LATEST TELEGRAMS.

Kumara Times, Issue 677, 28 November 1878, Page 2

LATEST TELEGRAMS.

[press agency.] ACCIDENT TO THE HOKITIKA COACH. Christchurch, November 27.

The Postmaster at Bealey telegraphs to-day that the West Coast coach met with an accident this morning, and was wrecked in the Bealey River. No lives were lost, and all the mails were recovered except a bag for Greymouth.

Pate A, November 27.

Kimbell Bent, a deserter from the 57th Regiment 13 years ago, and who has ever since lived with the Maoris about 60 miles up the Patea River, and up till Monday had not been seen by any Europeans since he deserted, was interviewed by a Patea resident, and said he intended to lay his case before the Government, as he is anxious now to go back to his native country (America). Bent deserted after being flogged, and in 1866 was believed to have shot Lieut-Colonel Hassard in an engagement near Hawera, and a large reward was offered for his capture. The Maoris treat him as a slave, and say he was never allowed to carry arms. He has kept a diary the whole time of his absence from civilisation.

Wellington, November 27,

A supplement to the Government Gazette of Thursday, issued this evening, contains an Order in Council giving the various divisions ol the Colony into districts under the Land Tax Act, 1878, together with the boundaries of each district, as follows ;

Auckland shall comprise the following counties and all boroughs within said counties Bay of Islands, Corro-

mandel, Eden, Hobson, Hokianga, Kawai,' Manukau, Mongonui, Piako, Raglan, Rodney, Taupe hast, Taupo West, Tanrahga, Thames, Whakataue. Whangarei, Waikato, Waipa, and Waitemata.

Hawke’s Bay shall compi'i<e;—Cook, Hawke’s Bay, Waioawa, and Wairoa. Wellington shall comprise:—Muti, Miinawatu, Patea, Rangitike.i, Taranaki, Wairarapa East, Wairarapa West, and Wanganui.

Nelson comprises Amuri, Buller, Cheviot, Collingvvood, Grey, Inangahua, Kaikoura, Marlborough Sounds, Waimea, and Westland.

Canterbury comprises : --- Akn-oa, Ashburton, Ashley, Geraldine, Selwyn, and Waimate.

Otago comprises Bruce, Clutha, Fiord, Lake IManiototo, Peninsula, Southland, Stewart’s Island, Taieri. Tuapeka, Vincent, Waikouaiti, Waitaki! and Wallace.

The following appointments under the same Act are gazetted:—John fepeney, Land Tax Commissioner, from 13th inat.; Edward Circuit Lather, Deputy Land Tax Commissioner for Otago Diatriet, from 24th inst.; Bern jamin M £ Lean, Deputy Laud Tax Commissioner for Auckland District, from 26th inst. The Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners are authorised to frank letters and parcels posted on public service.

The Court of Appeal sat again to-day. The point reserved in the case Regina v, Anderson was argued. Anderson was in partnership with another man as contractor in Napier, and managed the business of the partnership at a salary of £4 a week. A jury found that he had embezzled a cheque'of ,£l5O, the property of the firm The points arose as to whether a charge of embezzlement could be as the law contemplated, an offence committed by a servant, it being contended that Anderson was not a servant but a master. After hearing the Attorney-General, the Court decided tha*, under the Larceny Act of 1870 the conviction must be sustained. In Regina v. Pain, the defendant had been foand guilty of embezzling a cheque, the property of the Waimate Road Board, to which he was clerk. It was a deposit cheque, and counsel for defendant contended that, as it did not form part of the reveiule of the rates given to the Board by the Act under which it was constituted, the cheque could not be the property of the Board, therefore the indictment was bad. The C onrii decided that it was not necessary that the title of the person to whom the money was being conveyed when embezzled, should be substantiated in order to support an indictment. The crime consisted in the fact of a person in a functionary position getting money which was intended to go through the channel of his transfer or conveyance to the master or employer, and, instead of performing that duty, appropriating the money to his own* use. The conviction, therefore, was affirmed.

The election of Mayor took place today, and was the keenest contest ever known in this city. Good order and sobriety marked the day’s proceedings. The poll was announced at 7.5 o’clock as follows :—Hutchison, 737 ; Dransfield, 740. The official declaration is not yet made.

Boss, November 27,

The following are the returns for the Mayoralty election !—-Grimmond, 110 ‘ Malfroy, 87. There was great excitement, and several fights.

LATEST UNPUBLISHED. GRIMMOND ELECTED CHAIRMAN WESTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL. Hokitika, November 28. Joseph Grimmond is elected Chairman of the County Council of Westland. Six members were nominated. ReeEton, November 28. Mr P. Q. Caples has been elected t County Chairman, at a salary of £2OO a year. Judgment in the matter of the election petitions re Brennan and Davies return is postponed till Friday. Christchurch, November 28. In the election for M ayor, it is said that Councillor Ick is returned by a large majority, but the poll will not be declared before to-day.

2.55 p.m. The state of the poll at the mayoral election was made known at noon today. The reason the poll was not made public until next day was in consequence of the rowdiness of the public on the last two occasions of the declaration over night. The number's polled were—Tck, 601 j present mayor (Thompson), 353. The Hon. John Hall has been reelected Chairman of the County Council for the ensuing year. At a meeting of the committee in re payment of land fund to Canterbury, it was stated that it was at a cost of 2s 6d per £IOO.

Dunedin, November 28. The Mayoral election resulted in the

return of Mr H. J. Walter, hy ft majority of 273 over Mf H. S. Fish. Thds numbers were—Wal&r, 854,; Fish 581; For South Dunedin, Mr Hodge was returned over Mr Maloney.

Ashbuuton, November 28. The butchers have formed themselveS into a com lunation to call for no orders, and to Supply me \b only at their shops-, and for cash alone.

FIRE AT AUCKLAND. Auckland, November 28.

A fire broke out in the house of Mr Keesing, jun., Lower Hobson street, this morning. The house was totally destroyed, but a portion of the furnitnre was saved. The bouse of Mr PLiking ton, 20 yards distant, had a narrow escape, the shingles taking fire* hut the flames were extinguished. Keesiug’s house was insured for £3OO-, and mortgaged for £4OO. The loss, is estimated at nearly £IOOO.