TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5416, 6 August 1878, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

(TER PRESS AGENCY.) Auckland, Monday. ! An undertaker named Dickenson has been arrested on a charge of fraudulent insolvency. Mr. Dillon and Miss Pendor appear at the Theatre Royal to-night. t New Plymouth, Monday, The Ifcrald authoritatively contradicts the rumor that has appeared in the Wellington papers relative to Sir John Goode’s report against the feasibility of constructing a harbor here, A fearful gale was blowing here yesterday. Wanganui, Monday. Joseph Jessop, of Marton, was charged at the Magistrate’s Court to-day with having au illicit still iu his possession. Tho case was remanded in consequence of tho principal witdess for the prosecution, Thomas McDonough, who. was recently fined £250 for tho like* offence, refusing to answer questions; as to where the still came froin_ that .was found in his possession. McDonough was sentenced to seven days’ imprisonment for contempt ofCourt, ’ which could only be purged by his answering the.- questions. Additional discoveries of deleterious ingredients were found in the City Brewery. Further action is pending, awaiting instructions from head-quarters.. The extreme roughness of the weather prevents the steamers leaving. . v ■

A petition is being extensively signed, praying that the sentence passed on Ambrose Lough may be mitigated so as to allow him the option of paying a fine. Watoku, Monday, The ketch Reliance, owned by Messrs. Stewart and Co., sawmillers, Wellington, went ashore between Waikato and Manukau yesterday. All the crew got ashore. The vessel is considerably damaged. She is insured for £IOOO in the South British and National companies. Dunedin, Monday. Snow fell heavily last night, and to-day ; the ground in and about Dunedin is covered to a depth of several inches. This has caused an interruption of traffic on the Milton and Lawrence lines. • S. Clayton (of G-lbbs and Clayton) to-day backed himself for a sum of £lO to cut a cord of firewood in shorter time than T. Pollock, the well-known sporting man. The contest commenced at 3.30, but was not completed, as night put a stop to it ; so it resulted in a draw. It took place in the open air and during the heavy snowstorm, and was witnessed by a number of sporting men and bookmakers. Clayton would probably have been beaten had the match been finished. Mr. Macandrew and Sir. Stout have telegraphed to the Mayor, stating that the question of the railway station site will be considered this week by Government. A storeman in the employ of Messrs. Stevenson was much injured to*day in consequence of a fall from a ladder while he was being pelted with snowballs. Lawrence, Monday.

The snowstorm here was such as was never before known. The miners on the Blue Spur claims have all knocked off work. The morning train from Dunedin stuck in 10 feet of a snow-drift at the Round Hill tunnel, and traffic was suspended.

A child of Mrs. McNeill, who fell into a heap of hot ashes, died to-day from the effects of the injuries,

Bai.ci.utha, Monday.

The coach could not face the storm to-day, and therefore did not go to Clinton. The passengers from Dunedin per train had therefore to stop here. ' The storm and snow are still increasing. Christchurch, Monday.

The Government surveyors are making a survey of the branch line from the Lyttelton and Christchurch Railway to Sumner, the principal seaside resort of North Canterbury. Subscriptions for a testimonial to Mr. Hoskins, who leaves for England in the spring, are coming in very freely. According to a report read at a meeting of the Charitable Aid Board the annual expenditure on the Christchurch Hospital was stated to bo £BOO ; the number of officers, including the visiting staff, 36 ; the number of beds, 130. Considerable difficulty is experienced in obtaining a resident surgeon, the salary offered being £2OO a-year. Snow fell for two or three hours to-day. The weather has now cleared up, and it is cold but fine. “ The Chamber of Commerce committee held a meeting to-day to consider the question of railway communication with the West Coast. It was decided to collect all possible information on the subject, and to call a general meeting of the members to discuss it. There was a curious case heard in the Resident Magistrate’s Court to-day. A man named Johnston charged John Dempsey and William Hart with robbing him of a watch; but the police, being led thereto by peculiar circumstances, searched Johnston’s 'house and found the watch secreted under the pillow of his bed. It transpired that Dempsey and Hart had seen Johnston steal a tumbler from, the Garrick Hotel, and Johnston, in order to be first in the field, invented the tale about them robbing him, on his way home, of his watch. J ohnston was sentenced to three months for stealing the tumbler, the Bench expressing great regret that the law did not allow of a heavier sentence being passed. Ho KIT 11C X, Monday. James Cox, who .attempted to poison the barmaid Sarah Jacobs, was committed for trial at tho Supreme Court. The evidence showed that he bad purchased strychnine from a chemist a few hours previously. Poison was found in b >th the tumbler and glass out of which the girl and* 1 he drauk. A letter was also produced, written by Cox to the girl’s brother, saying, “ The sin of this will fall on your own hands, and bring your poor father’s grey hairs to the grave ; but when you get this it will be too late for me and Sarah.” The evidence went to show that he 'meant to poison the girl and commit suicide. The weather of late has been frightful ; snow, hail, rain, and wind alternately for many days.

The Christchurch coach, due ou Saturday, has not arrived.

The advocates for a southern line of railway are getting up a petition to the Legislature praying for a more direct route with the East Coast. Aiiacba, Monday. Owing to the heavy fall of snow, communication between Reefton and this place has been stopped for the past four days ; aud it is still snowing heavily.