News Of The Week.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume X, Issue 524, 20 April 1883, Page 9

News Of The Week.

Friday,

The Otago Harbour Board passed a resolution yesterday, on the motion of Mr. Barron, giving the Dunedin city and suburban municipalities twelve month's notice from May Ist' to abstain from digcharging'sewage into the harbour. In especial connection with this notice* resolution was moved in the City Council by Cr. Fagan, to the effect that competition be invited for the best scheme of drainage of the city. The proposal was referred to the Works Committee for their report. At a meeting held last evening at the Dunedin Coffee Palace, the following gentlemen were appointed office-bearers ' in the Land Nationalisation Association of New Zealand : — President, Mr. Robert Stout ; 'Vice-Presidents, Mr. M. W. Green, M.H.8., and Rev. John Waters ; Secretary; Mr. Hodge ; Treasurer, Mr! J. A. Barr ';' Auditor, Hr. Jenkins ; Executive Committee, Messrs. Bolt, Braithwaite. Farnie, Boyd, B. Hudson, Armstrong and Fergusson. ,The objects qf the Association were defined as follows :—(a) To prevent, the further permanent aleniationof Crown Lands in this Colony ; (b) to advocate a system of leasing in lieu thereof ; (o) to endeavour to direct, as far as possible, public attention to a consideration' of the importance of the question of land tenure. Any person may become an enrolled member by payment of 2s 6d annually, or, one payment of £2. Afire occurred this morning "at about a' Quarter to two o'clock, in the shop of Mr.' George Harrington, fruiterer, Royal Arcade, pun,edin, by which the premises were completely destroyed. .The origin of the fire cannot be accounted for. The' timely arrival of the Fife Brigade prevented t,he fire from spreading, but the shops adjacent suffered some slight injury. The ioof of the Arcade was also considerably damaged. Mr. Harrington was insured for £260, but his loWis far in excess of that sum. The roof of the Arcade is insured for £500. , • ' Mr. Redmond has forwarded so far £5000 in aid of .the National League. He reports at Home that his mission has been much impeded by the alleged complicity of the Land League with the Phoenix Park, murderers, as well as by the Dynamite scare. Heavy rain has postponed Mr. Bryce's advance' from Alexandra into the King Country until to-morrow. The Waipa' river is flooded, and itis feared the bridge will be carried away. An adverse letter signed by Wahanuiis disregarded, and Te Wetere with a strong escort will meet Mr. Bryce and accompany him through th« country. A deputation waited on the Colonial Treasurer this morning, for the purpose of~bringing under his notice the dangerbW condition' of the bridge on the main road through the North- Bast Valley, Dunedin. Major Atkinson said that the bridge, being on a made road, could not come under the provision of the Act allowing grants towards ' the erection of bridges on unmade roads. ' The Government, by ' making a "giant for such a bridge as this, would expose themselves to the accusation of doing a job in favour of a friendly member, or else of buying Opposition votes. Were the' grant; made, Mr. Green would be accused of having sold his vote, should he vote on the Government side next sesssion. All the municipality was entitled to was a Government loan — which would be granted at 4 per cent., for fifteen years with a sinking fund of 5 percent., but first a special rate must bestmck as security to' Government. ' The Mayor thought 'that, as daring the delay the bridge would be down about their ears — was there, perhaps; a queer fish or two to be found' among the deputation? •—It would be best for the municipality to ! rebuild it themselves. Major Atkinson promised' to telegraph to the Minister of Works and get the matter set on foot at once. In the afternoon a deputation of soft goods warehousemen waited upon Major Atkinson to bring under, the attention of- Government the unsatisfactory state of- the tariff on soft goods. There were various ambiguities and inconsistencies which needed removal. The Treasurer assured the deputation that he would favourably consider the matter. ▲ rather amusing case was concluded in the Police Court by the committal for trial of a nun named 1 Symmii, who had been charged with entering into a conspiracy to defraud, one William" Agnew of the sum of £8. The vtodus operemdi had been by means of a matchbox shaped like a heart, and called by the accused a " Maori coffin," which it was'propbsed the* witness