TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5409, 29 July 1878, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

(PER PRESS AGENCY.} Napier, Saturday. At the annual meeting of-the Napier Atbenseum last' night it was proposed to open the reading-room os Sunday afternoons. The Bishop of Waiapu strongly protested against it, and urged that it would be the means of the withdrawal of many subscribers. Lieut. - Colonel Lambert said he would be sorry to propose anything injurious to the public morality, but if a few straitlaced people withdrew their support, he would make up the difference out of his own pocket. The proposal was carried, the Bishop alone dissenting. The Napier football team played at Gisborne yesterday, and won the match against the local team by four points against nothing. Tauranga, Saturday. The Say of Plenty Times says that the Mr. Bright, murdered at Solomon Islands, will very likely prove to be the nephew of the Rev. Robert Burrows, of Parnell, Auckland. Ho has a wife and family residing in Russell. * Masterton, Saturday. The inquest into the origin of the late fire was held yesterday, and lasted all day. Nothing was brought forward to point to the origin of the fire, and the jury returned an openyerdict, adding a rider to the effect that the buildings in the centre of the township should not be roofed with shingles. - New Plymouth, Saturday. A deputation of influential gentlemen waited upon the Immigration Officer to-day, with a viesv of ascertaining what immigrants might be expected here, to counterbalance the dearth of labor. Mr. King said that men were getting 7s. and Bs. per day, and there was a great want of servant girls. He said the railway to Stratford would be completed before next summer, and that it would absorb a large amount of labor. Mr. Courteney said he had called for tenders for moving a building and for ploughing, and received only two- tenders for one job and none for the other.* Mr. Bayly said that 300 immigrants might bo absorbed next summer, not to speak of the harvesting. Mr. Webster said the grass seed harvest next year would be a large one, and if there was not more labor it would be lost. He had to pay men Bs. a day and feed them, and had almost to beseech them to work at that price. The Immigration Officer said the immigrants by the Hurunui were absorbed in eleven days. He Would represent what had been stated to the Government. A man named William Hale was crushed to death by a tree falling on him whilst felling it. Hokitika, Saturday. A man named James Cox was brought before the Resident Magistrate to-day, charged with attempting to poison the barmaid at the Royal George Hotel, named SaraK Jacobs. He bought twelve grains of strychnine yesterday from Williams, chemist, alleging that ha wanted it for a farmer in the country. He went into the side-room and asked the girl to have a drink. The girl agreed to have a glass of port wine. When her back was turned Cox put in the strychnine. She immediately became ill, and screamed. The doctor was sent for. The girl vomited for some time before and after the doctor arrived. Cox left the hotel and went to the’ wharf, where he jumped into the river. A boat was immediately sent for to rescue the man, who; was brought out and lodged in custody. Cox is about fifty years of age. The girl Jacobs is eighteen. He had been paying his addresses to her, and had got her own and father’s consent to marriage, but her brother had recently objected to the alliance. The girl was unable to attend the Court to-day, and the case was remanded for a week. A public meeting is to be held here on Tuesday. It is proposed to request the Government to extend the main trunk line of railway to the coast. ■ , G Westport, Saturday. At 2.30 this morning the Wharf Hotel; Pal-merston-street, was discovered to be on’ fire, and despite the efforts of the fire brigade, the building was in less than an hour totally destroyed, together with the stock and nearly all the furniture. Mr. Brinkley, the landlord, with his wife and family, fortunately escaped without injury. The fire broke out at the rear of the premises ; its origin is unknown. There is an insurance on the building for £250, and on the stock and furniture for £SO, in the South British.

Christchurch, Saturday.

The Kaiapoi Woollen Factory baa been purchased from the present proprietor, Mr, ,J.- T. Peacock, by a company, who propose extending operations. It ia stated that Peacock’s profits reached 25 per cent, per annum on the capital invested.

A new railway company, capital £IOO,OOO, ia being floated. It is .proposed to construct branch lines from Rakaia to the Great South railway, to Mount Hutt, Alfred Forest, and Mount Somera.

Coursing was resumed to-day. Canterbury Cup—First ties, winners, Gazelle, a Southland dog, Frolic and Magic from Oamaru, Gelgell, Leo, Reuben, Russian, Emperor, Master Walter, from Christchurch. Second ties, winners, . Gazelle, Magic, Leo, Russian, Emperor. Third ties, winners. Gazelle and Leo. Final course : Surnam’s Gazelle beat O’Brien’s Leo. The prize therefore goes to Southland.

Dunedin, Sunday. A meeting of the legal profession was held yesterday to consider the formation of a law society. It was resolved, —That it ia desirable to take advantage of the Act of last session; but as it is unworkable in its present shape, a committee should be appointed to draw up the necessary amendments and submit them to the Attorney-General, with a view of their being made law during the present session. A Mrs. Douglas, residing at Darley, was found dead in her bed yesterday morning. ■ ■ • Invercargill, Saturday. A fire was discovered in the Southland Times office this morning. No one was on the premises. It appears to have broken ont in tho editor’s room. The flames spread quickly. The building and plant were totally destoyed. Mitchell and Co.’s store adjoining was gutted and the stock injured. Mr. Donald’s brick building on the west side was slightly damaged. The following are the insurances On the Times buildings, Northern, £200; South British, plant, £500; Liverpool and London, 'do,£100; Victoria,do,£2oo; Limited Sydney do, £SOO. THE ROSLYN ELECTION. Dunedin, Sunday. The Roslyn election took place yesterday, and resulted in the return of Mr. Driver by a majority of 116. The numbers wore : —Driver, 335 ; Ross, 219. FATAL ACCIDENT AT HOKITIKA. Hokitika, Sunday. Captain Vernazoni, of the steamer Nullaugh, was drowned this morning when trying to reach the steamer on the North Spit. x