TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4130, 16 June 1874, Page 3

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

ATTEMPTED MURDER AT INVERCARGILL. [Press Telegraph Agency.] Greytown, Monday. A meeting of the settlers of Greytown, respecting the overflow of the M aiohine, was held on Saturday. A resolution was passed, condemning the formation of the main line, which dams the water back on Greytown, and requesting the Government to take steps to allow the water to escape. Mr, Beere, the engineer, was present. Christchurch, Monday. The Museum was opened for the first time on a Sunday yesterday. The doors remained open three hours, and over three thousand people attended. The greatest decorum and good behaviour was observed. The Registrar reports that fifty of the women married in Christchurch during the past ten weeks, described themselves as domestic servants. Auckland, Monday. By a fire at Opotiki on Saturday evening the following places were destroyed :—Thompson’s Wharf Hotel; Fahey’s, storekeeper; Young, storekeeper. The insurances were— New Zealand, £1,050 ; National, £250. Mr. Comiskey, who was formerly partner with Mr. Cassius, of Hokitika, and who lately arrived from England, was out driving with his wife, when both were thrown clown an embankment thirty feet high. Mr. Comiskey fractured liis left ankle, and received a wound on the temple. Mrs. Comiskey was uninjured. Grahamstown, Monday. There has been incessant rain since three o’clock this morning. The creeks overflowed and flooded the streets, the ditch water invading dwellings. . As far as has been ascertained at present, the damage done lias been trifling. New Plymouth, Monday. The p.s. Paterson, which arrived on Sunday, left on the same day for Waitara, where she transhipped railway plant. She leaves for

Manukau on Thursday. The season for pheasant shooting began o-dav. Lyttelton, Monday. Anxiety is felt regarding the safety of the Velocidade, which is now thirty-nine days out from Newcastle. There has been a heavy fall of rain during the day. Dunedin, Monday. A gas exxjlosion occurred early this morning in the private house of Mr, Edmonds, sailmaker, in Maitland Street. The damage done was considerable. Part of the roof and the end of the house were blown out. Mr. Edmonds was slightly burnt. The explosion was caused by taking a candle into a room to ascertain the reason of a strong smell of gas. The Provincial Council was prorogued to-day by the Superintendent. Invercargill, Monday. A deliberate attempt at murder was made in the Harp of Erin Hotel between one and two o'clock to-day, by a man named John Brennar. alias Cloach, who was a seaman on board the Scimitar, which recently arrived at Dunedin with immigrants. Erennar had been acting as cook in the hotel for some weeks, but left his situation a week ago. Ho came back on Friday, hut left again next day. Eetuming at noon to-day, he asked for dinner. It being past the usual time, he was asked to go to the kitchen, where he had dinner. The nurse-girl, named Mary Hall, aged 15, was heard to reply to Brennar, in answer to some remarks, “Mind your own business.” He then said “he would think no more of cutting her throat than that young sucking-pig.” The housekeeper, who heard this conversation, sent the girl up stairs, to be out of the way for a short time. The girl returned to the kitchen to wash-up, and in a few minutes afterwards, Brennar was met by the housekeeper coming out of the kitchen with an adze in his hand. He said, “ X have done it,” and lifted the adze in a threatening manner to the woman, who ran away and got assistance. The girl was found Iving on her side in a pool of blood, with the back part of her skull split open. On bein" accused by the landlord, Brennar said, “he could not help it ; he intended to hang for it; and was sorry it had occurred in the house.” The girl was taken to the hospital; but the doctors say that there is no hope of- her recovery. Brennar is in custody. He is a native of London, 45 years of a"c. On being charged by the police, he said sixpence would have saved the girl’s life. Ho did not know what demon possessed him and put the adze in his hand. He supposed it was the devil that got hold of him. He had asked the girl for a drink, which she had refused to give him. The girl, with her parents, was a passenger by the Scimitar, and it is said that Brennar had entertained tender feelings towards her.