TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5291, 11 March 1878, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

(per press agency.) Dunedin, Sunday. A banquet was given by the citizens of Dunedin to the Ministers at the City Hotel on Saturday evening. - -Fifty persons were present, and Mr. John Cargill presided. . The usual complimentary toasts were given. In proposing prosperity to Dunedin the Premier announced that Mr. Stout had accepted the office 'of Attorney-General. The announcement was received, with enthusiasm. Mr. Stout stated that Mr. Larnacii expects to return from Europe before’ the opening of Parliament, but left his resignation in case he- was delayed, so that the city should not suffer. - Tuiard,: Saturday. About eDht o’clock this morni-g David McCracken, a prisoner just sentenced to six months at the criminal sessions of the I 1 {strict Court, for larceny, while working in the hard labor gang at the West Town Belt, bolted during a temporary absence of o,w of the ’warders. The police, after scouring the outskirts, recaptured him hiding iu a havstack on Wilson’s farm, behind the Timaru Public School. Riverton, Saturday. The late fire is supposed to have originated through a quantity of, unslacked lime, which was stored at the rear qi the building, getting wet. There is no fire 1 brigade lure, hut a fire engine and hose belonging to ! Messrs. Whittingham Bros, and Instone was manned by the volunteers, and was the means of preventing the fire spreading to a block of builaingg valued at £IO,OOO. The fire was also, eheciiasLl’ * in this direction by a band of, 200 men with buckets, who readied from the river to the fire. Tile Bank of New Zealand had a narrow escape, and _ was saved by the pluck of half-a-dozen individuals, who mounted tiro building and covered the roof’ with blankets, upon which water was poured. Owing to the ’ r reat heat, these men were' beiteu '’back by the flames twice, and the building was twice bn fire, but it was ultimately saved.' The night was very calm, otherwise the wlio’e town would have_ been burned.;, The .total loss "is now ascertained to be £IO,OOO, the insurance £SOOO. ' ;■: ■ ... Nelson, Saturday, A seaman named Patrick" Flynn, belonging to the baique Woodbine, from Newcastle,°fell off the wharf last night when in liquor, and was drowned.' ' ’ . Ltttbltoji, Saturday. ; The Harbor Board have'received advices ; that the steam tug being ,biiilt to tjieir order, at a coat of £9OOO, will'be delivered, in London in July. k ~