INTERPROVINCIAL.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 3267, 17 March 1885, Page 2

INTERPROVINCIAL.

(By Telegraph.) Auckland, March 16. Nothing further is known of the wreck of the Thomas Russell. The vessel vraa insured for £8000 at Lloyd's, London ; her cost was £10,000. A collection at the opening of St. Patrick's Cathedral yesterday amounted to £586. Mr Froude and Lord Elphinßtone returned from the lakes on Saturday, and vißit Sir George Grey at Kawau this' week. A religious craze has broken out among the natives of the north at the instigation of a prophetess named Maria, daughter of Aporo Pugare, and about 300 Hokianga natives, who believe m her divers powers. Her theory is that the millennium is at hand, and that on the ranges of Hokianga crowds of the departed Maoris will immediately assemble. A great river will then suddenly appear from heaven and wash all the spirits of the departed there congregated, and all will become as white as the pakeha, and reign with Christ for a thousand years. Many of her followers, fully trusting to this immediate advent, have sold, and are selling oS their houses, cattle, and even their crops, for any sum they can obtain. The Europeans are taking advantage of this religious frenzy, and a great many sales of land have now taken place, and it is reported that the prophetess sacrifices dogs, cats, and some say even children, to the deity. The following telegram, m reply to a resolution forwarded by the Chamber of Commerce, was received from the Minister of Defence, Wellington, by the President, J. Reid, to-day : — " Government have adopted measures for the defence of the colony. The defence of the Port of Auckland is included m the scheme." James Irwin, a sailor belonging to the schooner Marmion, has been stabbed at Tekopuru by a French Canadian named Frank Barker. Irwin is m a dangerous state, Ms entrails having protruded. In Auckland the damage by Saturday's gale was heavier than estimated. It appears to have swept the greater part of the province. The total damage m the province was many thousands of pounds' worth. - Harvey's house on the wharf at Coromandel was burned down early on Monday. The wharf was burned through. There are strong suspicions of incendiarism, as the house was empty. Mr Levitt Bostun, a delegate of .the Women's Christian Temperance Mission, was presented with a purse of sovereigns on the closing of the Mission here. Remenyi closed a successful season here to-night. He visits Napier and Christchurch. Opitnake, March 16. The heaviest gale known m Opunake was experienced on Saturday. Courtney's Hall has been destroyed, There will probably be great damage done unless the wind drops. The steamers Stella and Oreti are m the Bay for safety. Several houses have been damaged. Napier, March 16. An inquest was held this morning on tho body of Mr Robert Miller, father of the wellknown stock and station agent, who died on Thursday, aged 85. The deceas d was very ill, and rapidly sinking, and from the evidence it appeared that during the night ho had a dose of liniment administered to him inadvertently for the proper medicine. A verdict of accidental death was returned. FEiiiDiNa, March 16. ■ Behrendt, one of the men injured by the trap accident on Thursday, died this 'morning. Wellington, March 16. The steamers arriving from Nelson report that the Jackson Head beacon has been carried away. 1 he Government has received information as to a valuable discovery of a -seam of tin ore on the West Coast, north of Karamea, m an accessible position. A number of leases have already been applied for and several specimens of ore have been sent to the Government. The boat race, Christchurch y. Wellington, has again been postponed. An endeavor will be made to get it off after the regatta tomorrow. The Hon. Mr Larnach left for the South to-day on a tour round the Otago goldfields. It is understood that twelve tenders were received to-day for the erection of the Industrial Exliibition Buildings. Blenheim, March 16. Four stacks of barley, containing 1400 bushels, belonging to Adam Jackson, farmer, near Blenheim, were destroyed by fire last night. The cause is unknown. The grain was partly insured for £200 m the National office. Westpoht, March 16. A severe shock of earthquake was felt here at 11.30 on Saturday night. The motion was from W. to E., and it lasted about 30 seconds. Christchitrch, March 16. At 3 o'clock this morning a cottage at Sydenham, belonging to Mr John Harriott, was destroyed by fire. The insurance is £350 m the Colonial Office. At 5.30 a.m. a cottage occupied by George Bacher was burnt down. The insurance on the building was £50 m the Standard Office. In the Divorce Court to-day, m the case William Lowden Bevington v. Maria Bevington and William King, a decree nisi was granted. The petitioner and respondent were married m 1871. In 1879 the respondent left her husband, and has since been living with the co-respondent. Messrs Scott Bros., of Christchurch, are the successful tenderers for the construction of locomotives for the New Zealand Railways. A member of the firm is President of tho Canterbury Industrial Association. A serious affray took place between Italian fishermen at Taumutu, near Lake Ellesinere, this afternoon. A house belonging to Rafael Portelli was occupied by Nicholas Bassi, rvho refused to quit. Portelli and two other fishermen went to obtain possession, when Bassi fired at them with a gun and wounded a man named Antonio Gurar m the leg. - H» then clubbed the gun and struck Andrew Nicholas on the head. Eventually the three managed to overpower him and sent for the police. Another fire occurred m Sydenham at 7.30 to-night. A butcher's shop and stable belonging to H. B. Lane, and two fourroomed cottages owned and occupied respectively by Patrick Nolan, carpenter, and Jeremiah Commons, shoemaker, were all burned to the ground. Nolan's house was insured for £120, the furniture for £50, and Commons' house for £100, all m the National office Lane's insurances are not known. The fire began m Nolan's place, tho occupants of which were out at the time. Tho cause is not known. Dcnedin, March IP. At the Police Court to-day Joseph Green, on a charge of embezzling altogether £200, tho property of Eeid and Duncan, his employers, was committed for trial, bail being allowed.

The gale on Saturday brought down three of the stone pinnacles on the spire of the Presbyterian First Church, the damage being estimated at £50. The Kaitangata Railway and Coal Company have declared an interim dividend at the rate of 10 per cent. The Jockey Club has increased the added money for the May meeting from £800 U £1100. The boxing match, Matthews v. Pettingell to-night, was won easily by Matthews. II only lasted a fen- minutes, when Pettingei could not come to time.