TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4274, 1 December 1874, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

[Press Telegraph Agency.] Auckland, Monday. Cecelia Allan, a young girl in service with Howard on the North Shore, whose house was burned down on Friday, has been arrested on a charge of arson. Circumstances seem to indicate that the girl was afflicted with a mania for incendiarism. The house had caught fire several times. On the last occasion a man passing went in and found the girl removing furniture out of the way of the flames. The fire had then got such a hold that it was impossible to extinguish it. The Star draws attention to the fact that the Assembly was prorogued till to-morrow, and has not been further prorogued. There is now no Governor here to prorogue it. Messrs. Henderson and Macfarlane have purchased the brigantine Byno, to be employed as a South Sea trader. Mr. Sterndale, who wrote papers on the Polynesian trade in connection with Mr. Vogel’s scheme, accompanies the vessel. The single men by the Hydaspes will be released to-morrow from quarantine. Christchurch, Monday. To-morrow the first length of eighteen miles of the branch i ail way to Malvern Hills coalfields, and the first length of ten miles of the branch railway to Oxford, will be opened to the general public. , New Plymouth, Monday. The natives living along' the coast about Parihaka have been trying to change some water-washed Sydney Bank notes. They say they found them in the pocket of a waistcoat washed ashore about the end of September, when pieces of wreck were reported on Harriet Beach. There were fifteen notes in one pocket and three in another. The waistcoat was with other clothes in a seaman’s bag. It is supposed now that the wreck reported was that of the Eleanor from Newcastle for Lyttelton. Wanganui, Monday. The cricket match between Marton and the Wanganui Union Club came off to-day, and Marton won in one innings, with ninety-five to spare. The Union Club is a very young one. Jacob, of Marton, alone made seventy runs. DUNEDIN RACES. Dunedin, Monday. The races began to-day. The weather was splendid. There was a large attendance. The following were the results : HURDLE RACE. Kildare being the only entry; walked over for this race. MAIDEN PLATE. King Phillip (Batty) 1 Miss Alfred (Peterson) ... .. 2 Miss King (J. Cotton) ... ... 3 After one false start they all got away well together, excepting May Queen, who reared up at the post, thus losing three hundred yards. Passing the stand thei first time Lady Glasgow led, King Phillip, hard held, heading the others. This position was kept for a quarter of a mile, when Miss Alfred took first place, King Phillip gradually creeping up, and Lady Glasgow falling back. Although Miss Alfred did her utmost, King Phillip won easily by half-a-length. Time, 2min. SHsecs., being the slowest for a maiden plate ever run on Forbury course. * st. Andrew’s handicap. * Kathleen (Law) ... ... ... 1 Envy (J. Cotton)... ... ... 2 Faughaballah (Green) 3 Mabel, about whom the betting was level, was left behind at the start, and never got within two hundred yards of the other horses. Kathleen led passing the stand the first time. After going three-quarters of a mile Kathleen and Envy drew themselves away from the other horses, and had the -race to themselves, Kathleen won a good race by half-a-length. spring handicap. Mabel ... ... 1 Verbena ... ... ... ... 2 Bight Bower 3 Betting was even on Mabel; 3to 2 against Envy and Verbena ; and 2 to 1 against Bight Bower. Verbena led past the stand, with Envy second, Bight Bower third, and Mabel fourth. Mabel soon after came up, and after a bit of a set-to with Verbena, won as she liked by half a length, amidst loud yells and hisses. Time, 2min. lO^secs, TROTTING RACE. ' This event was won by Polly Green, noth Maggie second, and Magic third. There was great dissatisfaction expressed at the management of the meeting. Every race was started at least an hour after the advertised time.. The conduct of the rider of Mabel when at the starting post in the St. Andrew’s Handicap will be brought before the stewards of, the Jockey Club, with a view to the disqualification of the owner and the mare from again appealing on Forbury course, if the circumstances are found to warrant that action. After she won the Spring Handicap so easily her owner was hooted for several minutes, the public thinking that in the Maiden Plate she had been purposely detained at the post. For the Selling Race of 25 sovs. the favorite was scratched. A good start was made on a second attempt, Miss Alfred jumping away with the lead, but May Queen sticking up at the post. The race up the straight was between Miss Alfred and Miss King, the latter under the whip. The former won rather easily by half a length, Gamester making a bad fourth. 7 p.m. A fire broke out at 4 o’clock yesterday, at Lawrence, in the store of Meyers and Co. It was first noticed in the second story, over the kitchen. It is a* mystery, however, how it originated, as there was no fire in the room or the kitchen. The flames were got under by the brigade, who had their appliances on the ground in four minutes. The damage done by the fire was confined to the upper story; but tha stock below was considerably damaged by water. Had the brigade not worked hard, the greater portion of the block would have been destroyed. The insurances on the building and stock are as follows; —Northern, £1400; Victoria, £550; South British, £2OO.