NEW ZEALAND.

Press, Volume XXXII, Issue 4408, 16 September 1879, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND.

[Pbb Pssae Asbkct.] AUCKLAND, September 15. At the Police Court to-day, Thomas A. Owen, charged with permittiag -cajd praotisingiahislotelj.College roaa, was fined 20s and costs. ) i \: '"' A singular 3iac6T«rr hae been made or an immense trunk of a puriri tree below-th«-sea leveL, It - was found while excavating Fort Britomart. Portions of it will be sent to the Sydney Exhibition. The tree must hare been embedded for ages. The Pakurangi Hunt Club ran asucceesful drag on Saturday. The hounds leaT9 for a fortnieht's huntirig in the Waikato. KELSON, September 15. . Judge Broad has delivered judgment in the insurance caee o£ White v the South British Company. The-flef endanl refused to pay on the ground that plaintiff had; effected ;anineurance on the same property in other companies, of which he had noB-gwen them notice. Mr White's counsel contended that, 'as the valee «f the goods destroyed exceeded the total insurance, it was not material to ■ inform defendants of other insurances. The Judge ruled that* under the exprees oon« dition, and looking to its notice was material; furflier, that it was in effect a condition precedent, and, the plaintiff having alleged fulfilment of all cenditione, it was necesMiy for him to prove 'coßsplianoe this One. He quoted the c»sel -of the Abetralian Agricultural Land Company y. Sardere, 10 L , EC, P., as being strongly -In favor, of the pointy and gave judgment for defendants, with costs.

3?ress Special Wire.j; WELLINGTON, September 15. ' The Working Men's Bights League propoie to agitate the land settlement and Bfloertain the state of and facilities now existing for land settlement, and if possible* number,will subscribe; themselves as being willing to co-operate in forming a "new settlement. Already there are several: who we. willing to sell their little properties in Wellington, and settle on a piece of new country, provided it is put within their reach. In order to show that there is a genuine demand for suitable land, it is proposed to obtain the names of about 100 men who, having some -little means, are ready to form a settlement, to diecUM the 'various plans within their reach, and then by deputation to lay the matter before the Government. Mr piimie, 0.8., h*» reported to the Minister for Publio Works that a fine of railway can be got from Wellington bj; way of Johneonville with no gradient steeper than 1 in 63, and from Porirua with no gradient steeper than lin 65. - ■ ■ Between fifty and sixty of the. laborers employed on the Wades tone section' of the West Ooast railway were discharged at the end of last week. .', - .

The Naval Brigade continue! to take prectide cruises -whenever opportunity' offere, and there is some probability of the Brigade becoming owners of a small draft suitable for praotieing seamanship. : Some forty members have joined the a»eo ciation formed to prevent the employment o Chinese in hotels

DUNEDIN, September 15. The enquiry into the origin of the late fire in the Octagon was resumed to-day. > A great number of witnesses j were examined, but do further light wee thrown on the origin os the fire. A man named Foil;, working at the "Herald/ , and who passed through tho Octagon a quarter of an hour before the fire broke out, deposed to having noticed a lifeht Bβ of a candle being carried from one room to another

anotner. ■ ■ : • ; , A meeting of the unemployed was held today at the Prinoeaa Theatre ; six resolutions were passed. Their tenor was the encouragement of local industry, expulsion of Chinese, and restriction of prison labor. • The meeting was orderly. At the olose the new members for the city addressed the men, promising to to do their best to get them work. . •The annual meeting of the Danedin Jewish congregation was held yesterdaymorning in the vestry of the Synagogue. * . ■. .' ■ - V' , . /Later. - The fire inquiry was resumed at seven this evening. After hearing the evidence, Inspector Mallard said he would not undertake the responsibility of allowing Waters, • the. Cafe proprietor, to be at large that night. Hβ is therefore in the lock-up, though not formally arrested for arson. He made an appeal to the coroner not to detain him at that late hour, when he could not get bail. The coroner said if bail was forthcoming he could not take it ;' ..:-.' . ■■ ',