NEW ZEALAND TELEGRAMS.

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 January 1903, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND TELEGRAMS.

(BEE FBESS ASSOCIATION),

Destructive Hotel Fire. Invebcabgill, This Day.

Deechler's hotel occupied by Horace Bastings was partially destroyed bf a fire which originated in an unoccupied bedroom in a back portion of the hotel. The hotel which is one of the largest in the city was saved but the front is completely gutted. The insurances on the building are £4OOO, and on the furniture £ISOO, stock £2OO, boarder's effects £353, total £6050. The loss will probably exceed that amount. The origin is a mystery. Land Compensation. Napieb, This Day. The case for the Government in the Milbourn compensation c*se was opened to-day. Findlay submitted that the other side was not entitled to ask Government to pay the prico Is on any subdivisional valuation of land, which had to take into discount the cost of roading, surveying, etc. The case is expected to finish to-morrow. Local Option Petition. Dunedin, Jan 28. The taking cf ovidenee in tho petition regarding the Biu:e iosal opiion poll was concluded to-day, when Cruickshank, S.M., reserved his decision. Municipal Affairs. Waihi, Jan 28. A poll of ratepayers to-day carried a proposal to raise £1,500 for a water supply. Napier, Jan 27. The.poll is being taken to-day for the Borough .Council proposal to borrow £42,000 for various works. Thore is a strong feeling that tho sum ask ad for'is more than is required, and the proposal is likely to be rejected. Jan 28. A poll was taken to-day in cooneotion with the Borough Council's proposals for a loan of £4,200, The proposals were rejected, the voting being 539 for and 2,212 against the proposal,

Suicid*. Thames, This Day. The body of a man in a decomposed condition, the features almost unrecognisable, was discoverad near the cemetery close to Thames by some boys. The police searched last night but the boya were too frightened to show the place. In consequence the body was not found until this morning. I& is believed to be Bird* wood, a bushman from Timaru. The throat is cut with a razor held in his hand. His mother states that since an accident he was strange at times. He left a fortnight ago to visit hi 3 sist-r's grave. Though his mother missed the razor from home, and though anxious as to his whereabouts, she never thought he would commit suicido. a Inquests. Thambs, Jan 28. At the inquesb on William Birdwood, who was found near the cemetery with his throat cut, a verdict of suicide while temporarily insane was returned. From the evidence it appears that deceased met with an accident some months back which affected his health, and the death of his favorite sister induced melancholia. After a visit to his sister's grave the deceased retired into a gully and cut his tbroat. Gisborne, Jan. 28. At the inquest touching the death of J. Kennedy, a married man who died suddenly at the Tomblcson's station, the verdict returned was death due to inflammation of the brain. Deceased had been working in the orchard and suddenly became very ill and was removed to the hospital, where he died. Gisborne Patriotic Fund.

The allocation ; of the balance of the patriotic funds (£680) was made at a meeting of the Committee. The votes were £75 for the relatives of the troopers, £SO for the town clock, £l5O for the Cook memorial with a war tablet, £SO for beautifying and the Association £25 for general expenses and £25 to each of the two bands, leaving a total of £260 to be invested on fixed deposit in the case of any future call. Attempt to Derail a Train. New Plymouth, Jan 28. What appears to have been an attempt to derail the train from town to the breakwater occurred this evening. On nearing tbe breakwater the engine came incontacc with an obstacle. Fortunately it only jumped and skidded some little distance, not leaving the rails. Inspection proved that a solid angle iron had been evidently laid on the rails, but eventually it was cleared off the track. Had the train left the rails considerable damage would have been done.