LAST NIGHT'S NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 10303, 10 March 1905, Page 1

LAST NIGHT'S NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

{Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, last night. At the fire brigade, dinner last night, uel Slutzkin, 18 years of age, the verdict was that deceased committed suicide by taking phosphorous paste while mentally deranged. WELLINGTON, last night. At the fire brigade <Koer last night, Mr J. W. Brindley, manager of the State Insurance Department, was set down to reply to the toast of the insurance companies. Tliis lias raised) the ire of some at least of the insurance managers, and one writes to the Post m this strain : — "Funny incidents do occur occasionally, but I have never heard of anything more laughable than the circumstances of Mr Brindley, the State Fire Insurance manager, replying at the annual fire brigades' dinner last evening to the toast of 'Insurance Companies.' A toast is usually understood to be complimentary, and the person who acknowledges it to re. •present those toasted, but Mr Brindley, so far from representing the insurance companies, conducts an institution most strongly antagonistic to them." Recently, after the Compensation Court announced that no award had been arrived at Mr T. K. Maodonald, assessor for the Crown, gave the Post an interview, m -which certain information was divulged! and) opinions expressed. Mr G. P. Skerrett, counsel for the proprietors of the estate, has written to the journal m question to the following effect : — "I am instructed by Sir George Clifford, on belwilf of the claimants in< the Flaxbourne case, to enter an emphatic protest against the publication of the interview with the Hon. T. K. Macdonald, asses- • Bor for the Crown, which appeared m youi* issue of the 28th February, while the case was sub judice. My clients prefer this course rather than to bring the publication undler the notice of the Supreme Court as contempt of Court. I am necessarily precluded from any reply to Mr Macdonald, or to any comment whatever upon the ciise, andi must content myself with a formal protest against what I considfer to be a flagrant violation of the rule which forbids comments upon a case while sub judice." - BLENHEIM, last night. The New Zealand Egg Laying Competition Association, which has obtained Government supervision for a competition to be held! m Blenheim, has caUedl for tendiers for the erection of 100 pens. Numerous enquiries for information have Deen received from Jill parts of New Zealand and Australia, andi it is anticipated' that m the end 150 pens will have to be constructed. The eight blocks, inlo which the Assets Realisation Board subdividied the Weld's Hill' and 1 Upton Downs estates m the Awatere district, were offered for sale at auction to-day. The total acreage offered was 59,910 acres. Three blocks comprising' 7830 acres, were disposed of at prices ranging from £2 Is to £6 Is per acre. The others were passed m. NELSON, last night. The case against Frank Jolinston, late mine manager of Gokfen Blocks, occupied! the Supreme Court to-day. Judge Denniston put two questions to the jury. 1, "Didl the accused! steal 5530z., which it was alleged he kept as a secret reserve to equalise the monthly returns?" 2, "Did he steal 980z., alleged to have been taken by him to Wellington?" The jury Mere locked up for four hours and' returned at ten o'clock. Their answer was "No" to the first question, andi they could not agree on the second. Acused was therefore found! not guilty with respect to the 5530z., andi a. new trial was ordered, which after objection was heard was directed! to be at Wellington at the May sittings m respect to the charge involving the 98ozs. CHRISTCHURCH. last night. At tlte Amuri ewe fair to-day record prices for the southern- hemisphere were achieved, 500 balf-bredi ewes, LeicesterMerino cross, fetching from 36s Id 1 to 36s 4d. The Governor and 1 his suite narrowly escaped a serious accident to-night. When visiting the performance of the "Mikado" by the Chrischurch amateurs his Excellency's horses took fright, and after the carnage badl had two narrow escapes of upsetting the horses were pulled on to a vacant section, where ssome bystanders secured the frightened animals. The Governor and! pa^ty escaped unliarmed, but the carriage was slightly damaged, and the coachman sustained some bruises.