TELEGRAPHIC NEWS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5004, 7 April 1877, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS

(PER PRESS AGENCY.) Auckland, Friday. There is pending a divorce suit, John Ebenezer White versus wife and George Bennett, co-respondent. At the Supreme Court Albert Carroll, an old offender, was sentenced to four years penal servitude for breaking and entering a dwelling. Alburnia declared 2s. 6d. dividend.

The district inspector of sheep attempted to stop the sale of a number of sheep from Patea, which he pronounced scabby, although the landing inspector had passed them. The sale is proceeding notwithstanding. More rigorous inspection is likely to be instituted. Dr. Lee will not stand for City West. A farewell service to the Bishop of Melanesia took place to-day. Subscriptions to the All England Cricket Fund amounted to £l7O 16s. 6d.; expenses, £2lO 3s. £IOO was paid to the Auckland Racing Club for use of ground. Alfred Cowell, charged with stealing £39 from an ex-constable A.C., Taupo, was acquitted ; Hans Jansen, accused of larceny of a boat, was acquitted ; George Gray, larceny as a bailee, acquitted ; Thomas Beyle, arson, acquitted ; Pehiri and Te Aki, natives, were sentenced to eighteen months and two years, respectively, for horse stealing and burglary. The Jury Revision Court has exempted foreign Consuls from serving on juries. Taupo, Friday.

There is a lull after the great native meeting. Inspector Crapp and thirty (native) A.C. are to arrive here to be stationed shortly. The natives are busy getting in their crops, which are of a good average. The weather is splendid. Geeytown, Friday.

Two engineers have been sent to Grey town ostensibly to co-operate with the settlers re the railway route, but with instructions to survey a line disapproved of locally. The local committee is indignant, as a good line had been prepared at considerable expense for their inspection.

Christchurch, Friday. At the opening of the annual session of the Philosophical Institute las f night, Dr. Von Haast, in his presidential address, gave an account of the discovery of remarkable ancient rock paintings in the Weka Pass Range. He exhibited careful drawings of them, made by S. S. Cousins. Some of the rock paintings are 15ft. long. They represent animals of foreign countries,, weapons and dresses of semi-civilized people. ■ Underneath them are characters like those of the Tanil language, resembling those on an ancient bell found in the North Island.

At the Supreme Court to-day Edward Pooley and Albert Bramhall, of the English cricketers, were charged with having wilfully, unlawfully, and maliciously committed damage to certain articles the property of Ralph Donkin, at Warner’s Hotel, between the hours of nine and midnight on February 28th and six o’clock on March 1. No new evidence was adduced for the prosecution. Mr. Garrick, who appeared as counsel for the defendants, tried hard to get the case against Bramhall dismissed, in order that the. latter might give evidence for Pooley, and the Judge agreed that there was not a particle of evidence to connect Bramhall with Pooley on the night the damage was done. But after a lengthy argument he granted the request of the Crown Prosecutor that the case against Bramhall should be allowed to go to the jury. Several witnesses were called for the defence to show that Pooley and Bramhall, when seen in the passage of Warner’s Hotel near Donkin’s bedroom, just prior to the damage being discovered, might easily have been mistaken for other members of the English cricket team, as for instance Selby, Greenwood, or Armitage. One witness also stated that at the time of the row about the bet he heard Ulyett say “We are all in it,” and Selby say “We will have it out of you before morning.” The Judge summed up at great length, and the jury retired and after an absence of half an hour returned a verdict of not guilty.—-On a charge of forgery and u tering W. Sykes and W. J. Falloon were found not guilty. Dome din, Friday.

The dispute between Prouclfoot and the Harbor Board has been settled by Proudfoot getting a further contract for rock walling without competition. Other tenders sent in for the work were returned unopened. A fire occurred in Walker-street last night, when the Rising Sun Hotel, together with Carter’s store and Palmer’s drapery shop, were completely destroyed. The stock and furniture of the hotel were insured in the Royal for £2OO, and the building in the Norwich for £3OO. The store was insured for £IOO in the Norwich, and £IOO in the New Zealand office. The third building was insured for £IOO in the Norwich.

In response to a deputation, the Mayor promised to call a nublic meeting to consider the question of retaining the Fever Hospital on its present site. The Supreme Court sittings were continued to-day. Letitia Reid was convicted of burglary, and sentenced to nine months’ imprisonment. Bernard Grey for stealing valuable receipts was sentenced to five years’ penal servitude.

