TELEGRAMS.

Southland Times, Issue 3342, 7 March 1879, Page 2

TELEGRAMS.

[:'■' (PER PRESS ASSOCMTJON?S SPECIAL ■#■ ■'■ wire.*: AUCKLAND. Thursday. The rain continued heavy last night, and the" greater part of to-day; floods are reported from several districts. News was brought in from Eamjiruai, 25 miles south of Auckland of one having occurred there. . This morning as Mr Moysees&iyed to- drive iiito .the valley he observed that a house was surrounded by a sheet of water, which had -risen to the top of the fences; he approached carefully and ascertained only the uppei portion of the house .was. visible. .-It was impossible to get near it, and fears are entertained for the safety of the inmates, who are elderly people named Fitzgerald, who live by themselves, and are about 75 years of age. NAPIER, Thursday. An inquest on the fire at Taradale on the 26th ult., held yesterday, resulted in a verdict of arson against John Whelan. He was arrested and brought before the Court, and remanded until the 12th inst. The Working Men's Dramatic Club are to give a performance on. Wednesday in aid of the Kaitangata Eelief Fund. The Hon. J. Sheehan left for Wellington to-day by the s.s. Wanaka. - WELLINGTON, Thubsday. The Warwick, with immigrants, arrived via Nelson to-day. A number of nominated passengers for -the South will be forwarded by steamer to-morrow. A highly complimentary testimonial was presented to Captain Seaton and Dr Gillon. / A Swede named Juan Carrot Brown was killed at Porirua by a tree falling on him. - The butchers', employes are agitating for a weekly half -holiday. The statement made by the Maori prisoner in Auckland Gaol named Tohi, that the mui> derer Wianata had returned to Onehunga, and was now working at Kaipara district, proves, utterly untrue. >- 1 Commenting on the Taupo enquiry, the | Bay of Plenty", Times says : — " We may re- ! mark that no mention of the pilot's name being made in the judgment has caused considerable dissatisfaction: Undoubtedly, the matter ought to have "been- referred to" one wav or other. The evidence of Captain Sellara and several reliable witnesses as to the position of the black buoy seemed very; pertinent, and people were naturally anxious to know what the Court thought about it. As things have turned out, no one can be certain whether the Harbormaster was in fault, or hoti This is hardly fair either to him or the public. We are also of opinion it would have been much more satisfactory had Captain Johnston declined to sit as neutral assessor. Jffc was, of course, perfectly impartial ; but ill-natured people will talk, and there can be no doubt that the Marine Denartment was deeply interested. Had the Court, for instance, decided that the loss of the Taupowas caused 'by the channel being improperly or, insufficiently buoyed, the Union Company would have at once brought an action against the Government, and very probably have recovered heavy damages. It will, therefore, be seen that the malcontents possess plenty of data whereon to build their theories, and they- are pretty sure to lise them. Captain- <3romarty's livelihood and professional character were at stake, and the absolute disinterestedness of the judge should hare been above suspicion." GREYMOUTH, Thubsday. At the District " Court to-day, George Relland, for indecent assault on- an \ old woman, was convicted of common assault, and sentenced to four months' imprisonment with hard labor. 8376 ounces gold were shipped this morning for Melbourne per Claud Hamilton. - -, WESTPQRT, Thubsday. The police have failed to find any trace of Ctatello's body in the place /indicated by Mrs Sibree. CHRISTCHURCH, THUBSDAY. Mr J. L. Coster,! chairman of the New Zealand Shipping Company, addressed the officers and crew of the ship Piako to-day, :thenking them, on behalf of the company, for the gallant way in which they stuck to the ship while she was on fire. , He expressed .hjmgelf. as -highly gratified, with %$

true British sailor spirit shown by them throughout the whole of the trying circumstances in which they were placed. ' The ere.v were granted an extra month's pay, and Captain Boyd also received a very handsome acknowledgment from the directors of the company for the noble manner in which ho conducted, himself after the vessel took fire. All her passengers are remarkably well ; they were landed to-day. The Piako spoke the barkque Star of the North on February in 66 E. 45 S. from London to Auckland, 81 days - out. An enquiry into the fire was" held this morning. It was prompted by astatement that some of the immigrants could throw a light upon tht circumstance? if they chose. Nothing, however, w.i 3 elicits:!. Only 176 members have been enrolled for the Royal Agricultural Society, whereas 400 are required before operations can be commenced. The ram fair to-day was not so successful as last year. Some portion of the stock, particularly from" the south, were in capital condition, but generally the standard was moderate. Mr Montgomery addressed a numerously attended meeting aud spoke for upwards of an hour, being frequently applauded. -A vote of confidence and thanks was passed. The Chairmen of the Harbor Board and Chamber of Commerce, conjoiutlr," sent a telegram last night to the Minister of Public Works complaining of the scarcity of trncks. An answer was received slating that a number of trucks would be brought down from Auckland, and a, large uumber were on their way out. Mr Richardson, at the Board meeting to-day, stated that the rolling stock from the north had been fitted up in the Canterbury sheds and sent up ,at a cost of £10 per truck and was now to be returned at a similar outlay. " - There was not a large, attendance at the concert in aid of the Kaitangata fuid tonight. , TIMARU, Thubsday, The Harbor Board to-day resolved to remove all port dues at Tiniaru, and make it a free port. DUNEDIN, Thursday. Two important- sales of property were advertised for to-day at Watson's > Hotel, but although they attracted a large attendance, no sale was effected. The first was by Maclean Bros, of the Wairuna property, about 12,000 acres,forming part of the late Mr W. A. Tolmie's estates. The nominal bids weut up to £2 17s per acre, and it was bought in at £3. Donald Reid & Co. then offered the Henley .Estate at the Taieri, about 8000 acres freehold, 4000 of which are improved, and 2000 leasehold. For this £41,000 was the highest bid ' and' it was withheld for £75,000. The auctioneer announced that the property would be cut up into small farms and villages. A year ' ago these properties would have in all probability found eager buyers at higher prices. Engineer Simpson's survey of the Lower Harbor and Bar, which has just been completed, shows that there has beou no alteration for the worse in the .depth of water o:i the bar. while what was known as the iuuer bar has totally disappeared. At the sitting of the Senate of the New Zealand University to-day it was announced that the Hon. James Macandrew bad resigned his seat on the Senate, aud promised to communicate with Government with reference to filling the vacancy. At the Police Conrt to-day, Charles E. Bird,, manager of the Duuedin Club, was fined £20 for having a salmon trout in his possession. (PER PRESS AGENCY.) WELLINGTON, THUBSDAY. The Hon. G. M. Waterhouse informs the Corporation that the City Council overdraft is in excess of the amount authorised by law, and that each individual member of the Council is responsible, and that as a burgess of the city he will feel it his duty to commence, proceedings against the Council as a body- until the overdraft- is reduced to the legal limit.