TELEGRAMS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1319, 22 December 1880, Page 2

TELEGRAMS.

* WELLINGTON. December 21. • The Government have decided to release another batch of Maori prisoners at present confined at Dunedin. It is'staged that the natives who are to be discharged are those who went to Te Whiti from the East Coast. At a meeting of The Executive Council to-day, the case of the. murderer Tuhi was considered. It wa3 decided that there was nothing in the circumstances of the case which justified any interposition on the part of the Crown, and it was consequently determined that the law should take its course, and the sentence of death be duly executed upon the criminal. ' The execution day is not yet fixed, but will probably be Tuesday or Wednesday of next week. Tuhi appears to be unconcerned at his impending fate. The Stella leaves for the Chatham Islands to-morrow to bring down witnesses in the murder case • against the native Warepa, who-is under committal for trial charged with killing his European wife. December 22.

A meeting of Imperial pensioners has been held to consider the question of paying the stamp duty in giving receipts for the payment of regular instalment of the money received by them. A committee was appointed to consider the question. DUNEDIN. December 21. A young woman named Elizabeth'Randall was drowned at the Ocean Beach today, through letting go her hold of the rope buoyed in the surf for the accommodation of bathers. Another girl named Louisa Martin had a narrow escape, and Kingston, the bathkeeper, who plunged in to rescue them, would have been drowned but for the assistance of John Patterson, who, ! with difficulty, brought hitn and Miss ! Martin ashore. The body of the girl I Randall was washed out to sea. December 22.'

In the district prize firing for the Rifles, Jones (Waikari) made 71; Brooks (North Dunedin), 69; and Smaill (Clutha) and Eairley (Waikari) 68 each. The Colonial Secretary will return to Wellington on Monday, Mr. Oliver remaining over the holidays. Mr. Alfred Jones (late manager of the Bank of New Zealand at Nelson) is dead.

CHRISTQHUECH. December 22.

At an inquest on James Day and Ellen Anderson, evidence showed that intoxication was the cause of death in each case.

The compositors' strike at the Times office continues. Compositors have found it a losing game. The proprietors, with local. and outside assistance, have continued the issue of the Times and Star as usualj and are rapidly organising a new staff of compositors. The strikers will meet to-day to consider whether they shall hold out any longer. Tho probability is that they will give in. The Industrial Exhibition at Hangiora yesterday was a great success. The public temperance meeting last night was largely attended. Addresses were delivered by the Hon. James* Monro (President of the International Conference), Dr. Roseby, and Mr- W. Jago. At a public meeting at Lincoln last night resolutions were earned strongly urging on the Government the necessity of continuing the construction of the Akaroa railway. At the Magistrate's Court to-day, Martha Wymonds and her nephew were charged with larceny of 39 cases of goods, the property o| the bankrupt estate of T. S. Wymonds, Nelson. The prisoners had been arrested ,on a warrant from Wellington, and were remanded to Nelson sn December 29. Bail was allowed. AUCKLAND. ■ December 21.

The police this forenoon arrested Samuel Brown, formerly a well-known resident of Shortland-street, and owner of the Auckland Club building, on a charge of breaking and entering the premises of H. Raine, tinsmith, and stealing therefrom a quantity of tinware goods, valued iat L 5. Other charges of a similar nature will be made against him. Hitherto there has been very little resorting of wopl down here after it was sold at auction, and cheats which have been perpetrated have not been ' discovered until after the wool arrived in London, when no proceedings could be taken here against the offendeis. This year, however, a different policy is being pursued. Several large purchasers are having all their bales and packages opened after the sale, and the wool taken wholly out and carefully examined and reported. This work has brought to light a greater degree of iniquity than was ever imagined to exist. 9o bad q,re some of the evil practices which have already been detected that some of the original sellers have had to come to such terms as were satisfactory fco the buyers. In one case the packing of a number of bales of -wool was so carefully and systematically done that no doubt could exist as to the intentions of the vendor. Mr. Hesketh has been communicated with on this case, and it will probably come before the court.

December A room in the Free Public Library has been set apart for ladies., A flock owner of thp north has produced a fleece 19 inches long and of an average clip of 9 inches. At the Police. Court to-day, a person named Nothan, charged a man named O'Connor with assaulting him in the domain. Jn defence it was attempted to show that the complainant was in the domain with a female for immoral purr poses, that O'Connor watched him, and that a dispute opcurred which resulted in | the assault. The Magistrate was satisfied that there was no immoral object, and said that persons had a perfect right to walk in the domain without being set' upon by ruffians. He sentenced the defendant to seven days' imprisonment. During the presence of Cole's circus arrangements were made by Mr. Cook, the agent, with the Council for the use of a site on the barrack reserve. Thereupon several leaseholders protested, and took legal steps to prevent the use of the site, Mr. Hesketh to-day, on behalf of Mr. King, one of the leaseholders, moved for an injunction, with a view to settling the question of costs. The case is proceeding.

NAPIER. December 21. Sailed—The New Zealand Shipping Company's ship Waikato, for London, the third ship of the season. She takes 4635 bales wool and 17 casks tallow, of a total value of L 87,177 5s 7d. Messrs. Shaw, Saville'g barque "Wave Queen has cleared at the Customs, with 4088 bales wool, valued at L 76,169 16s lid.

The old chief Tareha is to have a military funeral, the Government bearing the expense,' also payjng the passages of natives from Waiaroa and other places.

December 22.

The Napier Artillery fired for the district prizes this morning, the highest scores being Ross, 74; Garry, 66; Prain, 64; Pulford, 56. Sixteen competed. Eight children were fined at the Resident Magistrate's Court one shilling each for trespassing on the railway. An accident occurred there lately from this cause.

INVERCARGILL. December 21,

The Supreme Court resumed to-day, when the charge of manslaughter against

Dr. J. A. Moffatt, formerly of Winton, was gone into. Some months ago accused was called in to attend a woman named Cameron in childbed, and the prosecution alleged that culpable negligence on his part caused her death. The hearing of the charge occupied all day. At eleven o'clock to-night the foreman of the jury came into Court and announced that they were unable to agree. Judge Williams accordingly ordered them to be locked up until halfpast eight to-morrow morning, when, if they did not agree, he would discharge them.