GENERAL NEWS.

Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 844, 1 August 1871, Page 3

GENERAL NEWS.

On the night of the 12th July, a fire broke out in the stables of M'lntosh's New Zealander Hotel, Wellington, by which they were nearly destroyed; and a man named William Andrews, but known generally as "Dirty Dick," was burned to death while asleep in a loft in the btable. Wallaby hunting is attracting considerable attention in the neighbourhood of Dalby, New South Wales. The trappeiß get six shillings a dofcen for their skins, and find ready sale at the price, earning very easily £3 per week.

A great Orange demonstration has taken place at the Exhibition building at Sydney. There were two thousand persons present at the ball. Some strong feeling exists against the Corporation, for grantiug the use of the building for such a purpose. At the Thames goldfield a man named A. G. Power has been committed on five different charges of forging scrip transfers. Intelligence has been received that Captain Taylor, of the firm of Taylor and Watt, was drowned from the brig Lady Denison, on the voyage to Sydjieyj off Kapiti. He was assisting to reef a sail, aad was knocked overboard by the sheet. The gutter Patea went ashore on the South Spit, Wanganui, on July 27, and became a total wreck. It is feared that the master (named Finnelly) and man are drowned.

The cargo ex-Waterman, all more or less damaged, was sold at auction on Wednesday last. At Dunedin a large meeting of Catholics has baen held, at which it was resolved to petition the Assembly in favor of State Aid for Catholic schools. It is' rumored that the late Dunedin Mayoralty election is void through sn irregularity. Pat Twohill formerly of Charleston and now resident at Greymouth, challenges to jump any man for £25 or upwards. The well-known firm of Ecclesfield Brothers, of Hokitika, have dissolved partnership. Mr Thomas Ecclesfield is to carry on the business. We learn from the " Wangahui Herald " that the Hon. Mr. M'Lean, when in Wanganui recently, promised that the Maoris in that district should receive an annual grant of £3O as an encouragement to Maori ploughing. It appears that an attempt hag been iwvde to poison the Warder of the Hokitika Hospital, by means of strychnine put in his porridge. The most extraordinary feature of the affair is that no further publicity to this (if true) diabolical attempt at murder is given than is afforded by a report of the proceedings sf the hospital committee, which appears in the "West Coast Times." The matter of fact manner in which the affair is referred to is grimly amusing: —r" Letters received since last meeting were also read, amongst which was one from Dr Maunsell, respecting the late attempt to poison the warder in the hospital by putting strychnine into his porridge, and requesting the committee to provide another warder as soon as possible, as the present one would not stop any longer. It was proposed by Mr Harvey, and seconded by Mr Ingram, that the letter be reported upon next week, and in the meantime the warder be allowed a fortnight's leave of absence." The hull, gear, &c, of the schooner Waterman, as she lay at the mouth of the little Ho Ho Creek, near Hokitika. have been sold. The hull and lower mast realised £2O; the topmasts, yards and rigging, £6; s the sails, £35 ; the anchor and chain, £22 10s. All the cargo has been landed.

During a very fierce storm on July 7th, the cutter Cornstalk was capsized, about two miles to the N. E. of the Buoy and Beacon Bock, Auckland Province. She was bound from Hauraki Bay to the Thames, and had 31 sheep and 9 head of cattle on board. The master and crew had a very narrow escape of losing their lives. The vessel was not insured.

The official inquiry into the wreck of the schooner Waterman has terminated, when the Court arrived at the decision that the vessel was run ashore by the master (John Le Brun) for the purpose of saving life and cargo, adding also that no blame was to be attached to the master, for his management of the vessel from Tuesday, 18th July, until she was run on shore on Thursday, July 20th; but the Court was of opinion that the master committed an error of judgment on the 17th July, in running in too close to the land, it being, at the time, " bad, dirty, weather, with tho wind dead on shore, and the glass very low." The Court did not, however, either cancel or suspend the master's certificate.

The B.s. Hero, which sailed from Auckland, for Sydney, on July Bth, took 20,9050z5. 13dwts 6grs. of gold, valued at £76,675. The winter session of the Supremo tourt Nelson opened yesterday at ten o'clock. The following are the criminal cases: Skerry, Larceny; «avin and Skerry, ditto; Eallahee, larceny from the person; Harris, Indecent assault; Avery Brothers, Larceny ag bailies; Murphy, Larceny torn dwelling. There ia only one civil case as yet ready for trial, that of M I" but there will » P rob " aoly, be two more, as there are some Marlborough cases expected for the Present sittings. Ho w to raise beets—take hold of ww topß and pull.