GENERAL TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10901, 4 November 1898, Page 5

GENERAL TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

[BY telegraph.—press association.] Haweba, Thursday. In the petition lodged against the return of J. R. Stewart to the Manaia Town Board, hi not having previously resigned his office as engineer, Magistrate Northcroffc held that by election to the Town Board Mr. Stewart, ipso facto, vacated the office of engineer, and that he was legally elected. New Plymouth, Thursday. At the inquest on Henry James Fisher, a well-to-do farmer, who was found dead in a paddock yesterday afternoon, the medical evidence showed that death was due to failure of the heart's action, 'lhe jury returned a verdict accordingly. Wellington, Thursday. Mr. H. F. Smith, senior electrical mechanician of the Telegraph Department, died this morning, after a long illness, aged 62. He was one of the oldest telegraph officials in the colony, having joined the department under the Canterbury Provincial Government in 1863. He was one of the party which laid the first telegraph wire between Christchurch and Dunedin. A route-marching competition was held to-night between squads of non-commis-sioned officers from some of the local volunteer corps. The route was through tne city to Newtown, thence to Kilburnie, and home by way of Evans' Bay. lbo College Rifles accomplished the distance in 111. 39m. 10s., the Kilburnie Rifles coming in about two minutes afterwards.