TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

Globe, Volume VII, Issue 708, 26 September 1876, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

{Per Press Agency.') LATEST FROM EUROPE AND AUSTRALIA. [By Submarine Cable.] STEAM TO AUSTRALIA London, Sept. 18th. Preliminaries of contract have been arranged with Mr Green, of Blackwall, for a monthly line of steamers via the J Cape to Australia, of 4000 tons burthen, doing the outward passage in forty-two and the homeward in forty-four days. NEW ZEALAND COAL. The Board of Admiralty have instructed Commodore Hoskins to report as to the suitableness of New Zealand coal for naval use on the Pacific station. RIFLE MATCH. At special rifle practice the Irish beat the Australians by one point, the American and Scotch teams were far behind. COMMERCIAL. Wool is moderate and unchanged ; wheat firm, New Zealand, 45s to 48s. SHIPPING. The Thomas McLelland arrived at Rio Janeiro on July 22nd with her coals on fire. The cargo was discharged. Arrived—Waipa. AUSTRALIA. Melbourne, Sept. 25th. The captain and second officer of the Elmgrove were rescued after enduring great privations, They report the wreck of four other vessels at the same place. INTERPIIOVINCIAL. New Plymouth, September 26. The smelting of the iron sand is on all hands admitted to be a success so far as concerns the running of the metal. Since the first tapping the metal has been run seven or eight times yesterday. The gentlemen who had gone guarantee for,Mr Smith asked MiAnderson to be relieved from responsibility now that their object had been gained, in proving that the sand could be smelted. They considered that the company should now proceed with the work. Mr Anderson declined ; so those who guaranteed have notified that they should withdraw, and Mr Smith gave orders for the furnace to be blown out. They are now emptying the furnace, and at each tapping the metal flows as'freelyasit did at first. There were hundreds at the works on Sunday and yesterday; ninety witnessed the tapping of the furnace. The pigs of iron weigh about 901bs each, and have the brand " N.Z.I.S. Co's pure iron sand" on each. Everyone here is very excited over the success. A public meeting is to be held on Thursday, to urge on the Government to make the mountain road, so as to connect us with Patea. Auckland, September 25. A fire broke out in Mr McGarragle's photographic establishment above Milnes and Uhace's drapery shop, but was extinguished before it had extended beyond the upper storey, although considerable damage was done. McGarragle's stock was insured for £IOOO in the Standard, but partly reinsured in the Transatlantic. Milnes and Chace were insured for £3200 in various offices. The building was also well insured, but it was not very much injured. Arrived—City of Sydney. Grahamstown, September 25. The result ot the fortnight's crushing at the Queen of May is 444 ounces. A dividend of two shillings per share has been declared, which is the first paid by any Waikoa-aka Company. The Queen Beauty yielded 205 ounces for the fortnight. The Thames district belt was won by a Maori, and was presented to him on Saturday. Napier, September 25. At a meeting of the vestry of St John's to-day a resolution was passed calling on the Bev Mr Anderson to apologise for having preferred a charge of heresy against the Rev Mr Robinson. Wellington, September 25. Re the non-opening of the Oamaru line, the facts of the case are said to be as followa: —On the 14th of September «« Colonial Secretary wrote to the J J ' W Superintendent, stating that thg w r <J Moenki line of railway wj; ka „ rid ' nd bo worked as far «»J^ to be o j^ ed th tnafc it would be £ tb ' aQd M ked wu-iu

take the line over and work it under the usual regulations. On 22nd September the Deputy-Superintendent telegraphed to the Colonial Secretary that the Provincial Government were prepared to work the line, and the Secretary of Public Works, then in Oamaru, had been telegraphed to to com mence traffic, and if the resident engineer required instructions requested they might bb telegraphed. On the sume day (before the above was received) the resident engineer at Oamaru was telegraphed to by the Engineer-in-Chief, that as Messrs Brogden had possession of the line, it could o r, ly be used by their consent, and without prejudice to their contract, and that he would be informed its opening by the province was approved ; no public train to be run till he was directed to do so. On the 24th the Deputy-Huperintendent telegraphed that the Engineer in-Chief declined to allow the line to Kaka bridge to be opened, although it was considered perfectly safe to do so, and after describing the state of public feeling, requested that the line might be opened for traffic as per Colonial Secretary's letter on the subject. Meanwhile, on the 23rd, Saturday, the Solicitor-General was consulted as to the necessary form for obtaining Messrs Brogden's assent, and on 25th, to-day, Messrs Brogden were written to by the Public Works Department, requesting to be informed whether they would consent to the line being opened without prejudice. Messrs Brogden at once replied that they accepted the proposal on the understanding that the portion of the line handed over would be accepted as completed. The GoverDment decline to take over the Oamaru line as proposed by Messrs Brogden, viz : as complete, because the Government consider there is still much to be done according to the terras of the contract. Westpobt, September 25. The steamer Matau was kedged isoft seaward yesterday, and may be afloat in a few days, The second mate was disabled by an accident at the capstan ; also a lady cabin passenger, who fell from the deckhouse on to the beach. Westpokt, September 26. The Matau has been, shifted another 150 feet seaward, and, if the present weather prevails, it is likely she will be got off. She lies on a flat, hard, sandy teach, six miles north of Westport, in a comparatively sheltered bight. The vessel is uninjured, but the cargo is damaged by water pouring down the hatchways. Hokitika, September 25. The heaviest floods occurred on Friday and Saturday known for the past eight years. There were from three to four inches of water in houses in the lowlying part of the town. A good channel broke through the Spit, running straight to sea a quarter of a mile wide. Any boat can enter. During the gale, at half-past five on Saturday morning, a fire broke out in Mr Craig's timber yard, Gibson's quay, which was totally destroyed, but no other damage was done. The Waipara ran ashore on the South Spit yesterday. She is expected to be got off today. Oamaru, September 25. Mr Green, Provincial Secretary for Worts, and Mr Conyers, remained in Oamaru over Saturday, for the purpose of opening a portion of the main South line, a communication having been received by the DeputySuperintendent from Wellington, authorising the opening. Arrangements were in progress for the free trip and a public demonstration to-morrow, but on Saturday a telegram was received by Mr Lowe, Resident Engineer, stating that the line could not be opened; Mr Green, therefore, returned! to Dunedin this morning, the opening of the line being indefinitely postponed. Mr Conyers states that the line is quite ready for traffic. No reason is assigned for the refusal to permit it to be opened and there is great publio disappointment. The Times this morning publishes the telegrams that have passed, and complains of the shilly-shally conduct of the Public Works Department. It says this is the second time the public have deen served In the same way, a trip to the Maheno race meeting some time ago having been suddenly put a stop to. (From a Correspondent.) Hubunui, September 26. A man named Kobert George Little was drowned on Sunday last crossing the Mandamus river, Amuri.