SOUTHERN TELEGRAMS.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VIII, Issue 2039, 8 May 1875, Page 3

SOUTHERN TELEGRAMS.

(pee mess agency.) Wellington, Friday, 6 p.m. The ship' Shooting Star,' now so long out, and upon which tho insurance offices are said to be refusing risks, is not loaded with railway iron. She is flying light, having a very light description of cargo, and no railway iron at all. When iji dock, lying alongside the' Sunbeam,' now in Wellington, her cargo was taken''out and twenty-five , tons of pig iron put oil board to stiffen her. more. Sho came through the Downs with the' Sunbeam' and Edwin Fox,'-and being so light and such a slow sailer, her captain (Gillies) said to tho captains of the ' Sunbeam' and ' Edwin Fox,' " You will-be out to l\ew Zealand and away again before I get there." In coming out of the Downs the ' Sunbeam' sailed her out of sight in a few hours. The' Sunbeam' and ' Edwin Fox' were 33 days in getting to Madeira, owing to a succession of south-east galesBoth the captains' express themselves confident that the ' Shooting Star' will reach New Zealand all right, and soon. They describe her as a good vessel, but too bluff to sail well.—Tho Court of Appeal opens on Monday. The following are the eases for bearing:—Eemanets from last sitting: Venncll v. Brandon' Strachan v. Lyon. New cases: Deed of arrangement, John Stuart, on petition of E. Crowlher (Napier), flenty, and others; Holt and Paterson v. Mandeville and Eangiora Board (Chriatchurob); Mallaghan v. Whenheine (Dunedin); Young v. Percy, and Hawke v. Freethe (W<;l- - Crown cases reserved: Hegina v. William Lamonfc Ware petitillrJ, Smythes. Divorce: Full court on the 19th.—Fookes v. Fookes and Cross, rule nisi for dissolution of marriage,— A Gazetlc published to-day directs tho attention of mastei'3, owners, and agents of vessels trading on tho coast of Few Zealand to the following clauso from the New Zealand Post Office Act, 1858:— Clause 25. The master of every vessel übout to procccd from any port to any

other port shall give atleast twenty-four hours' notice at the post office at such port of his intended departure, and if the vessel does not sail at the time appointed, shall also give timely notice of any alteration as (o tho period of lier departure, so as to enable the postmaster or other post officer,to bo prepared to despatch mails on board such vessel, and if any suoh master shall refuse, fail, or neglect to give such notice, he shall, for every such offence, forfeit and pay a penalty not exceeding £100, New Plymouth, Friday,'s,s p.m. Tho Superintendent and tho Harbourmaster have gone to Waitara to ascertain what can be done towards removing the obstruction to the entrance of tho Waitara Eivcr, caused by tho wreck of tho' Paterson,—A man was buried by a fall of tho facing of the brick-kiln at tho Iron-sand Works, and miraculously saved through a piece of corrugated iron keeping the weight of the bricks off him. Ho was five hours in this position. Ho is much shaken, but is not dangerously hurt. — The pheasants are very plentiful here, and the shooting season commenced with spirit. Wanganui, Friday, 5 p.m. Henry Dillon, sentenced for a.criminal assault on a little girl, was flogged in the gaol this morning. ]he flogging was not so severo as was expected, though blood was drawn. Dillon never winced, and behaved liko ono who had been punished before. Blenheim, Friday, :5 5 p.m.

A meeting was , held last night, called, by Mr Seymour, and was, largely attended. Ho ridiculed the idea that his going to England was to avoid tho dilemma with regard'to tho abolition of the provinces, and explained tho personal matter requiring his presence at home to be principally that his father, aged 84, wanted to see him before he died. He said he had no reason to shirk ; the abolition question. Ho voted for the resolution last session, and became satisfied that the circumstances of the North Island demanded abolition there. He would support a bill for replacing, with some other form of government the present Provincial system in that island, but would oppose the abolition in Middle Island. A resolution was proposed thanking Mr Seymour for his address and regretting his doparture, and pledging the meeting to exert themselves to ro-elect him on his return. Tho latter part of the resolution was opposed by several persons, The resolution was carried tho opponents not voting against it, During the proceedings Mr Joseph Ward announced himself as a candidate for the seat in the Assembly resigned by Mr Seymour, who asked the electors to support Mr Ward instead of a stranger. Shortly after this Mr Moorhou'se came in and addressed the meeting for nearly an hour. Mr Hodson, Mayor of Blenheim, was in the chair.

Timabp, Friday, 5.5 p.m.

