INTERPROVINCIAL.

Timaru Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 2832, 20 October 1883, Page 2

INTERPROVINCIAL.

[Per Press Association.] Auckland, Oct. 19. Garret t Bros.' boot factory has been dcdestroyed by lire. The origin of the fire is unknown. Messrs William and Richard Garrett resido m a dwelling-houso adjacent to tho work-house with their mother and sister. For a mouth past carpenters and painters have been working m tho factory, 4c, on night contract, making alterations to the premises, and they were so working up to half-past eleven o'clock last night. There were some shavings, necessarily, about the floor, but Mr Hiclinrd Garretl, who let the workmen out and locked up tho premises, left them, to the best of his belief, perfectly safe, and went to his bed m the dwelling-house adjacent. About one o'clock somo cabmen who reside on the opposite side of tho street aroused the family, and on Garrett, partially dressed, going outside, ho saw that the firo was rnging m tho boot factory. The factory fire-bell was rung to give the alarm, but its notes were not heard to any great distance, and a man ran down to the Grey street firebell and rang out an alarm from it. The lower storey of tho warehouse was completely gutted. The damage is estimated at between £2000 and £3000. A corpse has been found m the Waikato river near Huntley's. It is supposed to be the body of Spicer, who committed suicide at Cambridge, forty miles further up tho river. Advices from Mr Tesey Stewart and other sources by tho last English mail fully confirm the news of the Tauranga-Rotorua railway being successfully negotiated for m London. Negotiations are now on foot with the same parties m London for the further extension of the railway line to Opotiki as well as to Rotorua, and with every prospect of success. The amount required will be forthcoming if tho requisite concessions are granted by the Government. At the Supremo Court civil session, m the case of W. Quinn v. tho Mercury Bay Saw Mill Company, claim for £1000 for damago to property through defendants driving logs down tho Karimarama river, the plaintiff got a verdict for £250. The question of granting an injunction against defendants to restrain them from driving logs m future was deferred. A meeting of creditors m tho estate of Robt. Martin, of Auckland, timber broker, was held to-day. His liabilities were shown at £1535, and hia assets at £983, consisting of promissory notes not yet matured. Under examination, the dobtor ascribed his insolvency chiefly to lawsuits m the 6outh, whereby lie lost £1500. Of tho Union Insurance Company's risk of £4500 on Gnrrett Bros.' stock and premises, £2500 was reinsured, namely, m the South British £1000 ; Victorian, New Zealand, and Norwich Union £500 each. At a meetiug of creditors of Thoa. Wayth Gudgeon, commission agent, tho liabilities were stated to bo £929, of which £722 was owing to John Abbott, bill broker, and the assets, which consist of gold-mining stock, are set down at £850. Upon his statement of assets and liabilities the debtor endorsed the following memo : — " My failure to meet my liabilities is caused by depreciation and losses on shares ; my attempts to pay off former debts, and domestic troubles and expenses. My business never exceeded £180 per annum." Natieb, Oct. 19. Although the guaranteed trains run tho last two Saturday nights yielded good profits, and although storekeepers are willing to continue the guarantee, tho Department has refused to run any more trains, and has returned the guarantee cheques. The Chamber of Commerce to-day interviewed Mr Maxwell on the subject, bub ho refused to niter his decision unless doublo the ordinary guarautco was tendered. Tho deputation also urged tbe necessity for more rolling stock, tho traffic on tho Napior line m proportion to the rolling Btock being larger than that on any other line m the Colony. l£r Unwell < '

