PROVINCIAL NEWS

Kumara Times, Issue 2720, 10 June 1885, Page 2

PROVINCIAL NEWS

[united press assooiation.l Christchurch, June 9. The Waimakariri is in heavy fresh to-day. It is thought that extensive additions and repairs will have to be made to the northern railway line, as the river on either side of the bridge is scouring out the embankment very fast. Blenheim, June 9. I he heaviest flood since Febuary, 1877, has occurred. The greater part of Blenheim streets is under water. The continued rain and the melting of the snow on the ranges has brought down the Wairau river, which has ejected a breach into the Opawa river, and thence into the town. No loss of life or serious injury to property is yet reported, and the water is slowly receding this morning. Wanganui, June 9, A woman named Mary Adamson, the wife of Peter Adamson, baker, Hawea, drowned herself in the river late last night. An inquest will be held to-day. Wellington, June 8. The Ministers were in Cabinet all the afternoon revising the Estimates and preparing for the session. June 9. The new Commission of Peace will be issued comprising 80 names. The following are these for Westland J. W. Pair, Charleston ; J. Holmes, Dillman’s Town; P. Monckton, Kumara; J. R. Hodda, Stafford ; J. Taylor, Brunnerton ; J. 0. Wilson, Okarito. Auckland, June 9. The Hinemoa left for Wellington this afternoon with the Auckland members :—Hons. Chamberlain, Dignan, and Swanson, Sir George Grey, Sir Maurice O’Rourke, Colonel Fraser, Hurst, Lock, Moat, White, and Hamlin, M, H.Rs, Hislop, member for O im.ii’u. was also a passenger. Thompson, Moss, Peacock, and others leave for Wellington by the Waihora, on Thursday. Wm, Bellingham, carpenter, at Pou-

sonby, got out of his bed last midnight and jumped down a well. His wife, missing him, gave an alarm. The neighbours grappled him up but he was dead. He leaves two children three years of age. He got a blow on the head lately and was despondiu® and eccentric. Verdict of found drowned was returned. THE MINES DEPARTMENT. Wellington, June 9. As the Mines Department is now a separate portfolio, the Hon. Mr Larnach has decided to make, at an early period of the session, a mines statement, much in the same way as the Minister for Public Works prepares his. The statement will be comprehensive, and deal fully with the mining industries in each district. In bis statement Mr Larnach will recommend the adoption ot Professor Black’s suggestion as to the establishment of mining schools, and for that purpose has induced his colleagues to place a sum of about £170,000 on the estimates. It is not, however, intended that Government should bear the whole cost of such schools, as they would only be established in districts where miners are willing to contribute to the cost. Sets of samples will be procured from ■ England to assist in instructing the mining community in mineralogy, geology, &c. From his recent tour of inspection Mr Larnach has ascertained that the principal wants of miners are additional water-power and the cutting of tracks through heavily-wooded country, so as to enable prospecting to be carried on. RUSSIAN MEN-OF-WAR AT SINGAPORE. Captain Helms, of the steamer Menmuir, which has arrived at Port Adelaide from a round trip hence to Sonrabaya, Samarang, Batavia, and Singapore, says that when he left Batavia on Easter Monday there were two Russian ironclads in port. He arrived at Singapore on April Bth, and found that six days previously three other Russian men-of-war had visited there, and left in great haste, consequent upon receiving a telegram from Russia. So great was their hurry that, though they had ordered a large quantity of provisions, they said they had no (ime to take them on hoard. Water was scarce in Singapore (there not bavin? been any rain for three months), and each ship was apportioned a certain quantity every day. These men-of-war got a water-boat alongside, and the conductor of the boat was about to give them wafer at the same rate of supply as had been arranged with the other boats, hut the Russians sent their own men on hoard and took every drop of water, some sixty tons altogether. They then immediately weighed anchor and left. Just before Captain Helms’ departure, a telegram was received in Singapore announcing the arrival of two other Russian cruisers at Batavia. Singapore was engaged in making all preparations for defence, and the fortifications were being extended, but the people did not feel that they could justly rely entirely upon their own defences. There were 2,000,000 tons of coal at Singapore, and the residents wisely asked for the assistance of several English men-of-war.