NEW ZEALAND.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2452, 14 February 1882, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND.

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AUCKLAND, February 13.

Operatics in Court.

In the Distriot Court W. A. Thompson sued Charles Turner, of the Montague Turner Opera Company, for breach of engagement, and claimed £IOO. Mr A. E. Whitaker appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr Thome for the defendant. From the former gentleman'* statement of the case it seemed in November last Mr and Mrs Thompson (Misß Carrie Godfrey), while at Sydney, contracted with Turner, of the Montague Turner Opera Company, for a six months' engagement at £5 and £lO per wflek respectively, the plaintiff acting as member of orchestra, and his wife as leading contralto singer. At the termination of the Auckland season Turner terminated the engagement, and sent a letter stating Mrs Thompson's health precluded her from performing any longer, and therefore neither she nor her husband would be required any longer. His client was willing to have fulfilled his share of the contract, but was not given the opportunity, and he olaimed full wages for himself till the end of his term. Nothing was OBkcd in respect of the breach made in the oontraot with his wife. After some consultation between oounsel, Thorne consented to judgment being entered for plaintiff for £2O and oosts. The Ken on StrikeAt a meeting of the committee of the exemployes of the Union Sash and Door Company, disbursements were made from the relief fund of £IOO to those requiring aid. A large sum is ezpeoted this week, numbers of artisans and laborers having agreed to contribute a standing sum until the look-outs oome to an arrangement with the company, or all of them have found employment. WELLINGTON, February 13. Harbour Board ElectionThe election of members for the Wellington Harbor Board took plaoe to-day, and resulted in Messrs Lancaster, Nathan, Jaokson, Coffee, and Capt. Roso being returned. Rifle Association. The following entries were received for the coming meeting of the New Zealand Kifle Association at Nelson : —Artillery—MeEenzie, Turner, Bannister, Shaw, Plimmer. Navals— Davy, F. Dran, H. Dixon, Tandy, Levers. City Rifles—Liout. Ballanger, N. Ballanger, Randall. Guards—Morris and Howe. Engineers—Lieuts. Poll, Tait and Chisholm. Of these ten are carbine representatives and eight rifles. Hew Post Office. The tender of Messrs Barry and MoDowell has been accepted for the erection of a new post-office for Wellington, the amount being £22,444.

HOKITIKA, February 13. A Human Skeleton Found.

On Thursday last it was reported to the Goldsborough police by a miner named Joseph Grossi that while working with his three mates they found a skeleton of a man at the bottom of a shaft fifteen feet deep, until recently full of water. The shaft is situated at Fox's. From enquiries made by the police, it is believed the remains are those of a minor named Domenioo Borserini, whose hut was situated about thirty yards from the shaft, where the bones were discovered. Mr Muller, storekeeper at Fox's, states that on September the 18th, 1877, Borserini paid him some money. On the evening of that day Borserini's hut, together with all its contents, was destroyed by fire. Since the date just mentioned the man disappeared. Mr Muller further adds that he held a mortgage over Borsorini's claim for £IOO, and he imagined that Borserini had gone away in order to esoapo payment of the money he owed. The shin bones were in a pair of knee boots, which have been identified as his make by a bootmaker named Michael Fitzbiggon, living at Goldsborough. The remains have been removed to the Helvetia Hotel, Goldsborough, where an inquest will be held. The police are now engaged in prosecuting further enquiries.

OAMARU, February 13, Crime-

P. A. Kussoli was today charged with embezzling £2B 33 93, the funds of the National Mutual Association of Australia. Tha defalcations ore stated to amount to about £BO. A remand till Friday was granted. Annie Glassett, alias Duncan, aged about fourteen years, was charged at the 8.. M. Court to-day with having at Palmerston obtained from Kichard Kilgour £lO 103 by means of a valueless cheque. The foots of the case were that the accused went to the Back of New Zealand on the Othinst. and presented a chequo for £lO 10s, purporting to be drawn by a farmer at Shag Valley, named James Dalzell. The manager of the Bank refused to cash the cheque. The girl went away and returned in about threo hours and produced a letter purporting to be signed by James Dalzell, and addressed to his wife, whom it asked to let Annie Glassett have a cheque for £lO 10s. On the strength of this letter Mr Kilgour cashed the cheque, which afterwards proved to be a forgery. As the whole of the witnesses resided at Palmerston, the accused was remanded to that olaco.

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WELLINGTON, February 13. Parliament will probably not bo opened till the last week in May. Mr Johnston, Poet master-General, leaves immediately for a holiday of a week or two, whioh he will spend in the country, most likely going on to Napier. Major Atkinson probably goes South this week. A tender has been accepted this afternoon for the Wellington New Post Office, £22,444. Only the first half is to be gone on with at present. The successful tenderers are Meßars Barry and McDowell, a Wellington firm of contractors. They built the new Supreme Court here. It is noteworthy that five out of the six Wellington tenderers were within a few pounds of each other (the sixth being some thousands highor, and quite out of the running). The four Dunedin and Christchuroh tenderers also were very olose together, but with an average of £4OOO higher than the average of the Wellington men. It is understood that the West Coast Railway contraot is all ready for signature, and that everything is now agreed upon on both sides—that is, between the company and the Government, but there is an unexplained delay in completing arrangements. It seems as if both parties are disposed to wait a while before binding themselves down finally.