NEW ZEALAND.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2406, 21 December 1881, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND.

[PEE EBEBS ASSOCIATION.] AUCKLAND, Deoember 20. Fatal AccidentJohn Macintyre, settler, of Coromandel, on returning from Takatea bill, fell down a preoipioe, smashed his skull, and died. Singular. Captain Elliott's new fourteen-roomed house, which was unoccupied, was burnt down last night. Mr James Pooley, the builder, had a builder's risk on it in the Colon»al for £IOOO, half of which was reinsured. Captain Elliot's previous new residence was burnt down a few years ago under similar circumstances.; CrimeThere are twelve cases on the criminal calendar. Aquatic. Carter and Flood, the Sydney oarsmen, proceeded to Meroury Bay to-day. WELLINGTON, December 20. Native Lands Court. The Government have decided to give facilities for holding a Native Lands Court at Mokau, tho Natives in that district and Eawhia being anxious to pass their lands through the Court. Mining Hews. Information has been reoeived from Reef ton that the Golden Fleece have struck a reef 4ft thick showing gold. FloodsHeavy rain fell yesterday and this morning, and caused a flood in tho Hutt river. Several gardens on the river bank are under water to a depth of several inches. OAMARU, Deoember 20. A Would-be Suicide. Mathow Maci'eady for attempting oommit suicide by breaking a vein in his arm was brought up to-day charged with the offence and remanded till to-morrow. DUNEDIN, December 20. The English Eleven. The "Star" states that the English oricketcrs have definitely decided not to play, at Inveroargill. Our Coal Industry. The Kftitangata and Shag Point Coal Companies have had tenders accepted for the.supply of coal to the railways in Dunedin. The Runs Question. At a meeting convened by Mr Pyke to-day on the land question fourteen M.H.H.'s attended. Messrs Fish (Dunedin) and Green (Waikouaiti) would not sign tho resolutions arrived at j tho others wore unanimous. The resolutions were as follows :—" That in view of the magnitude of tho interests involved it is, in the opinion of this meeting, highly desirable that all action in relation to dealing with the pastoral leases whioh terminate in March, 1883, should be suspended until tho newly elected Parliament have had an opportunity of considering the beet mode of disposing of the lands affooted." " Tnat to prevent any injury accruing to the present lessees by reason of such suepeneion, they should be offered a renewal of their leases for a further period of one year on the existing terms, subject to the condition that any land required for sale or settlement on deferred payment, agricultural lease or deferred payment pastoral blocks, may be taken for suoh purposes after March, 1883, without compensation." INVEROARGILL, December 20. CrimeThe half-yearly sitting of the Supreme Court opened this morning. Judge Williams' charge to the Grand Jury was brief, and contained nothing of general interest beyond a reference to the email amount of crime in the distriot, as evidenced by the lightness of the calendar. For stealing Masonio jewellery

from the Club Hotel, Thomas Kennedy got liz months' hard labor; for theft of £5, Win. Lloyd, aged 15, two months; John Gobbe, for stealing a trunk and a largo quantity of jewellery belonging to Mr Batohelder (of Bent and Batohelder), six monthe ; J. P. Holmes, for embezzlement of pubho moneys, | three years. The Court then adjourned. [FBOM THB OWN OOEBKBPOSDEHT THE Of " rBBSB."J WELLINGTON, December 20. Judicial. In referenoe to the rules for proceeding, &c, relative to election petitions, which it wit mentioned yesterday the Supreme Court Judges or the Chief Justice and two other Justices are required by soction 14 of the Elections Petitions Act, 18S0, to draw up, I understand that it is now held by tbe authorities that it will not be necessary that Judges should meet personally in Wellington so long as they can agree on the code of rules drawn up by one or two of their number, and submitted to the rest of the Bench.