dmitted the justice of the claim and promised lereased rolling stock. Wellikoton, Oct. 19. A notice of the land to be cold by auction t Kaipara appears m a Supplementary Gazette issued to-night. The land will be old by auction for cash, subject to the proisions of the Knipara Township Sale Act, at Luekland on Wednesday, 23rd of January, -lie highest upset price for a section is £40, lie lowest being £12 103. | Mr Brycc, it i 3 stated, will visit Kawhia gmn within a few days. The half-year's accounts are not yet ready or publication. His Excellency the Governor is still inlisposed, and it is thought that he will be mable to leave for Nolson until Sunday neit. The net proceeds of the Convent bazaar ealised £860. The -weather is still boisterous and southerly, .ccompanied by a steady downpour of rain.' The administrative reform Committee of he Wellington City Council have agreed ipon the following report, which will bo conidered by the Council at its next meeting : — ' Your Committee beg to report that they mve gone carefully into the administration of ill departments of the Corporation, and eximined the various principal officers, and beg o recommend — (1) That three officers m the surveyor's Department be requested to resign, rith a view of mating fresh appointments ; [2) That the salary of the City Surveyor be ESOO per annum ; ' (3) That applications for he appointment of City Surveyor, to date rom the Ist of January ,* 1884, be invited by idvertisement m the four chief towns m New Zealand ; (4) That the salary of the Assistant jc £200 per annum ; (5) That applications 'or the appointment be invited by advertisenent m the Wellington papers ; (6) That tho ;alary of the Superintendent of the Fire Brigade be reduced to £50 per annum ; (7) Chat the Inspector of Nuisances be instructed o visit every house m the city at least once ,n six months. CnßisTcniTßcn, Oct. 19. The body of Hugh Minneas, carpenter of the s.s. Doric, who was drowned m Ljttclton liarbor nearly three weeks ago, was found this ifternoon floating m the harbor. The Cemetery Board object that the site of the new cemetery proposed by the City Council is too small and is m the centre of a rapidly increasing population. Its area is eighteen icres, and the locality near the pumping station. The Board prefers a site at New Brighton. Leonora and Fame have been scratched for all their engagements at the C.J.C. Spring Meeting. Edwards has accepted Scott's challenge, the stakes to be held by R. Eichardson, of the Empire Hotel. Mr J. E. Redmond lectured this evening at the Theatre Royal. He was well received, but the audience was not so large as last night. Baron Htibner arrived to-day, and was received by the Mayor. He leaves for Wellington to-morrow. At a meeting last night, the butchers decided to raise the price of mutton one penny per lb. The New Zealand Shipping Company have received a cable message from London as follows : — The lonic, s.s., arrived all well at the Cape of Good Hopo on the 16th mat., en route for Wellington. The Catalonia's refrigerators worked satisfactorily during the homeward passage, and the meat is found to be m excellent condition. At Barrett's Hotel to-day, a number of gen« tlemcn representing the Christchurch branch of the Irish National League waitad upon Messrs Redmond and Walsh, and presented them with an address of welcome and sym» pathy. The New Zealand Shipping Company have received a cablegram that their new steamer Tongariro has left the Clyde for London. On a trial trip, which took place on October 17tb, Bho averaged 14.6 knots, and has a sea going speed of not less than 13 knots. Her gross register is 4615 tons. She will leave London for Port Chalmers or Lyttelton this month. Duuedin, Oct. 19. It has been deemed unnecessary to hold an inquest on the body of Sarah Ann Boote who died suddenly yesterday. The following extract from a private letter received by to-day'a mail shows how active was the passenger traffic to the Colonies during the early part of last month : — " I made application for my wife and self for passages by the New Zealand Shipping Company, the Orient Company, the .f . and O. Company, and the New York Company's steamers, and others, ten days ago, and found that all ths berths had been engaged up to early m October. I have now had to take four bertha m the cabin, paying three fare 3, to get out m tune." In the case Laverty v. Laverty, the Judge granted a decree nisi. His Honor discredited the story of the defence. The following particulars have come to hand with reference to the suicide of John White by jumping into the Clutha river near Ettrick on the 16th instant. The deceased had been working for Mr Robert McLeod for three weeks, and on the 15th instant he complained of being unwell. About one o'clock m the morning Thomas Atkins, who lives m a hut on the bank of the river, heard someone outside and on looking out he observed the deceased. He immediately proceeded to dress himself, and while m the act of doing so he heard a splash. He ran outside and saw the deceased m the wator, but only for a moment. The deceased's clothes were found on the bank of the river. Since his arrival at Ettrick he has not been drinking, but it is supposed thut he had been "on the spree" previously. He had no money and scarcely any clothe 3, and was working for Mr McLeod for his food. He had informed Mr McLeod that some years ago he got injured about the head wliilo working m the Chain Hills railway tunnel, and that m consequence he had occasionally suffered from mental derangement. He was 29 years of age, and a uativo of Paddington, near London.