TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5073, 27 June 1877, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

(TER PRESS AGENCY.) Auckland, Tuesday.

The Newton and Arehhill ratepayers protest against being included iu the proposed Karangahape Borough. They allege that the petition sent to the Government proposing to include them was an underhand trick.

To-day Colonel Haultaiu commenced an inquiry into alleged irregularities in the Old Men's Refuge.. The inquiry showed that grog had been clandestinely smuggled into the refuge. The Ladies Benevolent Society instructed the manager to search the inmates returning to the Home from visiting town. One man named Harris resisted. In a struggle which ensued he fell and severely injured his back. He admitted there was no intentional violence used, but denied the right of the manager to search him. Another inmate, Mrs. Harris, was proved to have been drunk. Walker, an old soldier and Waterloo veteran, left in a pet owing to being abused by another inmate. He was allowed to return.

Several persons have been summoned for using light weights. One baker, who had 57 light weights, was fined only ss. - At the meeting of the Auckland Institute Captain Brown read a paper on coleoptera. He believed that New Zealand contained a hundred species, whereas only forty-four had been discovered in Europe. Forty-three species had been already discovered iu New Zealand.

Frank Barber, employed on the Wanaka, has severely injured his spine and the small bone of his leg was broken by a load upsetting in the hold.

Napier, Tuesday.

This morning the Resident Magistrate gave hia decision in tlie matter of the petition of Sydney Johnston and others against the election of the Hon. H. R. Russell for Waipukurau Riding in the Wnipawa County Council. He declared the election null and void on the ground that cumulative votiug was not allowed. Each party to pay his own costs.

Westport, Tuesday.

The road is opoti for traffic from Westport to Reef ton. A four-horse mail coach started the first trip this morning, and will run through in a day twice weekly. Donedin, Tuesday.

In the Supreme Court this afternoon a rule was granted, calling upon W. J. M. Larnach to show cause why he should not be committed for contempt of Court, for having, as alleged, gone to Australia to escape examination in the case of Chalmers Brothers against Clarke and others re the Moa Flat station. Chbistchubch, Tuesday.

The calendar for the Supreme Court criminal sessious, commenciug en Monday, is unusually light. A private letter from the West Coast says over one thousand feet of tunnelling is completed in the llaugitoto Silver Mine. Specimens of Canterbury marble sent to England are very favorably reported on. A man named Hugh McLellan was drowned while attempting to ford the Rakaia. In the Supreme Court to-day the appeal ease Regina v. Barrett came on for hearing. Barrett is a publican at G'hristchurch, and was fined some time ago for not paying a fee for what the magistrates termed an extra bar. The so-called bar was a Bort of half-door in a tap-room, aud defendant's counsel being of opinion that only those bars opening direct on to the street came within the definition of the word "bar" as used in the Licensing Act, appealed against the decision of the magis-

trates. After a long argument to-day, the matter was referred back to the Magistrate's Court for a re-statement of the esse, but Judge Johnston expressed himself to the effect that a bar must open direct on to the street before a license fee under the Act can be demanded for it.