TELEGRAMS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume III, Issue 794, 28 October 1878, Page 2

TELEGRAMS.

, WELLINGTON. October 26. r A Supplementary Gazette to-day publishes i the terms of the contract with M'Meckan, Blackwood, and Co', for the conveyance to 3 and from Melbourne of the Suez mails, from the 17th October to January, ISSO. The i contractors' steamers are to call at the Bluff, Port Chalmers, Lyttelton, and Wellington, i and shall also convey mails to Nelson, West- ' port, Greymouth, and Hokitika. Mails to be delivered at the Bluff in seven days, Port l Chalmers, eight ; Lyttelton, nine and a half; . Wellington, ten and a half days from arrival - of the mails at Melbourne. For this service I the sum of L 4625 annually is to be paid for thirteen trips, with the usual penalties for 1 non-performance, t ' October 28. i Nov, i nations for the Wellington Gold Cup, - of 500 sovs., with gold cup value 100 sovs., i close on the Ist November. ; The managers of the two House met at i, half-past 12 to-day to confer on the amend- • monts made by the Counpil in the Electoral i Bill. All the managers were present. Mr. ; Stout, on behalf' of the Government, made a [ proposal—lst, that the dual Maori vote should be in operation only until next ■ election'; 2nd, that the Maori qualification 1 should be on the Crown grant only. The • managers for the Upper House rejected the compromise, and insisted on the excision of that part of clause 18. which proposed to ■ confer the dual Maori vote. The confer- ! ence adjourned without coming to anyagree- : ment. and the result will be reported to the House at 2,30 to-day. In the conference on the Disqualification Bill the managers appointed by the Upper House insisted on the disqualification of newspaper proprietors: being members of the House if other than shareholders in joint stock companies. The managers' of the Upper House offered to give way on every other amendment on the Electoral Bill except the Maori dual vote in clause IS, and insisted upon the Bill passing in the form in which it was originally introduced into the House. Mr. Stout admitted that the object of the Bill was to place the- Maoris on' the roll for the next elections. The Council has the power of proposing fresh managers, and Colonel Whitmore will probably propose that course. OTAKI. October 28. The City of Auckland is still in the same position. The ship's orew and a party of Natives under the guidance of an qld whaler are busy dismantling the ship, and discharging immigrants and luggage. Active operations under Captain Bendall will be commenced at once to discharge the cargo, which, it is believed, will, be landed in firstclass order. As the City of Auckland has made but little water as yet, the Customhouse Officer, with a party of constabulary, are camped on the beach, and will guard the cargo when landed until carted forshipment to Foxton. The barque Felix Stowe is breaking up rapidly. The seas are washing in and cit of her. The beach from Waikauae to Oban presents a lamentable aspect, being strewn'with wreckage, coals, planking, Sec. \ The body of Captain Piggott, of the Felix | ' .Stowe, has not been found, although diligent ' search has been made by Constable Ransfield and others for day ß past. Messrs. Oakes and Ardren, the purchasers of the wreck, < have a party of men employed striking the 1

mast and rigging. The vessel- is settling rapidlv down in the sand. «. BALCLUTHA. October 25. At a meeting of the Clutha CountyCouncil .yesterday, a deputation from the Borough Council attended to request assistance in establishing a punt whore the bridge was washed away." The Council agreed to pay one-third of the cost, and voted L4OO for the purpose. It is believed that Bruce County and Borough Councils will pay the other two-thirds. The Council voted in all nearly LSOOO for new works. The Borough Council is energetically repairing the main street, so that traffic may be resumed. The Government are also pushing on the repairs of the railway line, and it is expected that the train will get as far as Renfrew-street at the beginning of the week, but it will take months to get the station yard repaired. The railway bridge is planked, and the viaducts are being planked for foot passengers. The river banks behind the township are washing away at a most alarming rate, and if the present rate is continued for a month the buildings in the township will be reached, and unless protective works be at once undertaken the township will have to be abandoned. The ground as yet being washed away is private property, and the Council cannot act; besides, they have not the neces- | sary funds. The position of the whole matter is causing well-grounded alarm. DUNEDIN. I October 26. This week's Tablet publishes as a sort of black list, the names of 3S members who voted against Mr. Curtis' Education Bill, and recommends the Catholics to place a copy of it in the most frequented part of their houses, lest they should forget or mistake their enemies. Madame Tasca, Mdlle. Merz, and Mr. Plumpton took part in the Choral Society's performance last evening. They gave their services gratuitously, and returned from Timaru in order to keep their promise to be present. The opening of the boating season was today inaugurated by a procession of boats. Nine boats took part in it, but a wind having arisen, many others were deterred from joining the procession. NELSON. October 26. John Dayman, a volunteer in the Naval Brigade, was shot through the knee this morning, when marking at the butts. It is feared that amputation will be necessary. October 28. A fire which occurred early yesterday morning completely destroyed Burrell's fruit shop, in Bridge-street. The building was insured for L2OO, and the contents for L 125 in the Standard. Adjoining the building destroyed was Messrs. Edwards and Co.'s bonded store, containing goods insured in various offices for L 40 0; the wall and pai-t of the roof of this were burnt, but the rest of the building was saved through the exertions of the fire brigade. The stock was not very much injured. CHRISTCHURCH. October 28. His Excellency the Governor has expressed his intention of being present at the races next week. The racehorse Eversley changed owners on Saturday for L3OO, the 'buyer "being Mr. H. Prince, the well-known bookmaker. A proclamation appears in the Government Gazette dividing Christchurch into wards under the Municipal Corporation Act. A little girl aged two years and a half, daughter of Mr." T. P. Beale, was accidentally poisoned on Saturday through drinking some spirits of salts, while her mother's back was turned. Death took place a few hours afterwards. The verdict of the jury attributed no blame to anybody. GRAHAMSTOWN. October 26. The Harbor Board are satisfied with the passage of their Amendment Bill giving borrowing powers, after it was thought to be killed by the adverse report of the committee. The acceptance of compensation by Mr. Broomhall will be a boon to those settlers here wan'ing land, as the block will no doubt he available for occupation by Thames residents.