TELEGRAPHIC SUMMARY.

Marlborough Press, Volume XXIII, Issue 1348, 31 August 1882, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC SUMMARY.

The snow fall in the interior of Otago this winter is said to have been the heaviest for years, and a very large quantity still remajns on the ranges in some places. In the Waitemo district, 8000 rabbits are stated to have been killed since October last on a property of 314 acres. A lad named Sharkey has been committed for trial for theft of a horse and buggy of a farmer at Clutha. He was working on the farm, and coolly drove off, being arrested 50 miles away. At a meeting of the New Zealand Fruit Preserving Company, the report of.,.the season’s operations showed that the anticipations of the promoters have been more than .realised, the company being in a flourishing state. -Arrange-, mentti were made for an extension.of business next season. . . . At the Dunedin Police Court*, a degraded creature, named Blanche Sunne, was committed as a vagrant. It Was stated that) she lived with Chinese and smoked opium. The woman waa quite stupid in Court, and asked, the Bench to order that she might have one arm and leg cut off.

A man employed in the work'd! city scavengering had a wonderful escape in Dunedin. He fell off his cart by some means, and the wheel passed over his neck. Incredible as it may seem the man was not in anyway injured. He was assisted to a drink of water, and then'drove off. Dr John Parker, aged 60, was found dead in bed in Christchurch. Deceased was of intemperate habits, and had been ailing some time. A man living with him found him raving at 2 o’clock, but went back to bed without fetching assistance, and found him dead at 8 30. At the Ashburton Magistrate’s Court, William Munro, a contractor, was charged With cruelty to a horse, by leaving it, afier-the animal bad fallen down a gravel pit, exposed to" inclement weather all night. The animal .is supposed to have been severely injured. The Magistrate said it was a case of gross cruelty, and inflicted a fine of £5 and costs.

At 5 o’clock on Friday morning the Stratford Hotel at New Plymouth, was burnt down. Most of the furniture was Saved. The fire is Supposed to have originated in a spirit store under the stairs, and went up the lining to the roof. Insurances : On the building, £SOO in the Victoria Office ; on the stock, £250 in the Norwich Rnioo and £l5O in the United.

Donald M'Millan, an old Nova Scotian, a "Waipau settler, has died at the age of one hun--dred and one years. A man named Anderson, a fellmonger, while riding from Riverton to Thornbury, was thrown from his horse and killed.

