TO-DAY'S TELEGRAMS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XL, Issue 7509, 6 February 1903, Page 5

TO-DAY'S TELEGRAMS.

(Per Press Association) ATTEMPTS HIS LIFE

AUCKLAND, Last night. A 'man named Nottingham, a tailor, attempted suicide to-day. His partner suspected that business matters were not all right and got a search made of Nottingham's house. On articles being found which were supposed to belong to the business, the detective went out to see him and just then heard- a shot. Nottingham was discovered in a pool of blood with a bullet in his head. The wound is not likely to prove fatal. SMALL BIRD NUISANCE. NELSON, Last night. The Waimea County Council to-day. resolved to levy a special rate of one-sixteenth of a penny over the whole of the County, for the destruction of small birds. Good harvesting weather is now being experienced. MONEY IN GAS. CHRISTCHURCH, Last night. The annual meeting of shareholders ' of the Christchurch Gas Co. adopted the report of the directors declaring a dividend of 5 per cent, for the half year making 10 per cent, for the. year. A balance of £2120 is left to be carried forward. The balancesheet showed a clear income totalling £45,622, and that after paying Tor material, wages, and so on, there remained a balance of £12,468. LONG SERVICE MEEfAL. WELLINGTON, Last night. The Colonial auxiliary forces longservice medal has been awarded to Gunner Jas. Holmes, Petone Navals; Colonel Gudgeon, N.Z. Militia ; Capt. A. Fooks, Ashburton Rifles ; Colonel Robin, Dunedin ; Capt. Barltrop, Manchester. FIRE ON A BARQUE. WELLINGTON, This Day. At three o'clock this morning a fire was discovered in the) hold of the barque Machrihanish, berthed at tho Railway Wharf and loading wool, etc., for London. She has been awaiting a cargo since last November, and is under charter to Mr G. H. Scales. The fire was extinguished after two and a half hours' fighting. Later. The Machrihanish was under charter to the N.Z. Shipping Co., and had nearly completed loading. When the Brigade arrived the fire seemed to have a good hold, but close investigation showed that the flames came from a heap 'of sailt on top of bales of wool. The*were hauled ou., and before long all danger was averted. It is expected that it will be necessary to discharge about 400 bales of wool chiefly damaged by water. The amount of .he damage hais not yet been ascertained. The cause of the fire is not known, but incendiarism is suspected. FOUND DEAD. LYTTELLON, This Day. Arthur James, agefl 25, an engineer of a steam ladnch, was found dead this morning in the sea near the launch. It is supposed he was stunned by a fall. A LAMENTABLE CASE; •■ WELLINGTON, This Day. Mr George Fisher, M.H.R., was charged at the S.M. Court this morning with a breach of a prohibition order, he having been found on licensed premises. He did not appear, and Mr Jellicoe, * who defended him, claimed that he was not in a state of mind to know what ihe was doing, and 'that his friends intended to send him to the Waitati Home for inebriates for treatment away from temphim to the Waitati Home for cnebriates fot teeatment away from temptation. The Magistrate granted an .adjournment, on condition I'iiat' he was sent to the Home), and spoke very strongly concerning those who offered defendant drink. FOUND DROWNED. WHANGAREI, This Day. William Sproots, miner, Kiripaka, was fodnd drowned in a well yesterday. FIRE BRIGADE. Mr Chissell, captain o' the local Fire Brigade, will attend the Fire Brigade Conference at Napier.