TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5242, 11 January 1878, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

Wanganui, Thursday. The Harbor Board has decided upon commencing the harbor improvements forthwith. The first portion of the works is to cost £27,000, consisting of the deepening of the channel across what is known as the flats, the protection of the Spit and Castle Cliff, and the reclamation of the foreshore above the bridge. It is intended to obtain an overdraft at the bank on the security of the land endowment. The pilot reports 16ft. of water on the bar at high springs. Auckland, Thursday. The Auckland Steam Packet Company sold their plant to-day at the following prices, viz,: ■ —Southern Cross, £7000; Go-Ahead, £2500; Pretty Jane, £2350; hulk Cantero, £300; coals on board, £B4; total, £12,234. The steamers were purchased by a newly-formed Auckland company, with 7000 £4 shares, £2 paid up. Out of 6612 shares in the old company, SSOO are merged in the new company, which continues to trade on the Hast Coast. A new steamer for the North Shore Ferry Company was launched to-day; length, 115 f t; width, 15ft. She is named the Tongariro. The New Zealand Loan Agency Company propose to increase their capital by the issue of shares amounting to a million, thus making t be capital two millions. Bright’s lecture on “ Death and the after life in the light of nature and spiritualism,” last night, was well attended. Dr. Somerville held his first evangelistic prayer meeting at noon to-day. There was a good attendance. He holds a public revivalism meeting at the theatre to-night. The district meeting of the Primitive Methodists commenced to-day. Thirty-three persona attended. The Rev. Mr. Westbrook was president, and Mr. Goldie vice-president. Secretary, the Kev. Mr. Tinsley; assistantsecretaries, the Revs. Clover and Potter; readers, Revs. Messrs. Dean and Ward ; letter writer, Rev. J. Dean. The consideration of station reports is proceeding. Stephen Massett appeared again last night to a crowded house. J. H. Evans, convicted of rape at Coromandel, was sentenced to seven years’ penal servitude and two whippings.—William King, a Fijian, charged with burglariously entering a house with intent to commit rape, was acquitted. Hokitika, Thursday. The police have brought to town a very large copper still, found in the bush at th* Bealey Gorre, a considerable distance from the road. It is the most valuable and largest still ever seen on the Coast. Police Sergeant Malvern and the Bealey constable were on the search for this si ill about a month ago. It came from the Oamaru District, and additional information reached the Inspector here, who went in search and made the discovery. It is reported here that two miners have sold 71ba. of gold, obtained in three months from a claim near Kumara. The Customs returns at this port show a large increase of trade* for 1877 over 1876. The gold exported increased over £70,000. Imports, exports, and Customs duties have all increased several thousand pounds. Christchurch, Thursday. At the Supreme Court yesterday evening Michael .Murphy, commission agent, and W. H. Wykes, his clerk, were charged with conspiring to defraud the creditors of one Harriet Murphy. A verdict of not guilty was returned, According, to the evidence of Harriet Murphy, she induced him, when in monetary difficultea, : to take, comparatively speaking, a very small amount for stock-in-trade, at the same time telling him he could set his creditors at defiance. There was hot sufficient evidence to implicate Wykes, and Murphy could not be .convicted alone of. conspiracy. Judge Johnston gave Murphy a very strong caution as to his future conduct.—To-day Albert John Chapman, for larceny as a bailee, was found not guilty. —Richard Todman, who was sentenced to fifteen years for forgery, was again placed in the dock, and Judge Johnston said though he did not admit that fifteen years was too heavy a sentence, he had thought over the case, as was his custom, and in order that there might not be an appearance of* too great severity he had decided to reduce the sentence to ten years. The weather is still unsettled, and the farmers are beginning to feel anxious about

the crops. If there is much more rain they will be seriously injured. At a meeting of the Loan and Investment Company of New Zealand yesterday the resolution for wiudiu;' up the affair was confirmed. The chairman said that the settlement with the National Mortgage and Agency Company of New Zealand would be completed in a few days, and that tho liquidators had calculated for a full.distribution of assets upon a basis of 11J per cent., in addition to the paidup capital. , A private meeting of railway employes is being held this evening, the business being to consider the redress of grievances. There is a crowded attendance, and evidently strong excitement prevails. Several old hands have been recently dismissed on what would appear to outsiders to bo trivial grounds, and the railway employes complain of other matters in the general conduct of the railway work. Dunedin, Thursday. In the Supremo Court this morning, Jaue Galloway, for perjury, was discharged, their not being sufficient evidence for the prosecution. The Crown Prosecutor will enter a nolle prosequi in George Jones’s libel case, which is fixed for 7th or 11th March. Tho Judge asked about Proudfoot’s case. The Crown Prosecutor said he was awaiting instructions from Wellington. The criminal sittings were adjourned to Monday. The following twenty-two have been selected to play against the Australian on the 12tb, 14th, and 15th . Millington andNiobnlls (Oamarn), Everest and Spencer (Palmerston), Moore (Balclutha), Downes (Lawrence), Crawshaw, Austin, Cargill, Dixon, Pulton, McNeill, Rose, Clark, Glen Haskell, MoParlane, Morrison, Paramour, Rhodes, Spring, Sutcliffe (Dunedin); emergency men, Douglas, Fawcett, Niven, Jones, and Shelton (Dunedin). The Otago twenty-two unanimously decided that Mr. Spring should he their captain, and purpose entertaining the Eleven at dinner on Tuesday evening.