TELEGRAPHIC.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 770, 3 December 1886, Page 26

TELEGRAPHIC.

(united press association.) Christchurch, November 25. Mr R. H. Taylor, M.H.R. for Sydenham, addressed hiß constituents to-night, and received a vote of thanks and confidence. Majors Gudgeon and Crowe, the Old Soldiers’ Land Claims Commissioners, were occupied the whole of to-day investigating claims. About 90 claims have been investigated, and they leave to-morrow morning for Timaru.

Auckland, November 25. Herr Reischek, the naturalist, left to-day on an extended tour in search of rare native birds in the Taupo district and the country lvinc between Wanganui and Lake Taupo. He afterward proceeds to Wellington, from •which place he will be taken by the Government steamer Stella to Southland and the West Coast Sounds. He will be accompanied by Luther Kemmer, At Messrs Hunter and Nolan s wool sale, ■the first of the season, there was an advance of a half-penny per lb on the prices at Mr Auckland’s sale last week. Among the likely candidates for the •Western Maori Electoral District are -Wahanui, Sydney Taiwhangs Te Wheoro, JNicholls, Hoani Tapua (Otaki), and Maiti Tare (Waikato Heads). • Messrs Collins and Brown, the delegates -t 0 inspect land for temperance settlements at Raglan, have left Auckland on their m The Rev Mr Langley, of Melbourne, after closing a successful mission at the Young Men’s Christian Association, left to-day by the Manapouri for Melbourne. At the annual meeting of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Society the accounts showed a deficit of £32. There have been 162 cautions given, 14 proßecutionß, and 12 convictions. Rewi and his people have taken the blue ribbon, through Mr Matthew Burnett’s persuasive eloquence. . • - The Hon P. A. Buckley, Colonial Secretary, left by the Manapouri to-day for Wei. lington. Napier, November 25. The Artillery Volunteers have resolved to take part in the encampment at Taranaki at Easter instead of in the local encampThe moist weather is repairing the damage done by the late frost. Potatoes and

other vegetables, apparently destroyed, are sending up fresh shoots, and good, though late, crops are expected. Three thousand five hundred shares of the proposed woollen factory have been taken up. The articles of association require that 5000 shares be taken up before operations are commenced. Dunedin, November 25.

The body found in the Clutha River last week has been identified as that of Robert Stevenson, who has been missing since the Wanaka races, when he was under the influence of drink.

Auckland, November 26. The Auckland delegates to the annual meeting of the Congregational Union at Christchurch left by the Manaponri. The Auckland Gardeners’ Horticultural Society’s Spring Show was held in the Agricultural Hall. The display of vegetables was poor, the Chinese having nearly crushed out cottage gardening. The exhibition generally was equal to that of last year. A scheme has been submitted to the Hon Mr Tole that the Government shall run a light railway to the Whtakere Ranges for timber traffic, which would feed the Kaipara railway. Mr Tole approved the scheme, and agreed to forward a communication to the Minister of Public Works. The Auckland Sunday School Industrial Exhibition is proving a great success. Yesterday there were 2000 visitors. New Plymouth, November 26. Major Atkinson, who recently sprained his ankle, is worse, erysipelas having made its appearance. Mrs Atkinson does not improve in health. Mr Wade, who was tossed by a bull, had a relapse, and he is not expected to live through the night. Dunedin, November 26.

Sir Julius Yogel, accompanied by a number of Dunedin gentlemen, visited Lawrence by a special train. The party inspected the Blue Spur. Andrew Dalziel, manager of one of the dredges on the Kawarau, is supposed to have fallen over a cliff into the river, and been drowned.

KUMARA, November 26.

Mr Alan Scott and Mr Richard Gardiner, the manager and contractor of the' Midland Railway Gompany, arrived here from Christchurch last night at 8 o’clock. Mr Scott had a long interview with Mr Seddon, M.H.R., on the topography and resources of the district. He left for Greymouth this morning at 10 o’clock.

Napier, November 26.

At the civil sittings of the Supreme Court next Wednesday there are six cases for trial, including two against Native Land Court Judges, and a divorce suit Eagelton v. Eagelton, with B. Saeffer, tobacconist, Napier, as co-respondent, in which £2OO damages against the latter are claimed. The criminal business includes nineteen charges against fifteen prisoners. The more serious offences are arson, forgery, rape and Post Office robbery. Timaru, November 28. Mrs Westropp, wife of the schoolmaster at Orari, who was thrown from a waggonette on Thursday last, and sustained great injury to her head, died from the effects on Friday. Major Crowe, one of the Commissioners appointed to decide old soldiers’ land claims against the Government, sat this morning at Timaru in the Police Station. About 20 applications were considered. Major Crowe leaves here on Monday by the early train for Oamaru.

Auckland, November 27.

A special train went to Waikomiti this afternoon with 300 people to witness the consecration by Bishop Cowie of the Anglican portion of the Waikomiti cemetery. The Hon. J. A. Tole visited the North New Zealand Woollen Factory at Onehunga to-day. The workshop of Edwin Wliite, cabinetmaker, Pompallier-terrace, was burned down shortly after midnight. The loss is' estimated at £l6O. The building was insured for £l2O in the South British and Mercantile offices.

Dunedin, November 27.

The latest development of the Kaitangata colliery dispute is that the company refuses to entertain the proposal of the Trades League for the reference of the dispute to a Board of Conciliation, on accouut of the League’s threat to boycott the company. Christchurch, November 27.

An inquiry was commenced to-day into the death of a boy named- Wolsey, who died in the Hospital on Thursday. It is alleged that he was injured while fighting with another boy. The inquest was adjourned till Tuesday. William Stewart, brother of one of the three young women who were drowned in the boat accident at the Estuary on the 9th November, has died from congestion of the lungs. He said, after the accident, that he' did not wish to survive his sister, to whom he was much attached.

