LAST NIGHT’S WIRES.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 65, 13 February 1884, Page 2

LAST NIGHT’S WIRES.

» [Per United Press Association,] Wellington, Feb. 12. With reference to the detention of New Zealand letters at London which are not specially addressed, the following cable has been received from the Agent-General:—“ I have arranged that the decision of Mr. Fawcett, Postmaster-General, will not apply to New Zealand until you have fully considered the matter. The public are very angry at the detention. AU letters for Australia were sent on Friday, by way of Brindisi, however marked.” Some delay in paying over the prizes won at the recent regatta has been occasioned through the inability of the officers of the Club to gatiier in some of the subscriptions promised. One of the gentlemen who canvassed the town for funds has left the district without furnishing the Committee with an account of the amount collected by him, and several have also neglected to “ square up.” The consequence is that a portion of the Committee find themselves saddled with trie responsibility of clearing up matters in connection with the regatta, and, as the amount at present in hand is not sufficient to meet- all liabilities, it is understood that it is not improbable that, when the distribution of the prizes takes place, several amounts will have, of necessity, to be reduced pro rata. McDermott, who is charged with embezzling Government insurance money, is the defaulting canvasser. The weather was wet to-day, and is still unsettled. Mr. Gray, Secretary of the Post Office, reports that the Zealandia, although late, brings only part of the usual mail, through the Germanic’s accident. The mails consist on this occasion of only 194 bags for this colony, instead of between 300 and 400. Last month’s steamer brought 362 bags. Auckland, Feb. 12. Only about half the English mail arrived by the Zealandia. The other portion was placed aboard the Cekic, which broke down in the Atlantic. The mail was then transferred to the Germanic, which broke her shaft, and had not arrived at New York when the Zealandia left San Francisco. Mr. Simonsen, operatic manager, was a passenger from San Francisco to Sydney. The passengers for Auckland were—Saloon : C. T. Mason, R, B. Jones, R, H, Rhodes, Misses J. Russell and Elton, Mrs. E. M. Perry, son, and two daughters. Steerage: Harvey, Packs, Harvey, Arthur, Barker, Boulter, Gibbenys, Crook and five children, Midland, wife and child, and Miss Hodgkins. Patrick McManus, a son of the landlord of the Oxford Hotel, Oxford, was thrown from his horse and killed. A Native, named Te VVhia, of Tomahere, was similarly killed riding through Cambridge. Westport, Feb. 12,

A terrible accident occurred on the Westport Coal Company’s incline this afternoon. Mr. Joseph Brown, butcher and member of the County Council, and Mr. Win. Harrison, storekeeper of Warmangaro and Denniston respectively, were ascending in an empty truck, when the shackling of the descending loaded trucks broke and a full truck dashed into the empty one, killing Mr Brown instantaneously and seriously injuring Harrison. The latter has just been brought into the hospital. Brown leaves a wife and, large famny. Christchurch, Feb. 12. The Tasmanians in their second innings on Saturday made 125, which, with 226 in the first innings, made a total of 351. The Canterbury team in their first innings made 203, and when stumps were drawn had made 64 in their second innings, and wanted 85 to win. Yesterday the match was resumed, and, amid great excitement, Canterbury won by one wicket. Hall, for the Tasmanians, bowled splendidly. Wanganui, Feb. 12. At the R.M. Court three Maoris (two men and one woman) have been committed for trial r.t the Supreme Court for burning dewn a whare at Murimotu. The affair arose out of a dispute as to the title of a piece of land, and defendants burnt the whare to eject tne occupants. Bail was allowed. Napier, Feb. 12. A drayman named Fred Jones has been killed at Kaikora by falling under the wheel of his dray. The following are further details of the quintuple murder at Ormondville :—Three of the four children went to church on Sunday evening. On returning they went to bed, and the mother lay down dressed on the bed waiting for her husband. When he returned, it would seem from a heap of chips in the corner, that he took a half-charred log from the fire and with his pocket-knife coolly cut one end into a convenient handle. He must have then murdered his wife and children as they lay in their beds, the foreheads of all being cut and bruised. The wife’s throat was then cut on the bed. From the enormous quantity of blood in the middle of the floor, and also on the murderer’s trousers and on a chair, it appears that he must have lifted the children from the bed, and, taking then between his knees, cut their throats one by one. He must then have placed them again on the bed, their arms entwined about each other’s necks. The tragedy must have occurred before midnight. Early in the morning Edwards visited two of the neighbors’ houses, asking for water, and his manner being strange, one went for Locke, the constable. On entering the murderer’s house the horrible truth was discovered. When daylight broke, Edwards was found on the trestle of a high bridge, from which lie threatened to jump, but he was ultimately secured with great difficulty. Edwards inflicted slight injuries on himself. He wis formerly chief engineer on one of the coastal steamers, but was discharged for drunkenness. He received remittances from Home, his friends being well connected, and a short time since he received £l,OOO, with

which he bought land at Ormondville. He was given to drinking, and when drunk was like a madmen. He had more than once assaulted his wife. On one occasion he placed a quantity of gunpowder under his wife's bed and exploded it, without any serious result. Edwards, although conscious, observes strict silence. By a fire yesterday, which destroyed a small store and three little cottages, owned by Mr. Sims, the New Zealand office loses £6OO and the Union £l2O.