should open for a wager, amounting, in all, to £116, and which was placed in a hat upon a a- table in the Oriental Hotel— Agnew contributing £8. — The box, as it may readily be 'believed, would not open 1 under any circumstances — although it bad previously been opened easily by the witness, who nevertheless, had shrunk from the attempt, as ho had been told that Mr. Denneston j ( whom the owner of; tjhjß po% claimed' as his particular friend, had broken'his nail ffi trying' to ojpfen'it, anahtcd^tually got excited over the vain attempt— *a convincing 1 pro>f 6? its extreme difficulty: A certain 1 "red-whi&ered man," not in custody, was spoken of by the witness as a chief actor in the case, and this'man is said actually to have made his appearance in the Court while the trial was going on. • . _ . 1 Another case which had excited some interest, was that in whusb one, Robert Farmer, had been accused of uttering forged £6 Union Bank notes, and which had bean photographed. The accused was ' committed for trial. fti theoaseTofthe Swedish barque Monar* hi laden with grain 1 forFalmouth, which, drawing' JJjOft.; touched three .times on the Harbour bar, on Marcfi 31st the Harbour 1 Master stated that in his opinion no blame should attach" to Pilot Kelly, who had been in charge of the vessel; ■ The Pilot's action was 'supported by Captain White, of the s.s. WaitakT, and Pilot Paton; and the Harbour Master himself, in' the absence of the danger signal, would mot have ordered the detention of the vessel. Vessels lik« the Monarch, of a short, deep model, are not suitable for this port, *md mwchaats would de

well to aToid bringisg them here. The rattel, we may add, after she ' struck, was fonnd to be making 2 inches of water per hour, and .Captain Wretman, since the pilots told him it would not be possible to take her back into Port at next high water,;brought her to Lyttelton. He desirei a magisterial enquiry to be held in Dunedin, .The prospectus of the Auckland Shipping Company with, a capital of 4150,000, has appeared. . The reports of the trial of Joseph Brady, are that Carey and Farrell under) cross-examination have repeated the statements made in the Police court. The Crown Prosecutor promised that corroborative evidence would be produced to.prove the assassination of Lord .Cavendish and Mr. Bourke by the accused. ;A photograph xxL •« No 1 " Was identified in Court by the informers. Mr. Poland, in his opening speech for the prosecution of Norman, Gallagher, Wilson, Dalton, Kirton, and Ausburg, arrested in London, and charged at Bow St. Police Conrt with being in unlawful possession of explosives, arid conspiring towmmit outrages, showed that the prisoners were connected with Whitehead's dynamite factory, recently seized at Birmingham. ' J. Pagan's residence, at Mangatawbira Galley, has been burnt down. It was insured in the South British Office for £300. The following resolution was adopted yesterday afternoon by the Committee of the Dunediu Chamber' of Commer.ce :— I 1 In reference to the letters which have been written to various journals by Mr. Thomas C. Guthrie respecting the freightage is prepared to accept from Glasgow to Otago, this Committee is of opinion that if he and those he professes to represent will not take the current rates of freight, the merchants of this port will be content to take their chance of other lines of vessels?' The Hbn. Major Atkinson left Dunedin to-day for Qamaru. A man named Henry Longfort who had been recently working at Bushy" Point, ifearlnvefcargilli and who shot himself in the breast with a revolver oa Wednesday at South Dunedin, died last evening— never having regained consciousness since the fatal deed had been done by him. Satubdat. At a meeting of the secretaries of the principal football clubs in the Bugby Union, held last evening at the Douglas Hotel, Dunedin, a programme of matches for the present season was arranged. The Match Union First Fifteen v. Dunedin First Fifteen will be ptow on the former's ground on May 2<sth,— the return match to be piayeft on the Dunedin -ground on June 30th. . A child named Bryant, about 18 months old, pulled a pot of boiling water over itself, at Lyttelton, on Thursday, receiving dangerous scalds. * _ „ . Captain Russell and Messrs. C. Wilson, M.H.8., and O. Napier Bell, C.8., haveTxjen appointed as a Boyal Commission to report on the best line of railway to connect Canterbury with the West Coast. They are to inquire into the probable cost and economical or commercial value and other merits of the several lines specified in the schedule to this Commission, or any other line proposed to unite the district^ in quesiion, and also into the mineral and other resources of the land which the'severallines would traverse. The land specified in' the schedule comprises fourteen alternative schemes, proposed at various times. .'