TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5556, 18 January 1879, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

(PER PRESS AGENOT). Auckland, Friday. A very important case was argued in the Supreme Court to-day. Hesketh brought up Thomas Renneli under a writ of habeas corpus, in charge of the gaoler, with the view of ascertaining whether the Courts in New Zealand have jurisdiction to detain in custody a person committing an offence outside the limits of the Queen’s jurisdiction. Hesketh argued that the shooting "of Captain Moller was committed on an island where the Queen’s authority does not extend, and that if it were shown that the flag followed her Majesty's subjects, and that Courts had the power to send Renneli to Fiji to be tried by the High Commissioner, it must be proved that such Commissioner had been appointed. Mr, Tyler argued that the Court had power to issue a fresh warrant committing the prisoner to Levuka, under'the general jurisdiction of the Queen over all her subjects, but he did not produce proofs of the existence of a High Commissioner. Mr. Justice Gillies reserved judgment, regarding the point raised as one of the utmost importance. The sixth annual conference of the Wesleyan ministers of Hew Zealand opened their sitting to-night. A large number of the public were present. The following ministers were in attendance ;—Messrs. Crump (president), Buddie, Warren, Wallis, Kirk, Reid, Morley, Bavin, Bull, McNicoll, McSlade, Lee, Richardson, Bunn, Law, Schnakenberg, Lawry, Whewell, Garlick, Gittos, Watkins, Cord, Walter, Reeve. Mr Morley was elected president by a majority of eight votes. Bavin was appointed conference secretary, Richardson, assistant-secretary; Lee, journal secretary ; Bull, corresponding secretary. The retiring president delivered an exhaustive address, Mr. Sheehan left Mahurangi this afternoon for Auckland. He will return and address his constituents in February. The Marvill’s passengers all arrive in a healthy state. There were no deaths or sickness. A boy named Gibbons, eleven years of age, pleaded guilty last Wednesday to stealing peaches valued at sixpence. Mr. Beetham, the presiding justice, remanded the case, he wishing to flog the boy. The other justices objected. The boy was again brought up to-day. Mr. Tele appeared for the boy, and submitted that as the boy had pleaded guilty he should have been dealt with on Wednesday. The Resident Magistrate, Mr. Barstow, said it was clear he ,eould not deal with the case. The boy was discharged. The hearing of the caaa caused considerable fun. A man named Warr met with a serious accident while working on the road in Waikato. Two tons of earth fell, nearly burying him. One of his thighs was broken, his knee dislocated, and one arm dislocated, and his spine seriously injured. At Rodney races . to-day Skylark was first for the cup, with Tom Finn second. Mann, the rider of Tom Finn, entered a protest. He says that Skylark crossed him, collided, and threw Tom Finn on his knees. Grahamstown, Friday. Flans of the reclamation .work necessary for the commencement of the Thames railway have beep completed by Mr. Bsere, C. 8., and have been submitted to the District Engineer of Auckland for approval. It is expected that tenders will be called for the work at once_ The borough is about to erect an industria*

