LATEST UNPUBLISHED.

Kumara Times, Issue 707, 4 January 1879, Page 2

LATEST UNPUBLISHED.

Christchurch, January 4. Another case of indecent exposure, by Francis M'Loughlin, who, being intoxicated, was let off with a £4 fine.

Through railway traffic wHi Dunedin wdl be resumed today. A small shunting engine is being employed to coss the Rangitata bridge.

Mr Bills, from Australia, leaves for England on the 9fch, to procure birds for the the Canterbury Acclimatisation Society. The same society hns only about a thousand fcrou*. left, half of which will be set free in the Ashburton tributaries. Experiments are about being made for supplying Christchurch with water from the Waimakariri.

Wellington, January 3. Mackin, who was charged with emb"zzling £I3OO from the Bank of New Zealand, Upper ITufct, was brought up this morning, before the Resident Magistrate. Mr Izard, Crown Prosecutor, assisted by Mr Buckley, solicitor for the Bank, prosecuted. The charge of embezzlement was withdrawn, and one for forgery and another for larceny substituted. Mr Wood, late Chief Justice of Fiji, appeared for the prisoner. The case will occupy a considerable time.

John Hill, who some time ago was ■ committe I to gaol for contempt in djs- ; obeyitfg an order of the Supreme C mrt, ! will be released to d\y, an order to that , effect having been signed by the Chief Justice. A petition was presented on ; behalf of Hill, aud the Chief JiisM'cn : said that under the circumstances he i would impose no conditions, but warned iliii that a repetition of his off-noe . would inevitably entail much hus.lier I punishment than be had already ex..e----i rieuced. ' January 1. The Government are about to otter ;t substantia] reward for such evidence as

will lead to the conviction of die person or persons udio set fire io the Government buildings at Blenheim in November, 1876. Detective Biown has been here for several weeks making inquiries, and he is said to have obtained important information. It is notified in to-night's Gazette by an Order in Council that the old tariff rates, by which the evening papers were allowed 500 words at evening rates, between eight in the morning and five at night, is extended to 1500 words during the same hours. Another schedule notifies that any proprietor or publisher of a newspaper, or auy persons, corporation, or company carrjing on business as Press telegraph agents, or uny business the object of which is to obtain and transmit news, may have the use of a special wire, but not at a less sum than £2OOO per year, and if an extra copy of any such telegram be required for any newspaper-, 5s must be p.ud for every such copy supplied. Messrs G M. Waterhouse, M.L.C., W. T. L. Travers, and Thos. Mason have been reappointed Governors of the New Zealand Institute.

It is reported here that Mr Barton, M.H.R., will shortly remove to Auckland, to commence practice there. Stafford, formerly in the Land Transfer Department, and late Assistant Law Officer for the Crown, leaves the Government service, and joins the firm of Hart and Buffley, the former gentleman retiring.

It is estimated that the new line discovered for the Foxtail railway by Mr Cliinie, the engineer, willoost only about £6OOO per mije, including the permanent way. The rolling stock and stations in the previous estimates had been calculated to cist £IO,OOO per mile, with steep gradients. The Mayer received a telegram yesterday from the Secretary of the Seamen's Union, Sydney, asking him to stay further subscriptions, the strike having ended in their favour. In the Resident Magistrate's and District Courts Gordon Allan called the attention of the Resident Magistrate to the practice of shipmasters refusing to pay counsel'* fees out of sea-niL-n's money they held in hand. Napigu, J aim try 3. The total revenue collected bv the Customs at Port Ahuriri (Napier) for the quarter ending December 31st, was «£99UO 13. s 31.

The return of Births, Deiths, and Marriages for the Napier district shews for the past year—Births, 440 ; marriages, 115; deaths, 224