TELEGRAMS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LI, Issue 5576, 6 January 1879, Page 5

TELEGRAMS.

[TIMES* SPECIAL WIEB.] NEW ZEALAND.

AUCKLAND, Jan. 4. 'Watt’s horses Lady Elizabeth and Bepudiator have been shipped to: Napier. At the criminal sessions here on Monday, there were 16 cases, but none of them serious.

A telegram,has been received from Melbourne stating that Messrs M'Lean and Go’s entire horse Musket had arrived in good condition by the Kent at Melbourne. He is to be sent on to Auckland by the steamer Hero.

Mrs Alley’s store and dwelling at Whangarei Heads were totally destroyed by fire on New Year’s night. The affair looks suspicious. Mrs Alley is a widow, with five children, and is at present on a visit to Auckland. _ From various settlements news comes that the new harvesting machines are working well and giving every satisfaction to the owners of crops. Should the present highly favourable weather continue for a fortnight longer the neater portion of the wheat in the Auckland district will be secured in first-rate condition. Tho crops at Whangarei and Otahuhujpresent just now a very encouraging spectacle. The Native Minister proceeded to the Waikato to-day to visit Bewi, and, will afterwards go across to Ohmcmuri to have an.interview with Tukino, respecting the land and road question in the Thames district. Mr Sheehan wQI remain two days at Grahamstown, and will probably be banquetted by the leading residents. He will also probably visit Warkworth before returning to Wellington. Daring the month ending Dec., 1878, there were 22 deaths registered within the City of Auckland, The number daring the corresponding mooch of 1877 were 18 deaths. There Were, nine deaths in the Hospital in the mohth of Deo.,, 1878. An inquest was held on Friday afternoon, before Dr Goldsbrough, upon the woman Bridget Connolly, who poisoned herself by taking carbolic acid. The jury returned a verdict that death resulted from taking poison, but there was no evidence to show in what state of mind deceased was in at the time. The Waiohareka pumps at the Thames stopped work to-day. The Queen of Beauty will in consequence cease work, and a large number of men will be at once paid off, the mine being flooded out. Messrs Stewart and Bure, engineers, are now at the Thames, laying off the sections of the Thames and Waikato railway. Various local authorities are working Irard with the Maoris and others to secure the,land freeMr Moss, returned to Auckland last night from Rotorua. The Maoris whom ue accompanied, succeeded in re-opening the old track, whioh rims through the Kohera bush direct to Otepopa, and will effect a considerable saving in distance between the Lake district and Gambridge. The track is one that has only been used by Maoris, but Bishop Selwyn and Sir George Grey both travelled over a portion of it on their journey to Eotorua many yean ago. The bush is chiefly rimu, and the land is rich and well fitted for settlers along the whole line. Mr Moss described the track as free from any difficulty in the formation of a good coach road, placing Cambridge within an easy day’s journey of the Lake district, wh{oh could then be more conveniently reached from Auckland than Taiwanga. The roafi over the new track would be much easier and much loss costly than that of Tauranga. The new track is reached by Otepopa, to which a good coach road is already oil but made. From Otepopa theroadwould.be for 8 or ten miles of much the same character as the part now finished. The country then becomes much easier, and practically level, for the remainder of the distance through tho bush, which is probably about 20 miles in breadth. The rood would open at Awahon, and outs the Tauranga road to Ohinomutu at that point, from which it is nearly level. The track is now quite practicable for footmen, who oeuld go through in a day, as it has been cleared of vines and under-growth, but it ia still impracticable to horsemen. Mr Moss is of opinion that no time should bo lost m undertaking the survey of this track, as it is of great Importance to improve the present deficient means of communication between the valuable lake district and Auckland.

NEW PLYMOUTH, Jaw. 5. The following tender# were sent in from here for the Stratford railway contract Berry and Newman, £16,446; M'Gonogb, £18,47# i GlomKning, £18462; D. Wilkie, £18.971. A new township called Vogeltown, adjoinSi New Plymouth on the South, is to be id In quarter acres on Wednesday, and is expected to realise a large price. A standing crop of grass has been sold at acre, and 10s to 12* a day is being Mower’s Cobb's coach, the first wheeled vehicle which has ever passed behind Mount Sgmont by the road through the heavy bush, ha» reached Inglewood, driven by Chovanne*.

