TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5433, 26 August 1878, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

(PER PRESS AGENCY.) Auckland, Sunday. Two boys were in the stable of Mr. Scarborough, of Kenmera, last night, when tliey lighted a piece of tow hanging from the roof, for amusement. The tow blazed up, and they ran away. The stable and adjoining sheds, with a quantity of hay, valued in all at £IBO. were destroyed. There was no insurance. Napier, Saturday, A young man named Smith, 21 years of age, committed suicide yesterday at Taradale. An inquest was held to-day, and a verdict of temporary insanity returned. The body was found lying in the road opposite the Greenmeadows Hotel, with a wo md on the forehead, from which blood was found oozing. A revolver was found near the body. The deceased was a journeyman baker working in Napier. Some letters which were found on him, showed that lm mind was unsettled. One letter was addressed to the Inspector of Police, and avowed an intention to commit suicide. Greytown, Saturday, A meeting of the Railway Opening Celebration Committee was held at the Institute, Greytown, to-day. It was decided to have a luncheon, and to invite the Governor and suite, the Speakers of both Houses, the Mayor of Wellington, several civil engineers, &c. Arrangements are to be made for the due reception of the expected gathering of visitors. Dunedin, Saturday. Mrs. Cowan, who on Sunday last, at Maori Hill, cut her throat with a knife, died in the hospital on Thursday. A person named Robert Neimie, who was released some time ago from the Lunatic Asylum, and has since been in the city with his family, became possessed of the idea that it whs his duty to cut the throat of one of his children, and for that purpose procured a razor, but instead of carrying his extraordinary idea into effect he voluntarily proceeded as quickly as possible to the Lunatic Asylum, and, with the razor in his hand, demanded admittance. He was detained until the arrival of the police, who conveyed him to the lock-up, and, after medical evidence had been taken, he was committed to his old quarters in the asylum. The Under-Secretary has written to the Chamber of Commerce, to the effect that the Government cannot support the proposal of the Chamber that all bankruptcy notices should be publishe i in the “ Mercantile Gazette of New Zealand.”

The Anderson’s Bay school committee have decided to bring into force the compulsory c’ause of the Education Act. The last rail connecting Dunedin with Christchurch will be laid at 12.30 p.m. on Monday. Sunday. Northern visitors will be datertained at a banquet at Dunedin on Saturday, September 5. Mrs Reid, of Saddle Hill, was fiued £SO on Saturday for sly-grog selling. At an inquest held on the body of Mrs. Cowan yesterday the jury returned a verdict that death was due to disease and to a wound inflicted by herself while in n state of temporary insanity. Lawrence, Sunday. A sharp shock of earthquake was felt here at 2.50 p.m. yesterday. Christchurch, Saturday. At a meeting of the Harbor Board yesterday, Mr. Hounin called attention to the loss of interest which would be entailed upon the Board if the Government persisted in the sys•tern of having that portion of the wharfage dues which is paid through the Railway Department forwarded to Wellington and then returned to Lyttelton. Au opinion was expressed by the Board that it was absolutely necessary to have a Resident Magistrate at Lyttelton. A painful case of destitution has occurred at Ashburton, where auold man 64 years of age ley without food among the flax in a river-bed for three days. He was discovered by a sergeant of police in the last stage of inanition. A largely attended meeting was held at Lincoln yesterday, when the action of the Government m re grain duty was condemned, and the following resolution was carried ; “That the president be requested to represent to the Government the injustice of the proposal to abolish the protective duty on grain, while retaining the protective duty on timber, and the ad valorem duty of ten per cent, on corn bags j also, that it be pointed out that grain producers in this colony pay the highest wages of any agricultural country, while the freight for grain to the Home markets is also higher than that of other Australasian colonies.” The missing man and child have turned up ; they had gone to Wellington, and have been sent back by the police in the s.s. Arawata. Port Chalmers, Saturday, Two severe shocks of earthquake were experienced at 2.45 p.m., each of minute duration. The shocks travelled from west to east Brick buildings shook, and furniture vibrated. Some people rushed out of their houses in alarm. Bluff, Saturday, Two smart shocks of earthquake occurred here at 2.40 p.m. They were of minute duration, but shook the houses violently. Riverton, Saturday, A violent shock of earthquake was felt here at 2.45 this afteruoou. The direction -was from S.E. to N.W. It lasted 12 or 14 seconds. The windows rattled and the buildings rocked. Nelson, Saturday. lu the Wellington and Nelson College football match, the second bout of twenty-five minutes has just been concluded. The only result so far is the dislocation of McHardy’s elbow. Ho is one of the best of the Nelson team. In other respects there is no advantage on one side or the other.