Out of 68 applicants for tho head mastership for tho school, 50, were from Victoria, 12 from New South Wales, 1 from Tasmania, and 5 from New Zealand. Mr W. J. Eeynolds, of Hobart Town, was unanimously elected.—Tho Eev G. Foster consenls to resign the incumbency of Timaru on terms to bo. arranged by arbitration. — Mr Maskell's financial statement, showing the provincb to be incapable to support the present expenditure, was received with dismay. An Opposition is probable to the increased education tax.—Timaru Races—Hurdle Race V Tommy Dod, 1; Ivanhoe, 2; Alice Grey and Modora scratched. Maiden Plate: Nectar, 1;. Waverley, 2; Mignonette, Golden Grape, and Flora Mclvor also ran. Time: 2min 49s'ec. Timaru Cup: Castaway 1; Exile, 2; Barratt's Mignonette, 3. Gift to Castaway. Novel llace: Wild Darrell, lj Highland Lass, 2. Chbistchubch, Friday, 5.5 p.m. At tho Philosophical Institute last night a letter was read from Dr Haast resigning the position of president. Ho said it was expected of tho president to deliver an annual address, and then proceeded as follows: As long as the extraordinary decision of tho Governors of the New Zealand Institute romains a rulo in the colony that it is the correct thiog for a paid workman to appropriate his employer's scientific discoveries—a rulo by which similar researches aro rendered almost impracticable for the future—l must decline to permit publication of any of my papers in. their transactions. I trust, however, for the honour of the Few Zealand Institute, that at a full meeting of Governors that unwarrantable decision, which, I hope, has only been passed by a small lccal clique, will bo rescinded, and I shall hope then to be able to resume my active connection with your body, which for many years has been a source of gratification, to .me, and through you, with the New Zealand Institute."—Another boating club is being started specially for the convenience of the residents of the west part of tho city. 'I he present boat'sheds are on the east.— The Government continue to evince a tendency towards economy. Orders have been given for all their advertisements to 1 be inserted without the Eoyal Arms at tho head as hitherto. The railway timetables are also to be advertised less frequently.—The execution of John Mercer for tho murder of: Isabella Thompson took place at eight o'clock this morning within the precincts of Lyttelton gaol. He slept very soundly laat night, and took a good breakfast. The Eev J. Fergusson, Presbyterian minister, was with him at a very early hour this morning, but lie paid very little attention to religious matters, and appeared thoroughly careless of his approaching . fate. Ho was exhorted to make a confession, and just before leaving his cell for tho scaffold he wrote in a firm hand, on a paper, referring to the murder, "J. am innocent of this crime." Ho walked with a firm tread to the scaffold-attended by the Eev J, Forgusson, After the rop.i had been adjusted ho said, in it very firm voice, " Farewell, may God ha\e mercy on my soul; and while the cap was being drawn down, he was heard to say. " An innocent, man!" TJp to the last moment of being visible his features wore a kind of half-smile, which, however, some said was natural to him, Ho dlßd very easily, only ono or two faint spasms being percoptiblo after tlio drop fell, After hanging 20 minutes, the body ■ was taken down and removed to tho dead-

house.' The features of the corpse wore a calm but firm loot, and were in no way distorted. The medical examination proved that the neck was not dislocated, and that he died of suffocation. • If be had been released two minutes after the drop he would have survived. Fourteen persons were present at the execution. The hangman was the same person who hung Caldeno and Whoresidos at Ean- v giora. Yesterday evening Mercer said to one of the gaolers:—"lt will be deuced cold work hanging at 8 o'clock in the morning. I hope I shall be allowed an hour's walk, or a nip, before it takes place." Dunedin, Friday, 7.10 p.m. Tho Governor arrived at 3 o'clock. Ho was met by tho members •of tho Cily Council. A half holiday was proclaimed, and tho shops were closed. Tho usual address was presented by tho City Council. The Governor in roply stated that ho had seen enough in his trip hero to convince him that this was a go-ahead place, 110 considered Dunedin tho chief commercial city of JNew Zealand. Half-a-dozen troopers escorted the Governor into town, and thirty volunteers turned out and presented arms. His Excellency stays at Fcrnhiil, and the members of the club have moved to the old Press Club. Pobt Chaimeb?, Friday, 5.5 p m. Arrived: The ship 'Portland,' from Hongkong, with.27B Chinese immigrants She left Hongkong on March. 4th. Sho proceeds from hero to Melbourne, for which port she has 600 tons cargo.