BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

Evening Star, Issue 3446, 9 March 1874, Page 2

BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

Wellington, March 7. Mr E. P. Houghton has been gazetted as Deputy-Consul for the German Empire in Dunedin.

. March 8. A terrific gale occurred last night, in which two colliers were lost, viz., the ship Wellington a jo* 6 . rc l ue Ctyrus, between Lyall’s Bay iind omclair Head. Seven lives were lost—two. from the ship Wellington, viz., Johnston, the cook, and Pushtoo, a seaman; and five from the Gyrus, viz., Mrs Wriggles worth (wife of the well-known photographer) and her two cniulren, also .Robert Smith, the second officer, and a seaman called George. Captain Hill, of the Wellmgton, am? eight seamen pulled into the harbor after escaping from the ship in a most. miraculous manner. The first mate was saved by clinging to the life-buoy. The second managed to swim ashore. The people on shore assisted the Cyrus crew and officers ashore with ropes, but all were much cut and bruised. Doth vessels were smashed into ten thousand pieces. They went ashore within a few yards of each other. They left port on Friday, bound for Is ewcastle. No bodies have yet been recovered. The vessels were insured. ml March 9. The aggregate loss of the Wellington and Gyrus is LBOOO. The Wellington was purchased for 14,000 before the rise in ship property. She was insured for LI,OOO in the New Zealand Company; LI,OOO in the South British; and LI,OOO in the Victoria. The Cyrus was insured for LI,OOO each in the South British and New Zealand Companies, and was worth 1/2,700. Mrs Wrigglesworthfand children were crushed to death by the falling of the deckhouse, just asjthe captain was making an effort to get them on to the rocks. He ordered the second mate and a seaman to try and get to a certain rock so as to pass a rope to save the woman and children. / The men mane the attempt gallantly, but were washed off, and seen no more. None of the bodies have yet been found. Auckland, March 7. At the Police Court this morning, Captain Holman, appeared in answer to a summons reDie stranding of the barque Anazi. William Hellier Holman was first examined, all witnesses being qrdered qut of Court. The captain blamed the seepnd officer for the accident. In answer to questions, witness declined to [state whether he was intoxicated, but admitted that when the vessel struck he went below. He also admitted attempting to strike .the second mate with a knuckle-duster. The : witness said this was his first voyage as master. He had been chief officer of the Crusader, Zealaudia, and Charlotte Gladstone, trading to the South. The case was adjourned till next Wednesday. The customs receipts on Friday amounted to L 2,154, and on Saturday to L 2,993, the largest amounts ever collected iu Port. The week’s return was L7.27P, The captain of the Star of the South called at Kandavu ou her return from Levuka and found the Macgregor still on the reef, with 10ft. of water iu one of the forward compartments, H.M. steamer Pearl, Commodore Goodenough, had made two unsuccessful , efforts to tow her off, and is still anchored byjier. , Hokitika, March 9. The screw steamer, built here, carries 50 tons of cargo, and has engines 12 horse nominal. She is intended to trade between Westport and Ngakawau. The river is much swollen, and the low lying streets are flooded. The Provincial Council has increased the police pay sixpence per day. The pay is now 9s 6d.