TELEGRAPHIC ITEMS.

Marlborough Press, Volume XXVI, Issue 1769, 4 May 1886, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC ITEMS.

Christchurch, April 80. A stable belonging to Mr J. R. Johnson, insured in the Union Office for LIOO, was destroyed by fire. » ; During *the storm yesterday two girls, aged respectively 11 and 7 years, the children of John May, of Little Akaloa, were washed away in the creek. Ths youngest wbs found drowned at 330 p. m., but the other was found about 5 c/olock, jammed by a log. She is now ap“parently all right. Much damage has been done to the bridges and culverts in the Akaroa district. At an influential meeting of tlie New Zealand Wool Growers Association, held here, very encouraging news was received from -the Australian Association regarding the prospects of establishing woollen factories in China and Japan. Already an English firm was floating a company for blanket manufacture in China, and asks how many shares shall be retained for Australasia. A report obtained at the instance of the Amuri Sheep ■ Farmers’ Association, by Mr Foster, Sheep Inspector, and Duncan Rutherford, of Leslie Hills, on the spread of rabbits in Amuri District, proved the existence of the vermin in alarming prevalence, and quite beyond the control of the owners of infested runs. He suggested that Amuri and North Canterbury farmers should unite to erect a rabbit proof fence to prevent their spreading beyond the Clarence, and to take energetic measures for their extermination. This course was approved of by the representatives of the Amuri Association, who will propound a scheme for general approval. The Chairman, Mr J. D. Lanco, said ho would endeavor to get Parliamentary assistance, as the Crown Lands would become worthless if the rabbits gained footing on them. Christchurch, May 2. The s.s. Coptic, which left Lyttelton for London yesterday evening, had proceeded a few miles on her way when a stowaway was discovered in a dying condition between the boilers. He was promptly released and attended to by the ships surgeon, but ho expired in a few minutes. The captain at first thought of burying the body at sea, and it was sown in canvas for that purpose. Ho altered his mind and returned to the mouth of the harbor, where the corpse was put on board the steam tug and taken to Lyttelton, while the Coptic proceeded on her voyage. The deceased, who is supposed to be a Swiss named Jaques Floury, arrived as a.stowaway, some months ago, in the Rimutaka, from the Cape of Good Hope, where, it is said, he has a wife and four children. Dunedin, April 29. A large amount of rain has fallen during the past three days, and floods are feared in tne Palmerßton district. The Shag River is bank high, and at present the flocks are cut off from high ground. The weather shows no indication of clear, ing. The body of the missing man Carswell has been found floating in the Kakanui River ; an inquest will be held. A butcher at Arrow, named Archie Cameron, has died frem the effects of a dose of strychnine taken while in drink. April 30, The Clutha County Council has passed a resolution that it is of opinion that the Sheep and Rabbit Acts require reconstruction, and request the House of Representatives to take steps to amend them ; the Council sugge. ting that, to cope more effectually with the rabbit pest, it is desirable to dispense with a large number of Sbesp ond Rabbit Inspectors, the money so saved to be expended in bonuses for rabbit skins. In connection with the Sheep Act, lnspeotors were only necessary where, soab existed. The Bootmakers’ Union have resolved to forward L3O to the men on strike at Auckland. The rain has cessed for some hoitrrSo far no delay has been occasioned op the railways, _ . ; • , ;

