TELEGRAPHIC.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1510, 7 February 1901, Page 21

TELEGRAPHIC.

AUCKLAND, January 30

Trooper O'Sullivan, a southern membet of the Sixth Contingent, fell downstairs at a hotel, through his spurs catching, ancl hurt his back, which had previously been injured. He was sent to the hospital, and had to ‘be left behind.

Prior to the departure of the Cornwall, Lieutenant-Colonel Banks, who went in charge of the contingent, was presented by the Auckland Racing Club with a purse, containing 100 sovereigns in recognition of his .services to the club in the capacity of judge. AUCKLAND, January 31. . The New Zealand Accident Insurance Company held its twenty-fir it annual meeting to-d&v. The balance sheet shows the company to be in a very strong financial position; was transferred to the reserve ‘fund, and £IOOO to contingent liabilities. The net premium income for the year amounts to £2890; the compensation paid and provided for to £20,000 . The usual dividend was declared.

AUCKLAND, February 1. At the Police Court to-day a Maori named llawiri Tana was charged with the murder of his wife, Hihi Kiwi, at Mercer.

The Hon J. A. Tole, who conducted the

prosecution, said the facts of the case were that accused on December 2Gth last was with his wife in a store, where they had gone to sell some sacks of wool. They remained at the store all day’, and had a.

drink or two, but it was not at all certain that they were under the influence of liquor. They left in the e\ suing about six o’clock, each riding a horse. Prisoner was seen by a Maori lad to get off his horse and beat the woman. He also

seized her by the hair and bashed her head against some large stones on the road. He left her prostrate on the road and rode off towards liis home. The lad found the woman speechless aftd bleeding from wounds in the forehead and behind the ear. Accused on reaching home told his daughter that she had better go out and look after her mother. The woman died

on December 27th. Medical evidence would be called to show that the cause of death was from the wounds referred to and it would also be shown that the horses were quiet animals. A.fter the evidence of a doctor, and several native witnesses for the prosecution, the Court adiourned. AUCKLAND, February 2. Trooper O’Sullivan, injured by a fall on Wednesday, is progressing favourably. The spine is not injured, as was at first feared.

AUCKLAND, February 3

On Friday afternoon a robbery occurred at Jagger and Parker’s tannery, Grey Lynn, the whole the men’s wages, amounting to over £IOO, being, taken. The money had just been brought out from town, and during a few minutes’ absence of the manager from the office, disappeared. NEW PLYMOUTH, January 31.

For. the five months ending to-day the butter shipped from the breakwater totals 113,381 packages, valued at £255,107 The cheese amounted to 12,126 packages, valued at £30,315.

HAWERA, January 30. In connection with the point raised in the Magistrate’s Court last Wednesday in a. charge of using obscene language, Mr Kenny, S.M., this morning

said that he had had a consultation with

Judge Kettle. The Judge was in agreement with him that in every case -under the Indictable Offences Primary Jurisdiction Act in which it was possible for the term of imprisonment to exceed three months, the accused person had the option of asking to be tried by a jury. In such an event the person could not even be tried by a District Judge, but must go to the Supreme Court. WANGANUI, January 30,

Arrangements are well in hand for the hand contest to he held here in March. Twelve bands have entei*ed, including the Wellington Garrison. Entries for the solo competitions are larger than ever previously received, totalling eighty, .and including fifteen 13fiat- cornets. There are a similar number of entries for the horn solo. * . . NAPIER, February 1. A mild shock of earthquake, succeeded immediately by one of unusual severity, was experienced here at about 10.15 h.st night. At the General Synod to-day there was a lively discussion on the motion of the Rev Mr Beatty that all parishes should make up their accounts for the same financial year, ending March 31st. A number of amendments were moved, but all were lost and ultimately the motion was lost also.

A cordial vote of thanks was passed to the Bishop of Waiapu for attending the jubilee of. the Board of Missions of Australia, and his report on the same. The evening sitting was devoted to Mr Tanner's motion to give women votes at parish meetings. Re urged that women did most of the parish work and it was but justice to enfranchise them. He

pointed out that the synods at Dunedin, Wellington and Auckland had passed resolutions in favour of such reform. Bishop Julius and Dean Hovell were prominent among the supporters of the motion. Dean Fitehett. the Rev Mr Beatty, Canon Calder, Archdeacon Cholmondeley,Archdeacon Fancourt and the Rev Mr Mac Murray were among the opponents of the motion, which was lost bv a narrow majority, the voting being—Ayes: Bishops 3, clergy 7, laity 11. Noes: Bishops 3, clergy 10, laity 7.

I’ATEA, February 1. Mr Josiah Richards, an old and respected! resident of Patea, and well-

known on the Coast, died this morning.

