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Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XX, Issue 3918, 29 May 1877, Page 2

AUCKLAND, May 27.

The Government have awarded £15 to Norgrove and Kirk for the capture of Te Pati : also £5 each to three others. Sir George Grey's health has improved, and he has determined to attend Parliament. The Native Lands Bill drafted by Mr Whitaker, has been printed here for distribution before Parliament meets. The Auckland Steam Packet Company Directors express regret that their report is of a most unsatisfactory character, as shown by the accounts. The loss on the sale and working of the s.s. Llewellyn was £8543 ; by the stranding of the Pretty Jane £1033 ; and by the sale of the hulk of the Albion, £3GB. The net earnings of the boats, after covering all repairs, is £3480. Carried to the credit of the insurance fund, £520, which fund, after writing off £1033 on account of the Pretty Jane, shows a credit balance of i-685 Us Gel. Very heavy loss was entailed by the reduced value of the company's vessels, which were purchased when steamers were much higher ; also from the unfavorable results of the past half-year's trading. CHRISTCHURCH, May 28. At a meeting of the Jockey Club on Friday night, it was resolved that this Club will in future only recognise the following New Zealand Clubs — namely, the Dunedin, Wellington, Hawke's Bay, and Auckland, and will take no cognizance of any complaint or disqualification made by any other Club, unless the complaint has been first referred to and confirmed by the Club of the Provincial District within which such Club complaining holds its meeting. It is believed that a compromise will be effected regarding Mr Carruther's drainage scheme. A conference between the Drainage Board and representatives of the ratepa3 r ers will be held to-morrow, The City Council decided this afternoon to give a ball during the Governor's visit, instead of a public dinner. NELSON, May 28. The Taranaki, Capt. Lloyd, arrived on Saturday morning. At 7 o'clock on Friday night, when off Cape Farewell, a tremendous sea struck her on her starboard side, carrying away the two boats on her port side, and dashing one starboard boat against the engine-room skylight. The whole of the railing round her poop is torn away, the cabin skylight stove in, and the wheel smashed to pieces. The cabin was Hooded, and the lights extinguished, but fortunately no one was hurt. She had a heavy list to port, owing to her coals shifting in her bunkers. Altogether she looked a complete wreck when coming into harbor. She remained till Sunday morning in order to repair damages. TIMARU, May 28. Another shocking accident occurred to-day. Mr J. A. Nickson was found dead about a mile from Timaru with his brains blown out and a gun lying by him. Parts of his head were found 20 yards off. The deceased was a new arrival here, and said to be a retired officer. He has relations at Dunedin. An inquest will be held this afternoon. WELLINGTON, May 28. The result of the poll of ratepayers for and against Mr Climie's drainage scheme for the city of Wellington was as follows : — Ayes, 538 ; noes, 239. It is stated on good authority that the report circulated about a disagreement amongst Ministers is absolutely incorrect. During the late frequent meetings of the Cabinet, all the membisi's being present, Ministers have cordially agreed on the measures to be submitted to Parliament. Their Bills and financial arrangements are in a forward state. It is expected that the Financial Statement will be made very early in the session, which will probably open on July 19. The Government have for some time been in communication with Sir W. Jervois and Colonel Scratchelly, with the view to obtain their professional opinion on the defence of New Zealand harbors. The latest advices render it most probable that these oQicers will visit l^ew Zealand after reporting for the Victorian Government. The Governor, accompanied by the Hon. Mr Bowen, will leave in the Hinemoa for Lyttelton next Monday. The Governor is to Ia3 r the foundation stone of the Christchurch College, and will return to Wellington in about a week. Henry Bryant, a basket maker, of Willis-street, shot himself dead this morning. He had been drinking for some time. About half -past nine a.m., his wife heard a shot in the bedroom, and went in and found deceased sitting on a chair wounded behind the right ear. A pistol was lying near him. He leaves a family of several children. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency report as follows, under date London, Slay 23 : — The tallow market is quiet, and there is no speculative demand ; prices for beef are 425, and mutton, 445. The wheat market is quiet, Adelaide being 09s per 4!lGlbs, and New Zealand. 60s. The leather market is easier ; best sides, Hid.

(from on: owx correspondent.) DUNEDIN, May 28. Tlie sale of the leases of two runs on Crown Lands in the Waipara district took place to-day. There was a very large attendance. The annual rent realised amounts to £7072. previously it was only .€220. The free thought movement, led by Mr Charles Bright, is exciting great attention just now. , The inquest on the girl M'lntyre was brought to a close this afternoon. The medical evidence all tended to show deceased met her death by starvation and neglect. The evidence given to-day by butchers, bakers, and other people calling at Mrs Hoid's house shewed that the girl in cold weather for weeks past was insufficiently clad, and looked miserable ; that her hands and face were black from cold, and that she was very thin. One witness found her on a cold night gathering stones on the road. He said : I asked her if she was looking for anything. She said, no, .she was gathering stones. I asked her who for, and she said for Mrs Reid, who had instructed her to do so. She said she was Mrs Reid's servant. I said it was an unfeeling thing for Mrs Reid to send her servant to collect stones on such an unseasonable night. She had no hat on, and nothing round her neck. Her arms were bare, and also her shoulders. 1 told her to got iii, and not to collect stones, or she would perish. I aroused a little sympathy in her, but she went on picking the stones and said nothing. At last I said, "You had better go in, my girl ; you will get perished. Let Mrs Reid come out and pick them up herself if she wants them." 1 tried to intimidate her, telling her that there was a policeman at the bottom of the street, and that he would take her up if he saw her removing metal from the street, and I advised her to go in. She said she would pick one or two more stones and would then go in, and I left her. She appeared to be slovenly dressed, but 1 could not tell how she Junked as regarded her health. She was very thin. It was a perishing night. — Another witness said that Mrs Reid taught a Sunday-school class at St Matthew's ; that deceased went to Sundayschool six weeks ago, and that on this occasion he asked Mrs Reid to take the girl into her (Mrs Rood's) class, and remarked to her lie thought the girl was not well treated. Mrs Reid said that the girl was in service '"'up her way," but did not say sho was in service with herself. At the

school on the same occasion, a girl pointed out the deceased as Mrs Reid's servant, saying she was made to work without boots or shoes. After an address by Mr Stout for Mrs Reid, the Coroner summed up, pointing out the evidence of the deplorable condition of the deceased, and the evidence of the ill-treatment, and drawing attention to the remarkable unanimity of the medical evidence. If the jury considered that death resulted from starvation and ill-treatment, they must next decide by whom that treatment was pursued ; whether, in other words, the girl voluntarily subjected herself to starvation and the effects which followed from it, or whether her mistress (Mrs Reid) was culpable in the matter. If they decided on the latter, and ho thought the evidence would justify them in doing so, they must next say, and on this point depended the important part of their verdict, to what extent Mrs Reid was blamable, whether triflingly or to the extent of being guilty of manslaughter, or even murder. After the jury had been locked up half an horn 1 , the coroner was apprised that they had agreed upon a verdict. The foreman stated that the jury had carefully con- | sidered why the girl had not returned to her mother's home and friends — Firstly, that deceased did not come to her death by natural causes ; secondly, her death was caused by the treatment she had received at the hands of Mrs Reid ; thirdly, that Mrs Reid had been guilty of culpable negligence to the extent of manslaughter. Mrs Reid has been arrested, but will probably be bailed this evening.