TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 4943, 25 January 1877, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

(per press agency.) . Auckland, Wednesday, Gunner Bell will be the only carbine champion from Auckland,--others having retired in his favor. , The South British Insurance Company have promised fifteen guineas to the Auckland Regatta funds. It is expected that the Transit and Secret will come in time for the regatta. Besides the Tranait tliere'will,bo several fast crafts for the big Trading Race, amongst the expected entries being the Elizabeth, Queen, Belle Brandon, Atlantic, Adah, Nellie, Perhaps, Canterbury, Kate Brain, Mary Hogan or Minnie Hare (sio). Tf six start, the first prize will be £6O ; second, £2O. For the Cutter Race a dozen may come to the post. For this event the following craft will compete:—Thistle, Lizzie, Lancashire Lass, Rangatira, Sovereign of the 'Sea, Mercury, Leo, Gipsy, Carolina, Mana, Fannie, and Spitfire. A good muster is expected for the smaller Cutter Race. Grahamsxown, Wednesday. The Ohinemuri natives are building a pa near Mackaytown, to carry out their blockade of country to Oroha. There was quite a warlike display at Paroa yesterday. Hamilton, Wednesday. The Taupo road party have been stopped by Te Ngakau. .The latter did not cross the river to the party, but sent a dozen men over, keeping the main body with him. The working party, ! being without arins, are naturally frightened. Work is to be resumed. ‘, Colonel Lyon, who is just leaving for Cambridge, will go thence to the scene of action. There is no real cause for alarm, or that the row will extend. Nelson, Wednesday, A child on board the Wanaka having been taken ill, medical advice was called in, and the disease was pronounced to be scarlet fever.

New Plymouth, Wednesday. Captain Mace and Trooper .Rodriguez were presented to-day with the New Zealand Cross by Mrs. Standish, the wife of the Mayor. The Hon. Major Atkinson delivered a short address at the presentation. There was a dinner given by the officers of the militia and volunteers to the recipients, . at which Major Atkinson attended. The speeches made by him were short. A storm passed over the town at 4 o’clock. Tffie lightning struck two trees near the Herald office, but inflicted no further damage* It was proposed to entertain Major Atkinson at a dinner ; but he expressed himself obliged for the proposed compliment, and said it would be impossible for him to stay in town long enough. In five weeks he would be here again, and should then be happy to accept the compliment. ■ Napiek, Wednesday. Mr. Beetham, the Resident Magistrate, this morning gave his decision re election petitions. He dismissed the petition of Sutton and others against the return of Colonel Whitmore for Clive Riding, the polling. of cumulative votes being conferred by the County Act. With regard to other points, he said that the returning officer said he acted properly, and that he •could not go outside the Regulation of Elections Act. With respect to the petition from Mr. H. R. Russell and others, against the election of Sydney Johnston for the Waipukarau Riding, Mr. Beetham held the election void on the first ground mentioned in the petition, viz., that the returning officer closed the poll while he went out to ascertain the correctness of the qualification of a person who had tendered a vote. Blenheim, Wednesday. Every arrangement was made yesterday for the execution of Woodgate this morning. Sam Chandler was engaged to act as hangman, but he was driven out of Picton. The condemned man received the sacrament yesterday, the Yen. Archdeacon Butt and the Rev. Mr. Ronaldson being present, He maintained his innocence qntil the last. The sheriff and. the gaoler having failed to find anyone else, the man remains unhung. It is not known when or how the sentence will be carried out. Picton, Wednesday. Woodgate was to be executed this morning, but as no hangman could be obtained the execution did not take place. The man engaged as executioner r fused last evening to perform the task. The telegraph was employed until midnight in attempting to "obtain a hangman from Wellington, without success. No one could be got here. . Ealclutha, Wednesday. Stormy gales have been blowing yesterday and to-day, with' heavy showers of rain. The crops are much damaged and suffering severely. Poet Chalmehs, 'Wednesday. Allan and Kingstreet, contractors for the Dunedin and Moeraki railway, have effected a successful junction in the tunnel from Port Chalmers to Mansfort-town, striking the exact centre of line levels given by the engineer. Dunedin, Wednesday. The case of Robertson v. Ross was continued in the Supreme Court yesterday, and promises to last for several days. Plaintiff was giving evidence nearly the whole day, and for a man nearly eighty years of age displayed great powers of endurance. He underwent a severe cross-examination, lasting about four hours, and answered vigorously the questions put by counsel for defendant,; The Daily Times of this morning says : The entire control of our Otago force is in the hands of one who had no experience whatever in police matters. Worse than that, he is; in the hands of a somewhat peculiarly red-tapey sort of person, with, the' consent and approbation of his clerk, Mr. Fox, without whom 1 he would not dare to move far, who is to him a kind of wet-nurse,* ' Colonel Moule will try his little 'experiment at the cost of all efficiency and usefulness on the part of the force.” / The .Dunedin Choral Society was dissolved last night, and a motion carried for forming a new muMcal association'.'