LATEST NEWS. [BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.] [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.]

Waikato Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1447, 11 October 1881, Page 3

LATEST NEWS. [BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.] [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.]

South British Insurance Company. Auckland, Last Night. The South British Insurance Company's half-yearly meeting was held to-day. The income from fire and marine premiums has been £69,465, from interest and transfer fees, £5,413 ; total, £74,878; which, added to £15,663 brought forward from previous half-year, makes a total of £90,512. total expenditure has been : fire and marine losses, paid and outstanding at the close of books, £38,616 ; re-insurances, £16,1461 agents' commissions, salaries, rents, etc., £11,793; advertising, printing and stationery, £1134 ; underwriters' associations and fire brigades, £517 ; Government licenses and taxes, £957 ; making £69,075, and with £5000 dividend paid, £74,075, leaving balance of £16,436 at the credit of profit and loss account, from which the directors recommend payment of dividend at the rate of 10 per cent, per annum. Mr Thomas Morrin -was reelected a director, on the motion of the chairman, seednded by Mr Lamb. The vacant seat on the 'directorate was filled up by the election of Mr Barstow, who was nominated by Mr Easton and seconded by Mr Goldie. At the Police Court to-day, Akiuhi, Hone Hinga, Horkau Hinga, and Haraka were charged with unlawfully and maliciously conspiring together to charge one Ludolph Anton Sobritzky with, having committed rape at Awhanui. The case was remanded. The Supreme Court has been occupied all day with the case of Henry Long v. John Verner, relating to the sale of a piece of land at Kihikihi. The issues submitted for the determination of the jury were as follows :— (I) Was William Corboy in the declaration mentioned the agent of defendant, as In thr third paragraph of declaration mentioned? (2) Did said William Corboy make representation alleged to have been made by him in the third paragraph of declaration mentioned? (3) Were such representations false and fraudulent? The third paragraph of the declaration referred to is as follows :—": — " That on the 4th day of May, 1881, defendant, through his agent (William Corboy) falsely and fraudulently represented to plaintiff that defendant had purchased said land from said Fransiscus Vandamm, and that the paid Pransiscus Vandamm was willing and desirous that plaintiff should convey the said land to defendant." The case occupied all day. The Court re-assembled at seven to-night, when counsel commenced addresses to the jury.

Dunedin, Last Night. Wm. Scott, aged three years, was burned to death through his clothes latching fire at Upper Blacks. Wm. Leask, aged 13, was killed bp the upsetting of a dray. The brigantine Lapwing encountered fearful weather on her voyage from Newcastle. The decks were clean swept during the height of the gale. Nilssohn, a Swede, who had jumped into one of the boats for shelter, was washed overboard. All available ropes were thrown him, and h« managed to seize one, but owing'to the strain it parted.' The last seen of him was fully three cable lengths astern, holding on to * plank.

Last tfight. A great sensation was caused this morn-, ing when it became known that a fire had occurred in Saunders building, one of the largest buildings in the place. Mr Henry, a photographer, who Bleeps at his studio, was aroused by.a strong smell of fire, and found $he rooms full of smoke. He rushed along the corridor (full of dens© smoke), and turning up the passage

at the other end found the wall panelling in a blaze. With a little trouble he managed to extinguish the flames. On the police investigating, they found blotched lgerosene all up the stairs and along the' corridor, and kerosene was also traced down the street 20 or 30 yards. There seems but little doubt that a deliberate attempt was made to burn down the block.

Christchurch, Last Night. The Hon. John Hall thia morning xeceived a deputation from the railway employes on strike. After hearing their statement of the case, he declined to entertain the proposal to appoint a Royal commission of enquiry. He said tbe men had adopted an extreme course without justification, and their places had now been filled up. .Replying to a question, he skid when vacancies occurred, men who had struck would not be debarred from applying for and receiving appointments in the workshops.