NEW ZEALAND. [BY TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2136, 18 March 1886, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND. [ BY TELEGRAPH— PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

WELLINGTON, Tuesday. Parliament will, it is understood, be called together either the first or second week in May. A private meeting of the creditors of Mr James Smith, of the Post Office Hotel, who has sold out and left the colony, was held to-day. Creditors to the amount of £400 were represented. Nothing was disclosed, hut it is stated that steps will be taken to declare him a bankrupt.

HOKIANGA, Wednesday. The three-masted schooner Waireka, went ashore at the South Head yesterday, but the weather being moderately good and the water smooth, hopes aie entertained that the vessel would be floated off as the tide rose. A strong breeze from the north east soon set in unfortunately, and rendered unavailing every possible effort to save the vessel. The captain and crew got safely ashore, and soon afterwards the schooner began to break up. This morning she was a total wreck.

THAMES, Tuesday. James Jones, aged 63, engineer to the Saxon mine, was found dead in his house this afternoon Some years ago he was crushed at a battery and his heart was injured. He was down at the engine this morning, and prepared the fires for tomorrow. He had been under the hands of Dr Murray Moore. A letter to his wife was found. He was an earnest advocate of temperance principles and a religious man, and universally respected. He leaves a grown-up family. A daughter is mtrrieil to Mr Charles Harding, vocalist, and another to Mr Warren, a baker at Kihikihi.

CHRISTCHURCH, Tuesday. A narrow escape from a serious accident occurred at the North railway line yesterday afternoon. The approaches to the bridge over Steward's gully has been washed away for a distance of one and a- half chains, leaving a chasm of twenty feet deep over which the line was suspended. The luggage train, which left Kaiapoi at twenty minutes past 2 p.m., was close to th-j bridge when two young men, named Fanthan and Steward, signalled to the driver to stop. He pulled up the traiu, which consisted of twenty laden waggons, when close to the bridge, and the accident was averted. The railway employe's have set to work to repair the break, but the traffic U still iuterruptcd this morning.