LATEST TELEGRAMS.

Kumara Times, Issue 757, 4 March 1879, Page 2

LATEST TELEGRAMS.

[NEW ZEALAND PRESS ASSOCIATION.] ChrlsTcHurcil, March 3. The Presbyterian Assembly concluded this session on Saturday. It was resolved-to hold the next one at Auckland in 1880. Sergeant-Major Keer was buried yesterday with millitary honors. All the Volunteers, Constabulry, and a number of Masons followed the coffin. The streets were thronged with people. The hospital medical staff have resolved to tender their resignation to the Government, in consequence of their appointment having been cancelled after four months.

An accident occurred at the hospital on Saturday, Four men were precipited from a scaffold which gave Way. Two escaped unhurt; one of the others had his shoulder broken, and the fourth sustained concussion of the brain.

One of the immigrants per Boyne, a woman named Martha Mullins, died at the hospital on Saturday*. Tauranga, March 3.

The inquiry re Taupo was re-opened on Saturday, but adjourned till to-day at 2 p.m,, in consequence of the nonarrival of the Rowena with witnesses. Blenheim, March 3.

An unfortunate accident happened at Port Underwood yesterday. -A young man named Jackson was shot through the arm with a rifle bullet. The Regulation of Mines Act, 1874, is proclaimed in force. Dunedin, March 3. The City Tramway is being rapidly completed. The plant is daily expected. The Times urges that the Home authorities should pay half the passage money of agricultural laborers emigrating to the Colony Nelson, March 3. The first rifle: match wag begun today, but only the ,200 yards distance has been completed. The sebtes are— James, Blenheim, 26 ; M'Cartney, Ponohello Rifles, 26 , Kelly, 25 ; Hill, Chri.-tchurch Artillery, 25 ; Doidge, Stoke (Nelson), 25 ; Browse (civilian), 25; D. Mills, South Di-trict Rifles, 24; Smith, Dunedin City Guatds, V i 24 ; A. Ballinger, 24; Monk, 24 ; Crossman, Nelson, 24; Acheson, Riverton, 24; Woolley, Auckland, 24; Sharland, Nelson, 24. . [press AGENCY.] Wellington, March 3. The steamer City of New York, with the London mails to the 30th January, left San Francisco for Auckland on the 18th February, one day late. On the arrival yesterday of the ship Lorraine, from London, the police arrested T. W. Stebbings, charged with embezzlement and forgery. He was a clerk in a lawyer’s office at Lincoln, England, at £9O per year, and also Secretary to the Lincoln Dispensary, and Hospital. He lived in profuse style, in a fine house} keeping servants. He. was a great bird fancier, and had been known to give 10 guineas for a canary,and 30 for a dog. He was not addicted to gambling or drinking. - No‘money was found on him when arrested. His defalcations amount to: about £3OOO. He was gone three weeks before his wife knew he had left. He forged several receipts to trades-men’s bills he should have paid, and regularly appropriated certain subscriptions to the Hospital of £SO, and £IOO, which used to be made periodically. While the English detective went out to the Heads to capture Stebbings, Superintendent James effected his arrest in the harbor, having a good photograph of the offender. He was brought up this morning and remanded, and will be sent home with the detective by the first sailing ship. A cheque for £21,000, legacy duty in the late Captain Rhodes’ estate deed, h:>s been paid in by the trustees. Another £IOOO is to be paid this month. •Sir George Grey, it is understood, will at once proceed to Orake, Thomas Young, inteipieter to the House of Representatives, is the first appointed of the new batch of Native Land Court Judges. W. C. Schulze, Chairman of the Trun way Company, and a very old and well-known Wellington settler, was fmind dead on his own premises at an early lima- this morning. The supposed cause is heart disease.

The legality of p.iyn ent to City Councillors for sitting on the Wharf Committee, is to be taken in the Resident Magistrate’s Court. Ashburton, March 4.

E. . J. Wakefield, son of Gibbon Wakefield, and (nice a member of the Ceiieral Assembly for the City of Clnistcliurch, died in the Old Men’s Home here early this morning. He had been buffering from delirium.

Wellington, Maich 4. The Chronicle circulated a report that Major Atkinson has been shelved as leader of the Opposition, in favor of the Horn John Hall,

An attempt is being made here to form a Naval Brigade.

■ . D.itoEDlN, .March 4. The chief fact elicited at the Kaitangata inquest, which is not yet con l eluded, is that with, proper precaution the accident might have been averted. The inquiry is further until Monday next)

MORE DISASTROUS FIRES* Gbbytown, March 4. Another mest destructive fire broke out at Masterton about .two o’clock this morning, destroying a large block of valuable buildings, including the newly* erected Bank of Australia, Williams and Cameron (Saddlers), and Wilton (seedsman), a boarding-house, and other business places. The Fire Brigade worked splendidly, and stayed the pro* gress of the fire. The following are the insurances :—- South British, .£IOOO j Victoria, £loo] New Zealand, £250 ; North British and Mercantile, £22/50 j Standard, £1200; Northern, £9OO j National, £2350 ; Sun, £SOO.

It is reported that a good deal of the stock has been saved.

ClSflouNE, March 4. A destructive fire has occurred hero* Five shops are gutted. They art- only paitially insured.