INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1722, 10 April 1888, Page 2

INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

A smart shock of earthquake was felt at Wellington at 6.45 yesterday morning. The Hutt railway.lina has been temporarily repaired sufficiently to enable traffic to be resumed, but trains travel at a very slow rate between Wellington and Petone. Mr Paterson, of Lietnore, North Canterbury, lost two stacks of wheat by fire. About 500 bushels of grain were deetroyed, There was an insurance on the slacks, bat it doss not cover the loss.

A fire occurred at Weverly, near Wangaoui, on Saturday night, by which Muiifs general store was destroyed. The fire broke out at 10.30 in the upper portion of the building, where matches and (be reserve stock were stored. A considerable quantity of Btock was saved. Insurance—3ailding, £750 ; furniture, £l5O. On Sunday night a 10-roomed bouse at Ladies' Mile, Remuet-a, owned by F. : C. Kean—occupied by Mrs J. James, was destroyed by fire. No one was ia the house at the time, but a kerosene lamp had been left burning and it is supposed to have caused the fire. Insurance—house, £4OO South British; furniture, £270 Equitable. The Supreme Court Criminal Sittings openad at Christchurch yesterday. Mr G. Harper appeared for the Crown in the absence of Mr Martin, who is ill. Joseph 'J. Osborne pleaded guilty to forging a cheque for £23 and wa* placed under probation for two years. James Buckley was found guilty of larceny and was sentenced to three years' probation. At a public meeting held by tbe Gospel Temperance Mission at Panmure, Auckland, en Friday night, a shocking case of sudden death occurred. The meeting was about to conclude when Mr Barker, of Panmure, who was sitting among the audience, appeared to faint away. Every means were used to restore animation, but to no purpose. He never rallied, and death must h ave been instantaneous. The probable cause of death was heart disease. Mr Barker's wife was present at the meeting.

In hia charge to the Grand Jury at Wellington yesterday, Mr Justice Richmond said the calendar was of unusual length, but with the exception of two, none of the cases were of great public interest. One was for child murder, in which it was competent for the petty jury to bring in a verdict of concealment of birth. In the other cades was one of arson in which the prisoner had turned informer. His Honor pointed out that the accomplice's evidence should not be received without being corroborated.. An old man named John O'Halloran, who had lived as a recluse for the past thirteen years ou Hakarenui gum field*, Auckland, was found dead in his whure on the 25th March. He seldom associated with anyone. He bad noraite or friend on the gum field, and though he was a most indefatigable gum digger and very successful, lived moat penuriously, savine a large sum of money during the thirteen years ho had been there. He caiuo once or twice a yew to Auckland and .lodged his money in the bank, and from reports currant it ia believed that hia savings and deposits amount to about £1,500. Professor Thomas, of Auckland University College, who has been investigating, itt the request of the Government, the disease which has recently appeared among the rabbits in the Wairarap*, has left for his home, taking with him several of the diseased animals as well as ferrets and stoats, his intention being to conduct certain experiments with them on bis arrival in Auckland. He bas satisfied himself that the disease which b3s appeared among the rabbits there is what is known as "bladder worm," which although not virulent, is sure to cause death in the majority of cases. A full report will be forwarded to Government after he has made the experiments.