NAPIEB, Jaw. B. At Kopua tilts afternoon, a boy seven year* old, named Small, fall into a well 36ft feet deep, in which there was 4ft of water. He was In 10 minutes before being rescued, and though every jraqsible means were used to restore life, all efforts were useless. WELLINGTON, Jan. B. [Hie West Coast railway route has been surveyed by Mr CUme, and is likely to be adopted' by' the Government It branches from the Hutt line at Koiwarawwa, The gradient now here exceed# one in fifty, and were ate n 6 sharp curves. It is estimated to cost £6OOO per mile. Tho Boyal Commission on higher education

mdpt* bn Feb. 16, and will visit each PrevinOial district. The : Bov J. Habeas is Secretory. ' Judge William* advise# His Excellency the Governor that ho sees no,reason to interfere wi|h the execution of the capital sentence on th 4 murderer Wssh, although it appear* that the Executive have hot yet decided on his fate, , The Hon J.' Macanorcw, after what took place in the House, decline#,the ro#ponsibility of issuing railway pass## to the Press without the content of the full Cabinet. He is, however, personally favourable. Tne HonQ. JJ[, Waterhouse is reported to hayfl sold hi* Wairarajpa estate, comprising 30t000 acre* of freehold, with stock, to the Hon John Martin, for £OO,OOO, Mr and Mrs Trovers and two ladies met with a trap accident driving on the Hutt road yesterday, and were all severely bruised. The site by tho deputation yesterday being found unsuitable, tho railway station will bo put up immediately in the rear of the Government Buildings. Mr G. E. Barton denies the published stat cmenb of hi* intention to leave Wellington for Auckland. Mr E. Stafford, Assistant Law Officer, i* awmt resigning that position to join the legal flrmofHartandßuckJey.from which the Hon K. Hart retires. An analysis of some samples of the newly discovered Mokati coal brought to the Colonial Laboratory give# 87.1 per cent of combustible matter, and 2.6 per cent of ash. The evaporate power- is such that 11b of coal will convert into steam 71bs of water. ', , A man mimed Arthur L. Sweet was to-day committed for trial for uttering valueless Cheques. A man named E. H, M'Ehvain, who was Uniter committal on a charge of araon, but oti| oti bail; died auddenly to-dar. He was but walking yesterday. Since his committal holbosbeett' drinking heavily, and death is supposed to have resulted from inflammation of the bowels prbdficed by excessive drinking. There wiUbb an ibquest. * The Governor attended’ Mr Rjgnold’s performance of “Henry V." for the second time last night. There .are crowded houses ’nightly. ' 1 '■, ‘ J)ho fdllbWink is a conrelete list of the prisoners cOmmTtted ( for trial at the criminal sitting of the Supreme Court which commence on Monday Davies, attempted suicide ; Charles Schmidt, stealing from a dwellinghouse j Jimes Murphy,' indecent assault j Philip J. Mnrtagh, assault and wounding; William Watson, alias Sutton, stealing from a dwelling-house; Arthur Balloon; assault and wounding; Edward Henry M'Elwain, arson; George Webb, alia* Smith, forgery; James Allen Marine, forgery and stealing ; Arthur S. Sweet, forgery. The Chronicle complains that the new tariff of fees in the Magistrate’s Courts involve* an increase of, In many cases, 100 per cent to suitors over the scale hitherto in force. _ Miss S. A. Jones, late matron of the Wellington College, has commenced civil proceeding* against Mr Wilson, principal of the College, arising out of tho late “ trouble ” at the College. It is understood that re-organisation of the detective branch of the police force is about to take place. A separate head for it will probably be appointed.

HOKITIKA, Jan. 3. It is reported that Mr Duncan, manager of the Union Bank here, has resigned owing to the Inspector now visiting here calling m a great maty advances. The hull and cargo of the Mabel Jane, stranded at Wanganui Bluff, 20 miles south of Boss, were sold at auction to-day by Messrs Leamouth and Co. The hull fetched £55, and the cam) £220. Mr Lafontain was the Eurohasor. It is believed the Waipara will e chartered to take away the cargo if possible.

