AN EXCITING RACE BETWEEN TWO STEAMERS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 1041, 30 November 1870, Page 6 (Supplement)

AN EXCITING RACE BETWEEN TWO STEAMERS.

THE ' PHCEBB' V. ' AIREDALE.'

The following account of a smartly contested race for the honor of being the first to deliver the English telegrams in Nelson, we take from the Nelson Evening Mail, of 14th November. The race took place between the steamers ' Phoebe' and 'Airedale,' the starting point being Mannkau harbonr, and the winning point the telegraph olfica at Nelson. The race was a close one throughout, and was only won by superior jockeyship on the part of the ' Airedale.' The two boats started from Manukau on the 12th, the ' Phoebe' at 11.30 a.m., and the ' Airedale at 12.30 p.m., aud then the running commenced iv earnest. After a short delay at Tarauaki, the ' Phoebe' left at 1.45 and the ' Airedale' at 3.5 on the morning of the 13th, the two, after steaming

their hardest, arriving off the lighthouse together at 4.40 p.m. Now came the question of commuuicatiug with the shore. Captain Kenned)' had his orders to land the telegrams first, if possible, and when he has made up his mind to a thing, he is a bad one to beat, so, while tho ' Phoebe' rattled away down towards the entrance of the harbour, the ' Airedale,' which was seen to be unusually near the bank, pulled up by the lighthouse. A boat was at once lowered, and then the object of the manoeuvre was at once seen. As soon as the boat approached the boulder-bank, Mr. Pringle, the purser, and the second officer jumped out, clashed across to the lighthouse, launched the lighthouse-keeper's boat, and pulled across the harbour to the wharf. Here a crowd was c illecte I to hear the news, but not a word was to be got out of the imperturable Pringle, for his duty was not completod until his despatches wore safely lodged at the telegraph office, so getting into a cab, he started for town, and the race commenced by steam was concluded by horse-power, and by 5 o'clook on the 13th, the war news was flying through New Zealand. Meanwhile the • Phoebe's' boat had landed her men on the rocks, but with such a Start as the ' Airedale' had obtaiued, it was hopeless to cpntest the raea any further. They do a smart thing in Yankee Land now and then in the shape of obtaining aud circulating news, but after the above experience we are inclined to think that Captain Kennedy and Mr. Purser Pringle have uot much to learn from even our cote cousins.

Tiic Fire in Lyttelton. — The Canterbury Fire Relief Fund amounted, iv the early part of last week, to £1,32>.

Bread Dear in Southland. — A Southern paper says that the ' Omeo' took a consignment of four dozen loaves of bread to the Bluff, not that the article was scarce there, but that it could be brought from Dunedin and sold at the Blufffor twopence per 41b. loaf less than the. luveroargill price.

Wellington Assisted out of its Difficulties. — The Wellington Evening Post understands that arrangements have been made with the General Government by the Provincial authorities, under which the Province will bo able in a very short time to pay off nearly the whole of its current liabilities .

The Otago Road Board. — Notice is given in the ~Eew Zealand Gazette that Otago's share of the £50,000 under the Payment to Provinces Act for the present year is £14,000, which is to be divided amongst the road boards in the same proportions as any sum appropriated by the Province in the ordinary way is divided amongst the road boards.

Dit. Featherston's Election. — A rninour has been in circulation (says the Wellington Independent) that the Government has telegraphed to Dr. Featherston, offering him the appointment of Agent General in England. As the report may seriously affect the probability of D:\ Featherston's election for this city, we think it right to state (which we do on authority) that there is no foundation for the report. Dr. Feaiherston is expected by the coming Suez mail steamer, and will no doubt be in Wellington long beforo the nomination day, and ab e to answer for himself.

Telegraph from Wellington to Auckland. — A correspondent of an Auckland paper states that Mr. Warbrick, interpreter to tho Telegraph Dopiirtment had arrived at Tauranga from Taopo, and reported that the line from Rotoruato Taupo, a distance of about sixty miles, was finished, that Mr. Blake, the Inspector of Telegraphs, was attaching the instruments at Te Ngae, a telegraphic station ; and that the first communication from Auckland had been transmitted to head-quarters at Wellington. Mr. Warbrick 6tates tnat the whole of the telegraphic reports of his having been lost in the bush art> a tissue of falsehoods.

Accident to Mr. E. Isaacs, ov Auckland. — A serious accident occurred on 24th November, to Mr. E. Isaacs, of Messrs. E. and H. Isaacs, of Auckland. It appears that one of the gratings of their collar had bee-i opened in the morning, for the purpose of receiving some goods. Mr. TsaacH, in coming out of his store and not noticing tho chasm, Ml into the cellar, sustaining a severe fracture of the collar-bone. Medical assistance was at once procured, and the injury attended to.

Raglan. — There has been only one death recorded at Raglan, from natural causes, during the past two years, and that occurred lately. After an illness of a week, a little boy, the son of Mr. Robert Gilmonr, succumbed to the malady, which eventuated in ulcerated sore throat.

Tub Thames Gold Fields. — The yield of gold from the Thames for the past month, as uearly a<s can be ascertained, was 12,481 ounces from 8,8-10 tons quarts, showing an increase of 2,45*3 ozs. over that of the previous month. For August the produce was 13,005 ounces from 7,750 tons ; in September, 10,029 ounces from 7,302 tons ; October, 12,-181 ounces from 8,8-10 tons ; giving a return of 35,515 ounces from 23,822 tons for tho quarter.

German Immigrants in Tasmania. — The German immigration scheme to Tasmania has been stopped as a mistake, seventy married people remaining on hand, unemployed, with no apparent signs of their getting work. Several meetings of nueinployed have lately taken place, 400 clamouring at the Treasurer's office at one titno for work. When offered stone-breaking at 3s. per cubic yard, scarcely any would accopt it.