PER ANGLO-AUSTRALIAN PRESS TELEGRAPH AGENCY.

Thames Star, Volume VI, Issue 1798, 7 October 1874, Page 2

PER ANGLO-AUSTRALIAN PRESS TELEGRAPH AGENCY.

Auckland, Thig day. At tlio Supreme Court this morning Charles Dyer, a settler from Pakiri, wai charged with the wilful murder of Eliza Battersea, the woman he was living with. The constable was the first witness examined. He deposed to sleeping at prisoner's house on the Bth July. While there lio trimmed a lamp and replaced the feeder on a shelf, leaving half a pint of oil in the can. Next morning he heard prisoner threaten deceased, who was in a most emaciated condition—hardly able to move. prisoner attempted to strike her, and swore that if he did. not find certain tilings alleged to hare been'stolen he would roast her alive. The constable left on the following day, urging the prisoner not to molest the deceased. When some distance from the house he heard a noise as if Dyer was beating deceased. He went back, but found Dyer nursing, and the woman in the next room sitting as if she were stupid. He went away again, and when about seven miles from the house he was overtaken by deceased's son, who asked him to go back. On returning he found deceased in a fearfully burned condition. Prisoner said he had knocked her head against the kero»ine tin, which fell over her, and that he was lighting his pipe when the match fell on her hair and set it on fire. Witness examined the kerosine can and found the same quantity of oil as he had left, and the tin standing in the same position. The case is proceeding.

Chbistchubch:, Tuesday. Statistics have been issued by the Registrar-General showing the comparative healthiness of the municipalities of the colony, which place Christckurch in an Unfavorable position, and have excited much attention. At a meeting of the City Council last night, it was decided to inferm the Begistrar-General that the Hospital is not in the city, and that it receives patients from all parts of the province, consequently all the deaths there should, not be included in the Christchurch returns. A report from Dr. Powell on the statistics was read, stating that the high percentage of the death rate for the past three months was casual, and not in any degree attributable to the sanitary condition of the city. The deaths were principally amongst young children, and clue to the very changeable nature of the weather. He pointed out the fallacious nature of a percentage of returns from small communities extending over so short a period of time, as such returns were largely influenced by casual circumstances, and stated that the death rate in 1873, in proportion to the deaths, was 20 per cent, less than in 1864 and 1869.