NEW ZEALAND.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LVI, Issue 6498, 24 December 1881, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND.

[Fm Panes AssociationJ ItfOKIAND Db 0.23. She Gorman gunboat Habicht arrived to* daj. »(ter a seven months' eraise Amongst the Islands. She has punished the murder of two German subjects by burning a Tillage and hanging a Native. A bush shanty at Whangaporo woe burnt down, which was inhabited by two men, whoso swags and property to the value of S2OO, were destroyed. Joseph Smith, gum-digger, committed tuioide at Kaukapabapa, by hanging. At a meeting of the cremtore of F, W. Gibbon, mill manager, the assets were stated at £2B | liabilities, £1404. James Barry Simpson, formerly teacher of the Native school. Ahiparo. hss been com* milled for trial for criminal libel on Mr Beid, postmaster, Ahiparo. The libel was an accusation of opening letters. WBHJNGXON, Dio. 28. The Premier leaves for the south this evening. No will bo absent for a lew daye. A targe number of excursionists left town to day tor Wanganui and Nelson. At the Inquest to-day on the body of Mrs Anthony, who was Wiled by the explosion on Wednesday, no further particulars beyond those telegraphed were elicited, except that l)r Diver's theory was that Mrs Anthony was •craping out the mortar with some hard in* •trumont, and so caused ignition and ex* ploelon. A verdict vis retured of “ Aeoi* dental death»” and the following rider was addedi—" That the attention of Government bo called to the fact of largo quantities of dangerously explosive powder being mixed up In the city and sold without any steps being taken to regulate or limit inch sale.” There is nothing fresh to report from Pungarebu. A large number of men are absent on leavo for Ohristnuu. There is one man confined for accepting a present of potatoes from the Natives. A slight earthquake was felt here at 7 o'clock this morning. A public meeting, convened by the Mayor,

was hold to-night to discuss the recent fine imposed on Chinamen for playing fan'tan. 600 persons were present The Mayor presided. The following resolution was carried]—"That the oireumstanees connected with the first conviction under the 'Gaming and Lotteries Act, 1331,’ which took piece on Nov. 23, are of that peculiar character that, in the opinion of this meeting, they should be brought under tho notice of Government.” It was also decided to petition His Eteslisnoy, praying for the remission of the fine inflicted by the Bench. A deputation was appointed to wait upon the Minister for Justice to furnish any other information that may be required.

DDHEDIS, Dio. S 3. At an inquest to-day, a boy aged 14, who was a witness, stated that ho could neither read nor write. He was unaware of the existence of the Bible, and was never taught a prayer. Government have offered Messrs B. Stout j and J. Duncan, of Cherry Farm, Waikouaiti, seats on the Land Board. Tho Palmerston Show was held to-day, and was the most successful of all the country shows, somewhat closely approaching the number and quality of the entries at the Metropolitan and Oamaru Exhibitions. Tho Coroner's enquiry resulted in a verdict of manslaughter against Maty Ann Weston, found drank in the street, with a dead child in her arms. A public meeting on the Land Question, called by the Trades and Labour Council, waa held at the Princess Theatre to-night. About 300 were present; Mr W. D. Stewart, ex-M.H.8., in the chair. Messrs Stont, Fyke, M. W. Green, and Bracken wore the principal speakers. A resolution was carried urging Government to postpone re-leasing the runs until the whole question of dealing with the pastoral lands of Otago had been further considered by Parliament; also expressing concurrence with the resolutions come to by the Conference of M.H.B.’s. INVBEOAHQILL, Dio. 28. A man named John Fowler, a carpenter by trade, and belonging it is believed to Oamaru, died suddenly on board the Arawata, on her passage from Port Chalmers to this port. [>BOM ODD OWN OOBBBSrONDKNT.J AUCKLAND, Deo. 22. At the Police-court to-day, William Weston, bookmaker, was fined £5, and costs £4 4s, for assaulting Mr Bathbone, proprietor of the Observer newspaper. The canse of the trouble was a paragraph giving a list of Southern bookmakers with whom it wu safe for the pnblio to have dealing, Weston’s name not Doing mentioned in the fist.