TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXV, Issue 9729, 4 January 1908, Page 1

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

(Teh I'bess Association.) DUXEDIX, January 3. The Otago Golf Club's tournament was continued to-day. The bogey handicap, in which 24 ladies competed, resulted in a win for Mrs Mackie, with Miss Wilson (Christchureh) second. The first ronndfe of the Ladies' Championship and Medal Han. dicap were also played off.

CHRISTCHURCII, January 3. The young Maori leper patient, who was isolated on Quail Wand early in November, lias been settled for the last fortnight in the small cottage, which was specially built for his accommodation. Everything possible has been done to make him as comfortable as possible. The cottage has one room, and is nicely furnished. It is fitted 1 with a both, aTn-d has a verandah along the front. The young Maori and the other leper have become quite friendly, and spend a good deal of time each day in conversing with each other, their houses being situated: close together. There is little change noticeable in the condition of either patient. The men-o'-warsmen off the waTships now in port have been making their presence noticeably felt in Ohristcliurch. Last night a. number of them, all more or less in a state of inebriety proceeded to break windows and smash things generally in a boarding-house on Moorhouse Avenue. At the Opera. .House, too, some of the Jack Tars interrupted the performance to such an extent that large numbers of the audience left, the building, and the programme could not be proceeded with.

NAPIER, January 3. A capital indication of the great progress the town has made during the past year is obtained- from the fact that 142 building permits, entailing an experiiJiiture of nearly £ICO,OOO. have boon- issued during that period, a;n increase of over 50,000 ou the previous year's figures.

WHAN'GAREI, January 3. A three-roomed cottage at Miripaka wars destroyed, with its contents, by lire at midnight on Wednesday. A family named Olsen, living next door, attended the file, and returned home to find that money amounting to £l7O in notes and gold had been, abstracted from a drawer during their absence. Yesterday the police, arrested Nicholas Maddcrn," a son-in-law of Mrs Olsen, who was visiting the family. An amount corresponding to the sum stolen was found on him. The accused was charged: at the Whangsrei Police Court to-day, and remanded to Monday.

BLENHEIM, January 3. Tiie results of the first Land Board election -by Crown tenants under the new 'legislation Was made to-day. There were -six candidates, and Mt John Duncan was rettimed by a large majority. The total votes polled: were 261, and the number of voters on the roll 748. Mr Duncan opposed the Hon. C. H. Mills \it the last two Parliamentary elections in the Opposition interest.

A grass fire broke out this afternoon, on a range of hills to the south of the town, the property affected being the Wither Run which is a portion of the Carter Estate. Several hundred acres of pasture were devastate!. .Some fencing was burned, ami about £SOO worth of oat crops in stool; destroyed. A party of fire fighters stopped the further spread of the flames.