TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4904, 9 December 1876, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

(FEB PRESS AGENCY. > Auckland, Fri Say. Broomhall left for the South to-day. " Female servants-are still-scarce. Frit chard has complied with the of the "Waste Lands Board by sending ra fuller proposals. Edmond- Draper, a student of Oxford, well connected at Home, sent to the colony for reformation, was committed for trial to-day oa four charges of defrauding the Bible depot by forging receipts and pawning books. The Lingards have been re-engaged for the Christmas holidays. - At Buckland's sale of pedigree stock from England one roan heifer realised £336; another £468; another £462; am* a bull .£lls. New Plymouth, Friday At Courtney's cattle. sale the bidding was spirited. Steers fetched £3 18s. ; two-year olds, £5 12s. 6d. to £5 55.; three-year olds, £5 10s. to £6 7s. 6d.;'store cows, £4 15s. to £6 25.; heifers, near calving, from £S to £lO. Mastebton, Friday. Salmon, Burns, and Co.'s drapery store was broken into last night, and a lot'of jewellery and clothing stolen. It was very coolly done. • A lamp was lit and an old hat left on the counter. Chbistchurch, Friday. The elections for County Councils are exciting very little attention. Eolleston is a candidate for, the Avon riding, in Selwyn county. The attempt to get a crew together for Nelson regatta has failed. None of the good men could'get away. Poet Chalmers, Friday. A party of shipwrights and divers left by steamer to-day for the wreck of the Otago, for the purpose of recovery of gold, &c. Dokedin, Friday. The council of the convention has issued acircular as follows :—That while the Council is of opinion that it would be highly desirable that the people throughout Otaa;o should treat the Counties Act as a dead letter, at the same time, seeing that in every district there will be found some who will give effect to the Act, seeing moreover the large powers of taxation which the Act confers, and the annoyance and expense to which whole districts may be subjected against their will at the hands, it maybe of a small minority, the council is of opinion that the whole of the people throughout the province should take part in the election of County Councillors,, with a view to securing the return-of men in whom they have confidence, and at whose hands the powers of the Act will not be abused. A Chinese deputation waited on Mr. McLean to-day to urge a reduction of the duty on green ginger of 3d. per pound. He promised to do what he conld to meet their request. • An official inquiry re the loss of the Otago will probably be held on Monday. The underwriters have determined not to sell the wreck until an effort to recover the gold, has been made, and divers have been sent; down. ~'Emmet goes to Invercargill on Wednesday under engagement to Shepperson. i At a long and wordy meeting re the Interprovincial cricket match with Canterbury, it > was resolved that the usual match should be-

played It was. generally .conceived that the match wa3 really of more importance and interest -than that with the' All England Eleven. - Mr. McLean has pointed out that there exists no hitch re the county elections. _ The fourteen days' notice applies only to ordinary vacancies, provision being made in the Counties Act by which all difficulties can be cleared away for the first elections. . The Association rifle matches proceed slowly. The second match was completed this morning. Sergt. W. Grant, Ist prize ; Vol. Stewart, 2nd; Wilcox, 3rd. , In the third match Vol. Anderson and Vol. Blackie, both of Clutha, w'ere'first and second. The Hon. Mr. Bowea is on the goldfields. _ Two thousand salmon ova have been turned into the interior streams. Invercargill, Friday. A serious case of deliberate attempt at murder occurred yesterday. Two men, Hugh Duddy and Charles Calderwood, arrived here by the Express last Sunday. They had been staying at the Australian Hotel, Dunedin, where they became acquainted. Duddy is a miner, and Calderwood an iron moulder. The latter having informed Duddy that he had leased the Pier Hotel, near Invercargill (a place which has no existence), from Mr. Baxter, of the Pier Hotel. Dunedin, induced him to go into partnership, when he paid Calderwood £4 7s. 6d., being one-half the rent which the latter a'leged he had paid. Calderwood then stated that he expected £IOO, the proceeds of his business in Christchurch, which was payable at Invercargill, and borrowed £lO from Duddy, with which he paid for the two pas sages per Express. Since their arrival tbey have been staying at the Royal Hotel here. Yesterday morning Calderwood invited Duddy to go and, see the Pier Hotel, saying it was only ten minutes'walk. They travelled down the Bluff-road for two hours, and Duddy stooped down to raise a drink of water out cf a small creek with his hat, when he was truck a violent blow oh the head with a large iron bolt. Looking np, he saw Calderwood standing behind him, who said, " You wretch, I'll murder yon," and struck him again. Duddy then ran away, but was overtaken, and received another blow with some iron weapon. After a severe struggle Duddy wrenched the bolt from Calderwood, and ran away, being pursued by his assailant. He reached the roadside hoase, where he obtained protection. Calderwood came up to the house and asked the woman if she had seen a man wounded and covered with blood, stating that if he found him he would murder him. She said such a man had passed on. Calderwood shortly after met one of the sawmillers employed in the neighborhood, with whom he went to the police station, and laid an information for assault against. Duddy. The suspicions of the police were aroused, and they arrested Calderwood, and then went to Woodend and found Duddy lying in the house very seriously wounded, and he gave the facts of the case as above. Duddy had in his possession a deposit receipt for £2OO and upwards of £6O in cash, also a valuable gold guard, composed of nuggets, and a silver watch. He was removed to the hospital. Calderwood will be brought before the magistrate to-day.