BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

Evening Star, Issue 4123, 15 May 1876, Page 3

BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

._ Christchurch, May 15. Heavy north-west winds during the past week have caused serious floods in the Kakaia and Waimakariri Rivers, where railway embankments have been considerably damaged. The weather, generally is more like the middle of summerfhan winter. At a meeting of the Certificated Teachers’ Association on Saturday, it was resolved that each Association should have one vote for every ten members at the general conference of certificated teachers. 8

Two large fires occurred <WJ.Saturday in Oxford Bush, They raged furiously till stopped by a heavy shower of rain. -T our saw-mills in the bush, and several houses in the township, were destroyed. A large number of sleepers on the railway line were also burnt.

Nelson, May 15. The Rev. Frank Simmons, head master of Nelson College, died suddenly last night He had been suffering some time from rheumatic fever, but was very much better, and went on Saturday to Foxhill, where he was found dead in his bed this morning.

Wellington, May 15. The Supreme Court sat to-day to hear divorce and matrimonial cases. In the case of Blair v. Blair, from Dunedin, an application made for a rule for the dissolution of the marriage decree was made absolute. Thomas v. Bell and Izard (also of Dunedin) applied for a rule nisi. Neither respondent nor co-respondent appeared. It appeared from the petitioners evidence that his wife had on six different occasions left his home without any provocation, and absented herself for several nights on each occasion. He had also seen her several times drinking and under the influence of liquor with a m»n named Hayes, who resided at the White Horse Hotel. He however professed not to have any suspicions as to her conduct being improper, though he had been told she had Been lodging while away at the house of a Mr Seccombe, which he was told was a house of bad fame. The petitioner also told the Court that he never remonstrated with his wife or demanded an explanation of her suspicious conduct, the reason he gave for not doing so being that he was afraid of her abusive tongue, and of having a scene in the house. Their Honors thought Thomas’s conduct looked as if he connived at his wife’s bad behavior, but said they would announce their decision later in the day. After a temporary adjournment the Court deferred Thomas’s case until Friday next, to enable counsel for the petitioner to argue that the set of facts shown in Court did not amount to connivance.

A Scandinavian named Larsen, at Fortymile Bush, apparently insane, armed himself with a pickaxe and billhook, and rana-muck amongst the people about there. He severely injured several women and children and threatened to kill his mate, after having him tied in the bush for two days. A Mrs Syversen, having had a narrow escape from the maniac, her husband took his gun and meeting Lawson, the latter said he would kill him. Syversen immediately shot him dead. At the inquest a verdict of justifiable homicide was returned.

{From our ovm Correspondents ,)

Wellington, May 13. The Choral Society last night produced “The Dream,” a cantata by Sir Michael Costa, for the first time in the Australasian Colonies, with a chorus of fifty voices, and a band of twenty-five instrumentalists. There was a large audience, including Lady Vogel, the Chief Justice, Judges Williams and Gillies, and many other visitors. The performance was fairly successful. This afternoon a large number of citizens, including the Mayor, several members of the Legislature, the clergy, and most of the leading citizens, we'e present by invitation at the opening of a new organ. The instrument was built by Guttler and Moore, local builders, and is the first yet built in Wellington. Mr J. A. Edwards, the well-known Melbourne organist, presided at the organ, which is a great success; many compliments were paid to the builders. A luncheon followed, Mr Hunter, M.H,E., being in the chair. The Mayor proposed the health of the builders, and Archdeacon Stock the health of the organist, who stays in Wellington. He has been performing at the churches, drawing crowded congregations. A very heavy north-west gale has been blowing all day. The Ladybird has just arrived, after a very stormy passage from

Lyttelton. She reports a ship and barque, apparently English, hove-to in Cook Strait. Lawrence, May 15. A race meeting will be held at Tapanui on the Queen’s Birthday. A large and influential meeting of the Tapanui and Waipahee Railway committee was held at Noble’s Hotel, Tapanui, on Saturday afternoon. Statistics were tabled showing the probable traffic returns, which were very favorable to its construction. For the large population now settling in the vicinity of Tapanui outlet and inlet to it in winter time are almost out of the question. The meeting resolved to send resolutions to Mr Bastings, the member for Waikara, with a request for him to urge upon the General Government the early construction of the first portion of the main trunk line from Waipahee to Tapanui.

.Napier, May 15. A shocking case of infanticide occurred here this morning. The wife of a painter named Wright (who has deserted his family and is supposed to have gone to Auckland a month ago) suffocated a baby four months old by pressing her handkerchief to her cmld’a mouth, and nostrils. She immediately afterwards informed the Inspector of Police of what she had done. She pleads insanity.

Roxburgh, May 15. An accident, which terminated fatally, occurred at the Waikara on Saturday morning to a man named August Lalloli. While engaged in working in his claim, a quantity of earth and large boulders fell on him, causing such internal injuries that he survived only twenty-four hours. The body will be brought into Roxburgh for interment.

An Uncomfortable Drawing room. The dentist’s.