TELEGRAPHIC.

Otago Witness, Issue 1848, 22 April 1887, Page 21

TELEGRAPHIC.

Auckland, April 14. The Auckland Society of Arts rejected 1500 pictures for want of wall space iv the new gallery. There are 800 pictures in all. ' April 15. Notwithstanding the continued cry of bad times, there are already evident signs of improvement. Building material has advanced in price, timber Is per 100 ft, and there is a threatened advance on bricks, which should augur a corresponding increase of labour in the building trade. As an evidence that people have faith that; the cloud of depression is fast passing away, it may be skated that one financial agent in "this city has had £30,000 remitted to him undtr the injunction that it must be invested in Auckland properties only. April 19. Intelligence has been received from San Francisco that Ferdinand Barth. had willed lO.OOOdoI to the Auckland Hospital. Barth has no relatives hero, and so far as is. known, never received any benefit from the institution. The (tonvict Thomas Hall arrived by the Hinemoa at Onehunga this morning in charge of two w&*ders. He was at once conveyed to the Mount Eden gaol, where it is expected that he will serve out bis sentence, Drs Wright aud Anderson write to the papers that • the alleged case of cure by faith at Parnell was accomplished by their prescriptions, and not by Mr Dowie's prayers. There was a very noisy scene at Mr Dowie's meeting last night. In consequence of statements made by persons interested in the diminution of the evils of the liquor traffic, the police authorities recently caused an analysis to be made of a sample of locally manufactured ginger wine. H ba& been found that this article contains a very large percentage of alcohol. It is quite on the cards that a number of storekeepers in the North of Auckland district who have sold ginger wine will be shortly proceeded against for retailing spirituous liquor without being licensed. Wellington, Av.nl in. At the Supreme Court this morning Orabtret* was sentenced to three years on each charge (twe charges burglary and escaping from gaol), the sentences to run concurrently. April 20. The Land Acquisition Bill underwent another and a final revision to-day, and I am indebted to the Lands Minister tor a copy. The chief alteration made is to omit the addition of 10 .per cent, to the property tax valuation in the price payable to landowners. The provision now stands as follows: — The assessor shall take the valuation of the land then last made under *• The Property Assessment Act 1885 " as the basis for ' the valuation ; the Governor may notify the amount of such valuation to the association, and require it to lodge, with the receiver of land revenue a deposit equal to one* fourth of such amount, with 10 per cent, added. Chbistchubch, April 20. A civil action in tbe Resident Magistrate's Court to-day disclosed a bad case of over-driving a horse. ■ Purchell, tbe defendant, hired a mare from the plaintiff (Delamain, a livery stablekeeper) to gt» to Dmisande), 26 miles from Chrif-tchurch. He brought her back, in smh a, state that sbe dropped dead half-an-hour afterwards. Delamain sued him for £25 and got judgment. Greymouth,. April If. Bishop Redwood this afternoon laid the foundation stone of the new Church of St. Patrick with all the ceremony usual on such an occasion and delivered an impressive address. The co 1*

lection which followed realised £140 in cash and £30 promised.- The bishop before the collection read out the names of those who had subscribed most liberally. The sums ranged from £400 down to £20. The bishop himself gave £25 and Father Carew £100. The contractors presented, the bishop with a very handsome silver trowel. About 400 were present. The weather was very tine. The church will be of brick and have tcwer. Hokitika, April 15. A children's fancy dress bazaar was held here for Dr Barnardo's Destitute Children's Home at Stepuey, bei )g a children's jubilee gift to the homeless ones of London. It was a great SUCcess. Children's dances in fancy costumes were greatly admired, and a substantial sum will accrue. A „ „ Westport, April 20. Thomas Lahy is the name of the man who was killed by a slip on the Buller road yesterday, and Patrick Dunn is the injured man. They were wbrking with the object of bringing down 30ft of 'a face,' when it slipped without warning, entirely covering Lahy and just catching Dunn. Lahy's body was cut into small pieces. He leaves a wife and eight children, who live at Dunedm. Dunn died in the hospital to-day from the effects of the accident. Ashborton, April 15. A few weeks ago a man died at the Alford Forest Hotel, death, as was shown at the inquest! being the result of excessive drinking. As the man bad been knocking about the hotel for a fortnight prior to his death, the police instituted proceedings against the landlord, Samuel Thompson, ior permitting drunkenness on hiß licensed premises, and he was to-day fined £25 or two months' imprisonment. Oahasu, April 20. Oamaru seems to be infested by a number of thieves at present, and a great many robberies have been reported. Last night the premises of a number of tradespeople were broken into and a quantity of goods abstracted. The premises broken into were the shops of J. Familton, grocer ; Milligan, tailor ; Toohey, draper; Cagney, stationer ; Morton, /ootmaker ; and the Royal. From the last-named premises a cash box containing about £5 was abstracted, and from the other places a variety of articles were taken. This morniDg a man was caught in the act of stealing some shirits from the shop of Mr D. Toohey. He made an effort to bolt, and the shirts were passed on to a confederate. Both men were ultimately captured. On a Bearch being made the shirts were found hidden in a timber yard close by, and here were also found stowed away a quantity of other things. Afterwards a third man was arrested. The names of those in custody are James Cooney (with several aliases), J. M'Guire, and J. Scott, all strangers in the place. Up to the present the police have received besides the shirts stolen from Toohey's about 18yds Beford cord, seven pairs of boots, 11 pairs drawers, four hats, Heven shirts, a clock, a bottle of scent, two bottles of whisky, two bottles brandy, a pair of shoes, about 201b tobacco. A quantity of the stolen property has not yet been recovered. Lawrence, April 19. At the Lawrence Police Court, before Mr W. H. Revell, R.M., on Monday, a man named James Smith was sentenced to iive months' hard labour on three charges of drunkenness, riotous behaviour, using obscene language, and stealing a decanter full of brandy from the Victoria Hotel. Jaraeß Don was sentenced to four months' hard labour for being drunk and riotous and using obscene language. Thomas Edward was sentenced to four months on like charges, besides being committed for trial for stabbing Thomas Pilling in the leg. Mr Pilling was recorooaending the men to go away, when two of the prisoners rushed at him. He defended himself witli a stout walkingbtick. The police were sent for, and the prisoners were soon secured. The Prisoners wero swappers, and had come from apanui direction. They came into the town at midday oii Saturday, and during the afternoon and evening were begging drinks and food, an- 1 if not supplied they turned very abusive au-1 used most foul language. It is a good job that; tihey were 60 early secured by the police. Qoeen^town, April 16. fit has transpired that the Lake county couucallors have been served with writs for the refund of moneys illegally paid away by them. The amount is said to be several hundred pounds.