TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1277, 13 December 1884, Page 3

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

The Eev. Abraham Ridings has been committed for trial at Auckland on three charges of idecent assaults on lads. Bail has been fixed at £4OO. The Mayor of Auckland on Wednesday presented Consul Griffin at the Chamber of C.mmerce with an illuminated address, on behalf of the citizens, on his departure to Sydney in consequence of promotion. A >oung man named Synies, lodging at Alexander Barnett's Auckland, left by the mail steamer for San Francisco. Barnett on Tuesday night missed several cheques and a gold watch and chain. He subsequently ascertained that a person answering Synies' description cashed the cheques at the Bank. A reduction is being made in the Railway Audit Department. Hitherto two audits have been made, but one is dispensed with, anri this will largely decrease worn in all the railwaj' departments throughout the colony, as it will do away with the duplicate returns now neceasary. This change will lead to half a dozen clerks beiog discharged, but will not affeet the efficiency of the Department. At the Magistrate Court, Wellington, on Wednesday, Waring Taylor was committed for trial on two other charges accusing him of misappropriation of trust funds. He has since been committed on other charges. A man named Richard Whittey, employed by the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Company, was seriously injured by falling from a train at Kensington, Ha attempted to jump off before the engine stopped.

Out; hundred tons of antimony ore from Preservation Inlet will be sent Home from Wellington by a sailing vessel. A new Oil Company with a capital of £50,000 has been formed in Gisborne, and will begin operations at once on land adjoining the South Pacific ground. The shareholders comprise Melbourne, Auckland, Napier and Christchurch business mea.

It is notified that all applications for an award of the Royal Humane Society of Australasia for meritorious services in saving life performed in New Zealand must be made through the Government. It is understood the Government hav'e issued a circular intimating that members of the Civil Service cannot be permitted to take an active part in relation to the management of trading companies in which they may be shareholders. The Native Minister has received an answer from Wahanui, the Waikato chief, in reply to a letter written him by Mr Ballance that Wahanui promises to use his best influence to help on the centralrailway. Alfred Kahau, head chief of the South Ishind natives by descent, has died at Ruapuke, Southland). Kahau was a young man, and had, been ailing for some time.

The s.s. lonic sailed from Plymouth on the 6th inst. for Wellington, with 385 passengers. Last Thursday evening (says the Press) about 6 o'clock, as Mr Caleb Whitefoord, R.M., with Mrs Whitefoord, and Miss Vernon, were leaving his residence at Waverley, about a mile and a half from the town for the Kaiapoi lailway station, they met with a disastrous accident at the south end of the girder bridge. Mr Whitefoord was driving at a smart pace, and in coming to the approach _ of the bridge, in order to pass a dray driven by aMr J. Ross, it was necessary to take a somewhat narrow passage between the dray and the bridge approach. It is staled that in passing at this poiit Mrs Whitefoord was alarmed lest there should be a collision, and seized hold of the reins, causing the horse to swerve to the approach, and the buggy collided with it. The vehicle and its occupants were overturned on the road, and the horse weut away with the shafts. Mr Whitefoord was stunned, and seriously shaken and bruised. Mrs Whitefood was taken up quite insensible. Miss Vernon was much shaken and bruised, and received a sprained ankle. Mrs Whitefoord was conveyed home, and Dr Ovenden attended. She remained for about two hours in a state of almost unconsciousness, but no time was lost in obtaining necessary remedies for a case of coucussion of the brain, and there were at a late hour hopes of her recovery. Mr Whiteford was on his way to join the train to fill an official appointment in Christchurch. A girl named Louisa Louis was fined Is, and ordered to pay costs of prosecution for stealing a rose at Dunedin. With two other girls named Pohig she was peen to enter the garden and take th« flower.