TELEGRAMS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume III, Issue 790, 23 October 1878, Page 2

TELEGRAMS.

♦ WELLINGTON. October 22. Papers have been laid on the table by the Telegraph Commissioner, showing that the Government have leased a special wire to Messrs. Reed (Dunedin Times), Reeves (Lyttelton Times), and Horton (Auckland Herald), for two years, for the sum of L2OOO annually; the wire to be available from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. ordinarily, and till 3 a.m. during the session. Messrs. Holt and M'Carthy petition Parliament against it dayOTAKI. Wednesday, 12.15. The ship City of Auckland, Captain Sams, from London, bound to Napier, with railway material and 240 adult immigrants, has got ashore near the mouth of the Otaki River. The vessel came ashore about half-past nine o'clock last night in a heavy north-east gale. Great excitement appears to prevail amongst the passengers, who are throwing boxes, &c, overboard. The life-boat came ashore in charge of the second mate, and every endeavour to land the passengers is being made. The residents of Otaki are making every arrangement for their reception, and traps and Cobb's coach are on the beach, waiting to drive them to the township. The beach is lined with natives, hauling up the wreckage. The Hinemoa left for the scene of the wreck at noon. * CHRISTCHURCH. October 22. The Diocesan Synod opened this afternoon, when the Dean of Christclrurch presided, in the absence of the Bishop. Prior to the proceedings commencing, the president read the deed giving him authority to preside. In the course of a very long address which followed, he dealt with a large number of matters affecting the interests of the Church. In referring to those who had passed away during the year, he said he trusted that the Church people of Canterbury would erect some memorial as a tribute to the late Bishop Selwyn, who had done so much for the Christian Church in New Zealand. A shock of earthquake was felt here shortly before midnight. October 23. Two men from the Constabulary Reserve in Wellington arrived yesterday, to join the Canterbury Police, which now numbers 92, or eight under its proper strength. In the case of Jas. Bassingthwaite (heard at the Supreme Court yesterday) against the Mandeville and Rangiora Road Boards, for cutting a drain through the plaintiff's land, without consent, a verdict was given for the plaintiff for LSO. The Charitable Aid Board last evening recommended some .necessary improvements and additions to the Hospital, at an estimated cost of LIBOO. * GREYMOUTH. October 22. A slight shock of earthquake was felt last night at 10.45. It lasted about thirty seconds, direction from east to west. 0 AUCKLAND. October 22. The civil action, M'Gee v. Auckland Jockey Club, claim L 2500 damages, occupied the Supreme Court all day. The case arises out of the disqualification of Falcon, and plaintiff alleges that the publication of the Club's resolution, by giving it to the Press and forwarding it to Southern Clubs, was a defamatory libel, as the resolution implied, according to the Club's own rules, that plaintiff had been guilty of dishonest practices. M'Gee, in evidence, said his winnings on the turf amounted to about LISOO a year, but his expenses were heavy. A letter from Mr. Digby, Secretary of the Christchurch Club, stating that the resolution had been sent to them, was ruled as no evidence ; but the Club admitted disqualifying M'Gee, and sending the message South. The case resulted in a verdict for the defendants, on all the issues. TIMARU. October 23, A Committee meeting of the South Canterbury Acclimatisation Society was held yesterdal, to take into consideration the allocation of 3000 trout, presented by the Christchurch Society. It was resolved that they be distributed as follows :—G. M. Elhsh, 50; Cook and Raine (Sherwood Downs), 250 ; A. Smith (Rollesby), 250 ; Postlethwaite (Raukapuka), 250 ; F. Archer, 500; J. A. Young (Winchester), 500'; A. Cox (Orari), 250 ; S, A. Bristol, 250 ; A. Turnbull (Pareora), 200, A vote of thanks was passed to the Christchurch Society for their handsome present.