.•*. The Titanic Steel Company have appointed a deputation to wait on Major Atkinsoi* on his return to Wellington for the purpose of ascertaining if' the Government intend to otter' the Company *3UW in satisfaction of all claims.' It is believed the Wellington shareholders will be favourable to th 6 acceptance of the offer. The inquest on the body of Henry Long'foffc, a Dane, who shot himself at South Dunedin on Wednesday, resulted in a verdict of suicide while ia a state of temporary insanity. The man s wife, now-; ever, had testified that he had -never shown any signs of madness. In tie defefice of Joseph Brady it was attempted to prove an alibi, and his sweetheart swore that he..was walking with her at the time that the murders were committed. He has, nevertheless, been found guilty, and sentenced' to death; In the dynamite case at Bow street, the prosecuting counsel has shown in his opening speech' that Gallagher is the prime mover in the dynamite faction, and that he has been for some time in correspondence with LevyV Eossa, and others, in America, I At the Convention in America, a Fenian, named Stephens, nas declared that Mr, Paimell* will- yet b« compelled to appeal to the The murdej of two men— line repairers—by two youths named Ogden and Davis is reported from Launceston.— A third man was scalped.- The. Retails of the crime, which was terribly atrocious, have caused much excitement. The prisoners when charged with the murder display^ perfect calmness. Lord Wolseley and LdKb Alceston (Admiral Seymoui) will each receive a pension of #2000 a year, for life. Tb.ey have also been prei seated with the freedom of the city of London. . Th 6 Taiert Turf dub's ttwss fixed for to-day were postpone.!! because of the badweather.— At InvercargiU yesterday the Hurdles was won by Waiau ;> th« Selling Toy S^ade, and Consolation by ! Atlantic. . ; . . , .. . M . > The' telegraph grows' humorous! A' telegram from Chnstehurcn says-tHat & bltfcksmitii who nad fburid'tf dynamite oartridge in Tuam, street, after extracting the oharge.gave it to the police, who did not consider it an evidence of Fenianisje, but supposed it had been accidentally dropped by a r poison engaged m blasting. Fun «"£ frolic have, eyjuientjy taken, pQftsesjfon g^.the, wires. Let us. hope we sbau do. f*^9ur&dw(tb alible^^moreTottJie^.pxoduj^ioiM.* . v incendiarism is auatoected in connection "with a nre v at tne s^.ughj^fo^e;di 4* Dixpni & °P^'^Va b V*' h 8 •?^" l^lfe'l&^Jb^ffi^^iraß^ Lands Board, with respeclt; !tothj? ; atej^duißwy#m I!»9«I !»9«m t9t 9 **> m^T- ,of?, of ? ,JA c .. feeling of the Oolony.is, t^ajb thp matte*, shpuld be. tfiof oughly afted ; and so dealt with as to prove th« final check to the evil system in question. The action of the Board ia looked apon.as calculated to 1 bUW BU«h 9A lffiSfi

The Government steamer Stella will visit the Snares in search of shipwrecked sailors — a bottle bavin? been lately picked up on the Ocean Beach, near Dunedin, containing a message to the effect that the captain and mate of a schooner named the Hawke had taken refuge tbere. It was, at the same time, suspected that a hoax had been attempted. His Excellency the Governor has commended the wisdom of the Auckland Harbour Board in makhig the Calliope graving dock capacious. His Excellency further approved of the dock and site. Mr. Watt, M.H.K., has addressed a crowded and noity, meeting of his constituents at Wanganui, from whom he received a vote of thanks. A man named Thomas Y. Hunter, who died recently in the Christcburch Hospital, left £23, the remainder of his estate after paying funeral and other expenses, to the Destitute Patients' Relief Fund. Major Atkinson gave a summary of his two addresses at Oamaru last night, and was accorded a hearty vote of thanks. There are over 2000 voters in the Inangahua constituency. At the fourteenth annual prize-meeting of the Wanganui Rifle Association, Lieutenant Purnell, of the City Rifles, has won the Association's cup. Major Noakes' cup, for rapidity in firing, was won by Sergeant M'Lean, of the Wairoa Light Horse. The costs of Mr. E. B. Walker, defendant in the Cambridge Native ejectment case, amounted to nearly £3000.

Monday.