Larrikinism is increasing in Auckland. Two larrikins, named John Martin and William O’Keefe, have been arrested for pushing an old man named Martin Dwyer through a plate glass ■window. The damage is estimated at £ls. They have been remanded. A decrepit old man named John Walker, was knocked down by another gang. The fire alarm disc was broken two nights in succession at No. 3 post, it being evident that an attempt waß made to hoax the Fire Brigade. The inquest on the late fire at St. Andrew’s Church, Taranaki, occupied the whole day, the jury retiring about 10 o’clock last night. The following verdict was returned :—“ The Scotch Kirk was ruthlessly set on fire on the morning of the 19th August, but the evidence is not sufficient to implicate aDy person or persons.” The following rider was added to it :—‘‘The jury recommend the authorities to offer a reward for any evidence that would lead to the conviction of the perpetrator, and that a free pardon be granted to an accomplice giving such evidence.” The Legal Manager of Langdon’s Company, Greymouth, has received the account sales of the shipment of antimony ore sent Home for assaying. The net weight is given at 191 cwt 4lb ; net result at £6 per ton, less per cent, discount, £55 18s Bd. Various shipping charges, such as freight, insurance, brokerage, commission, &c., amounted to £45 Os 6d, which left a credit balance of only £lO 18s 2d. The Natives of Tahorite, Seventy-mile Bush, lately warned surveyors off one of the Maori paddocks through which the railway line is being laid off. The Government was communicated with, and Captain Preece, R.M., appointed to settle the difficulty, in which he has been thoroughly successful. The obstruction no doubt, in the first instance, was a try-on to get money, but was just one of those things which demand immediate attention to avoid future complications. The Maoris have been guaranteed compensation, and they have promised to let the survey proceed. The “own correspondent” of the Star Telegraphs from Akaroa on Monday morning as follows :—Wackerlie’s Hotel was burned to the ground last night, and the Criterion Hotel and Bruce’s Hotel were also set fire to. All three fires are clear cases of incendiarism. It is presumed that each act was perpetrated by the same persons. The two hotels last mentioned started burning a second time, but the fresh outbreaks were fortunately discovered at an early stage and promptly extinguished. Garwood and Co.’s premises had a narrow escape. The indications afforded by subsequent careful examination, show that a most deliberate attempt was made to burn the town down. A quantity of porse was found to have been placed under the Criterion and Bruce’s Hotels. The incendiary had so arranged that the three fires broke out almost simultaneously at each end of the Borough and its centre, the time of alarm being shortly after 2 a.n>. It was a remarkable coincidence that in each case the fire was discovered through the restlessness of an invalid. Mrs Margaret Stanton, who was severely burned on Wednesday week through her dress patching fire while taking a pot off the grate, died in the Christchurch Hospital on Saturday afternoon from the effects of her injuries. Robert McKissock, aged 17, a porter at Stirling, was killed on Monday morning while coupling two trucks which were moving very slowly. One truck loaded with timber which projected over the end struck MoKissoek’s head and crushed it between the ends of the timber and the other truck. ' . . It now appears that the hopes indulged m about Sir Julius Vogel forming a company to construct the East and West Coast Railway were premature ; as a matter of fact he has taken no steps in the matter at all, the letters, prospectus, &c., having reached him too late. Certain capitalists in London, however, have authorised an agent now in Wellington to interview the Government and endeavor to arrange a contract on the land concession basis. They are prepared to deposit in a New Zealand Bank a reasonable sum in guarantee of good faifcli. A number of very large mountain trout have been seen during the last few days in Sawyer’s Creek, Greymouth, apparently cleaning themselves. On going up the stream they were observed to be partially covered with white spots from some fungoid growth, and were afterwards .observed rolling about on the shallow shingle beds, and generally, after some time, they were seen down stream again. The larger fish seemed to be about fourteen or fifteen pounds weight, the others from eight to ten pounds. Some fish were on the upper side of the falls. The creek is very low now. An attempt on Barlow’s life was made by a native at Alexandria on Monday night. He had gone there to look after horses at ten p.m. Barlow went in company with Tu Tawhaio to the hotel stable to assist the latter to saddle bis horse. As Barlow opened the stable door two shots were fired at him, one of which struck him across the breast through the vest and coat. Barlow saw the native running away and drawing a revolver fired after him without effect. The constabulary searched for the offender, but without effect.

A telegram has been received from Stratford, stating that the dead body of a man has been found on the Opunake road, a mile from Stratford. The dead body turns out to be that of a man named Knowles, a Tyrolese. He was last seen, in company of Antonio Schonell, who has been only a few months from a lunatic asylum, and who it is supposed has murdered Knowles, as the body baa the wound of a knife in its side. Schnell, who lias been heard to threaten Knowles’ life, as well as other persons, is not to be found. The police are making active search for him, he is a dangerous man to be at large. Schonell was arrested at Midhurst on Tuesday by Sergeant Cah®U and Constable Tapp. When Tapp npproached, Schonell exclaimed “ Oh, I suppose yon have come to take me away for killing that man.” Schonell next morning led the police to tht spot where he hid the knife under a log close to the spot where the deed was committed. Schonell is supposed to be mad. He was in the Lunatic Asylum some time ago. At the inquest on the body of Knowles, a verdict was returned of wilful murder against Antonio Schonell. who has been committed for trial at next sittings of the Supreme Court.