CHRISTCHURCH, January 30. The Canterbury Acclimatisation So-, ciety has decided to ask the Colonial Secretary to allow seagulls to be destroyed when more than one mile inland in view cf the immense damage done by them to lambs and fisli.

The president of the Exhibition this evening distributed the gold medals and special prizes in home industries and working exhibits section before a large attendance. He stated that both sections had been eminently successful, especially the latter one, which is the first held in connection with exhibitions in the colony. CHRISTCHURCH. January 31.

The Jubilee Exhibition was formally closed by the Mayor this evening. The president announced that everything had worked smoothly; that the t Pal number of visitors was nearly 250,000 ; and that there was a surplus of £3OOO. CHRISTCHURCH, February 1.

Ex-Judge Gress-on died this morning, aged ninety-eight years. He had been living in*-retirement on his farm in North Canterbury for several years. CHRISTCHURCH, February 2.

The girl named Sarah Lockhart, who took spirits of salts on Friday, died at the hospital. A sad drowning accident occurred on the estuary at New Brighton on Saturday. Mr B. Bull, an ex-Mavor of St. Albans borough, with a married and single son and a grandson, were sailing in the estuary, when a puff of wind capsized the boat. The youngest son, Leonard, first got his nephew ashore, and then liis father, but Samuel Bull, tire father of the boy, was drowned. The body has not yet been recovered. OAMARU, February 2.

A hailstorm at Duntroon, twentyeight- miles from Oamaru, was of an exceptional character. The storm expended itself over a small area, but it entirely ruined the crops of one farmer and partially destroyed those of others. The hailstones were like hens’ eggs,, and iron roofs were perforated and windows smashed whatever they faced the storm. WESTPORT, February 3.

On Saturday an electric storm passed over the district. The lightning flashed almost continuously for a couple of hours. A similar storm on Thursday night destroyed fifteen! telegraph pests between Westport and Charleston. DUNEDIN, February 1.

While two boys were rabbiting on the cliffs about a. mile from Mr E. B. Cargill's residence, above St. Clair, they found the remains of a man in an advanced stage of decomposition in a steep gully. • The police visited the place, and found the remains jammed in a crevice of rock in a sitting position. A sugar bag containing a white blanket and a cotton shirt lay about two yards away. The man evidently fell into the crevice where he was found, and died there. Nothing is at present known as to identity. i An inquest was held to-day on toe body of Ellen Sutherland, a five-months-old infant that was received in the hospital with its mother. Both were in a deplorable condition when received. The mother said she had been living in a house at Pine Hill, and had no friends. The child was given out to nurse, but died during the night. A verdict of death from bronchitis was returned. The police are making inquiries as to the whereabouts of the child’s father. The Hon John McKenzie will return! to his home at Heathfield to-morrow, a ’change ~eing considered desirable. The treatment he has received has been satisfactory, as far as it has gone, and an improvement has been brought about. The National Mortgage and Agency Company has received advice from the head office in London that the directors recommend for the year a dividend of 7,i- per cent; that the special fund held for seme time to meet possible depreciation and losses on assets is found no lenger necessary, as the contingency account has been transferred to reserve, and a further addition made brings the reserve to £25,000. The “Star" states that the liquidators of the Colonial Bank hoped to have paid a. final dividend in December last, but owing to the closing of the liquidation of the J. G. Ward Farmers’ Association having been unavoidably delayed, andio other unanticipated causes, they were unable to do so. It is now understood that both liquidations will he closed next month, and that the Colonial Bank shareholders will receive a final dividend of about one 'shilling per share.

Samuel Flaherty, charged with indecent assault on a child three and a half years old, has been further remanded rill the Bth instant, the child assaulted being too ill to appear. DUNEDIN, February 2.

An accident occurred to-day on the Port Chalmers railway. The afternoon train from Dunedin ran into another train from Port, which was drawn up to let it pass. As a result three carriages and several trucks were smashed. Two of the passengers , were slightly injured, but were able to walk. Frederick Cornish, years of age, committed suicide by hanging himself at his house this morning. No reason is assigned for the act. Deceased left a paper, stating that a servant girl at Anderson's Bay could explain the matter, but she knew nothing of him, except that he used to do some gardening at the house where she was serving. As is too frequently the case, the man

was not cut down when discovered. It was, in fact, nob until half an hour afterwards that he was cut down, and it seems probable that if promptly cut down his life might have been saved. A verdict was returned cf suicide while temporarily insane. DUNEDIN, February 3.

The weather was line on Saturday, but rain set in in the evening, and continued steadily for some hours to-day. There was a good deal of thunder and tremendously heavy showers of rain, which, if it had continued long, must have done some damage. If the rains extend into the country great damage will be caused to the crops.