■His Excellency the Governor, during his trip on Friday round the Auckland harbour, declared it to be one of the finest harbours in the world. His Excellency also gave it as bis opinion that, although the Heads could be made a very strong point of defence against an attack on Auckland from seaward,, Mount Victoria was the citadel and strategical position of greatest value. Tlje Taieri races will be held on Saturday next. A steeplechase has been added to the events. The Queensland Government have taken possession of New Guinea, having hoisted the Union Jack there on the 4th inst, A prospecting party have started from Chrißtchurch, where a prospecting company has been formed, for! the purpose of searching for diamonds somewhere, it is believed, in the neighbourhood of Alford Forest. Mr. Shrimßki, speaking at the close of Major Atkinson's address in Timaru, said that Otago and Southland had a population of 134,000, and Canterbury of 112,000 ; but as Canterbury contributed £471,000 to the revenue, and Otago £890,000 : Otfgo, with a population of 22,000 more than Canterbury, contributed nearly twice as much to the revenue. £30,520 were distributed for, charitable aid during the year ended March 31st, '82, of which Canterbury had received £12,742 15s Id ; and Otago and Southland £3,050 5s 2d. Lyttelton, with a population of 4,100 received £2,442 ; while Port Chalmers, with 900 more people, received £372. Oamaru and district, with a population of 14,000 received £372, What he (Mr. Shrimski) wanted to do was to stamp it out by saying to Canterbury, " Ycu are not like Otago. It has a people of whom the Colony may feel proud — a hard-working, industrious, and self-reliant people who support their own poor. You, Canterbury, are wealthy and prosperous ; no one can afford better than you to put your hand in your pocket and do likewise." If the Hon. Major Atkinson would do that, he would have Mr. Shrimski's support. The larrikin element of Dunedin has found a new sphere of . expression in the meetings of the Salvation Army now being held at ' the Temperance Hall. Last evening the, demonstration was very lively, at least outside the doors of the building. In fact, quite enough went on there to make the. hair stand straight up on the head of every one of our douce observers of thej Sabbath. The Kobert Burns Statue Committee have passed a resolution, " that Sir John Steel be authorised to proceed with the Statue, and that instructions be forwarded by next mail." The Statue is said to be a very fine work of art, which will be both an ornament and credit to Dunedin. Upwards of £600 are, still , required to cover the expenses, and a thorough canvass of the city and suburbs is at once to be undertaken. To such an object, moreover, the public of all classes will no doubt feel most willing to subscribe. The WaJcatip Mail reports the return of the Government Surveyor to Queenstown from the Martin's Bay district, after completing the triangulation of that portion of the country. The survey is now complete from the east to west coast of Otago. Mr. Bradlaugh has been acquitted on the charge of the issue of certain books alleged to be blasphemous. The Russian Nihilists have been again active, and many arrests have been made by the police. The yacht Diamond was capsized by a squall in Wellington harbour yesterday afternoon. Messrs. Simpson and Bishop, with a son of Mr. Harris of the N.Z. Times, aged 10, were on board at the time, but were all rescued, the boy being insensible when picked up. He has since, however, fully recovered. A Eugby Union Football Association is to be formed at Auckland. The Auckland Lunatic Asylum has now 100 patients in excess of the proper accommodation. Messrs. Cunnington and Kent, mechanical engineers, exhibited f the electric light, and all the details of the machinery manufactured by them, last night at Christchurcb. The Tnapeha Times mentions, in illustration of the "good blepding " qualities of Danish oats, that thirty-seven bags of it were thrashed per hour lately on a farm at Waitahuna, being about twelve bags per hour more than were thrashed on the same farm, of either sparrow-bill or short Tartarian. Adelaide farmers, first-class agriculturalists, "have agreed ±o purchase about 7000 acres of land in the Waikato, at a price, the N.Z. Herald understands, of nearly £9 per acre. The Lyttleton Times reports a return, of 73 bushels of wheat to the acre, of a field of 28 acres, grown by Mr. B. Eay of Woodend.

