MISCELLANEOUS COLONIAL NEWS.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXX, Issue 5115, 14 January 1874, Page 7

MISCELLANEOUS COLONIAL NEWS.

The Customs returns at Wellington for the last four weeks amount to £7,400, being £1,700 more than was received during the corresponding month in 1872. A private letter from the officers of H.M.s. ' Pearl, 1 now at Levuka, gives as on dit that New Zealand will bo the future headquarters of the Pacific Squadron, instead of hydney. It also states that it is expected that if Fiji be not annexed there will be a revolution, as the people are all in tavour of the scheme. H.M.s. 'Blanche' and ' Rosario ' are at the New Hebrides and the Solomon Islands. H.M.s. 'Basilisk,' and the Mission schooner ' Southern Cross,' with Mr. Layard on board, are expected at Levuka at the end of the preBent month. Over 2,000 bharei have been taken in the Sugar Refineiy Company. Mr. Taylor's flaxrnill, at Blenheim, with 114 acres of land, together with the machinery, -was sold to Messrs. Fill Bros, for £2,790. The Dunedin bakers have advanced the price of the four pound loaf to 8d., in consequence of the concession of an hour to their men The preseut price of bread is 3Jd. The Standard Insurance Company are now accepting risks. The number of shares applied for in Dunedin is 33,772. A number of risks have been accepted. One of the girders of the Waitaki bridge, weighing two tons, fell upon a man named James Martin, oa the 5th instant, while he was cleaning it, and bioke the bone of one of his thighs, besides inflicting other injuries. Some children were playing with a chaffcutter at Roxburgh, Otago, a few days ago, and their amusement came to an unfortunate end by one of them getting all the fingers of the left hand cut oil. For souvetimo past the Dunediu harbour haa been infested with sharks of a very large size. Seveial bathers have had narrow escapes of being devoured by them. . On Friday morning, December 26, the foundation stone of the new temperance hall at Duuedin, was laid by his Worship the Mayor, who spoke to the advantages of teinpeianco. The attempt to form an organisation | amongst the shipwrights of Wellington has proved most successful, the object of the organization being looked upon so favourably by 5 the masters, that many of them have enrolled themselves as members. The Wanganui Town Council has ordered a water supply plant from England. The cost is between 17.000 and tS.OOO. The pah at Waihiki, eight railo3 from Napier, was burnt down and everything destroyed. The graudson of Tareha, ex M.H.H., was burned to death, and a woman was so badly injured that she is not expected to live. The llrrald suggests that a subscription begot up on behalf of the tribe. A fire broke out in Mr. Taylor's buildings, New Plymouth, but was extinguished bcfoia much was damaged. The premises were not insured The Caledonian sports at Dunedin were a groat success. There wore present about 0,000 people. The Governor and suite were a'lBO on the ground. The ' Surat ' struck on a submerged rock 10 miles north of the Dog Light, Otago. Her speed carried her over the rock; the captain put to sea; the crew and passengers, including 1 the women, pumped all night. Distresa signals were tried to a passing steamer, but were hauled down by the captain, who threatened to shoot any one who signalled, and stopped the women from waving shawls, ic. The chief mute was disarmed by the bcamen ; he was about to scuttle the boat, aud ultimately the captaiu beached the ship aud lauded GO passengers, when the vessel drifted again. She was beached at the mouth of the (Jathu River. The passengers ha\e lost all their luggage, etc. When found in the morning, she°\vas sinkiug in the sand. She is likely to bieak up. The chief part of her cargo is railway iron aud plant for the Kaikoma woollen factory. The wreck audoaigoof the ' Surat' were sold at Dunedin on January 5, for 17,030 to Mr. Larnaek, of the bank. If the weather i em tins hue it is probable that the greater portion of the car^o will be eavod. The Hon. D. McLeau has gone to Horowhenua to settle the native dispute. The natives ridicule the efforts of the Commissioners appointed by the Government. Dr. Berggren, Professor of the University nf Lund, hweJen, has arrived, and intends rem lining twelve mouths in New Zealand, m\estigatiug its botany for the Swedish Government H e makes (Jhristchuich Ins head quaiteis. At a meeting of the 'Surat' Relief Committee at Dnnoiliu it was resolved to collect £300 for dibtubution atnonq; the marriel neop'e nuly. Tho losses of in^enrjers amount to £2 500 One mau had 204 sovereigns in a box The passengers' luggage and effects were sold with the wreck notwithstanding a protest of some of the passengers. The official enquiry commenced on January 8. Strange tumours are afloat concerning the Captain a and first and soooad otiicers' conduct.