School outside tho town, on a site given by an inhabitant for the purpose. The Advertiser says that the Thames has produced nearly five million ounces of gold, of tho value of over £12,000,000, according to the returns pub- . fished, since tho opening of tho field, j The Hon. Mr. S heehan is expect#! hero J again on Monday, to settle native matters. A butcher’s son had four fingers taken off at a sausage machine to-day. An inquest on the body of the bushman McGerry, who was crushed to death between two logs, has been held. The verdict was “Accidental death.” Napier, Friday. Tyson, the wrestling champion, had a hearty reception on his arrival at Taupo from Dunedin. On getting from the train a large crowd greeted and cheered him. He was convoyed to tho Railway Hotel, where a public dinner was given him, to which a large number of settlers sat down. In responding to his health he said he was now going to retire from public wrestling, but urged the young men around him to learn the art, and seek to win the same honors as ho had. He spoke also in high terms of his late opponent in the contest at Dunedin. Two smart shocks of earthquake were experienced last evening—one at 10.40 and the other at 11.50; direction north to south. The first was the heaviest experienced hero since 1861. It caused a slight alarm, but no damage was done. Tho amateurs f are going to give a benefit to those members of Hoskins’ Dramatic Company who were loft here yesterday. Wanganui, Friday. The borough valuation for the present year is £47,874, For last year it was £38,882. Chmstohdboh, Friday. In the bowling match Dunedin v. Canterbury, sixteen a side, the Canterbury men received a crushing defeat. The result was— Dnnedin, 84 : Canterbury, 32. A deputation consisting of Mr. Stevens, M.H.R., his Worship the Mayor, and Councillors Wilson, Gapes, and Binstead, waited on tho Attorney General this evening in relation to the market reserve, which it is wished to obtain for the purpose of a Town Hall. It was stated that tho reserve was vested in the Government, but with tho condition that it was to be used for n market. It was pointed out that a public market had been a failure in Other places, and that the same result would inevitably follow here. They also pointed out that they had a reserve near the spot which would answer all the purposes of the one on which they wished to build a town hall. Mr. Stevens explained ’that the Bill to vest the site in question in the Corporation of Christchurch had passed the Lower House last session, but had been threwn out in the Upper. The Attorney-General, in reply, said he did not consider the Government vould offer any objection to the wishes of the City Council, and expressed his convictions that town reserves ought to be dealt with by the local authorities. He added that ho had always been of opinion that Christchurch had far too few reserves. He promised to do what he could do in the matter, and said the Council would no doubt get a favorable answer at the beginning of February next. In answer to a question, he said he considered the Government had ample powers under the Public Reserves Act to vest tho land in question in the city by proclamation, and that there would be no Occasion to appeal to the Legislature. The deputation were delighted at their reception, and after having thanked tho AttorneyGeneral, withdrew. At the Police Court to-day six little fellows were brought up charged with bathing in a public place, to wit, the river. The magistrate said it was very natural this hot weather, and dismissed the case, but cautioned them not to repeat the offence. Bassingthwaite, the man charged with fraudulent bankruptcy, was to-day remanded for a week. Bail was taken, himself in £IOOO and two sureties in £6OO each. There is a large attendance to-night at the theatre, #n tho occasion of tho charitable concert for the hospital. Miss Amy Sherwiu and Signora Venoata aro among the singers. To-day the first consignment of the present grain season reached Christchurch from the Southbridgo district. At the sale of racehorses to-day Laertes was bought by Mr. Delamain for 450 guineas, and Javelin by Mr. Butler for 300 guineas. Jangler was bought in at 475 guineas. Tho other horses advertised were not offered. Eighty waggons have been turned out of the railway workshops during the past week. At a meeting of the Drainage Board to-day the old chairman, Mr. H. O. J. Tanored, was re-elected, and Mr. B, J. S. Harman was elected chairman of the Local Board of Health. In the annual report of the Medical Officer of Health, Dr, Powell drew attention to the number of cases of typhoid fever in immigrant ships, and attributed it to the bad water used on the voyage. He was requested to draw up a special report on the subject. The case of J. Henderson v. the Napier Harbor Board still drags along. It is expected to last for the whole of next week. The City Council will interview the At-torney-General this evening on the subject of a site for a Town Hall. Lyttelton, Friday. A case was brought by Captain Scoular, of the barquo Examiner, against one of his crew for desertion, which resulted rather unprofitably for the master, it being disclosed in the defence that the man deserted by jumping overboard, to save himself from the skipper, who was at the time chasing him round 'Tho deck. The bench fined tho captain 20s. and full costs. Blenheim, Friday. Mr. Seymour, M.H.8., announces his intention of addressing his constituents at the end of the harvest. There is no further intelligence as to the discovery of tho supposed incendiary who set fire to the Government Buildings in 1876. No one has been arrested as yet. It is reported that the Fire Insurance Association also offer a reward for the discovery of the persons implicated in the fire which destroyed P, Lawrence’s premises four or five years ago, TIMARU, Friday. The valuation for the Borough of Timarn for 1879 amounts to £45,800, being an increase of £10,300 on last year. The schooner Alert sailed for Wellington today to take part in the regatta there. A marked improvement has taken place in the crops during the last fortnight or three weeks, and on the higher grounds somesplendid paddocks are now noticeable. It is believed that tho yield on the whole, partly owing to tho increased area sown, will be fully equal to last year. OamalUJ, Friday. A meeting was held to-day for tho purpose of forming a volunteer fire brigade. A committee was formed to canvass for members. Inquiries will be made of the Dunedin Fire Brigade as to the coat of an engine, and other , matters connected with making the proposed ' brigade efficient. BalclutHa, Friday. Mr. Usher, tho resident engineer, Mr. Grant, the general manager, and others went over the line from Balolutha to Clinton today with a Fairlie engine and carriage, and made an official inspection. It is understood that the line will be formally handed over to the Railway Department to-morrow. Invercargill, Friday. The poll for the Mataura election was declared to.day. Messrs. Shanks and Kinross returned thanks. The latter bitterly reproached falsa friends for deserting him. The poll numbers are tho same as previously telegraphed. The Times strongly condemns the proposal to commute Walsh’s sentence. The weather is very fine and warm. The new theatre in Dee-street, built to the order of Messrs. Sloan and Sons, was practically opened for the first time to-night by the Bov. Mr. Byng, who delivered a most interesting lecture upon the “Archives of the Universe.” There was a numerous attendance, and the lecturer was much applauded. The theatre is a very handsome building internally, and its acoustic properties are excellent. An inquest was held yesterday at Oreti Bush, near Riverton, on tho body of a man named John Hayes, who died on the 14th from injuries received through a dray passing over his body. A verdict of accidental deathjwaa returned. Great preparations are being made for the ■demonstration at the opening of the railway next Wednesday. The town will be splendidly illuminated. There is to be a grand volunteer turn out and a banquet at night, but no ball. The ladies are indignant. Dunedin, Friday. At tho Synod to-night a notice of motion ■was given approving the action of tho University Council of Otago in seeking to obtain an independent charter for the Otago University. A meeting of those favorable to Bible reading in schools was held to-night. About 100 persons were present. The meeting was very Otagan in [tone, and a resolution in favor of the object of the meeting was unanimously carried. An influential committee to give effect to it was alao appointed.

Tho capital of the Boslyn Tramway Company is fixed at £50,000, but it is supposed that the work will be done for £17,000. A Loan, Investment, and Auctioneering Company is about to be floated in Dunedin, with a capital of £75,000. The Synod last night decided that the second chair they would endow in the Otago University should be moral philosophy and political economy. This proposal was carried by a largo majority, but thirteen members protested against the resolution. The question of Bible reading in schools was discussed by the Synod to-day. It resulted in a committee being appointed to frame a resolution on the subject, for submission to the Synod. Thomas, the wrestler, was last night presented by a number of friends with a purse of seventy sovereigns.