TELEGRAMS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume III, Issue 622, 1 May 1878, Page 2

TELEGRAMS.

WELLINGTON. April 30. The custom?, revenue collected for this month amounts to LI3.GGI, or about. LlfiOO more than in the corresponding month of last year. William ],i'<;ht, landlord of Barrett's Hotel, has laid an information against Mr. O'Connor, formerly a sergeant of police in Canterbury, for attempting to poison him by putting poison in a glass of liquor. Light was drinking with him on Sunday ni-ht before going to bed. Light says the poison was put in his glass while his back was turned attending on a customer. The case came before the Magistrate vestcrdny, and was remanded. The circumstance seemed so incredible that it was thought there was some great misapprehension. The sediment in the glass was examined by a chemist, who pronounced it to be morphia. It was then sent to Dr. Hector to be analysed, and it was understood it would not be tested until Mr. Skey returned to town. Tt is now stated that Dr. Hector has analysed it, and pronounces it to be strychnine!, and that there ia enough in the glass to kill over twenty men. The case will come on again on Thursday. May 1. The following is Dr. Hector's analysis of the matter, supposed to be poison, placed in a glass of whiskey, which Mr. Win. Light, landlord of Barrett's Hotel, was about to drink. Tne crystalline sediment was examined by various tests, and found to lie strychnine. The quantity present exceeded twoo-rains of strychnine, a half-iirain being sufiicient to be fatal to an adult. The evidence collected by the police regarding surrounding circumstances give the case a very serious aspect. Telegraph communication with Port Darwin has been interrupted near Port Augusta, at the head of Spencer's Gulf, since yesterday afternoon. Sir George Grey left in the Hawea this afternoon to attend the native meeting at Hikurangi. WANGANUI. April 30. Maxwell's Hotel, on the Patea road, was burnt to the ground. The cause is unknown ; nothing was saved. The building was insured in the Union for L4OO, and the stock in the Imperial for L4OO. • ♦ AUCKLAND. April 30. John Jenkins, of Newmarket, announces himself a candidate for Franklyn. M'Leans, of Waikato, are successful pr'z-.i-winners with bulla at the Sydney show. A trreat earthquake, at Tanna, New Plebridies, washed land along the shore c.f j the harbor 20 feet, threw up mauy fish, J and destroyed the canoes. j

GRAHAMSTOWN. April 30. The complete census returns of the Thames electoral district are just to hand. The total population is 12,516. In 1874 it was 12,289 ; in 1871, 11,950. The Hon. J. Sheehan ha 3 given the Thames County Council permission to enter on all native lands within the Ohinemuri district for the purpose of making surveys and carrying on works where required. This places the Council in a legal position to deal with native objections. This is in consequence of native threats and stoppages of roads and works by them. ♦ BLENHEIM. April 30. An assay was made this afternoon of copper ore from Durville's Island, just leasi'd to Charts Redwood, from the | natives, for 21 years. One thousand tons lie exposed on the surface. The outcrop has been traced about a mile, averaging 5 feet in thickness. The first sample tested gave 84 per cent, pure metal. Picked specimens gave as high as 70 per cent. Redwood intends forming a company at once, which will be floated in a few days. + WESTPORT. May 1. There have been 24 hours' rain, causing a heavy flood in the Bnller, which overflowed, damaging the railway line. Sir J. Coode is still hero.