TELEGRAMS

Patea Mail, 4 September 1882, Page 3

TELEGRAMS

TO THE “ MAIL.” (PER UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION.) Drink and SuicideInvercargill. James Morton, well known as a taxidermist, committed suicide by taking a quantity of arsenic, supposed to be half-an-ounce, His wife noticed him vomiting, and sent for the doctor, hut deceased gmdually got worse and died. He left a memorandum to his wife and forgave all his enemies, and “all people that on earth do dwell.” The deceased was a clever naturalist, but had given way to unsteady habits for some time past. New Zealand Rifle Association- . Wellington. —At a meeting of the Counci l of the New Zealand Rifle Association, it was decided to Hold the next prize competition at Dunedin, commencing on Friday, 3rd November. The programme has been decided upon, and includes four matches for each Champion Belt. The twenty highest aggregate scorers fire a fifth match to decide the championship. The prizes vary from £IOO to £l2O per match. The five aggregate prizes for each match, ■ £lO2 10s ; £SO with the Champion Belt. The Team Matches are the same as the previous year’s—five prizes varying from £4O to £3. The Otago Ladies’ Shield Match is included in the programme, RANGITIKEI BRIDGEWellington.—The Stella, arrived from Auckland, brought the iron cylinders for the new bridge over the Rangitikei River, to replace the one washed away by the late flood. The cylinders were originally’ imported for a northern contract, which included a long and high bridge. The route, however, was changed, rendering the bridge unnecessary, and so leaving the cylinders unused. LOCAL BODIES AND LICENSES. Wellington.—The Government have received the following opinion from the Solicitor-General : —“ lam of opinion that Town Boards, and not County Councils; are entitled to the license fees payable under ‘ The Dog Registration Act, 1880.’ ” BIGAMY NEAR PATEA. Auckland.—A blacksmith named William John Lyttle was charged with bigamy at the Police Court on Saturday, and remanded for a week. Lyttle was married to his wife at Belfast in 1876, and with her emigrated to New Zealand. He was in business near Patea, and left in quest of employment, and was supposed to have been lost in the wreck of the ill-fated Tararua, His wife believing that such was the case, put on widow’s weeds, and in due time accepted the hand of a man named Baker, a settler, and was married to him, little dreaming that Lyttle was alive, Lyttle, becoming aware of the fact, thought he would not interfere, but objecting to a life of single blessedness, he went to Wanganui and married a young woman known as Polly Willows. Polly induced her husband to take her and her baby to Auckland, where her friends resided, and where he would find work. The facts, however, became known in Wanganui, and a facetious paragraph appearing in a local journal led to the arrest of Lyttle here on a charge of bigamy. Bail was allowed, Lyttle in £SO and two sureties of £SO each. EXPOSING A HOAXAuckland.—Barlow’s shooting affair is now exposed by the chiefs Wahanui and Te Whitiora. Patupatu, Barlow’s companion, confessed that he and Tu Tawhiao, son of King Tawhiao, received a watch, ring, and £5; Patupatu received £4. Wahanui and Te Whitiora deserve credit for the exposure. LARGE FIRE IN AUCKLAND. Auckland.—At midnight on Sunday’ a fire broke out in a block of five twostorey shops in Newtown, belonging to Mr Walker, butcher. It commenced at Marriott’s, 'auctioneer ; Spinley’s (fancy goods) and Walker’s (butcher) shops were also burnt down. Banbury and English’s dairy, and Murphy’s fruit shop were saved, but damaged. Those burnt down were insured in the Royal for £1,200 and in the Colonial for £350, Walker’s furniture wss insured for £SO, and Marriott’s goods in the Colonial for £3OO, being one-third of their value, Spinley was uninsured ; others unknown. Tw,o shops saved, but damaged, are insured in the Colonial office for £750. Some of these risks are probably reinsured in other companies.