DUNEDIN.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3532, 2 November 1882, Page 3

DUNEDIN.

November 2,

The shooting of the Rifle Association opens at 9 o'clock to-morrow with the Nelson match. There are 130 competitors here, and it is expected that the final competition for the championship, will take place on Tuesday afternoon. The competitors complain of the range having a back ground of white sand. There is every appearance of fine weather.

Over twenty thousand shares in excess of the number to be allotted have been applied for in the Equitable Insurance Association. The share list will be kept open till Monday in the principal towns. Two shocks of earthquake were experienced at Queenstown this morning. The second one was the most violent ever felt in the district, and lasted over twenty seconds. The damage was confined to the breakage of glass.

The Rotoraahaua was taken into the graving dock on Tuesday, in order to ascertain the damage she sustained whilst she was on the rocks inside Bluff harbor on Sunday last. As soon as the dock was pumped out an examination was made, and it was found that the damage sustained was far more serious than was anticipated. The vessel certainly made no water, but the cause of this no doubt was that the most serious damage is under the water ballast tanks, which are full of water. The whole ot the damage ie en the port side, a little abaft amidships, under her machinery. It has been caused by the heavy weight of the vessel while lying on the rocks. Besides a number of dents in her plates, there is one hole under the boiler, also two holes under the ballast tanks, while her rolling choke ie twisted and broken in all directions. This, no doubt, added to the strength of her being built of steel, was the saving of the vessel, for had it not been for the rolling choke there is every probability that her bilges would have sustained much damage. Her keel forward and aft is also much damaged. She is expected to be ready for sea again in a fortnight. Mr Hackworth held a formal enquiry yesterday into the foundering of the Rotomahana, and all the evidence went to show that the accident was caused by the strength of the wind and tide, which were unusually strong, not beiog sufficiently allowed for.