TELEGRAMS

Colonist, Volume XXXII, Issue 5524, 19 June 1889, Page 3

TELEGRAMS

Per United Press Association.

WELLINGTON

June 18.

A conference is to take place this evening between representativaß of mercantile kouiea and the Grocers' Association for the purpose of endeavoring to devise mean!), to protect European retail traders from the competition of Chinese. At the present time 29 shops in the city are _ occupied by almond-eyed strangers, and it is asserted that in consequence of the reduced prices at which these people are able to offer their goods the bnsiness of the European tradesmen ia being injuriously affected, the working classes preferring to buy from the Chinese rather than purchase from Europeans at slightly higher rates, The proceedings at the conference are not to be made public. Captain Swede, a resident here, was walking home with his friends after attending a meeting last night,' when ha fell auddenly to the ground. A medical man passing at the time pronounced life to be extinct. The laikotra arrived at 7.15 from Plymouth via. the Caps aqoi Hobart. The voyage was pretraoted by squally and foggy weather fremthe Cape to'Hosait, and a strong gale and high lea were encountered between Hobart and Hew Zealand* .

BITNEDIN,

June 18,

Lakes Tuakioto and Kaitangata are oorapletely frozen over, pmsnting an unbroken BUjfaoe of ice over seven mile* long. This baa not happened since 1861.

A young girl named Clark was burnt to death at Maori Hill by her clothes catching fire.

&TIMAEU.

June 17.

The magisterial inquiry into the frauds in the Deputy Assignee's office commanced to-day, when P. Birrall, deputy's clerk for 5£ years, was charged with forging two receipts for dividends, Juno 7th, 1888, for £385, and 4th September for £12 12b 3d. The eases are not concluded as the witnesses were not all present. The Inspeotor stated that the total deficiency amounted to £SOG 16a 10d-

NAPIBEj

June 18,

The Hotel at West Clive was destroyed by fire at 2 a.m., tho inmates barely escaping. with their lives. The insurance on the building was £2000 in the Standard, reinsured in the New Zealand for £400, South British £300, Imperial £400, National £250. and London and Lancashire £150. Ibe stock and contents were insured in the Union for £400 and the Norwich Union for £400.