are important, we have given it in extenso. A DA.NGEBOTTS mutiny has broken out on board the emigrant ship Golden Sea, now in quarantine at Wellington. The crew broached the .cargo, and mobbed the captain, who freely used his revolver in defence. The Luna with a detachment of armed constabulary was despatched to the vessel, and eleven of the mutineers have been arrested. Tspeoid fever, it is feared, is spreading in Auckland. Two more deaths are reported from that disease, and the attention of the authorities has been called to the imperfect drainage of the city. A fieb of a most extensive character took place at; Auckland on the morning of the sth, by which fifteen families have been rendered homeless, and property to the extent of £10,000 destroyed. It originated in the crockery store occupied by a Mr F,ranc'3, and had an adequate supply of water been at hand, could have been easily extinguished, but before the flames were arrested, several houses had to be pulled down. Luckily, most of the buildings were insured, but we regret to learn that an hotel-keeper from the Thames, named Williams, received serious injury to the spine, whilst rendering assistance.