NEW ZEALAND.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2681, 9 November 1882, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND.

[per press association .|l AUCKLAND? November 8. During the passage of the Loch Urr, from London, an apprentice named Jas. Francis Pearson, fell from the mainyard and was drowned, notwithstanding the great efforts made to save him. A number of the King Natives have been sent for by Te Wheoro, to take part in the Canoe race at the North Shore regatta to-morrow. Richard Healy and Thomas Stewart, the former seaman, and the latter a bushman, wore arrested for the larceny of £2OO worth of jewellery, the property of Scott, a commercial traveller, on the steamer Wellington, on her passage from Tauranga. They were remanded eight days. The Premier has promised the residents of Avondale (late Whau) that Mr Cox, Government geologist, shall, at an early date, examine the coal deposits lately found there. NAPIER, November 8. At a meeting of the temporary committee formed to endeavor to arrange for a fire brigade competition, it was unanimously resolved —" That, owing to the small atter dance and the lack of interest thereby shown, the committee be dissolved.” Great complaints are made as to the scarcity of labor in the country districts. It is difficnlt to find even shearers, and at harvest the farmers fear they will not bo able to get in their crops. Shearing has been much delayed by showery weather. The clips are generally excellent. WELLINGTON. November 8. In the Supreme Court in banco to-day, Mr Travers moved to quash the conviction of the youth Worth and girl Davies, sentenced some time ago to a 'month’s imprisonment for indecency in the Botanical Gardens, but who were released on bail after serving half their sentence and giving notice of appeal. The Court held that the facts stated in the evidence were not sufficient to sustain the conviction, and consequently quashed that of Davies. It appeared however that Worth, in the Court below, had pleaded guilty, the magistrates however not convicting on the confession, but proceeding to take the evidence. Judge Richmond said the evidence clearly would not sustain the conviction, but the pleading guilty made the question a difficult one. Judgment reserved. The lion. Minister of Public Works probably goes South on Monday. The water in the city reservoir is decreasing so rapidly that stringent precautions against waste are being taken. Mr P. Martin’s Mischief is an additional nomination for the Wellington Gup. A number of proclamations appear in the “ Gazette ” setting apart land in different parts of the North Island for sale on deferred payments for village settlement. In Southland the Railway Department is about to introduce an important change in the passenger ticket system. The alteration will consist in the total abolition of the return ticket, single tickets instead being issued for each journey. Upon the first introduction of the plan the cost of the double journey will remain unaltered, the single fares being proportionately lower, and the present Saturday return fares will remain in force, but, after a few months, when the effects of the alteration can be better calculated, the question of revising the regular rates of charge will be further considered, It is expected that the new

system will be put into operation in a few weeks. A meeting of the creditors of Mr J. Hall, comedian, this afternoon, it was resolved to recommend the debtor’s discharge. TIMARU, November 8. The Hon. Mr Dick, Colonial Secretary, arrived from the South this evening. He leaves for Christchurch to-morrow afternoon. The prospectus is issued of the Temuka Linseed Company, with a capital of .£IO,OOO. The weather continues very stormy and unsettled; heavy rain falling at intervals. DUNEDIN, November 8, A scene occurred in the Resident Magistrate’s Court to-day between the Resident Magistrate (Mr Carew) and Mr James Anderson, of Anderson and Co., flour millers. His Worship stated during the' hearing of a case in which Mr Anderson was plaintiff that he regarded one of the latter’s statements with suspicion, upon which Mr Anderson, who was in the witness box at the time, remarked “ Pretty good cheek for you to say that to me. It’s like your cheek.” He was promptly ordered into custody for contempt of Court. At the conclusion of the case he was called upon to apologise. Not giving a satisfactory apology, he was fined 40s. A teamster, named Finlay Lament, was killed yesterday at Bendigo goldfields by the capsizing of a dray. It is understood that about forty thousand shares have been applied for over the number to be allotted in th<> Equitable Insurance Association. Prom Tapanui news comes that the settlers who bought high-priced deferred payment lands shortly before the Government allowed a large number of defaulting license-holders to forfeit their allotments, intend petitioning the Government to lighten the heavy payments they have to make, on the ground that it is unfair those who kept up their payments should have to pay full rates/whilst those who did not pay got off at a far less rate. A company is in course of formation in Dunedin to procure diamond drills for prospecting purposes, in order to hire them ou