NEW ZEALAND.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 326, 29 January 1902, Page 1

NEW ZEALAND.

(Per Press Association.) WAIROA, last night. The Rev. F. W. Isitt, secretary of the New Zealand Alliance, who is on a visit to Wairoa, received a cable today from Mr John G. Woollev of Chicago, stating he will come to New Zealand for six months’ work in the prohibition cause prior to next local option poll.

WANGANUI, last night. 1 1 he teachers attending the Summer School to the number of about 200 participated in an up-the-river excursion this morning. At the Police Court to-day Decimus Rowe, agent in Wanganui for the Adams Star Cycle Company, pleaded guilty of embezzling £O7 odd. the money of the ’ Company. There are eight charges in all. Accused was gelding £3 10s a week and a commission of U per cent-. Accused in a written statement to the Company confessed that his wages had been sufficient for his household expenditure, and none of the moneys appropriated had been spent on himself, wife, or house, but invested on the totalisators at Wanganui, Fielding, Kangitikei, Palmerston, Auckland, and Woodville races. Accused was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. WELLINGTON, last night. The body of Frederick Hook, of Ohariu Valley, was found this morning with the upper part of tho head blown off, and with a gun lying alongside. It is thought that he had comnritted suicide while in a melancholy state of mind arising from illness in the family.

The Agricultural Department has secured accommodation from private linns at Dunedin, Lvttellon and Auckland, to enable it to have flax for export graded. The necessary regulations are being drawn up. . . DUNEDIN, last night. The infant son of John Anderson, of Mace town, was accidentally shot yesterday, at Hanson’s farmhouse, Frankton, through a playmate firing off a pea-rille while Anderson was in bed playing. The child lived onlv half an hour.

Private information has been received of the death by drowning in the VVakatu of Neil Tenant, eldest sou of the Presbyterian clergyman at Port Chalmers.

HOKITIKA, last night. The Hokitika river dredge had ' a narrow escape at 6 o’clock this morning. The side and head-lines carried away. The dredgemaster was struck by a wire, and was taken home unconscious. A quantity of timber came on hoard the dredge, which was going down by the head. Eventually the current slackened, and matters were made sale. Mr McGregor, the dredge master, is out of danger. The weather has cleared after the night’s heavy rain, which brought down a considerable fresh in the Hokitika river. The Ministerial party is proceeding to Kokatahi district this morning, and will he entertained at a lunch there at noon by the Westland County Council, with settlers and the members of local bodies. In the afternoon the party arrive at Ross. They will be welcomed by the Mayor and Councillors, and will attend a public reception in Totara Hall to-night, the party returning to Hokitika to-mor-row via Lake Mahinapua, under conduct of the Harbor Board. Sir Joseph takes public deputations in the afternoon, and delivers a political address in the Town Hall in the evening. STRATFORD, last night. A settler named Hewitt died at Whangamoma on Saturday, supposed to be the result of a fight with a man named Joseph Choyce on Thursday night after a banquet. Hewitt wandered away from his house on Friday night, and was found on Saturday in an unconscious and dying condition. Choyce has been arrested on a charge of manslaughter.