O AMARU, Jan. 5. On Saturday one of Messrs Reid and Gray’s new reapers and binders was tried in a heavy crop of green oats. The trial was fairly successful. A slight defect was perceived m the tying which, however, can be remedied. Another trial is arranged for Jan. 7. A fire occurred on Saturday night in a shop in Thames street, occupied by A. A. Solomon, music teller. The fire was first observed by a gentleman, who was passing about 12 o’clock, and he at once gave the alarm, and with the assistance of a large number of people, who quickly arrived on the scene got the dames under, not, however, before a considerable amount of damage had been done to the stock of pianos, Ac. Great damage was also done by persons attempting to save property. The stock was insured in the South British for £IOOO. The shop, which forms a portion of what is known as Waikato House, is the property of Messrs Butterworth, of Dunedin. It is insured, but for what amount is not known. It is fortunate that the building is of stone, and strongly constructed, otherwise the adjoining block, which is of wood, could not possibly, in the absence of any efficient water supply, have been saved.

With the present weather it is expected that harvesting operations will commence in many parts of the district in about a week.

DUNEDIN, Jax. 6. Three of the City cabmen and a carter named Gawn were prosecuted to-day for taking port in the New Tear’s morning riot No specific assault was proved, but the Magistrate held that their presence with the mob rendered them culpable. The cabmen were fined £2 each, and Qawa who was in a Donnybrook humour striking out at everyone, had to pay a£s fine. The fines were immediately paid. The North Dunedin Bifies, who challenged all the corps in the Colony to a match lately, have had their challenge accepted by the City Guards.

The daily papers have articles suggesting that special constables should in future be sworn in on festive occasions so as to preserve order.

The sports to-day were postponed in consequence of the inclement weather. Bain fell heavily from 6 a.m. to 2 p.tn. Three thousand two hundred and sixtyseven passengers booked from Dunedin railway station on Jan. 2. Of these 1920 travelled upon the Ocean Beach lino, and 1847 upon other lines. Yesterday when Dr Stenhouse was crossing, in his buggy, from Union street to Logan’s Point his none took fright and began to hack into the water. The doctor k*Pt ms seat and endeavoured to control tbb horse, but his efforts were ineffectual, and he was carried over the bank into the race, from which he speedily extracted hfmself by swimming. The hone was out severely, and the buggy smashed, but Dr Stenhouse escaped with a few slight bruises. The number of Immigrants nominated at the Dunedin office during the past month was 72 souls, equal to 58 statute adults, and at the Invercargill office, 26 souls, equal to 23 statute adults.

Burton's circus gives it closing performance to-night, and leaves on Monday tor a tour in the oountry districts. It bas been fairly patronised. Kelly acd Leon’s Minstrels are drawing Terr large 1 houses, and are to play three weeks longer in Duuodiu.

INVERCARGILL, Jan. 4. The Royal Marionettes conclude a fairly successful season here to-night They have been playing for a fortnight The company is how piloted by Mr Harry Stonaham. Welsh, the Waikawa murderer, preserves the utmost indifference to his position. Up to to-day, the date for the execution has not bean fixed. For the year ending Deo. 81, 1878, there were registered in the district of Invercargill <167 births, 105 marriages, and 101 deaths. The Customs' returns for the March quarter of 1878 were £10,421 ■, for the Juno quarter, £10,898 1 for the t September quarter, £11,140 i and for the quarter ending December £12.440 1 making a total for the year, with shillings and pence added, of £44896 2s Id. The total revenue for the year 1877 amounted to £88,08511s 2d. The nomination of candidates to represent Mhtaum in the House of Representatives takes place to-momw. It is expected that gopenilly Messrs Shanks and Kinross will contest the election. Originally the moderate party intended to bring Mr Thomas Denniston forward in their interest, but owing to

the extreme moderation of Mr Shank*' addrew, they hare decided to support that gentleman. Mr Kinross, the other candidate W an ultra-Greyite. Mr Shanks and Mr Kinross are working hard, and are addressing the electors in the various centre* of population, generally receiving unanimous vote* of confidence, while the friend* of both parties are confident of (access. Glorious weather is prevailing in Invercargill at present. Young Morris, the New Zealand Blondin, gave a *ucoessfnl performance on Saturday