NEW ZEALAND.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LVII, Issue 6510, 7 January 1882, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND.

[Peb Pbbss Association] AUCKLAND, Jan. 6. Sibbins' Auotion Mart was completely gutted by flro this morning. Insurances : Stock for £IOOO in the National, and £3OO in the Northern Companies s building, £2OO in the Viotoria, and £2OO in the National Companies. A five-roomed house was burnt down at Onehunga last night. Insurances: £250 on the house in the South British, and £IOO on tho furniture in tho Standard Company. O. A. Martin, a publican, was committed for trial to-day on a charge of receiving stolen property from John Ormsbein, the property of Mr A. H. Nathan, merohant. Bail was allowed. George Cook, 60 years old, shot himself at Drury. He was receiving Government rations and in a desponding condition. A sculling matoh has been arranged between Albert White and Carter, of Sydney, to row in Mercury bay, for £SO a-side, changing boats. This matoh arisen out of the Meroury Bay Eegatto, Whito thinking Carter won by superiority of boats. At the criminal sitting, John Scarborough and Maurice Hefferman were both acquitted in cages of indeoent assault. NAPIBB, Jak. 6. The inquest on the fire at Blaokburn's rope

factory ended in a verdlob that " The jury aro of opinion that Blackburn's shed was sot on fire from tho inside, but as to who the porion or persons were who originated the fire there is no ovidenco to show; but the jury wish to add that tho ovidonco also show* that tho property was over-insurcd, ond that Blackburn fraudulently misrepresented the valuo of his property. The jury think that tho Insurance Oomcanies are to blamo for accepting the risk without first eurvoying the property." new Plymouth, jam. g. James Honry was again brought up this morning charged with wounding W. Millett, at Opunake. Ho was o >mmittod for trial at the next sitting of the Suprome Court. wiEtTINGTON, Jaw. 6. The stcamor Wakatu, whioh arrived from Wanganui this morning, struck on Torris Book, near Capo Terawhiti, at 7.30 a.m. Tho second mate was in oharge of the vessel at the time. Bhe is making water fast, and it is supposed that one of her plates is split. The pumps aro kept hard at work, and after discharging she will go on to tho Blip. A proliminary enquiry will be hold to-morrow. At the Supremo Court to-day, Joseph Patrick M'Duff was s acquitted on a oharge of fraudulent bankruptcy. The Court adjourned until Monday, when an action for slander, £IOOO damages, brought by the Mayor against James Stewart, will be heard. Only one oriminal case remains on the sheet, and that will be taken on Thursday next. 1 DUNEDIN, Jan. 6. For the civil sittings here there are three common jury cases' set down, and seven for the special jury. These include the action for libel, Mussey v. Allen, whioh came before the Court in Ootober last as a oriminal action. A seven-roomed boarding-house, in Cumberland street, wos ' destroyed by fire eorly this morning. The plaoe belonged to the Hon Walter Mantell, and was occupied at the time by a Mrs Crawford. The insurance upon it was £IOO in the Northern Company. A bricklayer, residing in the suburbs, has perfected a machine for the manufacture of gas out of animal carbon. Experiments have been most successful, and a patent is being applied for. The cost is said to be vastly less than that of coal gas. The total attendance at the Caledonian Games for the three days was 28,000, of whom 16,000 paid for admission. At the Supreme Court to-day the following sentences were passed:—John Gordon, for fraudulent bankruptcy, six months; James Wilson, for larceny, two years ; John Duprc (a police constable) for stealing fowls, two years; Frank Thomson, for robbery, three years. Ann Byron Sohade, and Thomas Byron, her son, were charged with shooting with intent at John Thomas Thornton. The facts of the case were peculiar. Prosecutor worked on a station near Cromwell, and on November 10 got his cheque and proceeded to the Mount. Pisa Hotel, kept by the female prisoner. He remained drinking till midnight, and was then pushed out of the house, and endeavoured to gain re-admission, when Mrs Schade called to her son to fire with a gun at him through a panel of the door, which he had broken. The son did so, and the shot entered Thornton's leg. For the defence it was alleged that Thornton had made improper proposals to Mrs Schade, which led to his being turned out, and that he had attempted to enter her bedroom window. After retirement the jury found the son guilty of shooting with intent, and the mother of aiding and abetting him. A sentence of two months with hard labour was passed on each.