TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5327, 24 April 1878, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

(PEE PEBS3 AGENCY.) Auckland, Tuesday. Telegrams from Cambridge repeat the statement that the surveyors saw a comet during the day, about 40 degrees from the sun. The Northern Club will give the Governor and naval officers a ball. Geahamstown, Tuesday. The obstructionist Tukukino, who stopped tho Komata roadworks some weeks ago, has now torn up bridges in another direction by means of a party of eight armed natives, and threatens bloodshed if the roads are persisted in. The county workmen, who are Maoris, had to desist on seeing Tukukino’s opposition. He claims an interest in the laud. Nelson, Tuesday. The volunteers have "returned to town after a most successful encampment. They were reviewed by the Hon, Major Richmond, C. 8., who complimented them highly on their efficiency. Christchurch, Tuesday.

An inquest was held on the body of the boy Steele yesterday evening. Mrs. Steele repeated her statement that the deceased probably inflicted the wound himself while throwing the poker into the trees. She said the deceased was in the habit of throwing the poker at the neighbors’ ducks and fowls. She never saw him use it to knock down haws. Two neighbors said that Mrs. Steele was in the habit of speaking crossly to the children, but they believed she had naturally a. kind heart. They never saw her strike the chffdren. Deceased’s sister, a little girl, seven years old, said that shortly before the affair occurred deceased took some dripping instead of cart grease to grease his boots, which Mrs. Steele took from him, when he went down into the garden, and soon after, his mother followed. That was all she: knew. The medical evidence was to the effect that the wound could not be caused by a bl6w, or by the . poker being, thrown at deceased, as it would have gone straight in.. It could only have been caused 'by the goiter being shot from A gun, or. by, being fixed or used like a pickaxe, or, which wals the moat’likely cause of the event, by .deceased climbing with the poker to knock down haws from the trees, and falling to the ground, his head alighting on the point of the * poker. The inquest was adjourned. ‘ ]

Dunedin, Tuesday. , Mr. X G. S. Grant was well horsewhipped last night by a young man of respectable family. Grant’s offence was that In a recent publication he designated all the ladies attending Mr. Bright’s free-thought lectures as “abandoned women.” The young man’s mother and sister being among the most frequent attendants, he resented the,- insult conveyed in this imputation. The matter probably will occupy the Police Court. A carpenter named Withers died to-day from injuries received by a fall from a scaffold yesterday. He leaves a wife and six children. The Albion Brewing Company decided today to suspend brewing and malting operations, -and-to sell their freehold properties, preparatory to winding up. Seventy teachers were present at the Educational Institute annual meeting to-day. The sitting will last for three days. Mr. Stout has been elected president. Riverton, Tuesday. Longwood’s reef is attracting attention. Hayes, who has been prospecting off and on for twelve years, has applied for a mining lease. It is supposed he has discovered the reef, but he is very reticent. A rush has set in,, and about 100 men are now on the ground. A large number of claims have been pegged out on the line of the supposed reef. The Riverton Prospecting. Company, amongst others, have abandoned their old claim. Considerable capital is required to develop© the new reefs.