TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4363, 15 March 1875, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

[Per Press Agency.] New Plymouth, Saturday. At the District Court Sittings, Florance Kelly was found guilty of indecent assault upon his stepdaughter, and sentenced to two years’ imprisonment. Auckland, Saturday. The Maggie Paterson, a topsail-schooner, of 87 tons, for an Otngo firm, was successfully launched to-day. H. H. Lusk, was gazetted to-day as elected member of the Provincial Council for Wairoa and Mangapai. In the district firing for the Cadet Champion Belt, to-day, Sergeant Partington was highest with 63 ; Saunders, 53; Yates, 50. Grahamstown, Saturday. Robert Fox, aged forty, had his left leg and left arm fractured in three places to-day, by a fall of earth in the Queen of Beauty mine. Both limbs had to be amputated, the leg just below the knee, and the arm just below the shoulder. A man, splitting wood with blasting powder, was severely burnt about the face and hands. A nursetender, proceeding home last night, fell over a bank, and received severe injuries to her spine. It is feared that her back is broken. She was removed to the hospital to-day. An inquest on the body of Alfred Porter was held at three o’clock this afternoon, and a verdict returned of accidentally drowned. It came out in the evidence that the boy, or messenger in the bank, who accompanied Porter to the wharf, and was waiting for him to come in, saw Porter’s danger, and ran up the wharf imploring assistance, but it was not rendered until too late.

The gold returns for the week amount to over 2000 ounces. The Queen of Beauty declared a dividend of £l4O 10s. per share. A Star pigeon message, just received, states that Warden Fraser has given his decision in the inquiry into claims for a reserve at Oliinemuri, known as the Prospectors’ claim. He awarded the ground to Thorpe and party, on condition that it be manned in one hour. Thorpe’s party went at once and manned the ground. They have purchased twenty kauri trees for mining purposes. Christchurch, Saturday.

A shovel-nose shark, nine feet three inches long, was caught at the head of Lyttelton harbor yesterday. The Volunteers hero are complaining greatly of the worn-out condition of their rifles, and many threaten to resign unless other arms are substituted. The rifles were served out twelve years ago, and were. then secondhand.

Mr, Justice Greason retires on the 31st of March. Mr. Justice Johnston takes his place. Mr. Garrick has obtained a rule nisi for a writ of prohibition in both the late convictions against cabmen.

Castaway leaves for Dunedin to-day. He is fancied by a few for the Dunedin Cup.

Pobt Chalmers, Saturday.

A public meeting, for the consideration of the necessity of establishing a local hospital, was held last night. The Mayor occupied the chair. It was resolved that a deputation wait on his Honor the Superintendent to ascertain what assistance the Government would render in the matter.

The Bobycito, from Newcastle, brings intelligence of the continuance of severe floods. At Morpeth there was much distress. In the valley of the Paterson the flood was fifty-eight feet high. The Hon, Mr. Arnold—whose death has already been reported was, with his man-

servant, named McFadyean, in a boat in the river near his residence, when it was upset. Mr. Arnold was drowned, and his body has not since been recovered. McFadyean was rescued by Mr. C. F. Middleton, from a willowtree, in the branches of which he had found safety, but in which he had been for nine hours before he was rescued. Later news stated that the river had fallen to thirty-three feet six inches, and that it was still falling. Dunedin, Saturday.

The following are the scores of the City Guards in their return match with Wanganui: McGregor, 55 ; Douglas, 53 ; Creagh, 53 ; Stewart, 52 ; Treseder, 51 ; Coxhead, 47 ; Wales, 45 ; Coventry, 43 ; Campbell, 42 ; Melville, 34. Judge Chapman, at the request of the Press Club, gives a lecture, extending over two nights, shortly, on the history of New Zealand, past and present. It is said that forty miners are about to leave the Qneenstown district for the Palmer and other rushes, and that others will follow. It is rumored that a gigantic civil case will shoitly come before the Court, arising out of a mercantile venture. Plaintiff is a leading barrister, and defendant a leading merchant of this city. Damages are claimed at £20,000.

The coming races excite great interest. A third sweep of £IOOO has been subscribed for in a few days. The Guardian says that a valuable discovery of reef has been made by Thomas Hall and party, at Macetown, in the Arrow district. It is four or five feet thick, and the finders believe it will yield four or five ounces to the ton.

The racing privileges fetched £1348 10s., against £1192 last year. The gates sold for £540, the stand for £262 10s.

Sir George Avney, who has been here for some days, goes North to-day per Wellington.