INTERPROVINCIDL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XVI, Issue 954, 11 July 1883, Page 6

INTERPROVINCIDL.

} Auckland, July sth. j A fire occurred at two o'clock thia morn-, ing at the Corporation Market. On '" bursting open the door, the flames were : found to have a firm hold of a series of 'stalls held by Henry Rapton, basketmaker and general dealer. The brigade got several streams of water in play ' and subdued the flames, confining thesec- ',' tion where the fire originated. The damage is estimated at £200 to the market buildingvJixei-Wbich the Corporation hold a policy in the National Office for £3,000. Rapton's stock was insured for £600 in the Union Office. After the fire the Brigade discovered that their hoses had been 'out in several places with a sharp instrum ent. The matter is being rigidly in- ' quired into, foul play being suspected. July 6th. A flood at Cbromandel washed away or badly damaged all the bridges, and caused considerable destruction of private property. It is the heaviest flood known in the district. It is still raining here. > Larrikinism is rampant at Onehunga. • A boy aged eight years was so ill-treated by larrikins that l)r Scott thought lock- - jaw would" supervene. Hopes are now entertained of his recovery. A horse belonging to Mf Ross, through injuries received while tormented by them, had to be destroyed. The offenders are to be prosecuted. A man, believed to be named Morton, an employe of the Sugar Company, was , drowned from the Northcote ferry.steamer this afternoon; When the ; steamer was in mid-stream he attempted to climb on the upper deck, and fell overboards A'life-buoy was thrown, but he did not catch it. He sank for the last time as the steamer's dingey reached him. The body has not yet been recovered. Gisboknk, July 7th. T, J. Bromley has been charged with wife-desertion. He has resided here :n business for many years as a boot and shoe maker. He was living with a woman reputed to be his wife. Some time ago a young man met him in the street and accosted him as "father," saying he had come from Auckland in search of him. It is asserted his real wife has been living there for years, regularly receiving 11103. affectionate letters from Bromley, representing he was living far in the bush and in poor circumstances. Mrs Bromley No. 1 then came to Giaborne, and interviewed Mrs Bromley No. 2. He was then arrested in Auckland, brought here, and charged with wife desertion. The case was remanded, counsel saying evidence wan being collected to support a charge of bigamy. -. Napibr, July 9th. Mr Robert Stuart, first and thrice mayor of Napier, died on Saturday afternoon, after a long and painful illness. Deceased succeeded Mr R. Beetham as Resident Magistrate, and held th-it office until the appointment of Mr H. R. Kenny. At the general election of 1876 he stood for the House, but was defeated by Captain Russell. New Plymouth, July 9th. At six o'clock last evening, Johnson's stables, at the rear of the Masonic Hotel at Waitara, were burned down. Mastbbton, Jnly 9th. At a large meeting on Saturday, Mr Buchanan, who was in the chair, severely censured the Government for neglecting to eradicate scab. The following resolution was carried unanimously :—": —" That this meeting cail on the Government to take immediate and effective steps to eradicate scab in the Wairarapa District." r ' Wellington, July 6th. At the Philosophical Society's meeting last night was exhibited about two pounds weight of quartz taken from a point between Lowry Bay and Pencarrow Lighthouse, near Wellington. Dr Hecter said that this " specimen " had been tested and was found to contain gold at the rate of 6.070z to the ton. He added that the breaks were all fresh, he himself having made them. Beyond that he could say nothing about the find, except that the quartz had a very close resemblance to that in the Wealth of Nations mine at Reef ton.

July 6 h. At the Police Court to-day Henry Alexander, a tobacconist, was summoned for Sunday trading. The facts were admitted, but the defendant's counsel contended that the Imperial Act of Charles 11., under which information was laid, did not apply to the Colonies. The magistrate took an opposite view, and fined the defendant 5s and costs. Notice of appeal was given. Wbstport, July 6th. Mr John Tyrell, proprietor of the " Weatport Star," and defendant in the recent libel action Wright v. Tyrell, was to-day presented with an illuminated testimonial and valuable purse of sovereigns by the townsmen. The testimonial expresses sympathy with Mr Tyrell for the annoyance and expense he has been subjected to in the libel action, and the subscribers' appreciation of his conduct in fighting it out rather than retract, he considering the comment in question was for and in the public interest. Chbistohuboh, July 4th. The only commemoration here of the declaration of American Independence was at Mr G. Howland'o, where loyal and patriotic toasts were drunk by the Mayor and a few friends with Holland's employes . On Monday, at Ben more Station, on the West Coast road, a boy 10 years old, while endeavoring to catch a horse, was kicked on the head. He was found insensible, and did not recover consciousness till today. Last night a commercial traveller, suffering from drink, jumped through an upstairs window at the. Leeston Hotel. He fell on a conservatory and was a good deal cut, but not seriously. July 9th. There was a funeral yesterday at the Scotch Cemetery, which was marked by circumstance! of a most distressing nature. When the cortege arrived at the cemetery, the gates were found to be locked. They were broken open, and then it waß found that no grave was ready. The sexton was hunted up, .and. said that he had received no instructions and was in total ignorance of the subject. The undertaker, however, averred that he had fulfilled all the usual preliminaries. Then a further difficulty arose. No ground could be obtained in the absence of the proper authorities, and the difficulty was only absolved by the kindness of Mr Preece, who placed Hi's, plot at the disposal of the bereavedparents. The necessary tools having been obtained, after some trouble, the friends set to work and dug a grave themselves. The whole scene was a most painful one. ' A meeting to consider the union of the different Methodist Churches in New Zealand is to be held this week in Christchurch. Representatives' of the various branches of Methodists in the Colony are expected to be present.

'■ - - July 9th. ] An eight-roomed house, owned and : occupied by Mr Gormer, Court bailitt, was destroyed by fire this morning. Mr i Price, late Resident Magistrate, who has been seriously ill for some time, has occupied apartments in the house, and had to be carried out and left shivering in the cold till assistance came. He was subsequently brought into town. The insurances are not yet known. Ashburton, July 9th. Public opinions here appears to be strongly in favour of Mr Montgomery s motion for the decentralisation of the Government. A meeting on the subject is convened by the Mayor for to-morrow on the requisition of a number of leading residents, many of whom have hitherto supported the Ministry. Timaru, July 7th. A lad named James Wright, 13 years of age, was charged this morning with horse stealing. He had borrowed ahorse and saddle at Timaru, and after going North left the horse and sold it, borrowing another. He was remanded. Invbrcargill, July sth. Charles Voight, night-watchman, was charged with discharging at Duncan M'Gregor a revolver with intent to injure M'Grejjor, who is employed as watchman 'at the Prince of Wales Hotel. M'Gregor deposed that early this morning prisoner knocked at the door of the hotel, and refused to go away, whereupon several buckets of water were thrown on him> he then returned and fired at M'Gregor, who retreated in to the hotel unhurt. Prisoner, who was not on good terms with M'Gregor, stated that he saw a light in the hotel, and on seeking to enter was knocked down and otherwise abused. He used blank cartridge and aimed at the floor, and had no intention of hurting any body. He was discharged with a caution. July 7th. George Hitchcock, the nine year old son of a farmer at Waimatuku, was drowned in that river yesterday. He had gone duck shooting with a lad named Stevens, and was left in a boat while Stevens searched for game. On the latter's return, Hitchcock was gone, and it is surmised that he fell out of the boat.