TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

Globe, Volume III, Issue 276, 30 April 1875, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

{Press Telegraph Agency. ) Auckland, April 29,

At the Bank of New Zealand half-yearly meeting, the report showed a net profit of £48,058, the balance last year being £13,016. A dividend was declared of 10 per cent, and a bonus of 40s. The balance carried forward was £16,975. The report was adopted. The chairman, in moving it, referred in terms of condemnation to the system introduced of paying large interest on deposits. He said it was calculated to divert money from legitimate channels, and was injurious to the colony, and a pinch would come which he desired merchants to bear in mind was not brought about by that bank. Mr Gratham McCabe, who committed suicide to day by jumping off the cliff at the end of Hobson street, was formerly a reporter in Auckland, and on the Wellington Advertiser. He also appeared on the stage in various parts of New Zealand. He had been in an asylum recently from insanity, induced by drink. In the fall, besides internal injuries sustained, he fractured his thigh, and received a compound .fracture of the right elbow. He was alive and sensible when found, but died two hours after the occurrence.

Burke, the ex-Captain of the Fire Brigade was discharged at the Police-court to-day. nominations for the Autumn Handicap and Birthday Handicap close to-morrow at eight o’clock. The last plate on the Auckland and Mercer Railway was laid to-day. Wellington, April 29.

At a meeting of the Patent Slip Company to-day the chairman said the shipping taken on the slip last year comprised thirty-seven vessels, including twenty steamers, six barques, one brig, ten schooners and small craft, representing au aggregate of about 7000 tons. He regretted that the Government subsidy instead of being merely an aid to their revenue, formed their chief source of income. The report states that an arrangement has been lately entered into with the representative of Messrs Shaw, Saville and Co, under which certain numbers of their vessels will be taken on the slip in each year. A dividend of 5 per cent was recommended and agreed to. The French war steamer Infernet, which arrived from Sydney, via Picton, this morning, is a corvette of 2000 tons measurement, and 400 horse-power. She has a turret, where she carries a five-ton breach-loading rifle-gun, throwing conical ball 400 pounds weight. She also has eight broadside muzzle-loaders. The crew consists of 210 men. She will remain here five days, and then proceeds to Auckland, and thence to the Islands of the Pacific, Arrived —Luna from Napier, Nelson, April 29.

Mr Lowther Broad, Resident Magistrate, was called to the Bar this morning. Judge Gillies complimented him highly on his successful examination, and said no doubt he would prove an honour to the Bar. Waimate, April 29,

A man named Thomas Davis, an old settler, was arrested last night, charged with the attempt to poison his wife. He was sent to Timaru, thirty miles, to-day, for examination, no magistrate being in the district, and the only Justice of the Peace is at present away. THIS DAY’S XEZEGIiAMS. Wellington, April 30. Arrived —1.30 p.m., Phoebe, from Lyttelton. Dunedin, 30th April. A large two storey dwelling house in Heriot Row, built of wood, was burned down at one o’clock this morning. The house was occupied by Mr Swan and family of six, new arrivals from home. When the fire was first discovered, three buckets of water would have extinguished it, but the house being on a high level of the town not a drop of water was to be obtained. Thirty fireman were present, who stood and could only watch the fire blazing. For forty minutes the sight was terffiic. The house is valued at £7OO, and is uninsured. Swan’s loss of furniture is £3OO, not insured. Two policies had been allowed to lapse in the National. The town now, is entirely at the mercy of fire, where not a drop of water in any part, and no sign of rain. Mr Manders, M.P.C. for Queenstown, editor of the Mail, has been horsewhipped by Mr Powell, for an article in his paper deemed to be malicious, Powell was sen ■ tenced to fourteen days imprisonment, without the option of a fine. The case, on application, was afterwards re-heard, and Powell admitted to bail. The inhabitants of the Clutha district intend to present Sir John Richardson with a substantial testimonial, in the shape of a piece of plate.

[FROM OUR AUCKLAND CORRESPONDENT.] Auckland, April 29.

During the voyage of the Fernglen, just arrived, they ran entirely out of tobacco a month before the arrival of the vessel. When first it became scarce the price rose to Is a plug; in a few days it went up to 5s a plug, and the last few plugs sold at a high figure, viz : 20s each. Weeks ago ordinary quotations were one penny a plug.' Raw coffee and spun yarn were favorite substitutes, with some, tea. Brown paper was found not to go badly, but preference was very generally given to hay, with a flavoring of cayenne pepper. Yesterday the schooner Echo was boarded by some more desperate men, and all the crew’s tobacco forcibly abstracted.

The following are the particulars of the tragical death of Mr McCabe, formerly a reporter and then an actor. A little before 10 o’clock in the forenoon, a passenger named Graham was on the wharf, and saw a man jump or fall from the cliff near the bottom of Hobson street. He called on Sergeant Martin, and told him. That officer repaired to the spot, and at the foot of the cliff, on the beach, he found the. mutilated body of Mr McCabe. He was then alive, and apparently sensible, but could answer no questions. Constable Tiercy provided an express, and the sufferer was driven to the Hospital, and his injuries examined by the house surgeon. A fracture of the left thigh was discovered as well as a compound fracture of the right elbow joint. The sufferer was b( lieved from appearances to have received severe internal injuries. He lingered till eleven o’clock. Latterly he appears to have given -way to intemperate habits, which together with a predisposition in that direction developed into insanity. He was received into the Asylum in September last. He recovered am 1 waa liberated, but was re-committcdiu a short

time. A few weeks ago, he was again sufficiently well to be let loose, and Mrs McCabe went to San Francisco by the Cyhprenes, Mr McCabe intending to follow her as soon as could procure funds. Both have friends well to do in the city. Mrs McCabe had been staying during last few weeks at the Governor Browne Hotel. For some days lately, he evinced signs of his old mania. Last night he procured a revolver, and spoke about shooting one of the boarders; he was intoxicated at the time, and Mr Cunningham got him to bed quietly. At two o’clock this morning, he was heard to shout out that it was he who had struck the matches. The remark was supposed to be in allusion to an attempt to set the place on fire. He got up and walked about, but was put to bed again; and went to sleep. He was seen going down Hobson street, in the direction of the sea, only half an hour before he was discovered, groaning and bleeding at the base of the cliff.

There seems to be a mania amongst the Grammar school boys for bolting, two more are missing, they are supposed to have gone to Sydney.