SOUTHERN TELEGRAMS

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1874, 10 October 1874, Page 3

SOUTHERN TELEGRAMS

(for Anglo-Australian Telegraph Press Agency.) Wellington, Friday, 5.1 p.m. Arrived: ' Cartvalo,' 102 days out from Falmouth, with (118 immigrants, including 79 families;, 31 singlo girls, and 30 Germans and Danes; all well.' Wapieb, Friday, 7 p.m. Tho bones of a moa, sufficient to lrnko a complete skeleton, excepting tho lower jaw, havo boon found in a landslip at Mararokakaho, Thorailwaywillboopenod on Monday to Hastings,

CHinsTCfliJiiCH, Friday, 5 p.m. A complimentary dinner was given by Ihe Philosophical Institution to tlio members of the transit of Venus expedition last night. Tlio toast of tlio guests of tlio evening was proposed by Dr. Haast. Major Palmer responded, After referring to the great importance of careful observations of the transit of Venus as affording means of perfecting the lunar theory, and thus improving tho science of navigation, ho said :-On Friday last wo began operations on tho ground, ar.il I hope that early next week wo shall havo our' transit in strument and clock erected and adjusted. The other throe principal instruments, namely, the altazimuth and equatorial telescope, und .Mr IJanyju'a p ttl .(j. cularpet,thophotohcliograph,willTollowin a few days, ho that I hopo to bo in full working order in about a fortnight hence. The instruments throughout are but of moderate size, but aro tho best of their kind, and giro ovideuco of tho romarkablo preparation and caro and forethought which tho Astronomer .Royal has bestowed upon tho English part of the undertaking for tho actual observation of the transit. I am in hopes that wo shall have a chain of at least four or fivo stations, extending from Wellington to Dunedin. Lieutenant Darwin and 1, with three non-commissioned officers of Engineers who havo accompanied us, shall operato at the main station at Burnhnm. Lieutenant Crawford will ta.:o a transit instrument and telescope probably to Timurii or the Wnitaki. I am in communication with Mr J. 1\ Thompson, of Dunodin, with tho view of establishing a third station at ltookysido, for which ho appears to havo tlio nonossary itistrumontn. Arohdoacon Stock will, I liopo, be, üblo to obsorvo tho transit at Woiliug<

ton, and if I can only find one or two persons in the colony willing to lend me a pretty good four-inch telescope. I trust to have a fifth station on the fiurunui Plains, or elsewhere in that vicinity, and possibly also a sixth station in the immediate neighbourhood of Ohristchurch. All these points will be in direct telegraphic communication with nits at Burnhatn, and I again shall connect with the American station under Professor Peters, probably at Clyde or the Bluff. Then looking seaward there- will be, according to present arrangements, the American at Chatham Islands, the German at the Auckland Islands, and the French at Campbell Islands, and I am in hopes that with the assistance of H.M.'s ships, we shall be able to undertake ehronomatio expeditions to these points for accurate determinations of differences of longitude. You see therefore that by theße means full provision will have been made in this region for the successful observation of the transit of Venus. The whole group of stations will have been connected together, so that direct comparison may be made between various observations, Aud lastly, you will have secured a fundamental longitude for New Zealand, which it can be no offence to say is likely to exceed in accuracy your previous absolute determinations. Neison, Friday. Mr Richmond addressed his constituents at Wnimea last night, He spoke in favour of the abolition of the provinces, Mr Barnicoat moved a vote of confidence in Mr JRichmoud, but that the electors desire to reserve their opinion on the provincial question till informed of the character and probable cost of the institutions to. follow. The meeting was poorly attended—Mr Curtis addressed his constituents last night. A resolution in favour of the abolition of provinces was carried by a small majority. Very few hands were held up on either side. The meeting was not large, and the proceedings tame. Dtjnedin, Friday, 7.50 p.m.

The subscriptions in aid of the widow and family of the late Captain Hart, of the 'Beautiful Star,' now amount to £1,600. Timaru has forwarded over £100, Akaroa£9o,-Afc the '' Oneco' inquiry to-day Air Stout, in opening tho Dourt, said he hoped what had appeared in the morning's Guardian would not be continued. The report of the case was headed "The Oneco Murder," which was unprecedented in journalism. It was only fair to tho accused to use the words," alleged murder." • PoitT CiuiMßiis, Friday, 7.30 p.m. The charge against Dodd, second mate of tho American barquo 'Oneco,' for the murdor of John Greon, eeamou, on tho 17th September, has occupied two full days, and has resulted in his committal for trial.