TELEGRAPHIC.

Otago Witness, Issue 1813, 20 August 1886, Page 23

TELEGRAPHIC.

Auckland* August 13. The Janet Nicoll has arrived from the Islands. After leaving Tonga she visited the new volcano island. Large volumes of smoke were issuing from the crater, and hundreds of rents were found in the earth. Daniel Blackwood, the second engineer, died on the voyage. Nothing was heard of the Sovereign of the Seas or of Caffrey and Perm at the Islands. Auckland, August 16. Margaret Ryan, who has been in the hospital for several weeks suffering from selfinflicted wounds in the throat, made another desperate attempt at suicide yesterday. She got possession of a knife and again cut her throat, but was restrained promptly. The wound having been stitched, she was shut up in a padded room, but was fouud soon afterwards to have torn open the wounds in her throat and to have attempted to hang herself from a gasalier. The police were sent for, and they removed her in a violent condition to the Lunatic AsylunC Auckland, August 17. A happy and unexpected termination was reached in the case of Bolton, recently acquitted of obtaining by false pretences a sum of monej. £490 was said to have been fraudulently obtained and was withheld by j the Court pending a decision being claimed by A. D. Bennett, a trustee under the old Bankruptcy Act, Bolton being an undischarged bankrupt. It has been decided by the Court that the money should go to the previous creditors, and a dividend of 10s in the £ has just been declared. £40 and private costs was paid to Bennett, and a small balance handed over to the Official Assignee for the benefit of creditors in the new bankruptcy. HOKITIKA, August 17. John Lange, a jeweller, committed suicide by shooting himself in an outhouse at 8 o'clock this morning. It is supposed that financial embarrassment led to the fatal act. Deceased was well known and widely respected throughout the West Coast. Gisborne, July 13. At a meeting of farmers and others to consider the question of freezing sheep, it was intimated that Mr Nelson, of Napier, would start freezing if he received a guarantee of sufficient sheep. A list of sheep that could be guaranteed was made, and amounted to 40,000. There is every probability of this number being augmented. Gisborne, August 16. Geo. Johnston c, late brewer, blew out his brains to-day. Deceased was found in bed, holding a rifle in his hand, the trigger having been pulled with his toe, and his brains were literally blown over the bed. Gisborne, August 18. The following telegram was found in the drawer of a looking glass in the room where Captain Johnston shot himself : — "Mr M'Rae, Auckland. Captain Johnston shot himself dead this morning ; open letter." This was under cover to Mr Booth, R.M., with instructions to forward it. A shilling for the payment of the message was enclosed. It is known that the deceased sent a letter to M'Rae contemplating suicide. A long rambling statement was also found among the papers, and in it deceased dwelt on his family troubles. Wellington, August 18. William Agnew, who, with his wife, had been haunting the Parliamentary precincts all the session, was arrested this afternoon for using threatening language to the Premier and other members. Some time ago the pair were forbidden to enter the grounds, and since then they have always stood, wet or dry, ab one of the gates. Of late a policeman has been stationed to watch them, as it was rumoured that Agnew had been trying to purchase a revolver. Christchurch, August 12. A man named Kelly, who was injured at Lyttelton on August 3 while unloading a coal hulk, died yesterday of the injuries received. CiIKJSTCHUHCII, August 18. At the Lyttelton Resident Magistrate's Court this morning Kate Kelly was committed for trial, charged with the manslaughter of her husband, Thomas Kelly. Timaru, August 13. The harbourmaster, the engineer to the Harbour Board, and several others visited the scene of the wreck Lyttelton to-day, and rowed a whaleboat over and about the spot where the wreck used to lie. At intervals they took soundings with a pole, and after submerging it 12ft to 14ft could not find any obstruction. A few pieces of wreckage sticking just above water were found to be the remains of one of the stagings on which the pumps had been erected. As no idea can be formed how the wreckage lies on the bottom, it is intended to send the diver down some day next week. Lawrence, August 13. An inquest was held to-day in the Courthouse, Lawrence, by Mr W. H. Revell, coroner, and a jury of six, on the late fire in Ross place. After a large number of witnesses had been examined, the jury returned a verdict that there was no evidence as to how the fire originated.

a We (Home paper) are informed that Beach is between 30 and 40 years of age, and the father of seven children. This fact shows that mature age is superior to callow youth, but the best— or nearly all the best — performances on record in the world of sport have been achieved by men who had passed their thirties. Charley Westall was over thirty when he astonished the talent by his twenty-one miles in three hours on a .turnpike road, touch and turn, fair heel and toe J ho was Harry Reed when he ran the quickest quarter. Billy Howes was nearly forty when he walked the fastest fifty miles ; and Richards, the Welshman, had passed the rubicon when he ran the then quickest mile at Manchester in > hie dead heat with Lang.