TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5326, 23 April 1878, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

(PER PRESS AGENCY.) Alexandra, Monday. The natives are hourly arriving here for the Hikurangi meeting. Tawhiao has sent for food from all the surrounding settlements. Whitora arrived at Hikurangi yesterday from. Kawhia, with 20 bullocks for the meeting, which will be alarge one. Creymodth, Monday. Sir John Coode, his son, and Mr. Blackett, arrived on Saturday to inspect and report on the harbor works. They leave per Hinemoa. At a meeting of the friends of the late Alex. Reid, journalist, held on Saturday night, it was resolved to raise a tablet to his memory in the churchyard of his native town, Wick, in Scotiand, and to invite friends in all parts of the colony to assist. Christchurch, Monday. Trump Card has been scratched for all engagements at the Autumn Meeting. Henry Cook, a cart- driver, was killed by his horse bolting on Rangitata Island. The Cora Exchange Committee have resolved to petition the Government to have a. large number of trucks constructed, to meet the requirements of next season. Sarah Steele, wife of George Steele, carrier, South Town-belt, was arrested last night charged with having caused the death of her son William, nine years of age. It seems Mrs., Steele was heard screaming in the garden, and on neighbors going up they found her with her son in her arms insensible, and bleeding copiously from a wound above bis left ear. Near at hand were a kitchen poker and a boy’s felt hat, both stained with blood, the latter with a hole cut through at a place corresponding with the wound in the boy’s head. In explanation Mrs. Steele said to the neighbors she supposed the boy had been throwing the poker up into the trees, and it fell on his head, inflicting the wound. The boy died a'few hours afterwards. The medical statement is that there is a hole through the skull and the brain is penetrated; also that the wound was caused by a blow of considerable force to cut through the boy’s hat and inflict such a wound as that described. Mrs. Syms, a neighbor, says she heard Mrs.

Steele call to the boy in an angry tone, and then go towards him, shortly before the affair occurred.

Hokitika, Monday. The population of Westland County is 11,653 ; Grey County, 7772. A report has reached town that two brothers named Spencer, the representatives of Messrs. Burton Bros., of Dunedin, while on a photographic tour up the Waihoa River, at the foot of Mount Cook, discovered some payable gold on the Waihoa Fiat. They returned to the stores at the Five-mile Beach, where they purchased mining tools, and returned over a very precipitous country. Nothing definite is known as to the prospects obtained, but it is believed there is sufficient inducement for the present for them to abandon photographing for gold digging, as they left with a pi-actieal miner fully equipped for a trial of the ground. The Spencers have been trying very pluckily the difficult task of reaching the top of Mount Cook under most unfavorable weather, and have had several narrow escapes. A reef at Butchers’ Gully, near Hokitika, is so favorably spoken of that a party is being formed to erect a, crushing plant. Dunedin, Monday.

Daring last mouth the average goods traffic to and from Dunedin station has been 5000 tons weekly. Larrilduism at Milton on Good Friday took the shape of putting chickens through a chaffcutter. Stephen Massett has played a three nights’ season to good houses. The new Odd Fellows’ Hall was dedicated with ceremony to-day. Judge Bathgate and Mr Stout (Attorney General) delivered addresses. Mr Bracken recited an original poem for the occasion. Dr. Smith (Balclutha) wins first prize, £IOOO, in Cameron’s sweep on the Christchurch Autumri* Handicap.