TELEGRAMS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LI, Issue 5597, 1 February 1879, Page 5

TELEGRAMS.

[TIMES’ SPECIAL WIBE.] NEW ZEALAND. AUCKLAND, Jan. 81. A house, the property of Mr George Manta, ■was burnt down during the absence of the oWber. It was uninsured. At the annual meeting of the Prorincial •Grand Lodge of Scotland, a letter was read from the Westland Lodge of Freemasons, asking the assistance of the P.G. Lodge towards relieving the necessities of Brother Lazar, 76 years of age, and blind and incapable, also for the purpose of providing for his family. After expressing sympathy, the matter was referred to the P.G. Committee, with power to act. A landlord named Edward Harvey was fined 40s and costs for having an unsecured "well, in which a child had been drowned. At the half-yearly meeting of the shareholders in the Auckland Gas Company, held this afternoon, a dividend was declared of 7i per cent for the half year. The half-yearly meeting of the shareholders in the Union Sash and Door Company was held this afternoon. The amount available for division was £10,587 12s 9d, of which the sum-of £9827 was net profit upon the half year. A dividend at the rate of 20 per cent per annum was declared, absorbing £6423, and leaving a sum of £4164 12s 9d to be carried forward to new account. The settling regarding the prizes won at the Regatta took place to-night. The Committee paid over £394, besides cups, &c. NEW PLYMOUTH, Jan. 31. Mr Short, jun., of Mokau, who accompanied Dr Hector overland to Waikato, was accidentally drowned yesterday in the Whakatino river in returning on horseback from New Plymouth along with his wife and family. The natives had warned him that the river was too high. His body has not been recovered. The schooner Elibank Castle is ashore on the south side of Manawatu river. WANGANUI, Jan. 31. The Education Board having invited applications for posts in the District High School, ninety applications have been sent in from all the colonies, for the five positions. Por the head mastership, at £SOO per annum, 29 applications were opened. The Board appointed Mr Feamley; Mr A. Kentrall, Training Institute, Melbourne, second mastership, £3OO, Charles Sbeedman, master Borough School, Williamstown, Victoria, was appointed. The mastership was gained by a local man. The Head mastership Ladies’ College, Ballarat Infant School, £l5O, a local candidate was appointed. WELLINGTON, Jan. 31. The house burned at Carterton was a new seven-roomed one, owned by Mr Charles Potts. The roof caught from a spark from a bush fire. It was insured in the Colonial for £2OO and £SO on the furniture. A Bank holiday on the first day of the rices and half a holiday on the second day is proclaimed. At the Gas Company’s employees’ dinner last night the Manager stated that with the exception of Auckland the number of gas consumers was greater here than in any town in the Colony. Fifty-seven deaths were registered this month in the city, 37 from diarrhoea, of whom 28 were children. The principal doctors publish opinions that the prevalence of disease is owing to the impure water from the reservoir. Both evening papers have strong articles on the College scandal case. One hundred and twenty-nine nominations of immigrants went by the mail to-day from 'Wellington. Thos. Williams, late treasurer of a Foresters’ Lodge, was committed for trial for embezzlement. Plans are being prepared for the erection of a new Poet and telegraph offices in brick here on the present site. The Customs’ revenue of Wellington for January was £17,182 18s 4d; for January last it was £18,823 0s sd. NELSON, Jan. 31. At the nomination yesterday, Mr A. Adams was proposed by Mr colanders and seconded by Mr J. Graham. Mr Albert Pitt was proposed by Mr Richmond, M.H.R., and seconded by Mr Cooksey. Both candidates spoke at some length, and were severely questioned. Mr Adams in his first address had spoken against Mr Cartas’ Bill and the s Catholic demands. Since then letters in the newspapers had charged him with going to the Catholic Church last Sunday and canvassing «or votes. He denied this and challenged the