The Taieri Advocate kindly " cheers up the spirits " of the folk in Dunedin by reporting the enjoyment jEound by the dogs belonging to a rabbiting party, in swimming in the Silverstream water-race. A local paper speaks well of the harvest in ;the Blacks, Lauder, and Ida Valley districts, which is now being thrashed with excellent results. The N.Z. Herald gives the following description of the Maoris undergoing their sentence for ill-treating Mr. Hnrsthonse and his Sarty : — The prisoners were in appearance rather a motley lot. Te [ahuki, who has all the appearance and manners of a thoroughgoing fanatic, was dressed in a mantle of kiwi feathers, with a tunic of flax material about his loins, reaching to the knee. The others were dressed in flax mats, blankets of various colours, Inverness capes, and ordinary costumes. Te Mahuki evidently regards himself as having inherited some of the iufluence of Te Whiti. He was the Elisha of the Maori Elijah at Parihaka. Hia demeanour was that of a person who was budding into a Maori prophet. At one time the prisoners said they were " the dogs" of Te Whiti ; at another time that they were his!sheep. The learned Judge ventured to remark that " it was not good for the sheep which followed a foolish shepherd," and several of them, with Te Mahuki, hung their heads as if abashed at the profanity of the Bench. The Queen leaves Windsor for Osborne to-morrow, and owing to the reported activity of the Fenians special precautions arc to be taken for her Majesty's safety. The brother of Gallagher, who is under trial in connection with the dynamite conspiracy, arrested recently in Glasgow, has intimated his willingness to turn informer against the conspirators. Meantime the dynamite panic has spread to the Continent, where it is feared the action of the conspirators will be imitated. It is farther said that, so much disgust has been caused in America by the explosions, the authorities will, probably consent to the extradition of those who have taken a prominent part in recent conspiracies. The condition of the poorer classes in the United Kingdom is exciting attention, and several schemes for their relief have been proposed— amoDgst the rest the promotion of emigration to the British colonies. The Chancellor of the Exchequer has placed the whole financial position very clearly before Parliament. Joseph Brady will be hanged on May 14. The French will be renisted in Madagascar by a force of 200,000 men. America recognises the Queen as sole sovereign of the island. The Marquis of Lome has received several threatening, letters. Frederick and Margaret Wain were brought up this morning on a charge of manslaughter a.t..the Dunedin Police Court. They. were remanded till Thursday, bail being allowed to each in the sum of £300.

A railway collision has occurred near Brisbane, several officials being injured. Hape te Rangianini has issued a manifesto denouncing Wahanui as a wolf in sheep's clothing. A heavy thunderstorm, with much rain, occurred yesterday at Auckland. The flagstaff in Albert Park was struck with lightning. It is reporTed 'from .Alexandra that Tainui, a powerful Ngatimaniapoto chief, is unfavourable to Mr. Bryce's journey. The Salvationists at Auckland received very rough usage from larrikins yesterday. John Kelly,, who arrived in the Province in 1836, died on Saturday, aged seventy-seven. He was present at the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. Mr. Bryce left Alexandra this morning for Taranaki, through the King Country. Wetere, with his escort, will join him at Te Uri No opposition is.expected. Mr. Jacobsen's party of diamond prospectors returned to Christ* church on Saturday night, bringing a "large number of specimens, Borne of which will probably be sent to be tested in London. r ' Tuesday. The latest report concerning the Phoenix Park murders is that James Mullet has turned informer, and accuses several prominent members. of the League of complicity in the crimes.' Eighteen Jewish refugees from Russia, sent out by the Mansiom ! House Fund, have arrived. at Lyttleton in. the Himalaya. There were 59 applicants for the collectorship to the Christchurch Drainage Board at a salary of £250. Ten people have been arrested in Clare, on the information of a prisoner undergoing penal servitude, in connection with the case of murder and conspiracy. The foreman of t,he jury that found Brady guilty is said to have received several threatening letters. He is under the protection of the police. The Queen continues to. recpver from the, effects of her accident —but slowly, so that it is, not expected that her Majesty will be able to stand or walk for some time. It is denied that Bernard Gallagher, arrested at Glasgow, has: turned informer. George Robertson, the Maori heavy-weight champion, and William Hudson, the light-weight champion,, have made a match to wrestle at Christchurch on May 12. At the ChristChurch City Council meeting last night the TownClerk's ealary was increased to £400 a year, A* statement was read at the Council showing the following rates collected : — Water rate for 1882, £625— collected, £624 ; general rate for 1882, £11,842— collected, £11,833; Waimakariri rate, £1973— collected, £1973; Drainage Board rate, £11897— collected, 11,888 ; special drainage rate, £2960— collected, £2958 ; nightsoil rate., £905— collected, £908. It has been officially proclaimed at Noumea that the transportation of French convicts to. New Caledonia will cease after six years. A printer named John Moore is reported missing from the cutter Lancashire Lass, at Wangarei, and is supposed to be drowned. It, has been agreed by settlers , at Normanby, Hawera, to start hop-growing in the district. A butter and cheese factory is to be established at Hawera, *

