TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5554, 16 January 1879, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

(per press agency.) Auckland, Wednesday.

There was a narrow escape from a serious catastrophe in the harbor to-night at half-past eleven o’clock. The paddle-steamer Annie Milbank, from Mahurangi, was coming up the harbor, when a yacht was observed a short distance ahead. Before the vessel’s course could be altered, she struck the yacht amidships, The smaller vessel had her starboard side partly stove in, and the other side considerably damaged. The steamer passed on, and the occupants of the yacht, six lads, headed their boat for the shore. The boat filled rapidly, but the shore was reached before she sunk. The injured vessel was a fishing yacht named the Zodiac. She had no lights at the time. The Annie Milbank’s bows were somewhat damaged. The Norval sailed for Lyttelton via the Coast with timber for the telegraph at Gisborne.

The Star says there appears to be a gang of skilful scoundrels at work in Auckland watching every opportunity to rob the coffers of tradesmen and hotelkeepers. Twenty-four sovereigns were abstracted from a box in a bedroom of one of the hotels, but no clue has been found to lead to the conviction of the offenders. A mystery still hangs over the more extensive robbery from Mr. Warren, no trace whatever of the guilty party having been discovered. Other robberies of a similar nature are reported. The Waikato passenger train ran off the line just after leaving Mercer for Auckland. Through some oversight the points were not quite turned. One engine and two coal trucks ran on to the main line, the passenger cars turned off into the siding, the fore part of the train was thus running on one line of rails, the hinder part on a different line. The engine was going at a good speed, and could not be brought up quickly. Amid considerable swaying of carriages, the passengers were much alarmed, and on a cry being raised to jump, all the passengers scrambled to doors and jumped out. A first and a second class carriage were thrown off the rails before the engine stopped. A crowd of people came down from Mercer, and as the Auckland train had just before got into Mercer, the engine was obtained from it to pull the carriages out of the way, as the engine attached to the first mentioned train could not get back. After an hour’s work, the second class carriage was got back on the rails. There were 40 or 50 people on the’train. The rails were twisted, and will have to be replaced with new ones. Gbahamstows, Wednesday.

A bushman named Patrick McGrlaaton, working in Kauwaeranga bush, was killed to-day by a falling log crushing him against another. The body was brought in for the inquest. Mr. Sheehan leaves here to-night for Auckland. He has been arranging with the natives for land through which the railway will pass, and was met satisfactorily. New Plymouth, Wednesday.

The valuation of the Borough of New Plymouth for the current year is £27,000, being an increase of £2OOO over that of last year. Natiee, Wednesday.

. At a sitting in bankruptcy this morning six persons obtained certificates of discharge without opposition. Colonel Whitmore has left for Wellington in the b.s. Kangatira. Wanganui, Wednesday.

For the Wanganui Education Board Scholarships, seven in number, of £2O each, there were twenty-three Competitors, of whom five have : been successful. Inspector Foulis awards the marks as follows;—-Out of possible 200, for boys under 16 years, James McCalley, Turakina, 120 J; under 14, J. D. Morton, Turaldna, 150 ; ■ Emma . Laird, Wanganui, 139.',. TJnder 12, J. Flower, Foxton, 173; Kobt. Saw, Wanganui, 162. A match was fired this morning between Wanganui and Taranaki. rifle teams ; eight men on each side ; firing on their own ground. Taranaki scored 535 ; Wanganui, 539, thus ■ winning by four points. Between , one and two thousand people assembled on the bank of the river this evening

to Bee Professor Scott walk over the river on a wire rope. The wind was rather strong and the rope slack, and the attempt consequently was an utter failure.

Ciiristchukch, Wednesday.

The rain yesterday came in at both the Supreme Court and the Resident Magistrate’s Court. At the latter place counsel received permission to keep their hats on. The rain has now ceased, but it has come too late to do any good to the crops. In fact, in some parts of the district harvesting has already commenced. The result of the last match of the Canterbury Cricketers has been received with great rejoicings here, as the East Melbourne Club is supposed to be the crack club of Victoria. Dunedin, Wednesday.

