TELEGRAPHIC ITEMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 893, 9 January 1869, Page 11

TELEGRAPHIC ITEMS.

(FBOM OUB OWN COERE3TONDENT. )

Wellington, January Ist.

Advertisements have been issued for poles for the telegraph to be erected along the coast from Wellington to Wanganui. Nine buildings were destroyed in Wanganui by the late fire there. The loss is estimated at about L9OOO, about half of which is insured, principally in the Liverpool and London Insurance Co. The Government are anxiously looking for news from Colonel Whitmore, who with the Friendlies and Constabulary was reported some days since to be fast closing in Te Kooti's small band of 115 men. Nearly all Wellington was at the Caledonian Games to-day. Among those present were the Governor and Lady Bo wen, who stayed nearly all day. January 2nd. CobVs coach arrived late last night from Wanganui. Captain Finnimore and Lieutenant Bryce's cavalry, 100 strong, were out reconnoitering on. the 26th. They observed a palisading recently erected at Nukumaru, and fired at it from a distance. The fire being returned but desultorily, they thought that it was occupied by only a few Hauhaus. They accordingly attacked j. it at close quarters, when a heavy fire was returned. Sergeant Maxwell was killed, and five Hauhaus, on climbing the palisades from the inside, were picked off by our men. A portion of the Hauhaus then left the pah, and occupied patches of bush on the line of retreat taken by the cavalry. No further casualties, however, took place on our side. The cavalry have had their pay stopped in consequence of their late disobedience to Colonel Lyon's orders. The Kaikoura's passengers were set at liberty yesterday from the Lady Bird. Premiums of LSO, L3O, and L2O, are offered by the Government under the resolution passed during the late sitting of the Assembly, for essays on " The means of securing the permanent settlement of the mining population of New Zealand, and fixing within the colony the capital which is being drained away from the goldfields, as shown m the great excess of exports over imports at the ports of the exclusively gold- mining districts." The essays are required to be sent in to the Colonial Secretary before the 28th of February next. Captain Finnimore and Lieutenant Bryce are under arrest for disobedience to Colonel Lyon'a orders. The cavalry were out of their own accord in the late attack at Nukumaru, and its want of success is the result of the disobedience by the men of the orders given by Captain Finnimore and Lieutenant Bryce. An eye-witness writes :—: — **' Lieutenant Bryce proceeded to carry fcinto execution the scheme preconcerted by himself and Captain Finnimore, which was to send a few men to drive a flock of sheep that were feeding between the two lakes along the road towards Wanganui, while the main body of his force remained concealed behind the hill. It was supposed that the rebels would give chase on observing this movement. It failed, however, for the Maoris made no sign, and Lieutenant Bryce advanced towards the enemy'B position to reconnoitre. " We went through Handley's fences, and shortly afterwards commenced firing on the pah, which we kept up until we reached the main road leading from Nukumaru. We then stood still at ,the slip-panel thrown across the road, and remained there until the main body came up. "Captain Finnimore and Lieut. Bryce then directed a few men to pasß through the bars, ride along the crowning-ridge of the hill, fire at the pah, and return immediately. This movement was ordered with a view of ascertaining whether there were any natives in the pah or not. Five or six men passed through, when Sergeant Maxwell came forward. Lieut. Bryce tried to stop him, but he pushed forward to head the party, and led the way up the rising ground at a gallop. Instead of turning there, he pressed forward directly at the breastwork, until, when within a few paces of it, the whole party delivered their fire, and immediately received a volley in return. Before we had gone many yards, Sergeant Maxwell fell mortally wounded, about four or five chains from the front of the pah. He was immediately raised, placed upon a horse, and conveyed off the field, covered by our fire." A cricket match took place to-day between the Wellington Club and the officers and crew of H.M.S. Chary bdis, resulting in favour of the former by nearly 100 runs. More stringent regulations regarding coasters are about to be enforced, in consequence of late smuggling transactions. The captain of a London ship is likely to

