TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5115, 15 August 1877, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

(PEE PRESS AGENCY.) Auckland, Tuesday. Wm'. Cross, husband of Mrs. Cross who died from mysterious poisoning three months ago, is missing. His hat and stick were found close to the bank of the Tamaki River. He is supposed to have committed suicide through remorse at the bad treatment to his wife. Alfred Durham has been missing since Tuesday. His wife received a letter saying that by the time she received it he would have blown his brains out. Durham was in difficulties and drinking very hard., The police are investigating the affair. Wanganui, Tuesday. A temperance conference was held in Wanganui last night. The meeting was called by circular. Resolutions were adopted agreeing with the Local Option principle, but the speakers, in advocating that principle, expressed themselves as opposed to Mr. Fox’s Bill. A petition, embodying the resolutions, is to be sent to members; but an amendment to the resolutions was carried, stating that the meeting had been called by circular, and was not, the expression of the inhabitants, At a public meeting a difference of opinion existed as to the justice of compensation to publicans deprived of their licenses under the operation of the option principle, but the point was not put to the vote. , New Plymouth, Tuesday. The Dunedin football team landed, but refused to play, The Taranaki team having made every preparation for the match,, and players having come from Patea, Hawera, Waitara, and Inglewood to take part in the contest, on hearing the determination of the Dunedin players they expressed themselves in no complimentary terms. One gentleman offered to back the Taranaki side for £SO for two hours’ play, but Dunedin refused. A dinner had been arranged, but the Tarauakians 'abandoned the whole affair.' There was considerable excitement. Napier, Tuesday. The Waha Maori Commission closed its sittings this afternoon. Eight witnesses have been examined on the part of plaintiff, and to-day Dr. Buffer, as counsel for defendants, called evidence to rebut. The trial at'Wellington is fixed for the 27th instant before a special jury. . A somewhat extraordinary charge of drunkenness was disposed of at the R.M. Court to-day. Mr. Frank Windsor, a highly respectable man, remarkable for his good conduct and sobriety, employed as a clerk in the Napier, Railway Department, went last Thursday evening to the lock-up (immediately after he had left his Pfflce) to. try and bail out his son, a compositor at the Wananga office, who had been locked up drunk. Mr. Windsor was accompanied by Mr. Hill, the publisher of- the Wananga. Sergeant Robinson told Mr. Windsor that his son was too drunk to be bailed out. After turning away Mr. Windsor knocked again and asked to see his son. The sergeant walked towards a cell, and opened it, and Mr. Windsor thinldng that his son was there, ■ walked towards the cell, and was immediately thrust in and the door locked upon him. Mr. Hill ran away, thinldng ha too might be locked up ; but he afterwards went in quest of the Inspector, and told him what had occurred. The Inspector went to the lock-up, but, accepting the sergeant's assertion that Mr. Windsor was drunk, did hot look at him, and he remained there all night. To-day Mr. Hill and a number of other witnesses gave evidence that Mr. Windsor was perfectly sober, and he was dis- ; charged, the Bench expressing their opinion ' that more discretion should have been shown by the police. ’ ; : ■ Blenheim, Tuesday. •The Napier arrived at 11 o’clock. She had 1 stiff head winds - across, and leaves -to-morrow morning at 9. ' She saw a large whale cruising about close in shore at White Bay.

_ _ Hokitika, Tuesday. Mrs. Andrews, mother of the two children who died from burning at the late fire, died this morning l in the hospital from the burning and the shock to her system. The Albion arrived from Melbourne. The sea is too rough to tender her to-day; she waits till to-morrow. Balclutha, Tuesday. At a meeting of the Clutha County Council to-day a resolution was passed urging upon the Government to form the first six miles of the railway from Balclutha to Gatlin River, and also on the main southern trunk line to Tapanui. Dunedin, Tuesday. Several men who were provided -with free passes for the works at Balclutha have tramped back to town. Others are going about the f own ship idle, refusing to accept the wages offered them . - A meeting,of the licensed victuallers will be held to-night, to consider the Local Option Bill. ■ • ‘ . Mr. Blair, 0.E., ■ concludes a report on the pailway routes as followslf it is the intention of Government to take steps towards conduoting.the'railway into the interior of Otago, I have no hesitation in recommending the ptrath-Taieri line as emphatically the shortest and the easiest route, and the route which will, in its course; open up most good country for settlement. I may also add, that I believe there is every chance of a railway in this direction being directly remunerative in a very short time.”

! At a meeting of the University Council this afternoon, Professor Hutton wrote asking the lOouucil to protect 1 him from the remarks made hythe Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Stuart, last Sunday, in reference to the opening of the museum on that day. The Vice-Chancellor regarded -the Professor’s letter as a piece of impertinence, and maintained that- he was at liberty,to say what he pleased in the pulpit in reference to ithe matter. It was decided that the letter be Replied to, stating that Dr. Stuart, when ■making the remarks coihpiained of, did not do so in the capacity of Vice-Chancellor. The jdesigna for the new University buildings were considered, and the first and second premiums :were respectively awarded to Mr. Berry and Messrs. Brindley and Somerville, of Dunedin, jTenders will shortly be invited for the erection jof the buildings in accordance with the design 'approved of. ; . Invercargill, Tuesday. | ; A very large public meeting has just elided, ;at which the following resolution! was carried unanimously, having been supported by several | speakers : —“ That the meeting urges the Colo- : dial Government to proceed at the .earliest ’ possible moment with, the survey.and cdnstrucjtion of a line of railway to connect the Arrow, \ Cromwell, and Clyde districts with the most convenient part, of Lake Wakatipu, thus, by means of the Bluff Harbor, Inyeroargill and i Kingston railway, connecting the said districts : with their natural geographical outlet, the i port of Bluff Harbor.” A further resolution was passed requesting the chairman to present the foregoing resolution to the Government, and asking the co-operation of Sir John : Richardson, Dr. Menzies, and Messrs. Holmes, Nurse, Wood, Joyce, and Hodgkiuson.