THE HON. PREMIER AT AUCKLAND.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 423, 20 March 1880, Page 8

THE HON. PREMIER AT AUCKLAND.

(united press association.)

Auckland, March 12.

The Ministerial party reached Matamata in a drenching rain. Mr. Firth welcomed the guests to a banquet, at which 200 persons sat down, including a number of ladies. Mr. Firth presided, supported by the Hons. Hall and Whitaker. After the usual loyal toasts, Mr. Firth proposed the health of the Premier, who rose, amidst loud cheers, and responded. He said it gave him great pleasure to have to propose success to the Thames navigation. He was sure everyone would feel gratified at witnessing the extensive works carried on, and at the hospitality held out by Mr. Firth ; he felt grateful to an extent they could not imagine, as he was enabled to see a part of the colony he had never before seen, and he was pleased to say that, for fertility of soil, resources, and natural advantages it surpassed what he had expected to see. He felt grateful, as an individual, and also as a Minister of the Crown, at the opportunity afforded by their host of obtaining useful information. This part of the country was fertile, and capable of maintaining a large population, and it was equally gratifying to find, not only rich lands, but a body of settlers improving the country so rapidly. As he travelled fom Auckland he noted the various improvements, but singular to say, the further off from Auckland the greater was the amount of improvements. Others besides himself could see the improvements effected by Mr. Firth and his enterprising neighbours, and it was pleasant to find at the conclusion of a journey the greatest improvement of all. The general custom of colonial communities was to apply to tke Government for assistance in such matters, and his hon. friend to the right (Mr. Sheehan) could testify that people had got into the habit of looking to the Government for every possible thing. It was a very different example that Mr. Firth had set. The Premier then referred to the financial position of the colony, which he said would compel us to be self-reliant. He paid a high tribute of praise to Mr. Firth's work, saying that it would be better for the colony if in other respects it had shown a like spirit of selfreliance. He referred to the loans raised by New Zealand, which were larger than those of other colonies. When they got the l»3t one they found it half pledged, and the country unable to raise further loans for three years. The colonial expenditure had been too great, one and a half millions had been spent yearly of late, and it was necessary to reduce to half that amount. He acknowledged that it was somewhat a chilling topic to introduce to such a gathering, yet it was a subject affecting the interests of all colonists. He would propose " Success to the Upper Thames navigation," hoping the same would prove a great advantage to their noble host, and to all his neighbors both of European and Maori races, and to this part of the colony of New Zealand. He coupled the toast with the name of J. C. Firth. Mr. Firth responded in a neat speech, and invited the guests on the rising of the assembly to a trip on the river in his steamer Kotuku.

The Premier and party have left Matamata for Piako.

HORRIBLE TRAGEDY IN DUNEDIN.

(UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION.) Donedin, March 14.

One of the most horrible tragedies which has ever occurred here happened this morning in Cumberland-street, when James Murray De%var, alias Grant, a butcher in the employ of Dornwell, of George-street, was found dead, his wife injured almost beyond hope of recovery, his child suffocated, and the bedroom on fire, a lighted candle having been placed under the bed. The deceased man was aged about thirty years, and has been in this colony nearly twenty-two years. His proper name was Dewar, but his mother (who resides in a house just behind his) having re-married a carpenter named Grant, he adopted his step-father's name.

Between five and six o'clock this morning the milkman who supplies the family, on making his customary visit to the house, was startled by seeing smoke issuing from one of the front windows, and he knocked loudly at the front door, and receiving no reply, raised an alarm which brought some neighbors to the scene, and subsequently a member of the Fire Brigade, Sergeant Dean, and a constable. The house being entered, there was discovered lying on the floor Mrs. Grant, in her nightdress, with blood issuing from her head, and quite unconscious. The bedroom was next visited and was found full of smoke. There on the bed lay Mr. Grant, with a severe blow on his head, evidently inflicted by an axe which lay at hand and which bore marks of blood on it. The infant was also in bed, apparently suffocated, the lower part of the mattress having been set fire to by a lighted candle which was found alongside of it. Mrs. Grant was then lifted from off the floor and carried into the sitting room, and Dr. Niven, who was sent for, on seeing her condition ordered her removal to the hospital. The tragedy must have been committed very early in the morning, but by whom it has been done—whether the act of a stranger or by either of the Grants —is a question that the police are now endeavoring to solve. So far as can be learnt nothing has been missed from the house, nor does anything in the other rooms appear to have been disturbed. The only suspicious circumstance is that the door of the house was found to be open. The wounds on Grant's head and those on his wife appear, to the unprofessional eye, to negative the theory of having been self-inflicted, and there is the additional circumstance, vouched for by many people who knew the couple intimately, that they lived very happy lives. The strangest part of the whole affair is that none of the neighbors, some of whom lived about twelve feet from Grant's house, heard the slightest noise, and were first awakened by the alarm of fire, which, from another source, it is said, was raised by a fireman who lives close by. The woman, who still lives, but unconscious, at the hospital, has three wounds on the head, causing a compound depressed fracture of the skull. One of the wounds is on the crown of the head, the second behind the right ear, and the third on the temple. The affair has caused great excitement.

March 15,

With reference to the Cumberland-street tradegy Dr. Brown, who inspected the body of the deceased Grant at the hospital, is of opinion that the blow was given while Grant was asleep, and that it caused instant death. Mrs. Grant had three wounds, one on the crown of her head, one by the left ear, and one on the left temple. He considers it beyond question that the wounds were not selfinflicted on either Grant or his wife, and that the one could not have inflicted the wounds on the both. After Mrs. Grant had been removed to the hospital she received every possible attention, and at one time appeared to be improving slightly, but towards the evening she relapsed again, and expired shortly after midnight without having recovered consciousness.

During to-day a number of most absurd rumors have been afloat concerning the probable murderer, and several persons were said to have been arrested on strong suspicion. There is, however, no truth in any of these statements, no persons having been apprehended. The police at Waikouaiti have arrested a man named Butler, alias Donnelly, charged with the murder of Grant, wife and child. When arrested he drew a revolver, but did not use it. He had been recently discharged from gaol, after serving a sentence for burglary at Bishop Moran's residence. He left Blueskin at 10 last night. He will be brought to Dunedin to-night.

March 16

Butler, alias Donelly, who was arrested at Waikouaiti on Monday, and stands charged with the murder of the Grants, has been remanded till Monday. Besides the charges of murder and presenting a loaded revolver at Constable Laursend's head, he will be charged with burglary at Mr. Stamper's house, at the corner of Alva and High streets. This place was found to be on fire under suspicious circumstances early on Saturday morning, and some of Mr. Stamper's property was discovered on Butler when he was arrested.

At the City Police Court, this morning, in the presence of a great crowd, the man Robert Butler, alias Donnelly, alias Medway, alias Lee, was charged on information with the murder of Mr. and Mrs. Grant and child, on Sunday morning last, and remanded until Monday next. He is also charged with attempting to shoot the arresting constable. Inspector Mallard intimated that there would probably be a third charge of arson or burglary at the house of Mr. Stamper, the lawyer, on Saturday morning. It appears that prisoner, who had been recently discharged from gaol, had been lodging at the Scotia Hotel, within a few minutes' walk of the house of the murdered man. He did not occupy his lodgings on Friday or Saturday night, but returned on Sunday morning, within half-an-hour of the discovery of the murder, and after paying his bill, he walked to Blueskin,

changing his clothes by the way, and clipping off his moustache. When arrested he had a loaded revolver and a number of cartridges, but was secured before he could use it. He is a small sharp-looking man, under 30 years of age.