' .Auckland, April 29. At a. sale of Mi Bars Lushingtonu’ biuod r: stock to-diy, the following were sold Lady Nora, 200 guinear; Green-sMoum, 105 guineas; General Thornton, 140 guineas; Tennyson, 90 guineas ; Lionel. fiO guineas; Lioness, 120 guineas. 3 v ' The ; boot manufactures have rejected , J nien's ultimatum and negotiations Hre broken off. The masters are inviting the men to work, on a revised scale of wages. Thames, April 29. A terrible calamity occurred here about .3 o'clock yesterday aftereoon, by which two miners named Thomas Casley and Hugh Mill, employed in the Caledonian Company's mine, lost their lives. It appears that while working at the lowest level of the mine, the gas rose suddenly, and they were overpowered by it before they were able to escape They were in the gas for two hours and a half, and expired a few minutes after being brought to the surface. Both men are well known and greatly respected, and the sad affair has cast quito a gloom over the community. Later. The inquest on Thomas Casley and Hugh Mill was concluded at 2 o’clock this afternooD,when a verdict of accidental death was returned, with a rider to the effect that managers should exercise more care in allowing men to work in the presence of foul gas. Napier, April 28. A master tailor named Cotteiell committed suicide this morning by taking oarbolic acid. Business causes are believed to have been the cause of the act. April 29. The inquest on T. A. Cotterell was concluded last night. The verdict was that deceased died from taking carbolic aoid, swallowed by his own will while in a state of temporary insanity. The Waipawa County census returns are. ma1e54,355, females 3,097, buildings 1608. The Bteamer Taupo returned from Gisborne early this morning. &he was brought inside and discharged her cargo. The hold was perfectly dry, but her propeller was stripped. A spare prop. Her will be fitted. April 30. An inspection of the hull of the Taupo by divers shows that the vessel has sustained no iojury. Wellington, April 29. The nett proceeds of the concert given in aid of the sufferers by the Taiaroa disaster amount to L 240. Wellington, April 30. The following are the three sets of pro* posals which have to be considered by the policyholders of the Government Insurance Association at the annual meeting ; —First Set—“ That it is desirable the business of the Government Insurance Association should be returned to charge of the Government.” Second Set—“ That the Board should be reduced to six members,of whom three should be elected, and the other three should be the SolicitorGeneral,the Secretary to the Treasury,and either the Public Trustee or the Commissioner of Property Tax, thrpe to be a quorum if the chairman be presenter four if the chairman be not present.” 2. “That the Government appoint* oue of the members of the Board to be chairman.” 3. “ That each official member of the Board should receive an honorarium of fifty guineas, and each elected member should receive one hundred guineas per annum, tnd the chairman such sum in addition as the Board may fix, not exceeding L 200.” 4,’* “ That the nominated members shall cease to be members of the Board on the day the Act comes into operation, and shall not be reappointed.” 5, “That power should be given to the the Board at its option to grant compensation to officers on retirement, and to make compassionate allowances to the widows and young children of the officers who may die whilst in the serviee.” 6. “That in case of Any fresh appointmerts of the general manager and the actuary, the Board’s power shall be exercised, subject to the approval of the Governor.” Third set. 1 “ That the Central Board be re-con-stituted, and that it consist of seven members, four to be elected by the policyholders and three to be nominated by the Government, the three nominated mem bers not to be officers of the Government.’ 2. “ That the Board as reconstituted eleot its own chairman.” 3. “ That the honorarium be fixed at LIOO for each member of the Board, except the Chairman of Directors, who shall receive L3OO per annum.” The following are the charges preferred against Mr J. Stuart Reid, agent for the United Insurance Company :—“That, on March 15th, 1885, aod on divers occasions between that date and April 16th. 1886, he did, as agent for the United Insurance Company, convert to his own use the sum of L 792 7s 7d, entrusted to him by the Company for payment to the Bank of New South Wales, Wellington.” The second information is the same charge under a different form, viz., that of embezzling the same amount. The third information is that,on the 4th September, he fraudulently embezzled L 250 ; the fourth information charges him with having converted the same to his own use. The fifth information charges him with having embezzled the sum of L2OO on the 30th November, 1885. The total amount is L 1242 7s 7d. May 1. The Hinemoa sailedjfor Macakan this evening to bring the Governor to Wellington. Immediately after his return she sails again for Manukau to bring down the Northern members. In compliance with a requisition signed by a number of citizens, the Mayor will convene a meeting, probably for Tuesday next, to consider the propriety of having a demonstration on the ai rival of the Hon. John Bryce, to mark the appreciation of his successful efforts to vindicate his character, and that of his fellow' colonists, against the aspersions contained Ze Rusden’s so-called history of New •land. th'l’he Rugby Union have decided to offer jjje New South Wales football team ha[f Te net proceeds of each match played. o he Sydney team leave towards the end f August, and will probably play two matches here. A cablegram has been received from London announcing that the contract with the syndicate for the construction of the East and West Coast and Nelson Railway has been assigned to a company, which is duly formed, and that its prosppcfcus will appear in the London papers this morning. The Rimutaka sailed for Auckland this afternoon. Nelson, April 30. At the Supremo Court to-day, in the charge against Annie Donald, charged with forging and uttering a cheque the jury disagreed. A new trial will take ?lace at the next Circuit sittings. he action for slander, Munro v. O’Connor, a Westport case, was settled out of . Cojtrt. Jn the casp Black y.‘National

Bank, an action for wrongful .dismissal, Mr Jeltco, for the plaintiff, intimated that all matters .in .disente . had been settled, and the Attorney-General, for the Bank, expressed regret that anything the Bank had done should have led to the inference that Mr Black had been guilty of any impropriety or misconduct. The Bank, he said, made no complaint or imputation against Mr Black. THE GAZETTE. Wellington, April 29. Mr W. Brassey, of Wanganui, and Messrs D, Gollan and J. A. Smith, of Napier, have resigned their appointmants as Justices of the Peace. A despatch from the Secretary of Sta'e for the Colonies, stiting that Her Maj sty has assented to the Acts passed in 1885, isg- zetted A despateh, staging that the Marshall, Brown and Providence Islands, in the Pacific, have b. en placed under the German flag, is also gazetted.