Thursday.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XII, Issue 10, 27 June 1884, Page 13

Thursday.

At the annual meeting of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce. Mr. L. D. Nathan (president) delivered the usual address. He' regretted that he was unable to congratulate members on a successful year. As a reflex action of the Southern depression, the demand for kauri bad fallen off in that market and in Australia, and there was a glut in American and Baltic timber. He eulogised the San Francisco mail service as the best we ever had, and thought it would be supreme folly to supersede it by a worse. He condemned the so-called

improvement of the bankruptcy laws. Mr. G. Reid was elected president for the ensuing year. The sixth annual meeting of the Rakaia and Ashbutton Forks Railway Company was held yesterday afternoon. The report showed that the line has been paying over 3£ per cent, after deducting all charges. The organised opposition to the district rate has prevented it being completed, but when this has been settled in a court of justice the directors will be in a position to declare a dividend. The traffic receipts were £7,500, and the revenue in excess of working expenses £2,570. Mr. R. M. Morten was elected a director, and £60 voted to the directors for their services. In the House of Commons on Monday night Mr. Gladstone made a statement regarding the convention which has been concluded between England and France in regard to Egyptian affairs. The Premier announced that it was optional with England to withdraw her troops from Egppt before 1888 ; that France had repudiated the idea that she desired a renewal of the dual control, or an Anglo-French occupation, after the British evacuation. The Premier farther stated that the Conference of European delegates Will meet to decide upon Egyptian financial questions, and that the decision thereon will be submitted to Parliament ; and failing the approval by Parliament of them, the Government will resign.— The Hon. E. Ashley announced that 1000 British troops are under orders to proceed to Natal to reinforce the garrisons in that.colony, and that it has been decided to increase the forces in the reserve territory in Zululand. • In the French Chambers, during a discussion on the Egyptian question, M. Ferry spoke in praise of England's lofty and disinterested policy, but the Chamber dissented from his statement. The Standard doubts whether the agreement between England a.nd 1 ranee will escape shipwreck. Ths Times complains that England concedes too much and receives nothing in return. The English Press generally complun of the want of knowledge shown in the financial proposals. It is probable that the Opposition in Parliament will bring down a vote of censure on the Government after ths conclusion of the Conference. The German Reichstag is unlikely to pass the proposed subsidy for a German mail service to Australia. Prince Bismarck states that the grasping policy of the English colonists in the Pacific is offensive and irritating to Germany. Cholera of a sporadic character has broken out at Toulon. Numerous deaths have already occurred, and a panic has arisen, with the result that an exodus of the residents is proceeding. General precautions against the spread of cholera have been taken oa the Continent. The mortality at Toulon from the disease is decreasing. In the House of Lords Earl Granville has announced that the British Government had decided to waive the claim to the district of Angra Pejuma, west coast of Africa, regarding which diplomatic negotiations have been proceeding between the English and German Governments.

London, April 25. — A tremendous excitement was caused here this afternoon by the arrest of a supposed dynamiter in Dublin, and the statement that he was the redoubtable "P. J. Sheridan. Many of the evening papers issued special editions, with huge headlines, and the eagerness with which they were bought and read shows the vast hold that the dynamite fever still has on the minds of the people. It was soon known that the arrest, which at one time promised such important results, had been made through the vigilance of special detectives recently sent from London to Dublin by Sir William Vernon Harcourt, oa the advice of Chief Inspector Jenkiason and Chief Secretary Trevelyan. The Home Secretary was sitting in the House of Commons when the news was received of the capture of Sheridan, and many members from both sides of the House flocked around him to offer their congratulations. While they were thus engaged, somewhat to the interruption of business, later news was received to the effect that the supposed Invincible was only a barmless commercial traveller, carrying dynamite samples' for innocent uses, and the members quickly withdrew to their seats, some of the Tories looking rather sheepish over their effusiveness. Otaoo Land Board. — At Wednesday's meeting consideration of J. Mcßride's letter respecting the payment of arrears of rent on a section at Waihemo was deferred. T. Nichol's application for deferred payment license section 14, block XVI, Black'stone, was granted ; G. Turnbull's application to purchase 20 acres, section 32, block XIII, was referred to the district land officer; W. Mason's application to exchange section 39, block 11, for section 3 and 4. Dart, was refused. On the application of G. Cooper, it was agreed to offec section 40, block IX, as land of special value. W. S. Cooper's application to lease, for lignite-raising five acres, section 8, block 111, Wendon, was referred to the Schools Commissioners. J. O'Brien's application to purchase section 2 and part of 3, block I, Tuapeka East, was referred to the district lands officer. W. Shirres' application for a water-race license on the Waitaki river was granted. It was agreed to issue a license to J. H. Jenkinson to occupy sections 1, 2, 19, 20, block XV, Port Molyneux, at £1 per annum. B. Charles' license, section 15, block 111, Lauder, was forfeited. J. Whitburn's|application for a fish-farm at Silver Lake, Dart, was refused. On the application of Mr. Withey to purchase quarry reserve, block VII, Waihemo, It was resolved that the land and, as it contained a watering-place for catile, shonld not be sold. On the application of A. Allan, it was agreed to offer section 17, block X, Waitahuna West at 25s per acre. Certificates of application for gold-mining leases in block 11, Cairn Hill, were approved as follows : — Sections 38 and 39, James Higgins; section 33, Kichard, Milner and others; section 40, J. T. Baker aud others ; section 30, James White ; section 40, George Lithgoe ; section 42, James M'Cormick and others ; section 36, K. J. Pitches and another. The application of H. Russell and T. Caldwell to purchase seations 32 and 34, block VI F, Rock and Pillar, wa9 approved. The following applications to purchase deferred-pay-ment leases were approved of :— Edward Waldere, section 2, block 111, Waipahi ; John Ballantine, sections 14, 15, and 16, block XXV, East Gore : James Tambiyn, section 3, block IX, Teviot. The application of W. Moffitt, and E. Vial to lease section 7, block JIL. Waikaia was referred to the School Commissioners,