The Hon. C. Bromby lectured on the " English in Ireland" to a crowded audience at Wanganui last night. It is believed that, although Tainui suspects the Minister's object, he will not make any hostile demonstration. A Dutchman named Johannes Zanstra, aged 38, was killed yesterday on the Murray Creek road, near Reefton, by a log which he, together with some other men, was trying to move clear of the roadline, and which rolled over while he was engaged in cutting away some saplings that interfered with his object. He leaves a wife and two children. At midnight on Sunday a landslip occurred at the Cliff, in height 80 feet, at Point Britomart, in Auckland city, bringing down an immense quantity of debris, and doing damage to the amount of £2000. A flour mill built against the cliff by Mr. John Lamb, is, however, uninjured. The Native Minister's party had reached Otorohangi, seventeen miles from Alexandra, yesterday afternoon without opposition. . The supposed diamonds brought to Christchurch have failed under the oxygen test, but a company will be formed to send them to be fully tested in Europe — Mr. T. O. Kelsey taking charge of them. A child named Mary Butler has been kicked to death by a foal at Methven, Canterbury. A lmatic frenchman, recently escaped from the Dunedin asylum, was arrested at Oamaru on Sunday night, while parading the streets with an axe. Most of the people wrecked in the Wild Deer are coming out by the Caroline, which sailed from the Clyde on Feb. 20. The trial of Daniel Curley, the second prisoner charged with the Phoenix Park murders, was begun yesterday. Eight of the jurorß summoned were absent and were each fined £100. Messrs. William and Philip Young have written to the Hobait Mercury indignantly denying the charge of being dummies brought against them in Otago. The Under- Secretary for the Colonies has explained in the House of Commons that the annexation of New Guinea by Queensland was necessary in order to forestall foreign powers. The Press generally condemns the annexation, which, however, the Times approves of. A farmer named Tangelon was killed at Nelson yesterday by a kick from a horse in the abdomen. He leaves a widow and children. Francis James Hodgson, the ex-teller of the National Bank, Nelson, has been taken by Mr. Ward, at Fitzroy Bay, and committed for trial. His capture was a notable feat in which Mr. Ward's experience of the bush was put to the proof, as well as his courage, and that of his compainion, in making use of a boat which the lady who lent it to them declared would surely drown them all. Hodgson has been allowed bail, himself in £500, and two sureties of £250 each. . Wednesday. The body of a Chinaman, named Ah Chin, bearing the marks of gunshot wounds, and supposed to have been murdered, has been found near Roxburgh. A school teacher, of excellent character, but suffering under a temporary aberration caused by drink, and who had been arrested at Christchurch on a charge of stealing various trifling articles, was discharged by his Worship, who considered the time already spent in cnstody a sufficient punishment for him. This is Sir Henry Parkes' last. — He has given notice in the Assembly for a loyal address to the Queen, assuring her Majesty that Parliament and the mass of the colonists strongly disapprove of the disloyal agitation set on foot in New South Wales by strangers— the chief stranger being a member of her Majesty's faithful Commons. What will be Sir Henry's next? Whatever he thinks will pay, of course. The reservoir at the New Plymouth waterworks has burst, and is irreparably injured. In his evidence at Curley's trial, Carey has stated that 20 plots were formed against Mr. Forster's life. Patrick Egan, they say, means to take up his residence permanently in America. They add that the " Leaguers " have been frightened by American disapproval into moderating their threats of dynamitfi ; — threats, we conclude, never made by them. The Otago Harbour Board have approved of the plans of their engineer for the improvement of the entrance to the harbour. Tenders will be called for in Sydney and Melbourne, as well as in New Zealand. According to the North Otago Times the number of bags of grain forwarded up to Monday, from stations in the Oamaru district, was 101,210, or 21,136 in excess of those forwarded last year. A body has been stolen at Reefton out of a number that had been exhumed by Chinamen for transmission to China. A reward is offered for its restitution. A banquet will be given to Mr. Bryce, and an illuminated address presented to him, on his arrival in New Plymouth. The Governor, replying last night to the toast of his health at the Northern Club's banquet, predicted the approaching greatness of Auckland to arise from the