BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

Evening Star, Issue 4148, 13 June 1876, Page 3

BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

- qv Wellington, June 12. A cheque for r L1,250 was to-day handed Over by, the' Provincial Treasurer to the Education Board' to meet last month’s engagement* Arrangements are being made for erecting a first-class’hotel, with Ml the latest accommodation, on the spare piece of ground adjoining ,the theatre. Auckland, June 12. Most of the members for this Province left for Wellington to-day in,the Taupo. i A man was knocked overboard from a cutter to-day. Two men went after him in a dingy. All are missing, and it is feared all are drowned. • m ~~ \ IN vlecabgi 11, June 12. The session of the :• upreme Court opened to day. There were only two criminal cases. ' After examining the prosecutrix in the case of M‘Kay, charged with rape, the prisoner having married the prosecutrix lour days after committing the offence, Judge Williams expressed the opinion that it would; not be corapetent' for‘the prosecutrix ‘€6 give evidence against her husband. The Crown Prosecutor thereupon decided not to present the bill to the Grand Jury. M'Kay, .who had Surrendered to bail, was then aisohjarged, In the case of Smith and M‘Shane and wife, the two male prisoners were found guilty of robbery with violence, and the . female giiiity of receiving stolen property. The male prisoners were sentenced to- months’ imprisonment, with hard labor. The Judge said that, seeing that M ‘Shane had been found guilty, he did not think that the wife could be*convicted”, but he would reserve the point for consideration. The femalq. prisoner would be remanded in custody Unless she could find bail in two sureties of LSO each to come up to have sentence passed upon her at the next sittings'll necessary. June If. The Mataura Paper Mill made a start today. The machinery worked welL Taranaki, June 12. _ The Hon. Mr Scotland has left for Wellington per Taranaki. People here Say he was afraid to face the indignation meeting to night, -which ho was invited to attend, ana explain the meeting of his statements. Christchurch, Jure 12. The Friendly Societies here, have appointed delegates with a view to a general Conference respecting the New Friendly Societies Bill. • The General Government have signified approval of Provincial Government estimates for six months ending September 30. [Frayn ourozm Correspondent.) Napier, June 12. A fire occurred yesterday.' Six, houses were destroyed. The - origin is supposed to have been accidental. There will be an inquest to-morrow. There was no fire engine ; or proper supply of water, otherwise the fire would have been extinguished sooner. The insurances were -.—Peacock’s furniture, stock and buildings, L 750 (National); M‘Aneny’s stock and furniture. L 250 (National); building, L 275 (South British); Shanley’s house, furniture, &c., LIOO (Now Zealand). Total insurance, E1,376. 'The whole of the principal part of Napier had a narrow escape. When the fire occurred the wind, was blowing hard from the south. ; Had Gillespie’s house caught nothing could have saved the block of buildings. There is no fire brigade, no organisation, and no water supply. . Hundreds? of persons were willing to Pender assistance, blit .they could find no leaders; numbers were giving contradictory .orders, and all was confusion. Six ’minilies were burnt' out, ten escaping with only, their night-dresses on. Storekeepers half-way down the block cleared opt in the belief that the town would «o. The: ‘ Telegraph ’ to-night again urges the people to wake up and form some organisation for protecting their own properties. The pePaona burnt out areM'Aneny (insured), estimates his loss at L 400; and Shanley (insured for LI 00) estimates his, at L 350, besides a lot of jewellery in his Lands for mendjng; Oregon, printer (formerly of Auckland); POcbck, painter (formerly of Onchunga). Taylor, baker (formerly of Invercargill) and Pocock lose L7OO between them.

The tender of Mr John Henderson, of Wellington, has been accepted for the construction of the harbor Works here for L30,5G0. The contractor is not to find the timber, for the supply of which Mr Ross’s tender was accepted for forty foot length totara piles at 40s per 100 feet, and Mr Rathbone’s for the remainder at 27s 6d.