LATEST TELEGRAMS.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1270, 8 February 1883, Page 2

LATEST TELEGRAMS.

[EBB UNTTBD PBBBB ASSOCIATION], WELLINGTON, This Day. It is understood that Mr John Knowles, Under-Secretary for Public Works for the Colony, has applied for and received permission to retire on hi pension, on the ground of ill-health, Mr Knowles has been in the service for 43 years. Nothing has yet been done as to appointing his successor. A man named John Stephenson, lately arrived from Greymouth, was committed for trial yesterday on a charge of stealing a gold watch and chain from a fellow lodger, at the Duke of Edinburgh Hotel. The Colonial Treasurer will leave Wellington on a visit to the South Island at the latter end of this month. The deputation of Chinese were introduced to Mr McColl to-day, and handed him £42 4s 6d, subscribed by the Chinese residents here and at the Hutt, towards the support of the Wellington Hospital. The Mayor of Christchurch has telegraphed to Sir Wm. Jervois that Saturday would, owing to its being a market day, be an inconvenient day for his arrival there, and in consequence His Excellency has decided to leave here on Monday, the 19th, instead of Friday, the 16th.

TIMARU, This Day. F. Rossiter has been committed for trial for attempted rape on Mrs Bott at Albury, on the 26th January. CHRISTCHURCH, This Day, C. H. Saunders, the prisoner who met with an accident at Lyttelton, died from the injuries received. A verdict of accidental death was returned. Mr Allwright has been nominated by the Government to the seat on the Lyttelton Harbor Board, formerly held by the Hon. E. Richardson. DUNEDIN, This Day. The steamer Tarawera left yesterday on her ten days pleasure trip to the Sounds on the West Coast. Applications for passages were so numerous that next year the Union Company will arrange for two trips. Among the excurtionists are persons from all parts of the Colony, and some Home and Victorian tourists— the former include Lord E. G. Lennox, and Mr Watney, M.P.; the latter include Sir A. Michie, and Professor Strong, The allotment of shares in the Dunedin and Suburban Tramway Company has taken place to the number of 98,220 out of 100,000 offered to the public. A strong local directory has been formed. The City Council are taking steps to give to his Excellency a suitable reception. A serious accident occurred to-day to the cook of the Railway Terminus Hotel, named James Reid, who has friends at Oamani. He was picked up insensible in the back yard with a fractured skull and a broken leg. There is little hope of his recovery. It Is supposed he fell from the third storey window while cleaning it. WESTPORT, This Day. A headless body found at Lyell, was recognised as that of Dennis Quinlivan. The head was severed from the body which had also received other injuries, and was much decomposed. It was found at the bottom ef an embankment 8 feet high. The deceased was last seen leaving Lyell with a woman on the night of Sunday week. The general opinion is that he was murdered. An enquiry is proceeding at Lyell. AUCKLAND, This Day. A fire broke out after mid-night in the block of buildings in Wakefield street at White's night restuarant, and before it could be suppressed, also gutted Sandal's butcher (unoccupied), Bulle'a and Leadbettcr grocer. As White was missing, the police searched the premises, and subsequently found upstairs the bodies of White and a woman, believed to be Mrs Oseal, recently convicted of larceny. Rumors are current that White had been drinking lately. The bodies were a dreadful spectacle. The following are the insurances :—Bulle’s buildings, South British £200; Ladbetter’s building, £2OO in the Colonial; stock, £lOO ; Sandal’s is said to be insured in the National and Colonial, hut the amount is unknown.

Mr Byrce remains in Alexandra, where he was met by Wilkinson, the Government Native Agent. He intends to proceed overland from Raglan to Aotea to lay off a road and establish a ferry across Aotea Harbor, near the old Mission Station, to form direct communication with the new township of Kawhia. The Temperance Society are arranging to support the candidates for election on the Licensing Committees who are in favor of closing public houses at 10 p.m. nightly. A woman named Mary Ann Long, who was run in for drunkenness, committed suicide in the police cell last night, in a most determined manner. On the police sergeant and West, the watch housekeeper, visiting the cell at 9 o'clock, they found her hanging by her neck by a bit of gauze netting she had wound round her neck to the bar of the cell door. The Manukau Iron Works are successfully started, the wrought iron blooms being made from the Manukau iron sand. George R.hoder, a builder, was drowned while bathing at Ponsonby this morning.

Later. Shortly attar mid-night a fir* broke out in a block of buildings in Lower Wakefield Street. It originated In White's restaurant, which was sstroyed; Sandal's butcher's shop, Ledbetter's store, and Burke's bellows manufactory were mtioh damaged. The fire broke out so suddenly, and appeared to have a great hold of White's restaurant, before it wae discovered that no opportunity was afforded of ascertaining whether any of the occupants were inside. Several persons knocked at the front door and also at the back, but getting no answer, came to the conclusion that White had got out and was knocking about in the crowd. The police, however, soon discovered that no one had seen White after the outbreak, and as soon as practicable search Was made in the charred ruins of the restaurant. The work of searching upstairs was difficult and dangerous, as the flooring was burnt through, and in several places there were large gaps but the firemen soon oame upon tne body of a woman lying underneath the front window on her back in her chemise, and adjacent that of a man on his hands and knees. The bodies presented a dreadful spectacle, being blackened and charred extremely, and one of the thighs of the woman had been half burnt through, The other female was identified as that of Mary O'Real, aged 40, from a portion of her dress lying beside her, and who got twentyfour hours imprisonment the other day for the larceny of some flannel. The body of the man was that of George White, aged 45, keeper of the restaurant, and formerly cook at the Police Barracks, White had been seen about six o’clock last night somewhat under the influence of liquor, and it is feared the woman was in the same condition.