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Auckland Star, Volume XXI, Issue 215, 11 September 1890, Page 4

By the English mail received to-day we have news of the success of two Aucklanders in the examinations of Edinburgh University. One is Mr William C. W. McDowell, B.A. (University of New Zealand), who has obtained first-class honours in botany (junior division). The other is Mr J. A. Laing, who has gained first-class honours with a medal in practical zoology. Mr Laing, ib will probably be remembered, married the daughter of the late Hon. H. Chamberlain, M.L.C., of Auckland. A number of other New Zealanders appear in the lists.

The trial of Henry Funcke for the murder of Constable McLeod at Dargaville was commenced at the Supreme Court this morning. During the day there was a large number in Court listening to the evidence. Prisoner remained mute when asked tho plea of guilty or not guilty, and Mr Tole (prisoner's counsel) then pleaded "Not guilty "on his behalf. In the dock, Funcke appeared to listen to the first part of the proceedings with intelligent interest), bub subsequently he was apparently listless, and sab back in the chair provided for him in the dock with closed eyes.

The early arrival at Sydney of the German flagship of Rear-Admiral Valois, the Leipzig, is looked for. Accompanied by the German corvette Sophie, the flagship left Singapore on the 2156 of July, the intention being to call at Macassar and at Now Guinea en route. The Leipzig carries a crew of 476 all told, under command of Captain Pluddemann. The Sophie carries 267, and is in command of Captain Kerbing. Both ships make a short cruise to London.

Mr S. Y. Collins and a staff of assistants are still busily engaged fixing up the electoral rolls. Over 2,500 notices have been forwarded to persons liable to be struck off the roll. The work of the Registrar is considerably increased by the nature of the replies received. All thab he requires is the full name of the person objected to together with the address of the present residence. Instead, however, Mr Collins frequently receives long letters explaining matters, which too often terminate without furnishingtheneedfulinformation as regards the address. The interment of the late Mrs Frances Shayle George took place at the Devonport Cemetery yesterday afternoon. In spite of the very bad weather a large number of old friends of the family attended. The Rev. J. Bates (Church of England) conducted the funeral service. The coroner, Dr. Philson, was engaged as we went to press conducting an inquiry into the circumstances connected with the drowning of Robert Muir. The inquest was held at Gleeson's Hotel, at the foot of Hobson-street. Mr Joseph Newman's friends will be glad to know that he is much better this morning, though still greatly shaken by his accident yesterday. He complains chiefly of the pain in his ankle. His back and head do not trouble him. It will, however, be some weeks before he can again move out to business. Mr John Lawson, the Official Assignee In Bankruptcy, left this morning for Hawera on public business. He will be away for two or three weeks.

The shareholders in the Enterprise mine met yesterday at Mr J. Home's office, when it was resolved to form the holding into a company of 50,000 shares at 5s each, nil paid up. Of this number 25,000 shares were issued to the original shareholders, and a similar number were reserved for the Kauri Timber Company. Messrs J. M. Cameron, M. Gallagher, W. Mahoney, Jas.' Lanigan andS. Gillibrand were appointed provisional directors. This mine is situated next the Owera or Prospectors' claim, in the Whangapoua block,

The interprovincial football match between Otago and Southland was played at Invercargill yesterday afternoon in fine weather. It resulted in an unexpected win for the Southland team by four points to nil. The betting and public opinion were all in favour of the visitors, bub except in passing, in vhich Ofcago excelled, the Southlanders had all the besb of the game. Their forwards especially were good. Keogh was too carefully watched to permib of his doing anything brilliant. Downea wrenched his leg in the latter half of the second apell and had to retire, but he was able to attend the Garrison Band concert in honour of the visitors in the evening.

The fighb between Billy Murphy, of Auckland, and Griffo, the clever Sydney light-weight, took place in the Sydney Amateur Gymnasium Club room on Tuesday week last. The Sydney *' Daily Telegraph " says:—" The fight ended somewhat unsatisfactorily. After 14 rounds Murphy gave up, saying that the gloves were fixed. To this Mr Brboinfield, the official referee, gave a distinct denial, and declared Griffo the winner. The fight was generally in favour of Griffo."

Notwithstanding the statement recently cabled from Sydney that the PostmasterGeneral of New South Wales would have nothing furthei to do with the San Francisco Mail Service at any price, the Government of Now South Wales has since been approached on the subject. The proposal made is that New South Wales should take all the outward postages by the San Francisco mail from that colonyamounting to about £6,000 per annum, and pay New Zealand £10,000 on condition that Sydney is made the terminal port. The proposal is a very reasonable one and will probably receive favourable consideration.