The new Volunteer range at the Sandhills was opened yesterday afternoon. It was found convenient, but the firing points and. marker’s mantlets are to be turfed to prevent the sand from blowing away. . There was rain from the S.W., with thunder, this afternoon. Hokitika, November 29. A Cadet Corps was formed to-night at an enthusiastic meeting of youths, 76 being enrolled. Major Bonar, commanding the district, has received applications signed by 126 youths at Greymouth, asking permission to form one there also. Wanganui, November 29.

A cottage at Taylorville, across the river, belonging to P. L. Sim, was burned down tonight. The fire began in the kitchen. The family were absent at the time. The insurances are—£lso on the dwelling in the ftoyal, and £IOO on the furniture in the same office.

Dunedin, November 29. The City Council to-night adopted, with slight alterations, the Special Retrenchment Committee’s report, which will effect a saving of over £4600, This, with the previous retrenchment, makes a total saving of over £SBOO.

William Sinclair, a recent arrival in the Colony from the Cape of Good Hope, was drowned in the Taieri River whilst bathing on Saturday evening last. The deceased was a single man, and, bo far as is known, had no relations in New Zealand. A man named Matheson, who was bathing with

Sinclair, was rescued in an exhausted condition. Christchurch, November 29.

The Governors of Canterbury College have granted the College hall for the annual meeting of the Council of the New Zealand Educational Institute in January next.

The City Council have decided to make a trial ol the fire alarm system with a Morse instrument, as successfully adopted in Dunedin. On Saturday evening, a laborer named John Wagner was found drowned in a waterhole at Rangiora. It is supposed that he went to wash his dray in the hole, and drove into deep water instead of the'usual wateringplace. Auckland, November 29.

A cable message has been received from the engineer of the Kaihu Valley Railway, announcing that a contract for the construction of the line has been let to an Australian contractor. The work is to be started immediately. Three thousand pledges have been obtained in the province of Auckland during Mr Burnett’s temperance mission. A handsome new schooner of 60 tons register has been built by Messrs Sims and Brown, of Devonport, and sold to the King of Tonga. She will be launched about the end of the year. The schooner has very fine lines, and should prove a fast sailer. The police authorities made a new departure on Sunday by making surprise visits * hotels in private clothes, in order to suppress Sunday liquor traffic. The Hon Mr Tole, Captain Hume (Inspector of Prisons), and Mr Matthew Burnett (temperance lecturer), were passengers by the steamer for Taranaki to-day. Before leaving, the Minister of Justice authorised a number of unemployed to be taken on at the Mount Eden works. These are now fully manned, and men are still seeking work from the District Engineer. The Art Students’ Exhibition opened today- . . The Sunday School Industrial Exhibition has closed. The total drawings amount to £lB4.

Tauranga, November 29. An inquest was held to-day on the body of Richard Mark Rhodes. No fresh evidence of any importance was adduced. After a short deliberation, the jury returned a verdict of accidentally drownecl. Robert Horne, who was summoned as a juryman, was fined £5 for non-attendance.

Marton, November 29.

A man named Booth, alias Johnston, got three months to-day for larceny from the White Hart Hotel. Auckland, November 30. The police are putting a stop in the country districts to the practice of raffling horses. In consequence of information received by cable from London respecting the gum market, there is an advance here of £4 per ton for ordinary qualities. For superior qualities prices remain at previous quotation.

A petition is in circulation for the purpose of obtaining signatures asking Sir R. Stout to deliver an address to the citizens of Auckland on topics of the day, and giving an outline of the policy of the Government when they next meet Parliament. A shilling subscription fund has been started successfully to procure a full-sized likeness in oil of Sir William Fox, for presentation to the Art Gallery. At the Police Court three lads were each sentenced to three months for larceny. Two of them appeared in prison garb. Further charges are still pending. James Mclntyre, licensee of the Waitemata Hotel, who was charged with selling drink on Sunday, was acquitted ; but. a witness named Leydon, who admitted having falsely represented himself as a bona fide traveller, is being prosecuted. New Plymouth, November 30.

The civil sittings of the Supreme Court reopened to-day, when the case of the Harbor Board r Sinking Fund Commissioners is being heard. This is a case where the Harbor Board seek to recover from the Commissioners money placed by mistake in their hands.

Christchurch, November 30.

At the adjourned inquest on the body of Joseph Amos Wolsey, whose death was supposed to have been accelerated by injuries received in a fight with another boy, a verdict of death from natural causes (peritonitis) was returned. The jury did not attach blame to anyone in their verdict. Napier, November 30. The opening of that portion of Clive Square which has been undergoing great improvements, was made the occasion to-night of great festivities. The affair began with a torchlight procession, in which the Mayor, Councillors, Fire Brigades and Garrison Band, and other bands took part. On arrival at the Square addresses were delivered, fireworks let off, and songs sung in the Rotunda which occupies the centre of the enclosure. The whole passed off very satisfactorily. Dunedin, November 30.

To-day was generally observed as a holiday, and the races, the lawn tennis tournament, the bowling matches, and excursions were well patronised. Sir Julius Vogel, who again attended the races to-day, leaves for the North to-mor-row. The Hon W. H. Reynolds will not be able to attend the Cabinet meeting on account of illness.

Two accidents oocurred to-day. A child was knocked down by a horse attached to a huggy, and sustained a serious wound in the head. Another young lad named Percy Smith was found in an unconscious condition on Anderson’s Bay-road. He is supposed to have fallen from a cliff. He died shortly after removal to the Hospital.