completion of the Panama Canal, together with her geographical position, her splendid harbour, and the South Sea Island trade. Mr. Costella, an old Auckland settler died to-day, leaving about £100,0Q9 tojoe divided between the Hospital, Free Library, Children's Training School, Parnell Orphanage, Auckland Institute, Old Men's and Sailors' Homes. At the Aehburton races to-day (first day) Mr. Butler's Qaamby won t ie Hurdle Handicap ; Mr. J. Bright's Nimrod the District Welter Handicap ; and Mr. E. Cutt's Sou-wester the Autumn Handicap. The coronation of the Czar is postponed to June 10. H.M.S. Dragon has been ordered to protect British interests at Madagascar. The residents of Hindon have resolved to petition the Commission of Crown lands to Bet aside and fence a portion of ground as a cemetery for the district. They complain of the neglect they have been treated with by Government and Boards,

The Colonial Bank at Brunswick, near Melbourne, has been robbed, during office hours, of £715. The manager has been suspended pending an inquiry. The Mataura paper reports that Mr. P. E. M'Oanghan will return to New Zealand, and contest Hokonui at the next election. Mr. Julian Thomas, better known under his notn de plume " The Vagabond," is now in Dunedin, where he will probably deliver a lecture on his return from the Lake district, which he is about to visit. Mr. Thomas Popham appeared before the Otago Land Board to-day and stated that he had resided at Strath-Taiexi for seven years, owning about 475 acres freehold. The land bid for by him was for his own use. Mr. Thomas S. Nichol, a batcher and cattle dealer at Oamarn for the last nine years, also applied for his license for section 2, block 1., Button — the land being for his own use. The chief commissioner promised that a decision would be given in both cases this day week. The Board seemed of opinion that in every case it would be necessary fur purchasers to make application either in person or through an agent, before licenses were issued to them. — Some of the Members professed themselves confirmed in their belief that dummyism had been attempted. The engineer's plan for the improvement of the Otago Harbour consists of a training wall to be erected near the entrance for the purpose of deepening the water on the bar by increasing the scour. — Recent borings have shown the bar to consist of sand and other soft material. Thtjbsday. The Canterbury Cricket Association have agreed to a resolution inviting the Hew South Wales and Southern Tasmanian Associations to send teams daring the ensuing season to play in Canterbury. Another diamond-prospecting party has left Christchurch for the Malvern Hills. A man named George Brien died yesterday at Timaru from the effects of a fall from his horse on the night before, and a farmer named Thomas Richmond was killed at Georgetown by the wheels of a threshing-machine passing over his body. The following quantities of gold have been shipped at Greymouth, per Mahinapua :— Colonial Bank, 20700z 14dwt ; Union Bank of Australia, 23580z 14dwt ; Bank of New Zealand, 16560z 4dwt ; Bank of New South Wales, 1030oz ; Chinese shippers. 2140z ;— total, 73290z 12dwt. A French warship has captured Port Loando, on the west African coast, and three Portuguese men-of-war have been ordered to St. Paul, the capital of their settlement on the same coast.— The move seems suggestive. It is expected that the rival expeditions under Stanley and De Brazza respectively, on the Congo, will come to blows, and, indeed, we never expected anything else. Mr. Eskdale, the manager for Messrs. Neill Bros., was severely hurt by the fall of a stack of corn at Oamaru on Tuesday, suffering concussion of the brain, and other injuries. He is, however, reported to be progressing favonrably. A clerk in the Central Telegraph Office, London, seems to have taken a lesson from Lady Florence Dixie. He says the Fenians kidnapped him, and asked him questions about how they could best destroy the building. We fancy, however, that under the circumstances they would hardly have let him go again. An inquest was held yesterday, at Roxburgh, on the bodies of William Jamison, a native of the North of Ireland, and Peter Murray, a native of Shetland, who had been drowned by the capsizing of a boat belonging to one of the dredges, in the Molyneux, at Alexandra, on the 3rd inst. The jury added a rider to their verdict of accidental death, to the effect that dredges should be supplied with two boats. The Oamaru Times reports the death of Mr. G. S. Lintott's studdog, Hook, one of the fastest in the Colony. The Hatvkes Bay Herald reports the probability of the establishment of a woollen factory at Hastings, by an English manufacturer. The inquiry held into the burning of stables belonging to Mr. Q. Brooks, of Evan's Flat, Tuapeka, on the. 7th inst., has resulted in a verdict of incendiarism. A motion has been tabled in the New South Wales Parliament providing for the extension for two years of the San Francisco Mail Service, the subsidy being fixed at £50,000, of which New South Wales will pay £18,500. The contract time to be shortened by 24 hours for the first year, and 48 hours for the second, and the company to be relieved of the obligation of keeping a fourth steamer.