TELEGRAPHIC.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1396, 24 September 1885, Page 1

TELEGRAPHIC.

Robert Skiffins, a fish enrer, has been found dead in a stable at Auckland. He had been drinking. He was formerly in business at Christchurch. Fryer’s Circus, which arrived at Auckland by the s.a. ZealandG, was nor. suffered to land, and the horses, dogs, and goats were placed on a coal hulk’ where they remain. The authorities express regret, but state that the binding would be contrary to the provisions of the Diseased Cattle Act. The proprietor is at a loss to know what to do, as it is «t,itod the same difficulty will arise in Sydney. At the Police Court, Hawera, on Monday morning, on old woman named Chambers was charged with attempting to commit suicide on Friday last by taking poison. The accused, it ippears, went to a chemist for a packet of “Rough on Rats.” As lie had none in stock, she took Bat toll’s “Vermin-killer.” About two hours afterwards her Innband gave the alarm, and as medical aid was called in, fatal consequences were averted. The first section of the WellingfonManawatu Railway to Parramatta was opened on Monday without ceremony. As a ballast train was on Saturday afternoon approaching the Siivcrstream Station from Upper Hutfc the driver and fireman noticed a child of R. Hogans,_ aged 18 months, in the centre of the line. The breaks were put on hard, but as there is an incline at’this spot, aud there was a heavy load on at the time, the train could not be stopped. To make matters worse, the child’s mother, alarmed by the shrill whistle, rushed out and got on the track but somehow fortunately got off when the train was just upon her. When the engine was within a yard or (wo of the child, and when those who were looking on turned away to avoid witnessing a sickening sight, Trueman, the fireman, at the imminent danger of his own life, jumped with a bound and whipped the child off the line, but before he could gel clear was struck heavily on the leg by the cowcatcher.

At a meeting of the Christchurch Committee in re the Indian and Colonial Exhibition to be held in London next vear, a letter was read from Sir Julius Vogel stating that the space allotted to Mew Zealand in the buildings would be double that originally proposed, and there would bo 15,000 feet in the gardens for displaying botanical specimens, etc. Mr G. A. Sala gave his opening lecture at Christchurch on Monday night on “ Russia.” He was accorded a most enthusiastic reception by a crowded audience. He will give three more lectures this week.

The New Zealand Shipping Company are advised that the R.M.S. Aorangi left Capetown for Auckland on September 18 h, and the R.M.S. Ruapehu arrived at Rio on September 20th, her frozen meat being in good order. Mary Moran was committed for trial at Caniam cn Monday on a charge of infanticide. The child was born in a ■vaterdoset, down the pit of which it was found dead. The doctor’s evidence was that the child bad been horn alive. In the District Court, Dunedin, on Monday a verdict of £lO and costs wengiven against a firm of soapmakers for permitting hot water to escape from a pipe into the gutter of the street, whereby a child who fell in was scalded about the legs. The claim was for £IOO, James Shand, a well-known and large farmer at the Taieri, and also possessing property in Southland, was on Monday adjudged a bankrupt on a creditor’s petition.

A consignment of apples by the Zealimdia to Auckland, was discovered to have the codlin moth, and this beine noticed by the Customs officers the moth was found to have travelled to other goods which are being delivered as they cannot be detained under the provisions of the Act. The officials, however, have requested consignees to examine their goods and destroy the moth. The wife of Mr Wray, an engineer at New Plymouth on the waterworks, in dipping a bucket into the reservoir at noon on Tuesday, slipped in and was drowned.

The Bank of New Zealand Hokitika, shipped on Tuesday 3213 ounces of gold, valued at £12,852, being their month’s purchases iu the district. Mr Flood, Secretary of the Auckland Club, while looking at the Pakuranga Hunt got thrown from his horse. He sustained concussion of the brain and died on Tuesday.

A cake weighing 700 ounces, has been sent down to Dunedin from the Phoenix mine.

At a meeting of Friendly Societies’ representatives on Friday night, a telegram was received from Christchurch asking that the demonstration should ba postponed until October 16th, as a boat would not be available for the 15'h, but it was resolved that as the original date of the demonstration, October 15, bad been definitely fixed, the Union Company should be communicated with. If tha demonstration was postponed it would have to be for a week.

A will case came before the Judge at Dunedin on Friday when a husband opposed the granting of probate of a will made by bis wife without his knowledge, leaving her money to her father and mother. The w'll had been signed and witnessed in the presence of her brother and sister. It was shown that the decease was subject to illusions during her illness. The Judge adjourned the application, as I he evidence was not clear as to what date mental aberration was first manifested.

The lumper? at Dunedin and Lyttelton struck work on Friday, They have been hitherto paid at the ra f e of la 3d per hour and 2s overtime and they now demand Is 6d per hour. The N.Z. 8.C0., Shaw Savill and Albion Co., and the Union Shipping Co., agreed to adhere to the old rate of wanes, and the men were told before they struck that if they did so no more Union men would be employed. The lumpers at Wellington went out on st i ike on Saturday, but 27 of the men being dissatisfied with the action of the Union in calling (he men out on strike went back to work an hour afterwards. The Shipping Companies are doing the work with their crews. The Union shows signs of weakness.

Alajor Boddam has just forwarded a re” port to the Defence Office on Rear-Admiral Scott's recent lecture in Dunedin on the Defences of New Zealand. He observes that the chief danger towns are subject to is distant bombardment. A vessel with a a ngle long range gun could destroy any New Zealand town now being fortified unless the latter were armed with similar oidnance. Magazine guns are only accessories and would not penetrate no bulwarks of an ordinary Union Co. an amer at 3000 yards. Merchant ships, however well armed, would not be able to keep to sea unless ports of communication were thoroughly fortified. New Zealand ports cannot expect naval assistance unless fortified, because a man-of-war in an unfortified harbor would be taken at the greatest possible disadvantage, and would therefore avoid it. He states that Admiral Scott shows lack of knowledge of the elementary principles of gunnery or submarine mining, when he asserts that 7 inch and 64-pounder guns are effective at 7000 yards ; whereas their extreme range is 4000 yards. But modern artillery will shoot accurately to 8000 yards or further, and could destroy a town at over 10,000 yards, so that defence by machine guns, which are only effective at 3000 yards, must be useless. The cheapest ami most perfect system of submarine defences has been obtained for New Zealand.