authors to confront him. Afterwards Mr Cooksey said he had a written statement signed by a person named Oondeil, asserting that Mr Adams had canvassed him as alleged. Mr Cooksey could scarcely obtain a hearing. Feeling ran high throughout tho proceedings, which lasted fully three hours. On a show of hands being taken, there was for Mr Adams 58, and for Mr Pitt 43. The poll takes place on Thursday. TIMARU, Jan. 31. This morning the wind changed round from south-west to south-east, and drove a heavy sea into the roadstead. The harbourmaster ordered the vessels to sea, and all went but the George Noble and Beautiful Star. This evening both wind and sea have gone down in shore, but a mountainous sea is running outside. It is feared that the ketch Huon Belle, which put to sea with the other vessels, will, owing to the wind dropebe driven ashore somewhere on the ty-Milo Beach. The breakwater is Undiug magnificently. OAMARU, Jan. 31. At tho adjourned annual meeting of Che Harbour Board to-day there was a little scene. The Standing Committee recommended certain things with which Mr Shrhnski did not agree, and on the adoption of the report being moved by the Hon H. J. Miller he loft the room, remarking that theywould not have a quorum, and could not carry the motion. The Hon B. Campbell, however, turned up and the business was proceeded with. The annual report shows a very satisfactory state of things as regards harbour improvements. Owing to the scarcity of feed, dairymen here have raised the price of milk to 5d per quart. The weather to-day is very wintry cold, and has been blowing all day in great contrast to the north-easter of Sunday. DUNEDIN, Jan. 31. Tho Supreme Court is occupied with the case of the Harbour Board against Proudfoot. The plaintiffs ask that the defendant may be decreed to perform his agreement relative to the lease of a number of sections of reclaimed land, which he purchased at auction in June last, but since that time he has declined to pay for them. The defendant’s case is based on the Statute of Frauds, and he submits that there is no binding contract between him and Board which can be specifically enforced. Four hundred free-thinkers attended Charles Bright’s farewell meeting last night. The Attorney-General presided, and the Mayor of Dunedin was present. The Herald devotes a leader to the meeting to-day and says, “ We abhor and renounce the teachings and doctrines of Mr Charles Bright, even as we do the devil and all his works. At the Police Court to-day, a man named South, who pretends to be insane, but is declared to be suffering frem hard drinking, gave a lively exhibition, jumping and howling, and finally ripping down the front of his shirt He was sent to gaol for three months for habitual drunkenness. It is understood that the Rev A. E. Fitchett, lately a Wesleyan minister, having been ordained by the Bishop of Melbourne, will preach in St Paul’s Church on Sunday. This morning’s Herald severely condemns the Attorney-General for presiding at the soiree given to Mr Bright, the free-thought lecturer. Mr Conyers is about the same as yesterday. The “ Dunedin Prices Current” announces, on reliable authority, that there seems a fair prospect of au arrangement being made between the Banks, whereby the present keen competition for deposits will cease, and that negotiations as to a general and definite basis upon which banking operations are to be conducted are being carried on with an evident desire to arrive at a satisfactory determination. At the Supreme Court to-day, tho case in which the Otago Harbour Board sought to have it decreed that David Proudfoot should be compelled to carry out a contract which he had entered into for the purchase of certain lands was heard. His Honor having prepared the findings, the jury answered the first three issues as to whether Montagu Pynn was authorised to contract for the sale of the lands in question or to delegate his functions to Mr Hepburn apart from the memo of July 4, in the negative. They also found that the Board executed the memorandum of confirmation of July 4 under its common seal; that the defendant had not abandoned or repudiated the contract, nor given notice thereof before the contract was confined under their seal; that neither the plaintiff nor defendant had done anything save in performance of the said contract, and that there was no memo or note of the alleged agreement signed by the defendant other than the writing in the declaration. John Thomas, a quarryman, had both legs broken this afternoon by a stone falling on him when at work at Anderson’s Bay. INYEEOAEGILL, Jan. 31. Complaints are made about goods placed in the hands of the Railway authorities in Dunedin not receiving smart despatch. The representative of a large firm in Dunedin today received a consignment of goods that had been delayed on the line six days. Other firms are complaining bitterly. At the annual meeting of subscribers to the Benevolent Institution, held this afternoon, a report was submitted showing that the total amount expended on relief for the year was £6l, while the subscriptions and donations for the year amounted to £372. The Committee recommended that the balance should form the nucleus of a building fund, the want of a suitable building being much felt. The report was adopted. The man Bordon, who was arrested at the Bluff yesterday on a charge of stealing money and goods at Wellington, was brought before the Resident Magistrate this morning. Mr Finn represented him, and stated that the real offender was his wife, who had already reached Melbourne. Mr M'Culloch doubted if it was legal to arrest a man simply on the authority of a telegram, and remanded the case until Feb. 4, bail being accepted. The Harbour Board nominations were taken to-day. Messrs Hatch, South, Martin, and Cuthbertson were nominated for Invercargill ; and Messrs Stock and Kemp for the suburban municipalities. The poll, in which a considerable amount of interest is taken, will be held on Feb. 10.