LATEST TELEGRAMS.

Kumara Times, Issue 638, 14 October 1878, Page 2

LATEST TELEGRAMS.

[PRESS agency.] Ci|RiSTCHURCH t October 12. . : The prottJs'^WWftoaWlo^da/iou 'the occasion of ; the; Jfee hpa&ng season was a great success. There was beautiful-weather ahd*'H-very-large : attendance. A ?num.her sv pf races.afterr wards took place. i " > '"" " =''••'•■• ..Telegraphic news ireoei*ed..r-by the railway authorities this morning convey disastrous intelligence yfroiu.,, the which' is" 'higher than known for a long time. Half a Vmile of railway is under water, and ic.-bas broken through at Irishman's Flat,but nothing is yet .known .ifuv certain. People were watching the embankment with great anxiety last nighty fearing it would burst. If it had the result. wojuld. have been a great calamity, as the town' of Kaiapoi is £ron>,3ft to. 7-ft 'below i -the; level of the water.. At five o'clock the firerbell rang 4b '-akrur 1 the- peoplfe to' rise, and every man that v could. use. a; shovel turned out to patch the embankment. At*lo:a.m. the naailmuri ; Was unable to cross the road, on horseback, although a very daring man ' A public to Monday to consider the questipn of assisting the ; *»ff erers "by the floods'in Otago. .• . ~ ..-, ~;.. . :...-.- Wellington, October 11. At a meeting of the. Rifle Association,"' Major Baili.e in the, chair, announced that the GovTßrkoi' had agreed to become the patron of the; .sPciety. It' was* decided that the next prize firing should be held at Nelsoti atthe eiid of January I next or begin.ning.pf February. It was?! resolved to subscribe to the National I Rifle Association ■ of-•;. England; -and' thereby obtain the Association's, niedal, for New Zealand : competitors. The 1 holder.pf this medal will be entitled to compete for the Queen's prize in international contests in England. • •' ~" : At the Rifle Association, third meet-, ing, the rule's" were considerGcTintended for the guidance, pf ,menibfcrs' at the' meeting at Nelson next January. The, rules were cast : up the ; Wimbledon' mould, and it was decided to have, a: cavalry tournament similar to that at Wanganui, and.=also if funds would permit an artillery competition.- ... The railway to Featherstoo, Wairarapa, was opened to-day. The Governor, Ministers, and about 280 invited guests, left the Wellington station at 9 this morning,, but on arrival at Kaitaki, about 30 miles hence, fouud the late rains had brought down slips which Mocked the line, and would take three clays to remove. The party has just leturned to town. The &,s- Australia, with the: London mails of September 12th, left San Francisco on the 30th September, contract date. The City pf j New York, which left Auckland on September 17th, sinived < on the Bth October two days in advance of contract time. ',

I October 13. , The barque Felix Thome, from Newcastle to Lyttelton, with coal, was blown ashore this afternoon at the month of the Otaki Rivei\ Jenkins and M'Donald, with a party of natives, put off in one of the ship's boats found on the beach, and brought off the captain';; wife in a terrific sea. The ship is riot damaged yet. Captain Pigptt and three sailors were drowned in try-. ing to get ashore, the boat capsized. Ashburton, September 12. A fire occurred here at two o'clock this morning,, and resulted in the destruction of H. Friedland's cottage and Pearce's tobacconists' shop and billiard room. Both buildings, Friedland's cottage and furniture were insured in the Norwich Union Company for £l5O, the shop including, a billiard: table and other effects in the same; office for £375. ,the fire broke, out in the shop, and was .the result of pure aceid,ent:.' ; . * .A , man named A ttache/ ja- - house .painter hy trade, between 50 years of age, was arrested this morning for rape oh a girl 12 years--of,age. accused is a' married man \vith..« family.