TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5656, 16 May 1879, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

(PER PRESS AQKXCr.) Auckland, Thursday. Sic George Grey left Auckland to-day in the Hinemoa. After lauding the Premier at Kawau, Captain Fairchild will proceed to the Bay of Islands to land natives, take in coal, and go to Mongonui, returning to Auckland via Kawau bn Saturday night or Sunday morning." The Hon. Mr. Sheehan has important business in Waikato, and will not return to Auckland until the end of the week. Grahamstown, Thursday. The railway surveyors have stopped at the Komata bay, through the obstruction of Tukukino. Although the latter has not shown any hostility since the native meeting, which he attended, Government think it advisable to conciliate him pending the settlement of the land negotiations. The Advertiser invites Mr. Sheehan to visit the district and adjust matters. Napier, Thursday. The body of Miss Julia Tatham was found at 3 o’clock this afternoon in the Tutaekuri River. The circumstances so far as known lead to the supposition that she committed suicide, though no motive is known, and it is besides stated that she was in cheerful spirits when she left Mr. Powdrell’a on Monday afternoon, and also when she left Mr. Parson’s to return' home on the same evening. But when the horse was found there were no signs upon it of its having been in the water, and where Miss Tatham’s footprints on the bank of the river were found, there were no horse's hoofprints. The finding of the body has been some relief, as it was feared Miss Tatham had met with foal play. Patea, Thursday.

A melancholy accident, resulting fatally, occurred at the Patea breakwater at about dusk yesterday. Richard Dixon, contractor, whilst assisting at the works, fell in front of tba crane used for shifting concrete blocks. He got entangled in the machinery, and one of his legs was taken off, only a small piece of the skin being left hanging in its place. Two doctors were at once sent for, but Dixon died in five minutes after they arrived. The sad occurrence has cast quite a gloom over the town. An inquest on the body will be held to-day. Blenheim, Thursday.

Messrs. Upton, Fells, and Upton’s Downs sheep runs, 22,820 acres freehold, 26,930 leasehold, with 22,000 sheep, were auctioned to-day. ‘ The first bid was £25,000, and the price ran up by £looo' bids to £31,000, when the lot fell to the Bank of New Zealand. Mr. Saunders, of Otago, bid £33,000. Two cattle runs of 3213 acres, of which 2552 were freehold, were withdrawn at £24,000. Nelson, Thursday.

Last night, when quite, dark, two sisters named Smith, aged 17 and 19, were crossing the railway bridge over the Wairoa Elver near Bridgewater, when the former fell through and stepped twenty feet into the water ; the other immediately jumped in after her sister, and her screams brought assistance, but almost too late, as the younger one was lying to all appearance lifeless at the bottom of the river, the other being only just conscious.- They were taken to a neighboring inu where, after three quarters of an hour, they were restored. TIMABtJ, Thursday.

William Payn, who was crushed between two boats on the beach last Tuesday evening, died to-day.

ChrISTCHOECH, Thursday. At the Resident Magistrate's Court to-day Jacob Vogt, charged with forgery and uttering a promissory note on Elizabeth Fuchs, of tire Wellington Hotel, for £22 10s., was remanded till to-morrow, W. Power, a lad fifteen years old, was charged with stealing a gold chain and locket, the property of Edward Grib ole. The robbery was committed in a hoarding-house. On information given to the detectives the boy was arrested, but in the meantime had pledged the chain for 355, and spent the money. He told the police he had been brought from Dunedin bv four men to commit the robery. Inspector' Hickson said the real name of the boy was William Power. He was the sou of a carter in Dunedin, ami was formerly employed as message boy in the office of the Otago Daily Times. He had been convicted of forgery, and liberated on his father's recognisances to come up for sentence when called upon on account of his youth. The magistrate said the boy had had his chance of retrieving his character and abused it, otherwise he would have summarily disposed of the case. The boy was then committed for trial.

The body of a man who fell, or jumped into the river last evening, was found this morning about 150yds. below Madras-street Bridge. Deceased has not yet been identified. The body is apparently that of a laboring man of middle age, sft. 7in. high. An inquest will be held to-morrow.

At the quarterly meeting of the Chamber of Commerce to-day, a resolution was carried requesting committees of Chambers of Commerce to take steps to ascertain the possibility of the introduction of colonial wool and woollen manufactures into China and Japan. A long discussion took place with regard to a telegram said to have appeared in the Dunedin Morning Herald from Christchurch in April last, stating that commercial matters here presaged a general smash up, and that a large house was on the point of [ailing, which would drag down many others. The Chairman stated that despite the troublous time not a house, firm, or farmer, who was known to be strong, had succumbed. After a long discussion the matter dropped, it being considered that the end of the Chamber would be gained by publicity. The person who brought the matter forward did not produce the alleged telegram, nor could it be found on the file of papers.

At the meeting of the Board of Education to-day, the master of the Southbridge echo'd, who had been severely censored by the Board at its previous meeting for permitting “ cobbing” in his school, applied that the Board would reconsider the matter. After some discussion, the Board declined to alter its former decision. In answer to the letter from the Government, it was resolved to write to the Education Department, stating that the Board had no funds whatever for school buildings, and that it was as much as it could do to pay salaries and incidental expenses. Steps are being taken to est ibliah a High school at Akaroa.

Shortly after half-past 10 o’clock to-night a fire broke out in the office and store occupied by Messrs. A. Wilson and Co. The building being of wood, was very soon a mass of flames, and at one time it threatened the destruction of the Queen’s Hotel adjoining. The Fire Brigade, however, soon arrived on the sput, and succeeded in confining the fire to the building in which it broke out, and which was completely gutted. There could not have been much goods i» the place. The insurances on the building were £2OO only. Dditedin, Thursday.

The annual meeting of the Licensing Court takes place on the first Tuesday in June. The number of applications lodged with the clerk of the Court are, for renewal of publicans’ licenses, 107 ; renewals of bottle licenses, 4i ; transfers of [publicans’ licenses, 4 ; for bottle licenses, 20. Messrs. Cargills, Gibbs, and Co. have received the following telegram, as to the wool market, dated London, 12th inst, :—The tone of the market is very firm, and prices are unchanged. There were two cases of vehicles bolting in Princess-street to-day. No damage was done in either case.

A boy fell off the express train at Turakinui to-day, falling at a point where there is a narrow cutting, and as the train was rounding the curve. He escaped unhurt. The boy was stauding on the platform of the carriage. More hands are being put on in the Land Tax Department. So far as can be ascertained all returns. will have to be compiled over again.

It is mooted to form a company to purchase Wallis’ New Zealand panorama.

A football club under the Victorian rules has been formed. It commences with forty members.

Signor Morley has composed an opera called “ The Two Brides.” It is in rehearsal, and will soon be produced in Dunedin. Dr. Somerville, according to a Home letter, is about to start on ah Evangelical tour on the continent of Europe. The jury at the inquest on Baton, who was killed by a kick from a horse in the Provincial Saleyards, returned a verdict of “ accidental death,” adding that when horses are offered for public sale they should be ridden with bridles and not halters.