INTERPROVINCIAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 1499, 7 August 1880, Page 11

INTERPROVINCIAL.

AuoKland, July 30th» Alexander Martin was charged at the Police Court with acting as a conveyancer, he not being a barrister or solicitor of the Supreme Court. He pleaded g ulty, aod was fined LSO, or one month's imprisjnment without hard labour. The report presented at the half-yearly meeting of the Working Men'n Club showed tbe receipts to be L93G, and the balance over expenditure Lll3. July 31st. Mr John Cowell has died, aged 60. He waa one of the oldest settlers in New Zealand. He accompanied Houghton on his Southern expedi* tion, also Potatau on his expjdition to Tara* naki. He was obliged to leave Kawhai, with other Europeans, during the first Taranaki War. Ac the annualmeetingof delegates of Odd-Fel-lows' lodgeß (Manchester Unity) of the Auckland District, Mr Owen Mahon, Provincial Grand Master, presided. Mr H. P. Smith, corresponding secretary, stated that the returns read showed that the Lodges had expended L 1045 14s 4d during the year in sick relief, and in funerals L 247. The gain in funds during the year amounted to L 1857 143 sd. August 2nd. At a meeting of the Acclimatisation Society it was stated that there was L 341 to credit and in hand. Mr Earl applied, and his request was granted, that he should be permitted to purchase trout ova expected from Dunedin. The cutter Fanny was wrecked at Kawau. No lives were lost. Auckland, August 3rd. Mr Stovin, of the Batik of New South. Wales, lost to-day a roll of notes amounting to L 270, between his residence and the Bank. The notes have not been recovered. Contrary to expectation, the owners of the two dogs remaining in the coursing match decided to run off their dogs for first and second place. The only two remaining in it were Duke of Wellington and Sloan's Lady Marion. The latter scored a good win. The Btakes aro LIOO (divided) ; 60 per cent, to the winner, 25 per cent, to the pecond or runner-up, and 15 per cent, to the third. Napier, August 2nd. By a fire this evening the dwelling-house of Mr Edmund Sutton, of the firm of Wardrop and Co., was completely destroyed. The damaga ia estimated at L3OOO. The insurances are :—LSOO: — L5OO in the Imperial, on the building ; L3OO in the New Zealand, on the furniture. The origin of the fire is wrapped in mystery. Tbe only persons in the house at the time were four children, the eldest 13. All were saved, though one had a narrow escape, being dragged from under a bed, where he had crawled, by Mrs Denghly. Gisbobne, July Sis. The severest shock of earthquake felb for years was experienced about 1,20 this morning, lasting for 30 seconds, and travelling from a southerly to northerly direction. Another shock, less severe, occurred 15 minutes afterwards. No damage was done. An old Wellington resident on a visit here says it was the severest shock he has felt for the last 20 years. Just before dusk the preceding evening a most brilliant meteor was observed. Wellington, July 31st. Tho exhibits raceived for the Exhibition number 325. Dr Hector leaves for Melbourne, in a fortnight. The Exhibition opens on October Ist. August 2nd. A man named Vause, a saddler, was arrested this afternoon on a charge of threatening to shoot his wife. On being searched 44 bulletß were found on. him, and concealed in the back portion of the outer case of his watch waa a small packet of strychnine. One hundred and fifteen births and 31 deaths were registered during July. Twenty-three marriage certificates were Issued during the, iawe period,

The Customs revenue for the month amounted to L 12,453 3a lOd, showing a decrease of L 3500 on the corresponding month last year. Wellington, August 3rd. At the Police Court today Vause waa charged with lunacy. He admitted that his action was due to excessive drinking. He was remanded until Thursday for medical examination. The latest efficial information about the Lake Mapouiika diggings, near Okarito, is that about 60 miners are in the locality, and that five parties are on gold. The statements of the miners vary as to the value of the claims, and nothing appears to be trustworfchyaupon this head. It is believed a fairly payable goldfield will be developed. Nelson, August 2ad. j At a meeting of St. Mary's Catholic^ Church congregation, held last night, to consider the advisability of enlarging the edifice, it was agreed to build a new church, to coat about L2OOO. The sum of L6OO was immediately aubsoribed in the room. L9OO is now available for the purpose. I Hokitika, July 30th. Mr Hunter, storekeeper, of Ross, received a letter from Okarita stating that several holes have bottomed on payable gold at Mahonkea. From the tone of the letter, prospects are very favourable. Chbistohubch, July 29fch. To-day the unemployed at the Waimakariri works, Malvern, knocked off work, dissatisfied with the wages. Since its constitution the Acclimatisation Society has spent L 12,000 and liberated 80,000 troUt> ' July 30th. At the Acclimatisation Society meeting yesterday it was reported that 60,000 ova are now being hatched out. Applications from Blenheim for ova were granted, and it was resolved in distributing young trout this season to send a number to the West Coast. C. Fritb, W. Frith, and D. Ashby, promi. nent cricketers, and the best bowlers here, purpose leaving Canterbury shortly. Another meeting of the "unemployed" was held to-day, at which some 200 men were preBent. The wages paid by the Government were condemned as too low. A committee was appointed to prepare a petition to the Government. July 31st. The police in Canterbury and Westland are to be reduced by one detective and ten constables, while several sergeants have been reduced to the ranks, and five country polioeBtations closed. The reductions commence to* day, August 2nd. The vital statistics for Ohristchurch for July Bhow that there were 206 births, 42 marriages, j and 50 deaths. At a meeting of unemployed thiß morning 300 were present. The Chairman stated that the Government had already begun to redress j the grievances at the railway works, they having telegraphed to the officials there to pay the men according to the original agreement. Petitions to the Governor soliciting more work on the railways, and to tha President of the United States soliciting free passages to America, were adopted. A case was heard to-day at the R.M. Court, in which the Rev. Wilkes, master of the Lower Heathcote School, was summoned for beating a pnpil severely. It turned out that the nickname of " Rule Britannia " had been bestowed on the rev. gentleman, and the larrikins of the district, who are gaining quite a reputation for outrageous acts, used to annoy him by whistling and singing the tune as much as possible. In this instance the boy^ had gone into his garden and Bung the air with his sister, and next day Mr Wilkea gave him a Bevere thrashing in Bchool. The mother of the boy, who was 13 years old, took the case into Court, and the Magistrate said that the master had done perfectly right, and read the mischievous lads of the place a lesson. Chbistohuboh, August 3rd. William Lee has been arrested for a Bavage assault on his wife last night. He struck her on the head with a heavy piece of wood, inflicting a severe wound. The woman is now in the Hospital. There are 19 candidates for the Board of Education Bcholarahipß, of whom 12 are girl 3. Timabu, July 31st. The child which was a fortnight ago bitten severely by a pig died in the Hospital last night from blood- poisoning. For asking the time and running away with a watch, Charles Williams has been committed for trial. The Customs duties for July amounted to L 2412, as against L2OBI for the corresponding month of last year. There were 56 births, 14 deaths, and 6 marliages registered in the Timaru district during July.