TELEGRAMS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 795, 17 November 1882, Page 3

TELEGRAMS.

. . « [per press association.] The Lost MailsOpunake, To-day. The English and New Plymouth mails were recovered yesterday, and were not much damaged. The Parihaka and Pungarehu bags are not yet found. A Brute. Christchurch, To-day. At the Magistrate’s Court to-day a farmer named George Smith was committed for trial at the Supreme Court, for brutally assaulting his wife, who received such severe injuries that she was insensible for five hours after the assault, and her life was in great danger. She had given her husband no provocation whatever. He first knocked her down, and then knocked her head from one side to another several times with his fist, and kicked her on the hips ; all this, too, notwithstanding the fact that the woman was in delicate health.

Meeting of the Unemployed. A meeting of the unemployed was called for this morning. Very few assembled, and nothing was done. An Awkward Accident. The water was let into the graving dock this morning for the purpose of testing the caisson. Unfortunately a mishap occurred. When the water had flowed into the dock sufficiently to lift the caisson, she canted on one of the bilge-blocks, and the iron ballast shifting, the caisson gradually heeled over u.itil she was lying on her side in the water. Fortunately the caisson did not touch the masonry of

the dock in any way, and so it is uninjured. This Ingenious Toung Woman and the Sewing Machine. Duhbmn, To-day. 7JAt the City Police Court Elizabeth Tattersall was charged with larceny as a bailee. It appeared she hired a sewing machine from one of the depots, paying '’'half a crown instalment, and at once went l and pawned it. The case was brought as a test one. The Bench sentenced her to month’s imprisonment. The Minister Interviewed. r ; Several deputations waited on the . Minister for Public Works to-day, who .gave them satisfactory assurances that it was the .intention of the Government to proceed with the Otago Central line. The Minister caused great consternation by _ .informing the members of the Dock < Trust that the whole of the lower harbor " reserves, which the Tru t looked on as their own endowment, had been already proclaimed as reserved for railway purposes. Great Consumption of Beer. Burke’s brewery was totally burned down this morning. The building and - .plant were insured for L6OO in each of ■; .the following offices :—Hamburg-Madge-burg, Scottish Imperial, Australian Alliance, South British, New Zealand, Colonial, and United. ’ The place was - .leased by Richard Whittingham, maltster, whose stock was uninsured. He loses about L4OO. The origin of the fire is j tmknown, but probably it was occasioned by sparks from a passing train. The brewery was owned by Dalgety and Co.