NEW ZEALAND.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1627, 8 May 1879, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND.

[Press Special Wire.] AUCKLAND, May 7. Fisher, of Katikati, received letters from Cookson confirming the fact that he was the winner of the first prize in Cookson's sweep. The amount is £675. Cookson had sent a letter at once, informing Fisher of his good luck, but it only reached him on Thursday. A train was thrown off the line by bullocks. It ran into a drove of them near Huntley. Two steers were mortally wounded and a bullock split in two. The engine was thrown off the rails. Gangs of men were Bent for from different parts of the line. A messenger went to meet the train from Auckland, which was waiting at Ohaewai. The engine driver whistled long and loudly, but the stupid beasts still kept running off and on to the rails till near a culvert, when they stopped. Two of the bullocks were knocked twenty feet into the swamp. The engine was got back on to the line after a few hours. It is considered an exceedingly narrow escape. The engine was injured. It was provided with a cow catcher or the consequences would have been more serious. BLENHEIM, May 7. The old Scab Board met to-day, and found £lB4 in the Bank. They paid Griffiths, the secretary, sundry amounts for salary, stationery, &0., and agreed to divide the remainder among those who had paid rates. WELLINGTON, May 7. The foundation stone of St. Peter's new Church was laid to-day after being twice postponed. A meeting of the creditors of D. and A. Blythe was held this afternoon. The liabilities are set down at £11,142, and the assets are estimated to be worth £IOOO only. The following are the probable candidates for the mayoralty:—Geo. Hunter, M.H.R. (for whom a large requisition is being signed), W. H. Levien, Dr. Diver, W. W. Johnston, M.H.R., and Councillors Thompson and Fisher.

H. P. Keal, who a few days ago cut his throat, was progressing favorably until yesterday, when he became so violent that nobody in the house could go near him with safety. This morning he got worse, and being very violent, the aid of the police was invoked. He attacked the constable, and several men had to be called in before he could be secured. He was subsequently taken before the R.M., who, oh the testimony of Drs Kemp and Collins, remanded Keal to the Lunatic Asylum. Captain Kreeft has called a meeting of his creditors. The liabilities are set down at £4678, the deficiency £1785. Unpaid bills amount to £4005. The principal creditors are the Banks. £lOls is secured. The estate is calculated to pay 5s in the pound to the unsecured creditors.

WESTPORT, May 7. The Theatre Royal Hotel, a well-known dance house in the old days, lately turned into a commercial hotel, and more recently re-taken by its old proprietor, Mr G. Sheehan, who was just about starting the old saloon business, was burnt to the ground at midnight. The fire started in a detached building some score of yards from the house. The flames were fierce, and nothing but a few articles on the ground floor could be saved, the family, who were Bleeping upstairs, running out in their night dresses. Several surrounding buildings took fire, but were all put out, excepting a small cottage destroyed. The building was only insured for £350, and belonged to Mr Brewer.

The Bchool committee resolved to compel the Board to retain the present master, whom they announced their intention of dismissing, 0 AMARU, May 7. An old man named John Brown hung himself in a stable here last night. Some eighteen months ago he was robbed of all his money in a boarding-house, kept by a man named Craig, who was convicted of the theft. Deceased is known to have been drinking heavily lately. DUNEDIN, May 7. An accident occurred on Sunday to a lad, seventeen years of age, named Charles Geer. He had been for some time rabbiting on Messrs Strode and Fraser’s Earnscleugh station, and on the above day he and his mate were in the tent, and the lad Geer was drawing his gun towards him for the purpose of cleaning it, when from some unexplained cause it went off, and the charge entered his left side. His companion went into Clyde for medical assistance. Dr. Leahy started immediately, but on arrival it was clear he would be unable to be of any service. The doctor remained with the young man till next morning, when he expired about nine o’clock. His mother is a widow, and live? at Bannockburn.

The two boy - prisoners, Goldsmith and McElhennj, underwent the second portion of their whipping of twelve lashes with a birch rod each in the gaol this morning. They yelled so luslily before half the work was done that their screams could be heard far beyond tho outer walls of the gaol. The boy Davis was discharged on Saturday after his whipping, having only received a sentence of four days. The prisoners have been confined separate, and have not seen each other since their lodgment in gaol. At the meeting of the Football Club the president offered a prize for the member who shall be most regular; in playing during the season. Tho captain offered a prize, to be earned by the player who shall score most points for goals and touch-downs. The proposal to introduce the Victorian rules was not favorably received.