IMPORTS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 279, 24 November 1896, Page 4

IMPORTS.

Per Dingadee, from Wellington and the Easb Coast:—l 43 cases meats, 173 eacks bones, 81 coils wire, 24 packages iron pipes, 35 packages galvanised pipes, 81 bars iron, 29 iron rails and sundries.

Per Upolu, from Fiji: 240 tons sugar, 6454 bunches bananas, 40 tons case fruit, and sundries.

The e.s. Waihora left last evening for Sydney.

The s.B. Rotomahana left for the South this afternoon.

The s.s. Pukaki ia now about due from Fiji, with a cargo of raw sugar.

The steamer Richmond was floated into dock this morning for cleaning and painting.

H.M.s. Penguin was at Sura when bho Upolu lefb. She will probably visit Auckland shortly.

The barque Spartan is receiving quick despatch with the discbarge of ber cargo from New York.

Last nighb the barque Devonport was tewed down to tho Thames to load timber at Bagnall'a mill for Melbourne.

The .new paddle-steamer Wakatere arrived yesterday ab Brisbane, on her way oub from Glasgow bo this port. She is due bere about Monday noxb.

H.M.s. Waterwitch, baring completed the survey of Suva Harbour, lefb on the 2nd instant, to do some deep-sea sounding, returning to Suva bhe following week.

Tbe R.M.s. Mariposa lefb Sydney lasb evening for this port, and is due on Friday evening next. Sho leaves ab 2 p.m. on Saturday for S„n Francisco, via Apia »nd Honolulu.

H.M.s. Orlando arrived ab Sydney lasb week from a coastal trip. After a sbay of aboub a month ab that porb tho flagship will take a trip down to Tasmania and perhaps acrose bo New Zealand. Nothing at all is definitely known at present as to contemplated changes in tbe Australasian Squadron.

The e.B. Dingadee arrived yesterday afternoon from Wellington via the East Coasb. The purser, Mr H. E. Watts, reports thab bhe steamer lefb Wellington ab 12.35 p.m. on bhe 19th inst., called ab Napier, Gisborne, and bhe usual way ports, arriving as above. Experienced light variable winds and fine weather throughout the trip.

A ketch called tho Silken was wrecked lasb week in the Chesterfield Group, bub no lives were lost. These islands have beon the scene of numewma.wrecks in times past,

including tha barquentines Waireka and Jessie during the past few years. They have frequently been visited by vessels seeking guano, Long Island being tbe principal depot.

The barque Allonby, which loaded at this port tor Liverpool early this year, met with some very rough weather on her return trip to Sydney recently. From the island of Trinidad to St. Paul's the vessel met with nobbing but southerly and south-east winds, blowing ab times with terrific force. On two different occasions the barque lost two new lower topsailß. The. boats were smashed, and binnacles and other deck fittings washed away. Oil was freeiyueed, or it is probable much more damage would have been sustained, but the ship throughout behaved well. The passage occupied 115 days.

The s.s. Upolu arrived from Fiji early this morning, with passengers and a cargo of raw sugar and fruit. Her cargo of fruit is bhe largest that has ever left) Fiji on one vosßel. Of tho voyage Mr J. A. Tubby, the purser, to whom we are indebted for file*, reports thab the Upolu lefb Auckland at 5 p.m. on the 7th inst., and reached Suva on tho 12bb. Loaded sugar and fruits through bhe group, and finally lefb Suva for Auckland ab 9.30 p.m, on bhe 18bh. Experienced moderately Btrong S.E. winds for twenty-four hours after passing Kandavu, followed by bright weather with pleasanb S.E. breeze to arrival. Tho Upolu will leave for Wellington this evening.

The Secretary of the Marine Department (Mr Glasgow) was interviewed at Wellington yesterday by a deputation from the Shipmasters' Association, who protested against tho enforcement of the Act of last session, requiring that foreign-going sailiDg vessels, builb wholly or partly of iron, should have their compasses adjusted before leaving Now Zealand ports. The deputation asserted that the regulation was unnecessary, and bhat if it was enforced shipowners would be pub bo needless inconvenience and expense. Mr Glasgow, in reply, poinbed out bhat ib was nob within the power of the Department bo interfere wibh an Acb of Parliamenb, but he promised to lay bhe representations of the deputabion before bhe Government, so thab if necessary some alteration might be made in the law nexb Bossion.