TO-DAY’S TELEGRAMS.

Ashburton Herald, Volume I, Issue 213, 2 December 1878, Page 3

TO-DAY’S TELEGRAMS.

Wellington, Monday. The steamer Southern Cross, which arrived here at midnight, reports sighting the ship Southminster, 1224 tons, Captain Macphie, 23 hands, and captain’s wife a passenger, ashore inside Kelp Reef, between Cape Campbell and Flaxbourne, while on a vogage from Lyttelton. They sent a boat to the vessel, and found she had four holes in her bottom, through which water was rising and falling with the ebb and flow of the tide. At highwater there was seven feet in the vessel’s hold, and one foot of water at low tide. The vessel went ashore on Friday morning early, in thick foggy weather, on Shepherd’s Reef. She was then steering N.E. by N., and after knocking her rudder out she drifted inside the Kelp bed, where she now lies, with the rock through her bottom. Her cargo is mainly composed of Yankee notions, reapers and binders, and American organs from New York—in all about 500 tons. The crew are all ashore, living in tents. They declined to leave in the Southern Cross, the captain having gone to Kaikoura. There is no chance of getting the vessel off, and if a S.E. wind comes up, she will soon go to pieces, and all the cargo will be lost. It is understood she is insured in London, but particulars are not obtainable except from the captain. It is said the Stella has gone to the wreck. It is stated Government have received information that the big guns for the defence of New Zealand, were all shipped last month. The inhabitants of the Hutt Yalley are taking steps to form a Board of Conservators, with the object of protecting their river banks.

Waitaea, Monday.

Rewi left here this morning for Waikato. Dr. Hector leaves in the Hannah Mokau to-night. He will endeavour to get up the Mokau River ar far as its source, cross the watershed, and return by the Wanganui River to Wanganui.