INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1658, 10 November 1887, Page 3

INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

At Dnnedin on Monday morning the question was raised whether, when wogae are due by a bankrupt in excess of the amount paid preferentially by the assignee, the bankrupt can g*t bis discharge un'il the whole amount of the wages are paid 1 His Honor said was under thu impression that the point had been decided in some cases that he had heard of, but it wax the first time it h»d been before him. Aftt-r Borne diecuasdon Mrjuatice Wdliama, without finally deciding the point, said that in this particular case, where three sons of the bankrupt claimed, the discharge must be held over until they satisfied the Court that they abandoned their claims. He miggested that the ussignee should communicate with other iiss'gneea and ascertain if they had obtained a decision on the mattir. Last weuk the wife of Mr J. R. Williams (the manager of Mr William Strange'e Riversdali property, near Tinwald) met with ao accident which has emce proved fatal. The lady, who was sixty years of age, was being driven into Ashburtoa by her joii, aod when nearing the Tinwald Hotel the traces broke aod Mrs Williams «iBB thrown on to her head on the road. She never rallied and di"d three days afterwards.

At the inquest at Wellington on Mrs Martin, who committed suicide by taking " Rough on Rata," the evidence showed that docensed had informud both her husband and daughter that she had taken poison, but neither believed her, and notwithstanding that the box *hicb contained the poison was found empty, no remedies were given to counteract the effect of the poison, but a Sitt'e brandy and water was administered. The inquiry was adjourned for a post mortem, examinatioD, the result being that a eousiderable ■. quantity of arsenic was discovered ia the stomaob. A verdict of suicide while of uosouud mind was returned, and a rider added cetisurißg the husband of the deceased.

It is reported in reference to the gold diicovery nt Whangamata (Auckland) that some difficulty is likely to arise in connection with the declaration of the field, an the Wliangamata No. 2 and 3 block* h«>ve not been ceded to the Crown bysali-, nor were they even the subject of any agreement for allowing Europeans to mine on those blocks. Mr H. Wbiteford has arranged to forward to England samples of gold or silver ores for testing at Swansea or Freebery, as may be arranged. No charge is to be made for freight to London.

Robert Scott, formerly in the employ of tho well-known drapery firm of Kirkcaldieand Staines, Wellington, has issued a writ for £6OO for defamation of character against John Kirkcaldie, a member of the firm.

A yonng man named David Browning, bod of a settler at CsmpbelltowD, Wellington, committed suicide by hanging himself on Monday. Deceased was worklog with his father in felling.trees in the bush for Macdotta'd. He left his father, Baying he would return in a few minutea. Some time having elapsed, his father went to look for him and found the lifeless body of hia son suspended to 8 tree by a piece of flax. At the Dunedin Ciry Police Court on Tuesday Edward Burton, for wife beating, was sent to gaol for 12 months.