TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5240, 9 January 1878, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

(per press agency.) Auckland, Tuesday. Dr. Somerville, the evangelist, and Mr. Charles Bright,. the free-thought lecturer, arrived by the Australia. Mr. Bright gives three lectures here. Eleven ministers of the Primitive Methodist connection arrived here by the Taupo, to attend the district meeting. The Levy concerts are expected to commence here about the 14th inst. Stephen Massett, the elocutionist, reader, and humorist, appeared last night at the Choral Hall to a crowded house. At a meeting of the Waste Lands Board to-day it was stated that 300 applications had been received for confiscated lands. At the Supreme Court Patrick Carroll and Patrick O’Brien were each sentenced to one month, with hard labor, for robbery from James John Piggott in a brothel. James Ellis and Margaret Carroll were each sentenced to nine mouths for the same offence, James Mills, for horse stealing, was acquitted. A true bill was returned against H. S. Meyers for fraudulent bankruptcy. New Plymouth, Tuesday. At the Harbor Board meeting held to-day resolutions were passed recommending that the plans furnished by the Chief Engineer in accordance with the Act of last session be approved of ; and the chairman of the Board was requested to get the Governor in Council’s approval of the same. Napier, Tuesday. A sharp shook of earthquake was felt at 6.17 this evening. A difficulty arose with the Renfrewshire immigrants to-day, as they refused to go to the quarantine barracks. The medical officer of the ship at first alleged as a reason for this refusal that three of the married women being enceinte it was not fit for them to go into the ship’s boat towed by the steam tug, but he would allow them to’ go in the latter. This could not be permitted, as it would break quarantine. The doctor then asked, about other immigrants not in the same interesting condition, but the authorities refused to let them go a] o. The commissioners thereupon quarantined the ship til next Friday, which will be three weeks since the last reported case of scarlatina. Gisborne, Tuesdaj. Sir George Grey and Mr. Sheehan-landed this morning, and had an address presented to them from the local bodies. They were enthusiastically received by the Europeans and Maoris. In addressing a public meeting, both Grey and Sheehan dwelt much upon the point of Poverty Bay being made a separate electoral district. Sheehan will address the Maoris at their native settlement this evening. Hokitika, Tuesday. Much inconvenience is felt here by the office of Resident Magistrate not being filled, the present magistrate being suspended for some time, and only justices of the peace acting. Cases of extended jurisdiction are in consequence constantly adjourned. Mr. Hawkins, solicitor, brought the matter before the Court to-day, as two cases were adjourned for a mouth. The justices directed the clerk of the court to report the matter to the Government. Chrischueoh, Tuesday. Osborn’s large furniture warehouse, Christchurch, and Burnip’s Hotel, Kaiapoi, had narrow escapes from fire yesterday. In each case the fire originated in outbuildings, and cannot be accounted for. Blue Bay, a valuable thoroughbred entire, imported from England in 1876, owned by Delamaine, died on Sunday. Cause unknown. , Saturday’s thunderstorm was severely felt on the Peninsula. Hailstones one inch long fell, doing considerable damage to the fruit crops. Lightning struck the chimney of a house at Akaroa, and some of the inmates had a narrow escape. Several telegraph posts cn the Christchurch aud Akaroa road were also struck, and split to pieces. Roberts, the champion hand-stroke billiard player, plays here to-night. - Dunedin, Tuesday. Hugh Harper, charged with manslaughter at Port t Chalmers, was found not guilty and discharged. Mr. Rey nolds will address his constituents to-night, and Mr. Murray at Milton , tomorrow. There is dissatisfaction at the charges made for the Australian cricket matches on the ground that the charge was, fixed at two shillings. The Soldenes open at Christchurch on the 22nd. Invercargill, Tuesday. The Southland Coursing Club have fixed the following dates for their meetings :—Bth, 9th, 29ch, aud 30th May ; 18th, 26th, aud 27th June—the latter open to members of any coursing club. ■ ,