TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5147, 21 September 1877, Page 4

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

(PER PRESS AGENCY.)

Auckand, Thursday. A fire broke out at seven, o'clock this evening in a two-storey' boarding-house occupied' by Mr. Johnson in Hobson-street. The building, was blazing fiercely, and the whole contents were on fire, but when the hose was fixed to the hydrant' of the new water supply the force put out the fire like the blowing out of the flame from a candle. This is the first occasion the new water supply has been tried at a fire, and the result excites general admiration. But for the prompt extinguishment of this conflagration a large block, including the Governor Browne Hotel, must have been destroyed. The boarding-house was completely gutted, and scarcely anything was saved. It was insured in the Imperial office, but the amount is unknown.

Waikato, a noted old chief, died on Monday last. :

Dunedin, Thursday.

Henry John Tanered, William Fraser (Dunstan), and W. H. Pearson (Invercargill) have been appointed by the Governor to act as a Commission of Inquiry re the Dunedin High School.

Nelson, Thursday.

An inquest was held this afternoon on Dr. Bligh.:; From rambling letters written a few hours before his death to a friend, it was clear that he meditated suicide ; but Dr. Boor, who made a post mortem examination, failed to .detect any, indications of the presence of sufficient poison to cause death. He found a very small quantity of prussic acid, but knew that deceased had been taking it as a medicine. The brain, liver, and lungs all showed symptoms of old and serious disease, and Dr. Boor’s opinion was that a man in his state of mind might have raised the poison to his lips, and the mere idea of committing suicide would cause such a shock to the, system that death mighti: ensue. ■ i The verdict was that death was caused by paralysis of the heart, produced by a shock to the system. The melancholy affair has cast quite a gloom over the town, as Dr. Bligh was a general, favorite, both professionally and socially.

M Hokitika, Thursday. Scarlet fever prevails ■ among children to an alarming extent, and several deaths have occurred this week. Judge Weston has lost a sou and daughter.. Numbers of children are absent from the public schools. ■ .; The steamer Wallace; got ashore on the North Spit in entering the river this morning, but it is expected that she will get off in a tide or two. Other steamers and vessels crossed safely on the same tide. At the Supreme Court, Heenan, for perjury, was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment. ■

Robert Hogg, convicted of the bank robbery, was sentenced to twelve months’ imprisonment, with hard labor.