BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

Evening Star, Issue 4093, 8 April 1876, Page 3

BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

Auckland, April 7. The jury found Major Pitt guilty of bribery at the East Coast election, and Judge Gillies inflicted a fine of LSO, defendant to be imprisoned till the fine is paid. The second charge was withdrawn. This afternoon a man named Bailey, while working on the reclamation works in Freeman’s Bay, was buried beneath a fall of earth, and died within five minutes after being extricated. About the same time, 3 p.m., a diver named Henry Singleton met his death under exceptionally distressing circumstances. He was engaged to examine the bottom of the Brodrick Castle, and went down in a diving dress which had been noticed to be leaking slightly before being put on, and was temporarily repaired. After being down fifteen minutes, he gave the signal t© haul up. The party above were unable to comply for some minutes, and when brought to the surface and his helmet detached, the man was found to be all but dead. A delay again occurred in g tting the dress off, and when the doctors arrived life was extinct. It is believed that deceased suffered from disease of the heart. Arrangements have been made for the transfer to the Bank of New Zealand of the business of the Fiji Banking and Commercial Company, on terms which are understood to be mutually satisfactory. Immediate steps are to be taken by the former bank to have the transfer completed.

Taukanga, April 7. Captain Morris, one of the candidates at the election for the East Coast, has been summoned a charge of bribing the electors there.

Gbahamstown, April 7. The inquest on the late fire commenced yesterday and was completed to-day. The verdict was that the fire originated in Miss Gray’s photographic gallery, but by what means there was no evidence to show. A meeting called by the Mayor has been held to consider measures to assist the sufferers. More scarlet fever. A woman with seven children, living in a whare, has three ill with the fever.

Christchurch, April 7. At a meeting of the Canterbury Meat Preserving Company this afternoon it was resolved to wind up the affairs of the Company, which has been a losing speculation for some time. After paying debts very little will be left to divide among the shareholders.

Timaru, April 7. The Commissioners—Messrs Seed, Gisborne, and Knowlea —passed through Timaru this morning, staying only an hour. They travel from Ashburton to Camara in one &sly —about eighty miles by rail and thirty driving. The surf has been too high to work the boats for three days, though there no wind.

Wellington, April 8, A letter from Sir J. Vogel appeared in the ‘N. Z. Times’ this morning, in which he says re the Taranaki iron sand, “ I deem it to be my duty to mention an opinion expressed to me by Dr Percy that iron could not be made from this sand with commercial success, and that it was throwing money away to attempt to work it. Such deposits had been tried elsewhere. As you are probably aware, Dr Percy is the' most eminent living metallurgist, and his . opinions are entitled to groat weight.”

(From our own Correspondents .)

Napier, April 7. A man named John Franklin was fined L 3 and costs for larrikinism during the performance of the opera troupe last evening. Mr Sheehan, in defending a case in Court to-day, drew >puhlic attention to the fact that' a man was undergoing sentence in Napier gaol who was illegally convicted by a country bench of magistrates upon a matter which should have gone to the Supreme Court, * A lad, fifteen years of age, son of Mr Sim, draper, went bathing this afternoon with two companions on the sea beach. The drawback of a wave took him out to sea. He was seen to struggle for about five minutes, and then sink. The body has not yet been recovered. Christchurch, April 8. The followingis the latest betting on the Great Autumn Handicap 4 to 1 agst Ariel, 5 to 1 Templeton, 6 to 1 Pungawerewere and Guy Fawkes, 7 to 1 Fishhook, Cloth of Gold, and Tadmor; Bto 1 Parawhenna and Tattler; 10 to 15 to 1 any other. Napier, April 8. Sir D. M'Lean’s sheep station at Akiteo has been purchased by an Adelaide gentleman for L 35,000. Wellington, April 8. I have the best authority for saying that Parliament will meet the first week in June.