LATEST TELEGRAMS.

Kumara Times, Issue 1343, 20 January 1881, Page 2

LATEST TELEGRAMS.

■ PRESS ASSOCIATION.] • - • Dunedin, January 19. : The Australian cricketers arrived by train from Invercargill this evening. The preparations for their reception were bungled, and they did not even receive a cheer or word of welcome on arrival at the station. The Presbyterian Synod this afternoon appointed Professor Salmond, Revs. Messrs Ryley, Todd, Kirkland, and Ross, and Messrs A, Rennie and Geisow, as a committee to discuss with the Northern Church, the question of union. i. Invercargill, January 19. The Fairfax Hotel, near Otautu, occupied by Thomas Price, was burned down last night. The loss is estimated at £IBOO. Only a few things were saved. Insurances—£soo. It is believed the fire was caused through a defective chimney. Napier, January 19. The races took place to-day. The Napier Cup was won by Merlin { Monaitairo, second ; Grand Duchess, third. Auckland, January 19. At to-day’s sitting of the Supreme Court in Banco, Mr Browning, solicitor, applied on behalf of W. H. Lingard, actor, for his discharge from bankruptcy, Mr Hesketh, for the provisional trustee, asked for the postponement of the matter, as, from information just come to hand, there was reasqp for believing that fraud and gross conspiracy and perjury had been associated with the proceedings. A vast amount of information, &c., had been kept back. The Judge decided that at any rate insufficient notice of application for discharge had not been given to creditors, and therefore ordered that fresh notices be given, Lingard, Searrell and De Lias are to examined before the trustee tomorrow. SEIZURE OF A SCHOONER. Auckland, January 17. The Ovalau brings news from Rarotonga of the seizure of the schooner Hammonia, at Pakapuka, by the mate Stoller, and the cook Fitchet. The Hammonia was at the time of the seizure trading off Danger Islands. Captain Ellacott was ashore, and the mate, cook, and four native seamen were aboard. On December 7th the captain sent a boat off with copra, expressing his intention of coming on board and going to Nassau Island. On the boat reaching the ship it was hoisted up and the vessel stood ta sea, to the captain’s astonishment. Five of the crew were drugged with gin, and on awaking found the island out of

sight and thte vessel bound for Yalparaiso. The natives were dissatisfied, and conspired to overpower ike mate and cook at night. 'They slacked the jib halyards, and while the cook Went forward to attend to it, they attacked the mate and cook repeatedly. Fitchet, the cook, died of the injuries received in the struggle. Stroller was bound hand and foot with rope, and the Natives steered back for Danger Island. On December 10th, three days after their departure, the Island was once more sighted. Those on shore observed the vessel, and when she come closer they made her out to be the Hammonia. Captain Ellacott procured a canoe, and proceeded on board, accompanied by Mr Harper a resident, who trades there for Messrs Henderson and Macfarlahe, of Auckland. They found- the schooner in charge of the crew, and the mate bound with ropes. The crew made a statement similar in effect to the foregoing, and it was entered on the vessel’s l°g by Captain Ellacott and witnessed by Harper. On the following day the mate sickened and died delirious, being buried at sea. An inquiry into the deaths of the mate and cook was held at Raratonga on 24th December. Extracts from the log book similar in effect to the statement above were read, and the captain and crew were examined on oath, the evidence being consistent and corroborative.