be prosecuted for complicity in the said transactions. January sth. The Governor sails for the South in the Challenger on the lOfch inst., but, owing to the Duke of Edinburgh's expected early visit, he proposes on this occasion to re absent from Wellington for only about three weeks. Dr Featherston returned here la3t night. Captain Smith, Surveyor-General to the New Zealand Company, who arrived in the colony by the ship Cuba in 1839, died yesterday, at Wairarapa. The sura of L6O was netted by the Caledonian Games held on New Year's Day. It will be divided among the East Coast relief associations. The mail from Wanganui brings no news. The meeting of the N.Z.S.N. Co., summoned for the purpose of considering the advisability of reducing the capital of the Company, by valuing the LlO shares at L 4, separated without doing anything, owing to the notice of the meeting being declared informal. Napier, January 4th. The Poverty Bay force is now before Ngatepe, & place of enormous natural strength, and studded with rifle pits. It is supposed that the garrison will be starved out, or that the place will be taken by sap, the assault being considered too risky. ' The Wairoa expedition ha 3 taken 19 ' prisoners. One of the prisoners reported that Te Waru has gone to the Waikato to excite disaffection among the natives there. 1 The expedition which left Wairoa op the 24th December, on arriving at Puketapu, found it deserted. The bodies of the men who fell in Colonel Whitmore's attack on the escapees, including Captain I Carr, were buried by the expedition. ■ The Ahuriri arrived to-day from Poverty Bay. She reports that a skirmish took place before Ngatepe, in which j Inspector Brown and two Friendlies were killed, and two wounded. Three loads of ammunition have gone down. The Ahuriri returns to-night. j Te Kooti is said to be surrounded by the forces under Colonel Whitmore. The Hauhaus attempted an escape but were driven back with loss. Our losses are as above. The Arawa 1 Contingent are close up to the enemy's works. Inspector Brown, from the West Coast, was just married. January sth. The pah of Puketapu, when entered, showed no signs of having been occupied for three months. The fortifications have been much exaggerated. The whares and cultivations were destroyed. There was found suspended in the Church a letter written by Te Kooti, calling on the Uriweras and Waikatos for help. The country was scoured, but no enemy was seen, and the force returned to Wairoa on Friday. Tareha with 200 Friendlies arrived at Napier to-day, and Henare with the remainder is expected to arrive to-morrow. The reason for their return is that valuable wheat crops belonging to them are ready for cutting ; but they are anxious, after the harvest is over, te take the field at Poverty Bay once more. There is nothing further from ZSgatipa. Lawbknce, January 3rd. A strong easterly gale has prevailed here since Friday night. Much damage has been done to property. The buildings on the Camp Reserve have suffered severely. Houses, chimneys, stables, and outhouses have been blown to pieces. The Wesleyan Chapel also, which is made of brick, has been considerably damaged. The gale is still (5 p.m.) blowing. Melbotjejte, December 26th. The markets are unchanged, and there is very little business doing, owing to the holidays. H.M.S. Challenger sailed for New Zealand on the 23rd. It is understood that Bruce, the levanter, has arrived in Sydney, and may shortly be expected here. The want cf confidence motion brought forward by Mr Parkes has been negatived in the New South Wales Assembly by four votes. The great insolvency case has been decided by a full Court in favour of Ba s tie, with costs against the official assignee. The Ballarat Evening Post newspaper office has been burned to the ground. The Barb is first favourite for the Port Phillip Stakes, but if no rain fall before the Ist of January, it is expected that he will not start.

20,000 cases of kerosene were sold on the 23rd. Oats meet with ready sale at 3s 9d. Flour is at Ll2 10s. Sugars are in demand, as also is kerosene. Sydney, December 24th. The heat is fearful on the plains at [ present, the thermometer standing at 110 I in the shade. I The estimates for 3869 contain few alterations, and nothing indicating a large etrenchmenfc. The expenditure is set down at L 2,320,000., 320, 000. This includes L 185,000 on account of loans, and L 500 ,000 special appropriations. The Committee appointed to enquire into the O'Farrell papers, in adjourning for the Christmas holidays, elicited very little information of any importance. 500 special constables will be sworn in to welcome H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh on his arrival. Queenstown, January 2nd. Messrs Robertson and Co's new steamer Antrim has made a successful trial trip to the sawmills and back. Adelaide. The markets are q\iiet. There 3eems little doubt that the fire by which Duffield's mills were destroyed, owed its origin to the act of an incendiary. The Government propose to reduce the Volunteer force to four companies of infantry, one troop of cavalry, and two batteries of artillery. The banks have reduced the ratb of discount on merchants' bills.