TELEGRAMS

Westport Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1630, 21 January 1879, Page 4

TELEGRAMS

(pee peess agency.)

KTJMAEA.

January 18

Destructive fire last night in Main Btreet. Following bouses destroyed : Beefton Hotel, Dungan and O'Brien's Hotel, and Bee Hive Store Owing entirely to the exertions of local Fire Brigade the fire at last was stayed, the whole street being in danger at onetime. Insurances —Reeftou Hotel, £IOO, South British j Bee Hive Store, £IOO, office not known. NELSON. Jan. 17 An excellent specimen of argentiferous galenf:, evidently fnra a large lode, has been brought, in trom Wangapeku, and professional miners think very highly of it. Writ for City election issued. Nomination day fixed for 30th. Polling day for February sth. Pitt a"d Adams are likely to be the only candidates. LYTTELTON. Jan. 17. A case was brought by Captain, Scoular of the barque Examiner, against one of the crew lor desertion resulted rather unprofitable for the master, it being disclosed in defence that the man deserted by jumping overboard to save himself from being abused by Captain, who was chasing him round the deck. Bench ficed Captain 20 shillings, and full costs.

W EL LI N G TO N.

January 18

Second New Guinea expedition is being got under way rapidly. About thirty applications have been received. It is proposed to take a couple of horned cattle, two horses, and a numher of goats, aud an endeavor will be made to secure representatives of the different handicrafts. Preliminary arrangements have been made for obtaining land for a European settlement. The expedition is to start in August.

The New Zealander says the Go vernment have received a petition iu favor of commuting seutenco of Welsh, the murderer, signed by a number of people in the south, also a report from a medical man that the prisoner is suffering from mania, aud a commission consisting of three doctors will be appointed to make au investigation as to his state of mind.

Native owncis between Otaki aud Foxton have given Government a chain widft of land iu order to enable Government to form the railway which runs through their property. A presentation on behalf of the police force, was made to-day to -Mr Atchison by the oldest member of the police force. The presentation consisted of a haudsome casket with one hundred soverigns enclosed.

(Pee N.Z. Pkess Association.)

INVERCARGILL,

January 17. Indignation is felt at reported recommendation of Government, to Governor, to commute sontence of Walsh, the Wakaka murderer to imprisonment for life. The Times, this morning, has a strong leader on the matter, it argues that there is no extenuating circumstances of insanity whatever, that the plea advanced by prisoner's counsel at the trial fell to the-ground against the weightof evidence, that the ground upon which it was now attempted to commute the sontencewere not even referred to at the trial. It says •' If ever a man deserved hanging that man is James Walsh." The article concludes by demanding that the law award should be carried out.

The result of the poll for Mataura election was declared today, when the Returning Officer announced Shanks returned by a majority of 50. Both candidates addressed electors Kinross bitterly attacked Joyce and Feldwick, M.H.R.'s for what is considered a gross breach of confidence displayed by them at the outset of the election.

NAPIER. Jan. 17. Two smart shocks of earthquake were experienced last night, one at 10.40, and the other at 11.50. Direction noth and south. The first was the heaviest experienced hen since 1861. Caused slight alarm, but no damage done. Amateurs are going to give benefit to those members of lioskin's dramatic company, who l«;t here yesterday. AUCKLAND. January 17. Kennedy proprietor of Te A.ru sawmilis, died through a blow in the stomach from a plank.

A Lodge of Order of Royal Ur:i ed Friedds, New Zealand Constitution, bus been openrd. Ltborah Hood, jNT<ra:ua Wahia, charged at Police Court, with travelling on railway without a ticket, was fined £» and costs in each case. Case ajrains: Alice iellind, her co-k, was withdrawn.

Evidence s.mwed laxity on part of railway officials. Thos, RennrU, charged with murder of dipt. Moller, was brought "P under habeas corpus to test legality of Magistrate's commitment After bearing argument tho Judged deferred decision.

WELLINGTON. Jan. 16. The ship Warwick left London on 20nd Nov. for Nelson and Wellington

with 200 immigrants and 14 cabin passengers.

The ship Hyderabad is all ready /or final getting off as soon as the weather suits. She has been afloat.

Mr Budden is here pressing the interests of the Kelson Jam and Fruit Company. Jan, 17. O'Rorke, M.H.R., has been appointed Chairman of Royal Commission on Education. A deputation on behalf of the Corporation and City waited npon the Minister of Public Works, this morning, to urge upon him the necessity for the immediate construction of a railway wharf. The deputation was informed by Mr Macandrew that all arrangements regarding work were so well advanced that he expected to be able to call for tenders for the work some time next week. The wharf is to be six hundred and fifty lee" long. A new batch of Just tea of Peace will be gazetted shortly. It is understood that the Government will decide this afternoon, in Cabinet, to grant one free railway pass to each paper in the Colony. Hon. Jno. Ballance will leave by Ringarooma on Monday, for Lyttelton. where he will take the traiu and visit the principal places in Canterbury and Otago districts.

CtIRiSTCHURCIL January 16.

The new journal, the Herald, has appeared at Lytelton. The proprietor is Mr W. Riley, known in journalism on the West Coast.

Anderson's Canterbury Foundry is being fitted up with hydraulic machinery lor rivettiug, to enable the pro« prietcr to dispense with hand labor, and compete with foundries in the rest of the world.

A fire broke out on the premises of a Chinaman named Ah Sing, in Colombo street, East, through the explosion of crackers, which formed part o! Ins stuck. Tiiough in a dense block of buildings, the fire was confined to the ho ise where it began. Much damage, however, is dotio to the other houses, and the goeds in them, partly by the necessary measures for extinguishing the fire, and partly by the carelessness of volunteers in removing the goods. Ah Sing's total loss is suppo?ed to be £3QO, nmny others losing hea'ily. The photographer, Scliaurp, £3OO, being the largest ioser.

rORT CHALMERS. January 17. Arrived—Ethelhert from Westport (?) with railway iron.