The fire fiend seema determined not to give Mr J no. Poland, of Tuakau.much rest. Twice already Mr Poland's flaxmill has been destroyed by fire; and on Tuesday lasb his new mill, built on the bank of the Waikato river, had a narrow escape. A spark from the engine must have lodged in some tow, and after smouldering for some time burst into a blaze. Fortunately it was in the daytime, and a lad named Campbell and Mr Poland's son Prank, who were closo by, saw the blaze. They gave the alarm, and a moment after the flax around the spot was in a blaze. The men employed in the mill and those in Mr Frost's mill, a little distance off, were soon actively at -work, and the fire was extinguished after doing about £10 worth of damage.

There was a largely-attended meeting o* the creditors in the estate of Levi Coupland this morning in the Official Assignee's office. In the absence of Mr Lawson Mr Hermann Brown was voted to the chair. Mr Hould read the bankrupt's statement. The question of the realisation of the book debts was discussed at some length, and it was finally resolved to adjourn the meeting for a month to allow the affaire of the estate to be fully investigated.

A sale of Crown lands will take place tomorrow at 11 o'clock in the morning in the office of the Crown Lands Department, Customs-street. The sections to be sold are situated at Pakiri and in the counties of Rodney and Manukau.

In order to hasten the completion of arrangements for the Wild West Show, Messrs Wirth Bros, have decided to lay up their Circus at once. Accordingly the performances arranged for this evening and following nights at Avondale and Otahuhu will be abandoned. The Company have given an order to Cousins and Atkin'e coach factory for a fine new thoiough-brace Concord coach, to be used as the vehicle to be attacked in the famous Deadwood coach scene, where the United States mail ie attacked by robbers. The s.e. Tarawera, leaving Sydney to-day for Auckland, brings across the balance of the canvas for their large show-tent.

Thoma3 John Robaon, of Kirikiri, near Thames, a mill hand, has thie day filed a petition to be adjudged a bankrupt.

Another instance of flax being set afire through spontaneous combustion occurred at Ly ttelton last night. At 5.45 o'clock the cargo, 1,800 bales of flax, of the American brigantine Nettie, lying at No. 7 wharf, was discovered to be on fire, smoke issuing from the main hatch. The crew, with a gang from the Doric, and the Lyttelton firemen poured water into the hold from four jets. The fire being unsubdued in half an-hour,the tug began pumping water into the vessel, which was hauled off from the wharf* with the view of sinking her. At half-past nine p.m. the fire appeared to be subdued. The vessel has three feet nine inches of water in her. There appears no doufrfc that spontaneous combustion caused the fire. The vessel is owned in Boston, United States, and is uninsured. Captain Lowry, well known in Auckland, is in command. The second mate, Blynett, was stupified in his cabin by the smoke, but was got out and restored. A fireman named Graham was stupified by smoke issuing from the hatch, bub recovered.

Last evening the anniversary tea and entertainment in connection witn the Juvenile Court, " Zealandia's Pride," A.0.F., was held in the Court-room, Foresters' Hall, Newton. The affair was very well attended. An ample tea was served at 6.30\ p.m., and the entertainment took place when the young people and their friends had satisfied their appetites. The entertainment included songs, recitations, and instrumental selections, and a pleasant evening was spent. Messrs Beacham, Chismond, Daniels, Raynor, Stitchbury, Vallick, Tripp and Jones, and a number of juveniles contributed the numbers on the programme. Messrs Stitchbury and Jones gave banjo solos, and Messrs Tripp and Jones violin selections. Mr Butler acted as pianist during the evening.

At the Thames, about eight o'clock last evening, the captain of the steamer Tβ Aroha reported to Sergeant Gillies that a yonng man named Richard Garretb, mate of the steamer, had been blown out to sea, Ifc appears that Garrett's hat blew off, and he went out in the steamer's boat to pick it up, but whilst attempting to return he either broke or lost one of his oars, and, as a stiff north-east gale was blowing ab the time, he was consequently blown out. The captain, who was the only person on the steamer at the time, endeavoured to get possession of the Harbourmaster's boat, but found the oars were locked up, and before assistance could be obtained darkness had set in. Nothing could be seen of Garrett. As he is a good boatman, it is thought he would either make for theTiako River or else Miranda. The weather was so dark and dirty last night that nothing could be done towards searching for him, bub ib was intended to go out in the steamer ab daybreak to-day. Mr W. J. Napier's lecture on "Land Law Reform" has been printed in pamphlet form, and is now procurable at the stationers' shops at the price of threepence. At the meeting of the Phonographic Association held lasb evening, the certificates of proficiency gained at the last speed examination were presented to the successful competitors. Messrs G. H. Mill and E. J. Young were presented with certificates, showing that they were able to write legible shorthand at the rate of 100 words per minute and accurately transcribe the same. Messrs Driver and Brown were also successful in gaining certificates, showing that they were able to write at the rate of 80 words per minute. The examiner was Mr A. G. Jarretb,