TELEGRAPHIC BRIEFS.

A Northern Wairoa gumdigger named Dashwood, said to be a scion of the British aristocracy, is announced as having come into his ancestral estates, with a rent roll of from £15,000 to £20,000 a year. He intends leading to the altar the daughter of an Auckland resident and returning to England.

A resolution has been adopted by the Canterbury Board of Education to the effect that;, in future, reports of the. Appointments Committee be taken in open board, but ail cases that- may in the opinion of the committee be deemed advisable, or reflect on the status or character of any tsacher, .shall be taken in committee, aud shall be appended on a supplementary sheet attached to the report.

Adam Laybourn, of Auckland, who has filed a petition in bankruptcy, attributes his failure to depression in trade. Eighteen months ago his health gave way, and he had been unable to attend to his business. His secured liabilities are £5757052 d, aodihesecurities are valued at £-1407 12s 3d, there being thus a deficiency of £1349 7s lid. The unsecureddebtswere£l2,4B44sld,and preferential rent, £130, the tot^l liabilities beintf thus £13,963 12*, against which the estimated value of assets amounts to £9702 14s 10d, the deficiency thus being £4260 17s 21. Afc a meeting of Laybourn's creditors it was resolved to call for tenders for the purchase of the plant, stock, and goodwill of the business; and the debtor was instructed to prepare a statement showing his financial position in May last, when he vit-ited the South.

The 5/.Z Herald gives the following particulars concerning the Rev. Thomas Spurgeon's successor at the Auckland Tabernacle :•—" The Rev. W. Birch has been with his present church, in Manchester nearly 30 years, having been settled in 1860. He has for many years been a prominent figure in the great northern city, conducting evangelistic services on Sunday evenings ia the Freetrade Hall, seating 500. He has also

been a member of the school board, and a general supporter of schemes of social reform. Auckland is to be congratulated that a man with such a record has been induced to elect to settle among us. Me Birch was originally a merchant, and afterwards Btartedan orphanage with others who were induced to co-operate through his benevolent efforts and generosity. He is an earnest, eloquent, dramatic speaker." A beaty thunderstorm occurred at Invercargill on Saturday morning, with a stroDg gale. The gable end of Fleming and Gilkison's old flourmill collapsed, causing damage to the new portion in course of construction. It ia believed that the damage was caused by vibration from thander.

The Rev. Mr Brace, after a residence in Auckland of over a quarter of a century, has decided to remove to Sydney. He leaves next week, and it is said steps are being taken present him with a purse of sovereigns*. Matthew Cross», a halfcaste at the Bluff, was committed for trial on Monday for the theft of about 50 yards of Japanese silk from a hotel in Invercargill, where he put up for the night. The most peculiar feature of the case was that Mrs M'Laughlan, owner of tho stolen property, said she had had it 21 years, a statement which was corroborated by an expert, who said the pattern was fashionable about a quarter of a century ago. Mr Justice Conolly took his seat on the Supreme Court bench for the first time, on Tuesday, and was welcomed by the legal profession, of whom, a large number were present. In replying to the address from the members of the bar, Mr Justice Conolly expressed his regret at the death of Mr Justice Gillies, and referred at some length to the deceased gentleman. The building owned by Mr Patrick Quinn at Mercury Bay, Auckland, was destroyed by fire. A Maori boy named Naho Abraham, who was sleeping in it, was burned to death. Another boy named Mitua Abraham is in a precarious condition.