TELEGRAMS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 4984, 8 February 1877, Page 2

TELEGRAMS.

[Fbom the Pbbbs Agency.! Auckland, Feb. 7. Curtin’s body was given up to his relatives, and buried in the Catholic Cemetery. The case of Sbera v M‘Art bur and Co. has been settled by payment to Sbera in full satisfaction of partnership accounts, A seaman belonging to the German ship Hertha fell overboard to-day and was drowned. At the ball on board the Hertl a, last night there was a large attendance, including the Hon F. Whitaker, Hon Dr Pollen, and other notabilities. The Working Men’s Horticultural Show today was not so well supported as last year. The City Counoil to-day negatived a motion to discharge the City Treasurer. New Plymouth, Feb.,7. The rain hat caused nil the rivers to rise. At Eaglewood fears are entertained that some of the new bridges will be washed away owing to the drift wood floating down. One of the protective buttresses to the railway bridge across Waiwakaiho was smashed, but no further harm done to the bridge. The rainfall has been heavier than for many previous years. Wanganui, Feb. 7. The English Cricketers will not agree to come in the steamer Napier, therefore the match has fallen through. The people are displeased with the Englishmen’s condnot. Wellington, Feb. 7. Nominations for the Wellington Derby of 1878-1879, and subscriptions to the Sires' Produce Stakes, close at the Empire Hotel on Monday, Feb. 12, at 8 p.m. In consequence of the inclement weather, the races have been postponed until Friday. The meteorological records at the Museum show a rainfall, iu Wellington, from Friday evening last till 8 a.m., this day, Wednesday, to have been 684 inches. The total fall for February, 1876, was 1565 inches, and the average for February, during the past 13 years, was 3 698 inches. Picton, Feb. 7. For the Marlborough Races, entrances and acceptances close on Saturday evening at 8 p.m. Hokitika, Feb. 7. There was continuous rain during the whole of last week till yesterday, when the weather broke. The river is flooded, but no damage has been done. The Christchurch coach came in last night. All communication with the country districts was stopped till last night. Dunedin, Feb. 7. The rain has ceased, and the floods subsiding except on the Taieri plain, where the water has risen considerably to-day, and for miles the plain is under water. A well-known Taieri settler named Barrie was drowned to day. A newspaper runner was fined this morning for selling the Daily Times newspaper on the railway platform without the consent of the Minister of Public Works. Messrs Seed and Fenwick obtained the sole right of selling literature ou the platform, and have excluded all local papers except their own, hence the action. For the defence, it was urged that the travelling public complained of not being able to obtain copies of the Tinies and Star. Poet Chalmebs, Feb. 7. The weather is slightly improved. Active steps are being taken for the resumption of railway traffic. Balolutha, Feb. 7. The river rose till 10 o’clock last night, and then gradually receded. Little damage was done in the township. There has been nc train or mail from Dunedin or the North since Monday. The town is flooded by the water beiug backed up three and four feet deep. The flood is still rising and there is great danger. Latbe. The river is falling, and all danger is over. There have been no mails from Dunedin for two days. As the ordinary road is undamaged, this is regarded as a great neglect, and there is a strong feeling that Government should cause inquiry, and restore confidence. AUSTRALIA* (Per Arawata vA Bluff.) Melboubnb, Jan. 31. The Cable Conference in Sydney seemed thoroughly impressed with one thing, and that was that in any duplicate line which may hereafter be decided upon, the land line through Java must be avoided. Information laid before the Conference showed that all the bungling and mutilation in the messages has been caused during their transmission over the Dutch lines. The election fever is daily getting stronger. Candidates are beginning to announce themselves, and also to hold meetings. The various political associations are astir, and there is every prospect of a very vigorous campaign within the next two months. Parliament stands prorogued to March 6» and it is likely to be dissolved about the end of that month. The new Electoral Bill has considerably altered the boundaries of several of the electoral districts, and many of the old members are seeking for new constituencies. As yet, none of the prominent politicians on either side have made any sign. Mr Berry has been ruralising, and, it » said, maturing a policy in company with hia most trusted henchmen, but the principal policy of the Opposition will be war to the knife against Sir J. M'Oullooh. The Minister of Justice, upon being banqueted the other night by his lata constituents, promised that at the proper time Government would introduce a liberal policy, in accordance with the matured public opinion. ine public-house question is just now the prominent one of tne hour. Every Sunday the public-houses in the city and suburbs are religiously closed, and the poor maa is robbed of his beer for this one day. The publicans ire not so much actuated by a dno respect for ho law as to place the drinking public at an inconvenience in depriving them of their Sunday refreshment. But against this, every ■lunday morning the blank drunkards’ lift at the police court tells its tale in favour f the Sunday closing, and, once the novelty is worn off, the public would oecome quite used to the Sabbalh. h&temiousness. Many of the publicans already show signs of giving in, and before long it. is not unlikely that the old state of tiling* nil be restored. A case of attempted murder and suicide, imilar to that which recently occurred at Emerald Hill, has occurred in Collingwood. v married woman, named Dicker, out her husband’s throat while he slept, and then cut her wn. Neither are very seriously injured, and •ley are likely to recover. _ there is a prospect of the Torres Strait mau -learners ceas-ng to run. The contract, which is only £20.000 a year, doea not p*y them-

They have had several heavy leasee, and hitherto they have been performing the serrice with new boats. Now the time has arrived when they require repairs, which wiu involve a heavy expenditure.