NEW ZEALAND TELEGRAMS.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1520, 31 December 1878, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND TELEGRAMS.

lire at Gisborne." [mOM OUB OWN rOHEESPONDENT.J Auckland, December 31. A son of Sergeant Saunderson's was drowned while bathing in the Wnikato river at Ngarnawkaia. The body was recovered after hi if-in-hour's immersion. Deceased was assistant at the telegraph oflice. John Kennedy, agardenerto Alfred Bu-khnd was found dead this morning at the back door of his residence, Parnell, with an extensive wound on the I ack of his head. It is supposed he had fallen down an embankment last night. Gisbokne, December 31. The residence of Messrs Hubbies andMcLeod, close io the powder magazine, is now in flames. The ammunition is being removed, lest an ex plosion occur. There is no water available, and the lire I rigade are powerless. The insurance is not j et known. Should the wind change, the town will be in danger. Wellington, December 61. Thj.s morning a htrse, while being harnosßed, broke looee aod bo'ted, kicking a little girl of

two years old, named Kelly, and badly fracturing her skull. She now lies insensible and in a critical state, vho parietal bone being fractured for about two inches. The Government estimate the expense of the land valuation for the first year will be between ten and twelve thousand pounds, but as subsequent valuations only need be made every third year the expense will he comparatively light. The Government have promised to continue for the next twelve months a system of allowing one free pass to each newspaper in the colony. Timaku, December 31. The following appears in the "Timaru Herald" of tc-day's issue:—Tho Rangitata railway bridge—Our reporter paid another visit to this bridge yesterdy evening, and found it in a much worse state that it has ever been before. A very heavy fresh was running in the main stream nearly all Saturday night and fcunday, and about one o'clock on the afternoon of the latter day tho whole of the piles supporting the outer end of the second span on this side of the bridge gave way, and, parting from the superstructure, were carried off by the current. The immense weight of the bridge caused it to sink directly the piles gave way, and by yesterday the uusuppoited sp>ns were fully four feet below their proper level, and tho flooring canted at an nnglo down stream, the bolts and upper iron work of the superstructure had cracked, bent, and given in all directions, and altogether the bridge looked in a very wrecked, unsafe, and precarious condition. The water in the river yesterday had gone down considerably, but should it rise again soon, the bridge must part in two pieces where it is injured. A gang of men _ were at work all day yesterday rigging derricks to support the spans which had sunk. But it will be a month at least before it can bo made passable again for light goods traffic. No passengers were allowed to cross yesterday, and it is hard to say when they will be able to do so. In the meantime we are without our mails or any means of communication with tin north, except by the telegraph wires, which are fortunately so far uninjured at the Rangitatai. The river has scoured into tho approach at this end of the main bridge very much, and undermined or carried away a portion of the earthwork, owing to tke way in which the approach is made, the river curls round its end in a regular whirlpool, and cannot fail to go on scouring until the whole affair is altered. The bridge may now be described as almost a complete wreck, and wid cost an enormous sum for repairs, but however much it may be and propped, not all the engineering talent in the colony can make it safe again; go it must, livery time a heavy flood comes down, and some fino day it will be carried out to sea holus bolus. Until further notice no passengers will be booked further than South Rangitata. where a large quantity of wool and other kinds of goods are already collected. Some dozens of passengers are stuck in Timaru unable to proceed North, and in many ca?es they are in an unenviable position, having no money to pay their Board and lodging with. Should sufficient inducement offer, the Union Company will despatch the S.s. Maori from here for Lyttelton to-day, and no doubt all who are delayed here will avail themselves of the opportunity to get to their destination. Dunedin, December 31.1® Three pounds weight of quartz from the reef at Hindon on being crushed has yielded at the rate of 7oz. to the ton. Mr McPherson, an engineer of experience in the Welsh quarries, has repoited favorably on the quarries of the Otago Slate Company. It is stated that such is the wear and tear on the Dunedin railway line that it will soon have to be re-laid with steel rails. There are numerous applications for the vacancies in the Girls' High School. A proposal to purchase the Dunedin Peninsula and Ocean Beach Railway Company has been made by the promoters of the Portobello Tramway Company. Its construction cost .£14,60(1, and is now valued at £. 17,000. A resolution has been passed by the company, expressing its willingness to sell. In the eventlof agreement not being arrived at, the Railway Company intend to turn their line into a tramway, as the charges made by Government for working it are unduly high. , The Fish testimonial presentation was worth .£l6O, it consisted of a silver salver claret jug Riid six goblets, and diamond ring fcr Mrs Fish. The Rotoiaa leaves on her excursion tnp to the West Coast Souuds this afternoon, between sixty and seventy have already booked. Representations will be at once made to Government of the necessity for relaying certain parts of the Christchurwhmd Invercargill line with i;2ib. rails. The Education Bon,rd is making vigorous efforts during the holidays to provide, as far as the funds at its disposal will permit, for the education of children in Dunedin by the erection of new T schools in Dunedin and enlarging old ones. Auckland, December 31.' The meeting between i\ewi and Mr Sheehan will take place on the 4th of January. Blenheim. December 31. The loss by Ineap's fiie is £250, not £2500, as published in the morning papers. Bluff, January 31. J. S. Shanks addressed the electors of Mataura here last night. He is a candidate for the seat vacated by Wood. The meeting voted thanks, but refused to pledge their support until hearing other candidates. [PEB PBBBS AGENCY.] Wellington, December 31. It is said that imperative instructions hav« been issued by the Minister for Public Works that all free passes on railways are to cease after the Ist January, except to members of the Legislature and officers of the Railway and Public Works Department travelling on public service. The Eesident Magistrate's Court_ will be removed to the old provincial buildings, the second week in January. The "New Zealand Times" says it is whispered that considerable difficulty is experienced in the administration of the land tax scheme, particularly in the way of getting information as to the value of land. The expenses, too, are said to be in excess of what was estimated.