TELEGRAPHIC.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 7065, 17 January 1885, Page 3

TELEGRAPHIC.

fPEB UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION.! Auckland, Friday. The Chamber of Commerce have decided to deputationise the Minister for Public Works on the unsufficiency of railway accommodation for the conveyance of passengers on excursion days. Yesterday afternoon an old man named Savage deliberately jumped into the Waikato river at Cambridge and was drowned, his body never rising out of the rapid current. The presontdireefcsteam service arrangements have proved so unsatisfactory to Auckland merchants that several leading firms have instructed their London agents to send shipments via Sydney, and at a meeting of the Chamber of Commerce today a resolution was carried recommending the imports and exports committee to take intoirnmediate consideration arrangements for direct communication between England and Auckland. Wellington, Friday. Dr Diver having been surgeon of the Naval Brigade will be given a military funeral, which takes place to-morrow. The Hon. Mr Ballance returned from Wanganui last night. He leaves here again for Auckland on Friday next, and will visit the Waikato district on matters concerning the natives, and will also proceed to the Thames on a similar errand. From Auckland Mr Ballance returns here, and then visits Gisborne, v/hero he is invited to be present at a native mpeting on the 24th February. Subsequently to this he visits Napier. Ross, Friday. A man named John Langdon cut his throat last night and now lies at the hoay.tal in a very precarious state. He hiwbeen drinking heavily all through the holidays. Ciiristchurch, Friday. In the Divorce Court to-day Mr Justice Johnston made absolute a decree nisi in the case of M'Rae v. M'Rae. The final arrangements connected with the journey of the West Coast railway delegates to England were completed today. Messrs H. A. Scott and A. Dobson sail to-morrow in the Toagariro, and Mr Foil, the Nelson delegate, will arrive here to-morrow morning to take passage in the same vessel. M. De Harven states that he has gone through the country between Canterbury and Nelson, and has been much impressed with its capabilities for settlement. He ceusiders that there are splendid openings for the employment of miners, and after having seen so much of the country he is strongly in_ favor of railways to open it up for colonising purposes. Dunedin, Friday. A resident of Woodhaugh named Archibald Fraser was returning home a few nights ago with his horse and cart when he fell, and the vehicle passed over him. ' was under the influence of drink. He f was assisted into his cart by some persons who witnessed the accident, and apparently he was not much injured. He was, however, since confined to his bed and was attended to by Dr Coughtrey, and yesterday morning he died. There are 87 pasaengera for the Tarawera's first excursion to the West Coa3t Sounds. Of these 35 are New Zealand people, the rest being from Australia and Great Britain. At the Presbyterian Synod to-day the question of the union of the Presbyterian Church of Ofcago and Southland with that of the rest of the colony was discussed. A motion by the Rev. Professor Salmond in favor of the union, and appointing a committee to meet in conference at Christchurch in February with a committee of the Northern Church, was carried by 46 votes to 37. The Presbyterian Synod have decided to preaeut a Bible in the Maori tongue, suitably inscribed, to each of the Maoris concerned in the rescue of Mrs Morice. The prizes in the draughts tournament have been won as follows .'—Little, Christchurch, 35 wins out of 52 games ; Hood, Mount Somera, 33 wins ; Morris, Invercaroill, 32 wins ; Raeside, Invercargill, 30 >ins ; Montgomery, Port Chalmers, 29 j^Avins.