CHRISTCHURCH.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3504, 29 September 1882, Page 3

CHRISTCHURCH.

Ssptember 29. The Harbor Board yesterday voted £3000 for a plant to light the harbor by electricity. The Board also passed a schedule of new works to be put in hand amounting to £23,800, including a slip for vessels up to 450 tons, fresh reclamations, breastwork, and lengthening a wharf 250 feet. The dredge is also to be lengthened at an expense of £10,000; £1000 was granted to the Sailors' Home. Other works to the extent of £25,500 were deferred for the present. The Board has still £45,000 of the last loan on hand. Yesterday a man named Archibald W.

Symons attempted to commit suicide at Rendal'B boarding-house, Peterboroughstreet, by taking laudanum. It appeared that he went to the boarding-house on Sunday night last and stated he had arrived from the West Coast. He entered his name as Archibald W. Symons. He was in the habit of getting his meals at BJigh'B restaurant, only sleeping at the boarding-house. He was moving about his room shortly after 5 o'clock yesterday morning, but as he was an early riser no notice was taken of it. About 10 minutes to 1 o'clock iv the afternoon his door was found to be locked on the inßide, and Mr Ottaway, the landlord of the house, entered the room by the window. He found Symons lying on the bed unconscious, and dressed in his shirt and trousers. A two-oz..bottle, with one of Mr Townsend's (chemist) labels on it, was by his side. It contained eight or ten drops of laudanum. Symons was removed to the hospital, where the stomach pump was applied and other means taken to preserve his life, but he died at 3 o'clock.