The dramatic season at the Princess Theatre closes to-morrow night. Kaitangata, Friday. An inquest was held to-day into the origin of the fire of offices, store, and timber belonging to Reginald McDonald, storekeeper and merchant, on the morning of the 4th instant. The jury returned a verdict of “ maliciously set on fire, but there was no evidence to show by whom.” Besides the premises destroyed a timber store and produce store had been set on fire by means of “ Hobarton splets” and a bag saturated with turpentine, but the fire was discovered and extinguished before any damage was done. Two detectives have been engaged in investigating the matter for several days. The premises and stock were fully insured. NORTH OTAGO RACES. Oajiaku, Friday. There was a fairly large attendance at the racecourse to-day, the weather being beautiful. Handicap Hurdle Race, of 50 sovs, with a sweepstake of 3 sovs each, to go to the second horse; distance about two and a half miles.— Eclipse, aged,Tost,l; Banjo, aged, list 101 b, 2; Will-if-I-Can, 5 yrs, 9st 71bs, 3. Theodore, aged, lOst lOlbs; and Nevis, 4yrs, 9at, also ran. Directly the flag fell Theodore rushed to the front, and closely followed by Banjo, made the pace fast. All the horses jumped splendidly, every hurdle being taken without a mistake. After going about a mile and a quarter, Banjo retired from second place, and Eclipse ran up to Theodore. The two then raced together till the straight, when Eclipse drew ahead, and won by a length. Theodore having run inside a post after starting he was disqualified, and Banjo received second money. Time, smin. 45sec.

Publicans’ Handicap, of 100 sovs., with a sweep of 2 sovs. each for second horse; distance one mile and three-quarters.—Fishhook, 4 yx - s, Sst 121 b, 1; Templeton, 6 yrs, 9st 81b, 2; Guy Fawkes, 5 yrs, 9st 81b, 3. Punga (7st 91b) and Exile (6st 41b) were scratched. Betting : 6 to 4 on Fishhook, even money on Templeton, and 2 to 1 against Guy Fawkes. As soon as

the flag fell Lyford took Guy Fawkes to the front, and made the running at a great pace for a mile. Templeton then drew up to him, and the two raced together for a short distance, Fishhook two lengths away. On entering the straight Guy was beaten, and Templeton drew away a length ; but Fishhook came with a rush 200 yards from the post, passed the other two, and landed the stake)* by a length from Templeton ; Guy two lengths behind Templeton. Time, 3min. 19sec. Hospital Race, of 30 sovs.; half to hospital, and the other half to the winning horse. Three started ; won easily by Sir William.

Flying Handicap, of 75 sovs ; distance, one mile.—Titania, 3 yrs, 6at 101 b, 1 ; Punga, 4 yrs, Bst, 2 ; Fishhook, 4 yrs, 9st 31b, 3. Rob Roy also ran. After Fishhook’s easy victory in the Publicans’, he was backed to win a pot of money in this race. All the bookmakers backed him to win, except one well-known, cute, smart, foreigner from Dunedin ; he evidently had received the straight tip, for he won £75 off one bookmaker and £SO off four others, besides laying all the money he could get on at level betting against Fishhook. The starter could not get the horses away at the first attempt, owing to Derritt, the rider of Fishhook, keeping his horse back. When at last the horses got away, Derritt pulled his horse back into a canter, while the others went twenty lengths; he then allowed Fishhook gradually to get into his stride, but it was noticed that he was pulling the horse hard. Titania in the meantime was leading 4 lengths from Punga, Rob Roy a length behind her. When the horses entered the straight Derritt made a show of trying to get on level terms with the leading horses; but it was such a great sham that when Fishhook passed the post a bad third the crowd hooted, yelled, and cried out “ Swindle ” and “ Shame,” and at one time it seemed as if the rider would be pulled off the horse. In the saddling paddocka similar scene occurred, the cries of “ Swindle" and “ Shame” being heard all the time the horses were weighing in. Immediately after the race the stewards held a meeting, and after considering the case, passed the following resolution—- “ That in consequence of his being, distinctly pulled in the Flying Handicap the horse Fishhook be not allowed to run on the Oamaru racecourse again, and that the secre-

tary be instructed to transmit this resolution to all the Jockey Clubs in the colony, and request them to endorse the same.” The public almost to a man support the action of the stewards ; but a great many are of opinion that the race should have been declared void,, and all parties concerned in the transaction disqualified. - It is known that if all in the "swim ” were disqualified, a certain owner of horses and others, particularly one bookmaker, would have their career stopped in this direction at once.

Novel Race, of oOsovs.; winner to be sold' and all the proceeds to go to the race fund ; distance, one mile and a half ; weight for a ;e. —Steamer, 3 yrs, 1 ; Miss Elswick, 3 yrs, 2Kathleen, aged, 3. Malabar and Merry Monarch also started. Miss Elswick led for a mile after starting, Steamer then challenged her, and the two raced t gether to the straight, wh n Steamer drew away, and won by a length and a half. Time, 3min. Isee. Steamer was bought in by his owner, Mr. Swanson, for £24.

Consolation Handicap of 40 sovs.; distance, one mile and a quarter.—Punga, 4 yrs, 9st, 1 ; Rob Roy, 4 yrs, 7st 11b, 2 ; Exile, aged, fist 41b, 3. Terry, aged, fist 41b, also ran. Betting: 2 to 1 on Punga, 4 to 1 against Rob Roy, 6 to 1 against the others. Terry led for half a mile after starting; Punga then collared him, and after racing together for a few strides, the mare quickly drew away. Rob Roy made an effort to catch her in the stra ght, but in vain, for she won easily by two lengths. Time, 2miu. 30sec. This concluded the races.