TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5738, 20 August 1879, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

(PER PRESS AGBNOT.) Auckland, Tuosday. The. Minister of Marine case was resumed to-day. John Clogt, carpenter, deposed to having heard noises of a man howling forward. PT« the staple biuco fixed to the crossbeam where Gale was tied. He never saw the latter behave disrespectfully to the officers. Two Maoris are in custody on the charge sf stealing a quantity of powder from a bushman.

The steamer Wellington, from West Coast ports with the Southern portion of the outward San Francisco mail, did not cross the Manukau bar until late this afternoon. The mail steamer City of New York, which should have left at two this afternoon, was therefore detained till eight o’clock. Napier, Tuesday.

The ceremony of driving the first pile of the Ahuriri bridge took place this afternoon. Sheehan performed the ceremony in presence of a large concourse of people. He spoke very briefly in the evening. A mass meeting was held in the theatre, where addresses were given by Sheehan, Whitmore, Rees, Buchanan, and others. Sheehan left in the Hinemoa tonight for Gisborne, where he will see to the case of the native who has been condemned to death for witchcraft.

Grahamstown, Tuesday. The dwelling-house of Mr. Charles Gould, of Waitoa, Upper Thames, has been destroyed by fire, and the loss will be a very serious one, as it includes £250 of wedding presents, besides elegant furniture. Mr. James Stewart, District Engineer, went to Te Aroha on Monday morning, to settle matters in connection with the prosecution of the railway, and to decide on a crossing at Waiho and the route of the railway through the Te Aroha Block. On Monday a section of the line will be commenced by natives, on piece work, from Totara Point to Koukoua. Tenders will shortly be called for the formation of the railway from Kiukiu to Hikutaia and Piaka. Plans for fourteen miles of the railway extending from the bridge to Matamate are ready at Wellington. Christchurch, Tuesday.

The Christchurch Volunteer Engineers are building a new orderly-room at their own expense to replace the one burnt down some months ago. Two boys were arrested to-day for stealing money. Their names were Ernest Giles and George Best. The former admitted to the police that he had committed over three dozen thefts. The chess tournament was commenced tonight.