LATEST TELEGRAMS

Kumara Times, Issue 963, 31 October 1879, Page 2

LATEST TELEGRAMS

[press agency.]

Mastertox, October 30. A smart shock of earthquake occurred at 2.30 o'clock this morning.

Foxtox, October 30.

A. very heavy shock or rather a succession of shocks of earthquake occurred at 2.3;) o'clock this morning ; direction, east to west The oscillation was long sustained and extremely severe. No damage was done. Another slight shock occurred at about three o'clock. New Plymouth, October 30.

Mrs Conuell, a middle-aged woman, the wife of a carpenter, committed suicide tins morning at seven o'clock, by catting her throat. She cut her throat three years ago. She leaves a family.

ANOTHER FATAL FTRE IN DUNEDIN. TWO CHILDREN BURNED TO DEATH.

[NEW ZEALAND. PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

Dunedix. October 30.

A fire broke out shortly befcre 10 o'clock iu a two-roomed cottage at the rear of a building near the corner o£ Great King street and Union street. The building was occupied by a dairyman, Michael O'Brien,., his wife and three children. At the time the fire occurred the husband, wife and infant were outside the house, and two children in bed. It is beUeved.one of the fowla inside the house knocked over a lamp, for it was from the breaking of the lamp that the fire originated. The small cottage was filled wi»h flames directly. Though desperate efforts were made to save the children, both peiished in the the flames. Their bodies were re j covered about half an hour after the (ire broke out, as the flames v-'ere easily subdued. One of the cliildivn is a boy aged three years, and the :>tiier a girl two years' old. The scene was a terrible one, the father and mother being in uncontrollable agony, and the mother swooned, and was removed to a neighbor's house in an insensible state. A very painful incident connected with the affair was, r that when O'Brien rushed to see the bodies of his children, he was struck a heavy blow in the face by a fireman, and an order was made by one of the brigade to take him in charge. This, of course, occurred in mistake; but it wias an exceedingly painful exhibition of offi« ciousness.

There was an-unusually large crowd of persons gathered about the City Police Court yesterday long before eleven o'c!ock,it being understood that the charge against the female members of the Loftus Variety Troupe would be proceeded with. When the doors were thrown open there was considerable running for seats, and the Court.house would nothing like hold the numbers who thronged the place. The cases were dismissed on technical objections raised by counsel for the defence. Timaru, October 30.

H. Dawson, M.A., was to-day appointed Rector of the Timaru High School, and W. S. Stuart, 8.A.., as second master. The sppointment of a lady superintendent was deferred, there were in all 90 applicants for the three posts.

The Jewish Bazaar will result in n arly L4OO being realised. for the Synagogue. funds.