TELEGRAMS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 7783, 29 January 1887, Page 2

TELEGRAMS.

(Peb United Press Association.)

Auckland, January 28. At the annual meeting of the New Zealand Accident Insurance Company to-day, Mr D. B. Cruickshank, who was in the chair, submitted a most satisfactory balance sheet. £1000 was added to the reserve, £1000 to reinsurance, and £500 to contingent liabilities. The usual dividend was declared.

The residence of Corns, a labourer, was burned at Avondale. It was insured for £60 and the furniture for £40 in the South British.

The French warship Scorpion, Captain de Ohambac, of 6 guns, has arrived from New Caledonia. She leaves in a week for Tahiti.

The Government intend to take proceedings against the Rotorua leaseholders for arrears of rents. The Natives are clamouring for payment.

At the Police Court to-day a lad named Floyd was convicted of robbing an orchard and sentenced to three months' hard labour. His companion was identified in court, put in the dock, and sentenced to a similar term of iniDrisonment.

William Anderson has been arrested for the larceny of a watch and gold chain. This is the man who was discharged through the .nonappearance of witnesses against him at the recent criminal sessions. Through a misunderstanding the witnesses were absent, and were fined in a total amount of £400.

Wellington, January 28. The charge of alleged embezzlement preferred against W. R. Waters was advanced another stage this afternoon. Mr J. B. Harcourt, acting-chairman of the company, stated that personally he knew nothing of the embezzlement, but had several interviews with accused relating to the affairs of the company and. the accounts of depositors and borrowers. The first of these was early in November, when accused admitted that several sums of money had gone. The directors had sold the company's claim on Waters to his bankruptcy estate. Mr Skerrit, accused's solicitor, was put in the box and produced a document which relieved' accused of all moneys duo by him to the Northern Laud, Loan, aud Building Company. This document was signed by J. B. Harcourt (acting-chairman) and D. T. Stuart (actingsecretary), aud bore the seal of the company. Witness continued: He had paid the sum of £1250 on a basis of the statement in the account releasing accused. The amount did not come out of the guarantee policy. L. P. B!undell produced a deposit receipt, dated June 1886, signed hy accused for £500.. He had applied for interest, but received none, being told by the company that the receipt was informal. John Blundell had a deposit receipt for £400, but the company repudiated all liability. After further unimportant evidence, accused was remanded for a week, and admitted to bail in two sureties of £50 each.

The mayors of Maori Hill (Dunedin), North Invercargill, and Kaiapoi, are appointed Justices of the Peace. John Brown (of Auckland), Thomas H. Harley (of Nelson), and Frank Slee (of Waimate), have resigned their commissions as justices.

The election of Honi Taipua to the House of Representatives as member for the Western Maori district is gazetted.

Cheistchuech, January 28. This afternoon a fire brolte out in the upper storey of Richardson's Empire Hotel, but it was confiued to the floor where it began. Tbe buildings, &c, are iusured in the Equitable Office. The fire is supposed to have been caused hy a defective flue. The damage to the hotel and furniture amounts to about £1000. It was mainly caused by water. A good deal of the insurance is reinsured.