TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5338, 24 March 1879, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

[By Cable.] [REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.! LONDON, March 20. The total reserve in notes and bullion in the Bank of England to-day is £2,000,000. BERLIN, March 20. Germany is applying for additional space in the Sydney Exhibition. I SPECIAL TO THE PEESS ASSOCIATION.] LONDON, March 21. An avalanche which descended from Mount Bleibei'g, at the rear of the town of that name in Caiinthia, a province in Austria, killed fifty persons, and created great consternation among the villagers. The destruction spread over a wide field, damaging some of the lead mines, and carrying away ..the works in connection with them. Many persons were injured. [By Speoial Wire.] AUCKLAND, March 22. The German war-ship Albatross arrived from the Islands early this morning. She brings a private letter which states that on March 6th the Tonga group of islands were visited with a severe hurricane, causing great trouble on shore. At Tonga the now Roman Catholic Church was blown down, also the British consulate, Goddofroi's store, Eev. S. W. Baker's, and the Government long-shed, and nearly two out of every three native houses were completely destroyed. The schooner Makau was found cast ashore with three hands drowned. The Albatross lost her anchor, and the barque Eeconnaissance lost one. The property destroyed was the Eoman Catholic church, £3000 ; Eev. Mr Baker's £2000 ; Goddefroi's, £1500 ; schooner worth £300. The barometer during the gale ranged as low 27*90' inches. The weather on the 12th was not at all settled. The gale has stripped all cocoanut trees. William Coe, recently in Apia, says that the old Stoinberger laws were being rigidly car-r lied out in his district at Manongo. It is reported at Apia that Shirley W. Baker is to receive the decoration of the RedEaglo from the Emperor of Germany, but of which class is not stated. The Samoa Times says that Baker, being a British subject, it will be necessary for him to obtain Queen Victoria's assent to his wearing a foreign decoration, and that it will be necessary for him to detail the duty ho has performed for Germany to entitle him to such honors. The Albatross also brings word that Captain Von Werner, of the Ariadne, which left Auckland a few weeks since, has invested, by order of the German Emperor, King George of Tongatabu with the the firstclass Order of the Eed Eagle; and to his successor, and to the Governor, of.

i Vavati',. ,hß;.T':.Jias ( gixeii the secondtipm? Grde^jp t£e, ;Bed Eagle. The I bAbly *em£in Here for ,s6me;.tiiisi"e^^puring the 1 gale j$ J'o'nga the Alba^ss^ay at^o&Mvanci steamed c6ntii!i^.iifsl^;sa|ali^ ! b, the Jdle 1 to^Bave being- .driv^n'ibri Shore. This vessel is. •fully, dressed, and all the other ships i$V harbor are^decked, in honor of the annfc-£ versarjr of.Eing William's birthday.; , r ;.-. .": - "The-athie^p. sports in the Domain i&fternoon, under the auspices 6t) t|te Amateur AtlJetjo .Glufy weire 1 well at'^e"rtdddj arid eadn event was fairly contested. CHRISTCSuSOH, March 22. At the dinner of the Ofcago representatives in the interprovincial rifle match Appleby revealed a secret. He said that as Canterbury beat the Otago orioketers this year it was thought that it Would be piling Oil thß agdnjr tdd mtich if tltey beat, the 1 Ofcagd rifle, le'dn^/als^. t Th)e feYeldti^nj was ,jfeqeij^d. )J with t ..roar's , of laugnterj in wniiib. tidffi tne : yictdrs' anct the vanquished joined; most heartily. : Bumors have been" ' flying about for the last two or three days respecting an impendinglarge' failure. It is now known that a private, meeting of ,the creditors of Mr William Saundera has been held. He was lately burnt out, and to that it is supposed the failure will be due. The announcement is .e'ipe'die'd to be mdde.vi a day dr twd: , $#0; .dntount; df iHe liablUti# k sMt^d at £lOO,ddO,' mostly due ; to outsiders. , ... Lord ' Harris and party visited the Museum to-day. They. leave, for Wellington this evening. , • . ' iKJNEDIft, March 22. At Balclutha the Public Works Department are engaged makiag surveys^and taking soundings preparatory to proceeding with' permanent ;nver -prdtection Works behind 'the ; ioAvnship. MrHigginsdiiis Engaged by the various local bodies , interested ; in examining the blanks.^"oUnd tricfi-Oluthaj with a, view of furnishing a iiiil report on what works are necessary for the future safety, of the island and the surrounding low land. ESrtfERCARGILL, March 23. . A young man of not very respectable appearance, answering to the name of Patrick Kenny, was chai'ged at the Police Court yesterday morning, with 1 " having feloniously, assaulted,, wij&h urfcent, due Minna Atldnspn, , residing at Oreti. After some evidence had been taken the base was adjourned till Wednesday.. tjp to the present time "777 volunteers have intiniated their intention of being present 'at the forthcoming review.Yesterday morning, at 5 o'clock, a disastrous fire dccurred in Devera-street, in the premises occupied by Mr Smith, cabinetmaker. The Fire Brigade were - speedily on the ground, but their efforts were to a great extent paralysed by the want of water. Mr Smith's buildings, together with the house he lived in, w6re Speedily burned to the ground, and the adjoining houses of Mr Falconer and Mr Saunders were only saved by almost superhuman' exertions on the parir of the brigade. The buildings on the ; other side of the street were also in considerable danger, but through , the aid of wet blankets and other appliances the fire did not spread to them. Mr Smith was only insured in the New Zealand office for £200. His loss over and above the insurance is estimated at something like £1000. WELLINGTON", March 22. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile ■Agency report, under date London, March 19fch :— Wools. — Competition is increasing, and the market is firmer. Trade in the manufacturing districts is- slightly better. The Bank of England rate of discount is 2s percent. On Thursday night or Friday morning a woman named Bridget Beard, living at Ohairi, left her home in her nightdress, and having walked barefooted nearly a mile, threw herself into an old. mill dam, where she was found drowned yesterday. She was a married woman, and lived with her husband, who is an old resident of the Ohairi district.fi Lately both Mrs Beard and her husband took •to hard drinking, and he, on one or two occasions, had figured in the City Police Court dock on charges of drunkenness. When sober and away from drink, the deceased was a remarkably hard-working and exceedingly cleanly woman ; but she was addicted' to bouts of intemperance, during which she was absolutely lost. Her husband had also been drinking heavily, and is now in a state bordering on lunacy from the effects. The Marine Department received the following from the light-house keeper at Cape Campbell at 8 p.m. on the 20th inst : — "The schooner Unity, bound from Lyttleton for Wellington, ran on the reef near the light-house, and is a total wreck. All hands saved." She was bound from Lyttelton to Wellington, with a cargo of produce. The Commission on Higher Education reassembles here on Monday. The Collector of Customs refuses to discharge two of the Hermoine's crew who are confirmed invalids, and have been in the hospital since their arrival. The captain threatens local proceedings.