LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume V, Issue 210, 6 January 1865, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

PEifNT Postage Tax on Niv*SPiPiH«t.— By a proclamation published in tho.VK’cw''.'Zealand Qaseile of Saturday, 31 at December, we ieo that a postage rate of one penny lias been.-imposed upon all newspapers published , and posted in the colony, either for another part of New"ssealand or for any place beyond sea to which., th° transmission of such newspapers lias hitherto been free. The proclamation takes effect on-ahd after the Ist of February next. The Lord Ashi.et.—This TesseTleavek for the South this day, at one o’clock. J~id»- advertiseuieni in another column. Supposed-Wreck.—We have been informed that certain portions of the remains of; a largo vessel have been found on the coast, near the Kidnappers, including portions of what .appears to be a skylight and a man’s leg - (we -presume part of a figure head). . We also learn-that some time since a vessel was observed by a shepherd in the employ of Mr Gordon laboring in a storm off tlx* coast, and apparently in distress, and winch had shortly after disappeared. We fear that we have another of' those melancholy instances of vessels leaving port and being never.heard of more.

Another Case of Drowning.—An inquest was held on Wednesday last, at Mr Dyelt’s, Citizen Hotel, before T. Hitchings, Esq , Coroner, on the body of Ogun O’Brien, who was drowned in the Ngaruroro on tbe2Ulh ult. From the evidence of Frederick Ulpb, who witnessed, the occurrence, it appeared that it was a ease of accidental death by drowning, and a verdict was returned accordingly. The body was found oa the 3rd inst.

Sharks.—On Wednesday last, a shart, measuring eight feet, was caught at the mouth of the Tutaeknri, and landed at Onepoto. Twenty-one young ones were taken out of it.

Accident. —We regret to learn that a somewhat severe accident took place yesterday afternoon on board the Vivid, in the TroiV Pot, a man having fallen down the hold, and lias, it is feared, broken some of his ribs.

Tkikgraphtc Communication in Victoria.—• The various Government offices in Melbourne are shortly to be placed in telegraphic communication with each other. The object in view is -16 facilitate communication between the different departments. The line will not be worked in union with the Victorian system. As. however, the central tt-lrgraph station is taken into theeircTe, messages ean be transmitted to any place through this office. Skilled operators will not necessarily be required a* each department, as the mechanism used, Whrntsfon’s small printing apparatus, though a slow, is also a very simple affair. The line is now being erected via Flinders-street, and probably it will be completed in a fortnight. It should be mentioned that the' Houses of" Parliament are included in-the, circuit, and that thus the correspondents of the provincial jourbals are able to transmit.their report leaving the House. This is very fair for a colony.