Telegraphic Briefs.

Otago Witness, Issue 1581, 11 March 1882, Page 11

Telegraphic Briefs.

Dr Rogers, late of Bombay, was found dead in his house. , Fagan, of Christchurch, has challenged Burk, of Dunedin, to a half mile or mile race for £100 and the championship of the Colony. . „ The harvest yields in the Wakatipu district generally do not justify previous calculations, but a respectable average will be reached. At the sitting of the University Senate a committee was appointed to consider the advisability of prescribing a medical curriculum in connection with the New Zealand University. The New Zealand entries for the Christchurch Exhibition number 154, of which 100 are by Canterbury firms. The whole of the 120 bays set apart for New Zealand exhibits will be filled. The Governor has consented to forward invitations to the commanders of the various squadrons in these waters to attend tho Christchurch Exhibition. The Government had previously declined to invite them. The Election Petition Court upheld the Wallace election, but did not grant the respondent (Mr Daniel) his full costs, in consequence of his having committed an irregularity in attesting a claim to vote by a person who was not the claimant. A boy aged 15, who had been engaged to commence work as a guard on the Wellington tramway on Monday, on was Saturday learning his duty when,in falling passing from one car to another, the wheels passed over his chest, causing instant death. Sir Charles MacMahon has written to the New Zealand Times denying a statement published that any of the Melbourne gentlemen who accompanied him from Melbourne to the so-called oil-springs are perfectly satisfied. i The distribution of the prizes won at the Rifle Association meeting took place at Nelson on Monday. A large number of ladies were present. Mrs Pitt presented the prizes. The winners of the championships were heartily cheered by the assemblage. The charges against the Chinamen for playing fan-tan at Christchurch were disposed of at the Resident Magistrate's Court on Monday. All the paraphernalia incident to the game was ordered to be forfeited, and the keeper of the house where the game was played was fined £5 and four of the players £1 each.

O. Louisson, of the Crown Brewery, Christchuroh, has been fined £18 and £2 4s costs for neglecting to affix the necessary beer stamp to a cask of beer sent out of his brewery. The Collector of Customs, however, said there was no attempt at fraud, but the oase was merely one of negleot by one of defendant's servants.

A deputation waited on the Attorneygeneral and Sir G. M. O'Rorke in reference to the establishment of a university college at Auckland. Mr Whitaker said he was not favourably impressed with the prospect, but would consider the matter fully. At the sale of Rotorua township the average increase on the price of allotments was nearly 50 per cent., and in some cases 100 per cent. Mr Duncan, of Wellington, bought largely. The Bank of New Zealand purchased several town lots. The suburban and rural lands brought an increase over the upset price of from 100 to 200 per cent. At a meeting of Volunteer officers n Monday night at Wellington after full consideration, it was resolved to abandon the intention of holding an encampment at that place, owing to the Defence Department refusing to provide a steamer for the transit thither of Volunteers. The Gazette contains the proclamation of the Mataura town district. Mr A. W. White is appointed returning-officer to conduct the first elections, which are to be held on Saturday, March 25th at the Mataura Courthouse. Mr G. M. Bridges is appointed deputy land registrar and examiner of titles at Dunedin during the absence of Mr H. Turton.

The following sums were received on the 2nd, at the offices named in payment of property tax. : — Head office, Wellington, £13,500; Dunedin, £14,130; Christchurch, £10,855; Napier, £5795; Timaru, £2075; Nelson, £2013; Invercargill, £1758; Wanganui, £1020 ; Gisborne, £589 ; New Plymouth, £270 ; Hokitika, £133 ; Thames, £93 ; and Westport, £82. The total for the places mentioned is £50,452. At Friday's sitting of the New Zealand University Senate it was decided to admit ad euvdeni the following graduates :— Right Rev. Dr Cowie to the degree of M.A. ; H. J. Seth Smith, M.A. ; C. J. H. Chappell, M.A. ; A. De Lisle Hammond, M.A. ; J. B. Shallong, 8.A. ; J. Cumming, 8.A. ; M. J. Irving, M.D. ; G.F. Tenall, Mus. B. It was decided that the preliminary law and Civil Service examinations will not be accepted in lieu of the matriculation examinations.

Nothing has been heard of the alpine tourists, except that they_ were obliged to return to camp for provisions. Their intention was to get their camp near enough to the top to make it possible to climb to the summit and return in one day. To do this, however, it would be necessary to cut many hundreds of stops in the ice, which is both a tedious and a dangerous work. Since this information was received from the explorers the weather has been cloudy and threatening, and probably MiGreen and his party have not yet been able to make the final attempt.

At the sitting of the University Senate at Auckland on Monday the Chancellor announced the winner of the Bovven prize to be Joseph Burford. The second essay was so close in point of excellence that the examiner recommended the writer a certificate. The name of the second essayist was Miss Edith Searle. The recommendation was agreed to by the Senate. The Rev. Mr Habons was appointed examiner for 1882 of the essays. The Rev. T. Mackenzie Fraser was admitted to the M.A. degree, ad ewndcin. At tho last chamber sitting of tho Supremo Court at Auckland Andrew Hesketh made application tinder the Supreme Court Arbitration Act to fix the day for hearing the Brogden claim, which had been referred by Government to Mr Justice Gillies. Although nominally the claim is for £250,000, the interests involved reach the enormous sum of £400,000. Both sides will be represented by the largest bar ever engaged in any case yet heard before the Supreme Court of New Zealand. His Honor has fixed the 22nd inst. for the hearing.

Our Lawrence correspondent telegraphed on Monday evening :— " Patrick Butler alias Denis MO rath, arrested on Saturday last by Sergeant-major Moore, was charged on his information to-day, before J. N. Wood, Esq., R.M., with attempted rape upon a little girl four and a-half years old. The alleged offence was committed In a stable at the rear of the Masonic, Hotel, ltoss place, Lawrence. The prisoner pleaded not. guilty. The evidence against Ihip bointf conclusive, he _was lully committed for trial at the next- criminal sittings here, The pra^tiei 1 i- 1 an old ottender."