TELEGRAPHIC NEWS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5566, 30 January 1879, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS

(per press agency.)

Naiter, Wednesday. At the inquest held yesterday on the body of Sergeant-major Kebsall the jury returned a verdict that the deceased was accidentally killed, but although they attached no blame to Walter Newton, a rider was added to the effect that more care should be taken with respect to the signals. At the Kifle Association shooting to-day Joseph Chicken, with 07 points, carried off the cup given by the Mayor as the first prize. The accommodation house at Woodville was totally destroyed by fire yesterday. It has not been occupied since Ollaudt’s murder. It is believed that the owners, Messrs. Neal aud Close, of Napier, were insured for £2OO in the Hawke’s Bay Insurance Company. The building is supposed to have caught fire from the bush, where a fire was raging. Auckland, Wednesday. At the Wesleyan Conference a commiteee ■was appointed to arrange for the establishment of a High School. The Eev. T. Buddie was requested to collect memoranda for a history of Methodism in New Zealand. A motion in favor of abstinence from tobacco and strong drink was passed. The President was authorised to secure four additional ministers from England. The final draft of stations was read, and confirmed. The Eev. Mr. Carrick this evening in stepping from the City of Sydney mail steamer into the ferry steamer missed his footing and fell some distance, his head coming into contact with the bridge of the ferry steamer. The doctor is of opinion that the skull is not fractured, and that ho will recover shortly. A boy named Arnold was yesterday severely scalded at Te Kopura Waipawa. He was being brought by tho steamer to the hospital to-day, and died on the passage. An inquest will be held to-morrow. A man named Bothwell was arrested for indecently assaulting a girl six years of age. A man named Patrick O’Keefe was arrested to-day charged with assaulting a young girl. Christchurch, Wednesday. Two hundred and two waggons were yesterday despatched from Lyttelton to Christchurch. During the hearing of a case at Kaiapoi yesterday a witness put the Bible in his pocket after being sworn. He said it was absence of mind, as he generally carried a Bible with him. A telegram received here to-day reports that Mr. Conyers passed a restless night, and is now very feverish. A powerful engine has arrived from Invercargill to work the heavy Christchurch traffic. The tender of Mr. T. A. Parsons was today accepted for the construction |of tho carriage aud waggon railway workshops at Addington, At the Police Court to-day the charge against Peter James Fowler, a railway guard, for embezzling excess fares, broke down, the Crown Prosecutor failing to call the principal witness. On leaving the Court he was rearrested on another information. The last performance of “ Henry V.” was given last night to a crowded and enthusiastic audience. The people in the stalls and pit at the end of the piece rose up and gave Mr. Eignold three distinct cheers, and one cheer more. Gore, Wednesday. Sir. Conyers is not quite so well to-day. He has had a slight relapse of fever. The doctors say it will be two or three days before any definite decision can be come to about his condition. Later. Conyers is gradually improving again, though still slightly feverish and only partially conscious. No further bad symptoms are visible this evening. Blenheim, Wednesday. The Havelock correspondent of the Express this morning telegraphs as follows in reference to the mining accident“ The miners only succeeded in extricating Dorset at dark last night; he was much injured, but is improving. Diamant was choked by the pressure of a slab against his neck, although the relief miners worked desperately to get at him. Sweeney’s body was only recovered at four o’clock this morning, frightfully mangled. Eobert Nesbit had a miraculous escape inside the tunnel.” A complimentary dinner will be given to Inspector Emerson to-morrow, prior to his departure for Tauranga. The Mayor will preside. Nelson, Wednesday.

Mr. Pitt last night addressed, in the Theatre Royal, the largest political meeting ever held in Nelson. The gallery was filled with ladies. On the question of education he said Catholics had a just claim for consideration, and at present the beat measure proposed was Mr. Curtis’s Bill, though he was not wedded to that. Ho was prepared to accept any other

compromise that seemed to him fair. For instance, if the present history bocks were excluded from the schools he would be satisfied. He was in favor of an income tax, of an elective Legislative Council, and manhood suffrage, and was prepared to support a L f cal Option Bill, but not one which would affect existing licenses without compensation. He was loudly cheered throughout. The nomination takes place to-morrow. Dunedin, Wednesday.

A deputation this morning urged upon the Minister of Public Works the desirability of immediately calling for tenders for the construction of such portions of the projected railway as had been surveyed in detail, and were now ready for the purpose. The Hon. Mr. Maoandrew replied that with regard to the Mullocky Gully portion, it was intended that tenders should be called for a section there during the first week in February. It was also intended to reserve section between that point and the junction with the main line, with a view of employing labor there, in the event of there being a want of public employment at any time before the completion of the whole line. Respecting the Poolburn Gorge portion, that would be taken into consideration at an early date.

