TELEGRAMS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12830, 26 November 1903, Page 7

TELEGRAMS.

(Feb United Pesss Association.! , AUCKLAND, November 25. The Rev. Father Wm. Benedict' Purtoni 0.5.8., died this morning, after a traded illnesp, at the ago .of 66' years:' About three months ago ho contracted influenza, which developed into bronchitis, paralytic subsequently setting- in And affect* itig his brain. 1 "i News has been received of t,ho destruction by firs of a house at Kditara, occupied and owned by Thomas Watts. The insurance 011 the house and furniture was £250. A hook by which a lamp was suspended'was burnt out, and the lamp foil tti tho. flAor and exploded, tho oil eatohing fire. Very little was saved. The loss is estimated at £200 over tho insurance. •'.' >, • THAMES, November 85. As the result of the recent rama raping floods several euceoSsful drives of kauri log} aro reported. In one caso 2500 logs and in another over 2000 logs were ljberated: Tho scene is described as the monstrous logs were brought * down in a seething mass of wafer. ■ ' , ; STRATFORD, November 25. The first sitting of t-lie District Court was held liore yesterday, Judge Kettle presiding; His Honor was heartily welcomed by . the members of the bar. . An indignation meeting at, 'Whangamornona strongly condemned the apathy of tho Govemmont regarding the Stratford-Kawa 1 kawa railway extension. , • WANGANUI, ' Tho marble bust of the lato Mr S. H. Drew, founder and curator of tho 'Wanganui, 1 Publio Museum, was unveiled this, evening by the Premier. ■■ ■WELLINGTON, November 25. . Sir Justice Cooper to-day refused to, mate an order against the Rev. W. Earee, of Mastcrton, for the security of payment during his absence from the colony of' the amount of alimony recently. awarded 1 to Mw Earee. ..... ,-y- . The executive of the. New- Zealand Alliance has passed resolutions upholding the action of the Hot. Mr Isitt m 'connection with the raising ballot papers; and condemning' the attitude of tho -A- to L Parliament Petitions Committee, 'also tho conduct of the Commissioner of jPolics...,' ' J. J. Meikle, who haa been petitioning Parliament for years past to hitve his 1 name removed from the prison records,' " has appealed to the Governor, as representative of tho King, to have his name removed, at ■ that the King's freo pardon ehould be granted to him. • • WESTPOKT, November 25/ ■ . At the Magistrate's Court to-day two firemen—William White and Edward Mackio—who deserted from the s.s.:':' Taviuiu just as she was on tho point of sailing for Suva, via Auokland, were convicted and sentenced to a mouth's imprisonment in Auckland. Their desertion ohused the Taviuni to miss the tide, and'very, nearly missed the connection with tho Tanoouver service at Suva. • •'"■ ■ ■ - CHRISTOHUUCH, Noveniber 25. Tho Hon. C, Lottisson, chairman of tha Canterbury Patriotio Fund' Committee, remarked at a meeting to-day that tho' act dealing with these funds would, bo a deatl 1 letter! It would bo almost irtipifaifilo for any committee, to say when all cases had been relieved, because neW ones might turn up. Tho local committee has £800 in hand, and would have, to consider the question of granting a fixed allowance to * men wlii had been permanently disabled.* ,' '', W To-duy the Ohristchurch' Hospital Board adopted HlO House Committee's report, whioh stated tllat it was not considered' sirablo at present to'employ paid surgeons, and recommendod that the incoming beard should bo advised that it would boinore conducive to the best interests 1 of the institution that an honorary staff be engaged for one year instead of three, during which time the question at issue could be more fijUy reviewed. The Canterbury Philosophical. Institute has elccted Captain Hutton and Dr Chilton to represent it oil the Board of Governors of the New Zealand Instituto. Under the new constitution granted by ah act passed last session, an advance copy of the index of "Faunae Novae, Zoalandiae," compiled by soveral scientific workers in New Zealand, and edited bv Captain Hiitton; has been received in Ohristchurch. It contains a list of all animals inhabiting New Zea)and and neighbouring seas. -..The work is 'being published in London 'by the Canterbury Philosophical Institute, assisted by -the Otago Institute. '

TIMARtT. November 25. At a meeting of tlie chairmen of tho Levels, Ashburton, Woitaki,' and. Waimato County Councils liere, a. resolution was passed protesting against , the action of tlm Railway Department in claiming the; cos; of mainienaneo of railway' combined traffic bridges, as these are colonial' wbrlts ani benefit tho public as a whole rather! than local ratepayers. A copy of the resolution is to be sent to Sir. J, G, Ward 'anil .'the Hon./W. Hall-Jones. ,* ; . • 0 AMARU, November £5; The Woitaki County-Council to-day .re-' solved to resist to the utfermftst the intention of tho Railway Department; deduct from the council's subsidy the siim deeidei upon by the department for. the . maintenance of the. combined wilwajf hridces/ ■ ..' -1 ■ ; .'