A letter received from England states that the Prince of Wales intends to send his eldest son to the Australian naval station ; also, that the Prince himself would be glad to visit Australia if asked by the colonists to do so. An arrest entitling two members of the police to some mark of credit was effected last night. A farmer from the up-country reported to Constable Gilbert at Mosgiel at five o’clock yesterday afternoon that he had been robbed of a purse containing £I2S, and giving a description of the suspected person. The authorities in the town were at once acquainted with the circumstances, and Detective Henderson was told off to inquire into the case. Several places of business in the city were visited in the course of half an hour, and it was found that a man answering to the description furnished by Constable Gilbert had changed a'£so note in one shop, after purchasing some minor articles. By the night train Constable Gilbert arrived in town, and then went out in company with Detective Henderson in search of their man, who was arrested an hour later. On his person was found £ll3 odd, and as goods purchased by him of the value of £lO 7s. 6d. were secured, all the money with the exception of £5 has been accounted for. The name of the thief is William Wallace. He was brought before the City Police Court this morning and committed for trial. A telegram from Tapauui states that the continued delay in opening the Clutha-Cliuton line is causing great inconvenience here. A large quantity of goods were ordered at Dunedin in anticipation of the opening of the line on the 7th. The goods are still in town, and buyers are at their wit’s end. Wool and other produce were kept here for weeks, and now have to be forwarded to Invercargill and the Bluff.

The principal business at the Land Board to-day had reference to the runs. The Chairman asked the Board to consider as to the mode of dealing with runs the leases of which expire in 1889, in terms of section 114 of the Lands Act of 1879. The following were the decisions arrived at :—No. 98, Teschemaker, the whole lands are required for sale as rural lands; No. 99, Dr. Webster, a similar decision; No. 418, Campbell, to be re-let for ten years at an upset price of £6O per annum ; No. 424, McLellan, to be re-let in two portions for ten years at £l2O per annum; No. 425 a, Cargill Anderson, 1300 acres to be added to No. 42b ; No. 425 b, J. and A. Clarke, to be re-let for ten years at £IOO per annum; No. 426, A. M. Clark, to be re-let for ten years at £SO per annum ; No. 437, A. M. Clark, to be re-let for ten years at £4O per annum; No. 428, A. M. Clark, to be re-let for ten years at £7O per annum; No. 429 a, J. C. Hill, to be re-let in two portions for ten years—24,ooo acres at £l2O per annum ; 1550 acres at £9O per annum ; No. 429 b, Campbell, to be re-let for 10 years at £6O per annum; No. 430 a, W. Fraser, to be re-let for 10 years at £6O per annum; No. 430 b, H. Campbell, to be re-let for 10 years at £35 per annum; No. 431, Campbell, to be relet for 10 years at £SO per annum; No. 433, Fraser, to be re-let for 10 years at £55 per annum; No. 437, Strode and Fraser, to be re-let for 10 years at £6O per annum; No. 416, Campbell, to be re-let for 10 years at £l3O per annum; No. 423 a, D. A. Cameron, to be re-let for 10 years at £SO per annum; No. 423 b, Jas. Gtall, to be re-let for tea years at £SO per annum ; No. 436, Joseph Clarke, to be re-let for 10 years in two portions—34,soo acres at £IBO per annum, 23,500 at £l5O per annum. The Victorian Company had a risk of £3OO on the barque Schiehallion, wrecked on the voyage from Auckland to London. From a report read at the Synod to-night it appeared that the Presbyterian Church of Otago and Southland have 91 schools, 6891 scholars, and 664 teachers ; 106 of the teachers are not Church members. Also, 9745 volumes in the libraries. Invercargill, Wednesday. The polling for the Mataura election . has resulted as follows so far:—Waipal, Shanks, 124 ; Kinross, 174. Campbell Town, Shanks, 114 ; Kinross, 13. Gore, Shanks, 40 ; Kinross, 12. Mataura, Shanks, 43 ; Kinross, 3. Woodlands, Shanks, 15 ; Kinross, 13. Roslyn Bush, Shanks, 0 ; Kinross, 31. Wyndharo, Shanks, 52 ; Kinross, 3. Total, Shanks, 288 ; Kinross, 249. The Fortrose return is net yet to hand, and is sure to increase Shanks’ majority. The educational statistics of Southland district for the quarter ending the 31st of December" are as follows :—Attendance at the beginning of the quarter, 2796 ; at the end of the quarter, 3976 ; average number on the roll, 2900 ; strict average, 2465 ; working average, 2507. The polling of the Mataura election is proceeding. Both parties are working hard. The result is doubtful.