Captain Andrews' sawmills at Gatlin river were destroyed by fire this morning. The damage is estimated at five thousand pounds. In the Supreme Court to day Mr. J. A. Richmond sued Mr. Hepburn, of McLandress, Hepburn, and Co., for £2500 and £ISOO special damages for alleged loss through fraudulent representations regarding the sale of certain lands. Mr. Macassey, with him Mr. Mouat, for the plaintiff, and the AttorneyGeneral, with him Mr. Haggitt, for the defendant. The declaration in this case set forth that in January last the defendant represented to plaintiff thot he was agent for some land at Ravensbourne, and received an offer for £3OOO cash for it ; that at the same time defendant knew that he had some time previously, viz., in November, 1877, sold the same on behalf of Mr. Edmondson to Mr. Geo. Wm. Elliott for £2300 sterling, and that believing the laud was for sate bona fide plaintiff had purchased the tenant’s interest for two years for £SO. It was further alleged that in February last defendant falsely represented to plaintiff, and advertised in newspapers published in Dunedin, that he had been instructed by the owner, Thomas Edmondson, to sell the laud by auction, whereas the sale was a bogus sale, and the property was knocked down to G. W. Elliott, the then owner, as was known to the defendant, for the sum of £4600, and the plaintiff therefore sought to claim £2500 for loss and damage sustained by him through the fradulent representations of the defendant. Under a further count the plaintiff claimed £2500 damages, alleging that a bid of £3500 made by him at the sale in question was the last bona fide offer, and that he had been wrongfully deprived of the purchase. After hearing the evidence for the plaintiff, his Honor ruled that there was no case to answer, and the plaintiff was nonsuited. At the Colonial Bank of Now Zealand's half yearly meeting to-day the directors report was adopted. A dividend at S per cent, per annum was declared, £6OOO placed to the reserve fund (making it £42,000), and £3129 carried forward. On the meeting proceeding to the election of a director in the room of the Hon. W. Holmes, who retires by ro f ation, a protest was raacle.bsausbarebolder- against Mr. Rattray’s nomination, on the ground that itjiufringed the articles of association. This was read ; the chairman also read an opinion by Mr. Haggitt, the bank's solicitor, to the effect that the nomination was perfectly void. Tho after proceedings were rather lively, Mr. Wilson making a vigorous speech in defence of his candidature, and Mr. F.attray replying. A meeting convened by the Mayor was held to-day to devise means for raising money in aid of the Glasgow Bank fund. An influential committee was appointed to carry out the object in view. Mr. Rattray was to-day elected a director of the Colonial Bank by a large majority. Bat.clutha, Wednesday.

Capt. Andrews’ saw-mill at Gatlin’s River was totally destroyed by fire this morning. Origin unknown. Estimated loss, £5006; insured for £3OOO in the New Zealand Insurance Company. Lyttelton, Wednesday.

At the inquest to-day on the body of Andrew Erickson, the seaman belonging to the schooner Clio, a verdict of accidental death was returned, it being shown that deceased was on the foreyard arm pulling upon a piece of spun yarn with both,hands, when it broke, causing him to fall to the deck. Invukcargill, Wednesday.

The annual meeting of subscribers to the hospital was held this evening. The president in charge reported the balance-sheet satisfactory. The subscriptions during the year had increased, but more were needed. Two hundred and five indoor patients were treated during the year, of whom 138 were discharged _ and cured. The number of outdoor patients was 1061. Only twelve deaths occurred during the year. The number of patients admitted was 97 more than in the return for 1877. The balance-sheet showed that the total receipts amounted to £1967 10s., and the total expenditure to £1667 12s. There was a credit cash balance in the bank of £74 7s. 7d, and the subsidies due and the debts due by the Government brought the assets of the hospital up to £369 17s. 4d. The committee retired, and a new one was elected, consisting of all the old except two, who retired. The names are:—Hall, Perkins, Saunders, Mackay, Willoughby, Roche, Moffat, Cheyne, and Jacobs. Hall was re-elected president. A hearty vote of thanks to the retiring committee was passed. The position of the hospital is considered to he excellent. Reports from the country districts respecting crops are not as satisfactory as might be expected. They are short, light, and late. Potatoes are good, what there is of them, but there will not be more than enough to supply local consumption. Turnips have fared badly; the first sowing was attacked by a fly, and most of it had to be re-sown. Pasture, however, is splendid all over the district, and stock of all kinds are thriving wonderfully.