LATEST TELEGRAMS.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1306, 7 April 1883, Page 2

LATEST TELEGRAMS.

(FEB UNHID PRESS XSSOCIATtdN). AUCKLAND, April fl. The hearing of the charge against Mah; uki, and other natives, concerned in the TV N ira outrage, was commenced in the Sup* rema Court to-day. On being challenged In ?] tho usual way, Mahuki replied, *' A man who has a lame leg cannot hold it. ” Eventually ho gave a reply that wee constructed into a plea of not guilty. The other nativM were induced to plead. Mr Hunthousei thV first witness, is being examined. April fl. In Mahuki’s case at the Supreme Court] a a doubt arose to whether the prisoners had authorised Mr Earl to appear us counsel for them. Mahuki, on being questioned, said < slave chief could not authorise anyone to ap. pear for him. He was a native a dbg in his master’s house—and they were all Europeans. After considerable discussion, the judge ruled that Mr Earl could not appear without authority, but asked him to watch the case as amicu» atrial, and while leaving the cross, examination to the prisoners, to assist them as far as possible regarding the points of law. After tho evidence the jury returned a virdiet of guilty. Sentence Was deferred till the others charges are heal'd. NEW PLYMOUTH, April Sth. A woman named Wolfspile was found hanging oa a rope from a tree, at Sratford. yesterday. She had shown signs of depressed spirits for some days, but there w&s no real son to suppose she meditated Suicide. DUNEDIN, April 6. A settler at Blueskin has made the following report to the police within the last day or two : —“About twelve months ago two men camped in an old hut situate on the side of Mount Cargill. At midnight they were seen by two men, one named McConnolly and the other Thomas Brownlie. The nint was very dark, and rain was falling heavflfi and between midnight and daylight tlftfe was a landslip which covered the hut, and t the two men we believe to have been buried in the hut." The police intend to inquire into the statement. Why such a length of time has been allowed to elapse before any notice was taken of the matter is not ex< plained. In connection with the recent poisoning at Kaitangata, the Star to-night says the tart was analysed at B&lclutha, and found to con* tain Alutn. Inquries show that Miss McCormick cooked the tart herself, cut it, and and placed it on the table. It is believed that she placed the alum in the tart herself, aud feigned illness, with a view of eleciting sympathy from a young man who was present. A fatal accident occurred on Tuesday afternoon, at the Deep Btream section of the Otago Central Railway, as the men at work were moving a large mass of rocks projecting over the river. A blast had been fired at one o’clock, and the men were afterwards shifting a rock loosened by the shock. Whilst thus occupied, a fragment of rock upon which they stood suddenly gave way Edward Joyce fell over 100 feet down into the river, and was drowned, whilst Wm, Williams, foreman, slipped a great distance, and was found lying on the bank, close to the water, his right arm broken in two places and two ribs fractured his collar*bone dls> located, and further seriously cut about the tace and body. A third, named Wright, managed tn get his fingers into a clift in the rock, a”d hung so, 150 feet above the water until a rope wis thrown him aud he was re« cued. At the inquest yesterday, on the body of Joyce, a verdict of accidental death was returned. Deceased leaves a very large family, and the other man, who is so severely in* jured, is similarly circumstanced in this re* spect. Yesterday. The reported landslip, which it was said buried two men in their hut at Blueskin, has been enquired into by the police, and it is now ascertains d that the hut was empty at the time. « Mr Greeiu M.H.R.. last night addressed a crowded meeting on National Insurance. Major Atkinson and MrOlliver were present After criticising and condemning Major Atkinson’s scheme, he unfolded his own, of which the following is a summary :—He would abolish all existing public houses, only allowing one license for every 1500 people ia

towns, uid no publle-honses within ten miles of another in country districts. Local bodies should purchase all surplus buildings from persons losing their licenses. To entble the local bodies to do this, Government should lend them the money at J per cent. The public houses should belong to the local bodies, and be carried on by them, a fair Sum for rent and license fee going to the local revenue, and the balance of profit to a fand for the aged, destitute, and hospitals. To provide ample work for the present and growing population, he would have Government construct locomotive railway carriages, 4c., in the colony, even if they cost more than the imported article. He' would also provide greater facilities for obtaining land In village settlements. Government should have the power to resume the possession of blocks of 10,000 acres, and cut them up into allotmenta of from five to 60 acres, and if settlers were to poor to build, Government should erect a four-roomed bouse on each lot charging interest at five per cent, on the OoeL Major Atkinsdn also spoke in defence of hie own proposals. WELLINGTON, yesterday. Xt is understood that the Gear Meat Company have had two eomunications from London correspondents informing them that a Mr Chambers has perfected a process by Which bleat can be frozen and delivered in London at about half the present cost. From j the position and reliability of their eorres- I pendents, and the warm tehns in which they I write, the directors attach much importance j to the information. William Foreman, formerly the’Captain of schooner Julius Vogel has been sentenced to three years on the charge of forging a receipt and two years for embezzelment, sentences to run concurrently.