TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5012, 17 April 1877, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

(per press agency.) Auckland, Monday.^ A testimonial is to be presented to Major Gordon to-night. fiv.The case of Niccol v. Stephenson oomme.nced in. the Supreme Court to-day. The plaintiff claims £361, proceeds of a vessel, which money was entrusted to defendant and lost. Defendant pleads that he never undertook to be responsible for the money, and shewed no negligence. Judge Gillies summed up very strongly against plaintiff, and the jury found a verdict for the defendant. Alexandra, Monday. About 200 Lower Waikato natives are on their road up to reside in the Xing country near Kaipiha. The Revs. Heta, Tarohati, and William Carton accompany them. Manuhiri and other Kingites meet them at Kaipiha tomorrow. Tauranga, Monday. Sergeant Mathias, of the Armed Constabulary Force, shot himself through the head with a revolver at 10 o’clock this morning. Me was heavily in debt to the storekeepers in town, and had received two or three summonses. It is also supposed he is wrong in hia Government accounts. He was in charge of the Government stores. He leaves a wife and family. Geeyuouth, Monday. The locomotive sent by the Government for the protective works is almost useless, as it cannot draw three truck loads of sand on the slightest rise. It will take twenty years to finish the present contract as it is now proceeding. Hokitika, Monday. At the nomination for the General Assembly Totara election, Joseph Grimmond, John McGaffin, and the Hon. W. Gisborne, were proposed. The show of hands was in favor of Grimmond, and a poll demanded for McGaffin. Mr. Gisborne’s nomination for Totara has taken most people by surprise, and many electors are undecided until learning his views. Nelson, Monday. There was a fire this morning in Bridgestreet, when two small shops, with their contents (Were, bootmaker, and Jones, saddler), were totally destroyed, and part of the Coach and Horses Hotel, Christchurch, Monday. The weather promises fine for the races tomorrow. There are very few visitors in town, and not much betting on various events. A large number of Derby and Calcutta sweeps have been drawn. The football season opened on Saturday. Dunedin, Monday. The Mayor received a telegram stating that the Governor will arrive in Dunedin on Friday morning. A deputation from the Licensed Victuallers Association interviewed the Hon. Mr. Reid to-day, and urged that the Government should take steps to conserve the interests of the trade, especially in preventing sly-grog selling. Mr. Reid thought the Government would support legislation for the appointment of a revenue officer; but as the license money went to the Corporation it should bear the expense of any such department. In reply to the deputation, he said he was not in favor of public-houses being opened on Sunday. A skating company with a capital of £2OOO is about to be floated in Dunedin. The probable income of the City Corporation for the ensuing year is £73,900, £3OOO being the unexpended portion of the loan, and £10,540 the Government subsidy. Robert Heywood, a painter, was found drowned on the Ocean Beach yesterday. He was missing from home since Friday. Two cottages were burned down at Giversham yesterday. They were the property of John Feger, and were occupied by W. R. James and Mrs. Lucas. James’s loss is £l5O. He was insured in the Victoria Insurance Office for £7O. Mrs. Lucas loses £SOO, and is insured in the New Zealand Office for £3OO. Feger loses £450, though he is insured in the New Zealand Office for £2OO. Invercargill, Monday. Three men named Mayo, Black, and Kaslemore started on a duck shooting expedition on Saturday last. They stayed at the Wallacetown Hotel that night, and started at daylight on Sunday morning, and went down river in a boat. They landed in a place in the, bush, where kaka were plentiful for purposes of having a shot. Black and Mayo were a short twenty yards apart, when the latter’s gun accidentally went off, the shot lodging behind Black’s right ear, killing him almost instantaneously. Black’s parents reside at Kaikorai, near Dunedin. He had been here some years, and was much respected. There will be an inquest to-morrow.