LATEST TELEGRAMS.

Kumara Times, Issue 1365, 15 February 1881, Page 2

LATEST TELEGRAMS.

[NEW ZEALAND PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

Dunedin, February 14. The weather of the last two days has been the hottest of the season.

A five broke out on Saturday night in a four-roomed house, owned and occupied by Harrold, grower, in Brown street. Very little could be done on account of scarcity of water. The tenement in which the fire originated was, with the whole of fts contents completely burnt. Harrold is at present away on a trip to Melbourne. Mrs Harrold, on Saturday night, went out* leaving a kerosene lamp in the bedroom. The furniture was insured in the Transatlantic for £2OO. The risk oil rold's house in the Union expired on the Ist.

Christchurch, February 14; The Gilchrist Scholarship, offered for New Zealand last year has been awarded to W. H. Herbert, of Canterbury College, B.A. The announcement was made very suddenly, and as special authors were set for examination, and there was no time for preparation, Herbert turned out to be the only candidate. Thus it is more to his credit to find that the London University examiners have actually plafeed him out of the many hundred candidates for matriculation in England, in the honors division, and have ranked him eight in the original honors list of the U diversity. If he had been examined in England, he would have also been awarded a prize. The scholarship is £IOO for three years, and the scholar must attend University College at London, or Edinburgh University. Herbert was originally a scholar of Christ College here and then of Canterbury College. ACCIDENT TO THE P.S. CHARLES EDWARD. Westport, February 14. The Charles Edward, steamer, in coming up from Greymouth yesterday, struck on a sunken rock off the Steeples, yesterday, and knocked a hole iu her bottom. The vessel steamed ahead, but the water rose in the engine-room, and she then anchored. There was an impenetrable fog at the time. Word was sent here, and the Grafton went to the assistance of the disabled vessel, towing her safely to Westport. The extent of damage is uot yet known. THE MURDER AT TE AROHA. Wellington, February 14. The body of a man murdered at Te Aroha was found by the side of the road leading to Paeroa. The throat had been severed almost from the body by a fearful gash and gaping wound. It was a terrible spectacle, the head being almost battered in, and there were several deep cuts on the face and neck, apparently inflicted by some jagged instrument. The murdered man was named Himiona (Simon), and was a member of the Ngatikoe tribe. There were some doubts as to how the fractures on the skull were caused; some people alleging they were caused by a conical stone, which was found close by the deceased, covered with gore. Others were of opinion that the wounds were caused by a tomahawk. From the fact of the fern being trampled, it would seem that a struggle had taken place, and the murdered man (who was probably unarmed) fought hard for his life. Himiona's. coat and hat were found in the middle of the road, also an amber mouthpiece, with silver ferrule attached, and a white handkerchief, spotted with blood. The pockets of the deceased's trousers were turned inside out. The police, later in the day, found, at the tent of a man named. Procoffy, a native of Finland, some newly washed clothes, still wet, with stains on them, believed to belong to Procoffy. He had been quarrelliuw with the murdered man the previous night—hence, suspicion fell upon him. On being charged with the murder, the accused replied, " I don't know anything about it. I did not do it." He appeared much excited, and asked questions. The accused is.a man 1 of small proportions, and, from his appearance, not likely to commit the crime. He had been working in the

Sunbeam. The natives are greatly in- j censed. On Saturday afternoon an inquest was held at Te Aroha, before Harry Kenrick, KM. The evidence showed that deceased and prisoner were not on friendly terms, and had qnarrelled on the day of the murder. The wet clothes found in the prisoner's whare, on which were stains, are supposed to be of blood. The medical testimony showed the wound was made with a sharp instrument, which had been dragged backwards and forwards across the throat of the deceased. Some bruises also were on the prisoner. The medical man could not say whether the stains on the clothes were blood until subjected to microscopic observation. After half-an-hour's deliberation the jury returned a verdict "That the deceased Himiona Hoara was foully murdered by some person or persons unknown." The circumstantial details of the case are most suspicious. There is a feeling here that the inquiry was brought to a too abrupt termination. The accused is &till s in custody, and was brought up before Harry Kenrick, at Te Aroha on Saturday night, charged with the wilful murder of Himiona. He was remanded to Grahamstown for eight days*