LATEST TELEGRAPHIC.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1315, 13 May 1897, Page 21

LATEST TELEGRAPHIC.

Auckland, May 10. A barn and outbuilding and contents of Hillside Farm, Pukekohe, owned by Mr John Gardner, has been burned down. The property was insured for £3BO in the South British office. The property was valued at £SOO. The origin of the fire is unknown. Auckland, May 11. jrP' Wm. Crowder, aged 46, a coal miner, ’ was killed at the Huntly coal mine to- ! day. He had been employed in the mine I for many years. He leaves seven children. Joseph Titzloff has been committed for trial on a charge of abducting a girl named Agnes Hayter, under 16 years of age. Bankruptcy proceedings are to be taken against Douglas. As ho has not been able to find bail; Douglas is still in gaol. ia fire occurred this evening in Mr B. C. Plummer’s straw hat factory. The stock and plant were nearly destroyed. It was insured for £IOOO in the Commercial Union. Mr Gregory and party, with a large flock of sheep, en route;for Waikato for the last six weeks from Napier, have arrived at Taupo. A good deal of anxiety had been felt for their safety, as their whereabouts during the time and sinoe the Hawke’s Bay floods were uncertain. They had a rough experience, having had great difficulty in crossing the rivers owing to the bridges having being washed away. A young woman named Amy Yickars attempted suicide at the Rotorangi station. The girl took an ounce of laudanum and then wrote the following letter : —“I have taken poison because I am miserable and want to die. These is no blame to be attached to anyone. Good-bye all kind friends and relations, and may God receive my soul.” The letter was read by a fellow servant. The usual remedies were applied, but the patient being still in a low condition, was removed to the Hamilton Hospital.

Auckland, May 11. A rather singular case was brought by the Railway Department against the Hon D. McGartin Lee, a passenger by the train for Rotorua, who was charged with having unlawfully obstructed an officer employed on the line in the execution of his duty. Mr Devore, who appeared for the department, explained that Lee was a first-class passenger on April 24th, and that one of the porters, on going into the carriage where defendant and his wife were sitting, noticed defendant with a rather bulky package, too large to go under the seat, and too large to be carried in a passenger carriage. He told defendant that he must remove the package to the lug-gage-van. The defendant insisted upon having the package in the carriage, and when spoken to by the chief porter the defendant replied that he I was a tourist, a director of an English railway company and an English gentleman, and that the officious ness of the porter was spoiling his trip. He again declined to let the package go into the van. Finally, Mr Grant, the stationmaster, entered the carriage and ordered the package to be removed. The porter got hold of one end of the package and the defendant immediately grabbed the other end, and in the scuffle the handle broke. As soon as the package was on the floor again .the defendant caught hold of his wife’s legs and put them on it, and the porter then thought it was time to knock off, so the defendant went away with his heart’s desire attained. Mr Devore, who ptessed for a heavy penalty, said they did net know where the defendant was dow, but it would prove a lesson to others. Cases were becoming far too common of breaking the law in this way. The Bench fined the defendant £lO, with costs, as they considered if he was a railway director he ought to have known better.

Palmerston North, May 10. I A six-roomed house in Church street, j owned and occupied by a man named | Bittlome/er, was totally destroyed by lire yesterday morning. The house was insured for <£loo in the National office. Christchurch, May 10. A house at East Oxford owned and occupied by Mr Enoch Cole, was destroyed by fire, title deeds and other valuable papers being burned. Mrs Cole became dazed and was rescued with difficulty. The house and furniture were insured in the New Zealand office. Mr Cole estimates his loss at J 6200 more. Gisborne, May 11. A man named Samuel Tarr has been admitted to the Hospital suffering from a severe gunshot wound in his left shoulder, which he stated was self-inflicted, Ho said he fired two shots, only the first of which struck him. Napier, May 11. The missing cutter lona has turned ujx. at Porangahau, with her crew all right.. The vessel was blown out to sea, and the men had a very bad time, being short of provisions. Dunedin, May 11. Frederick Mitschernen, a carpenter residing at Queenstown, was drowned at Bob’s Cove, Lake Wakatipu, yesterday, through the swamping of a boat. His brother Robert, who was also in the boat, was rescued. The body has not been recovered.