PROVINCIAL NEWS

Kumara Times, Issue 2943, 6 April 1886, Page 2

PROVINCIAL NEWS

[united hkess association. 1 Auckland, April 3. Arrived, s.s. Mariposa, from 'Frisco, at 8.30 this evening. She left 'Frisco March 14, and arrived at Honolulu on the 21st, at 5.37 a.m. She sailed on the 22ud at 3.8 a.m.; stopped nt Tutuila on the 28th at 7 p.m., discharged mails and passengers; left at 7.42 p.m. on the 31st; passed the s.s. Alameda ten miles away in latitude 27° 31' south, longitude, 177° 38' west, ELECTRICAL PHENOMENA. Wellington, March 31. Electrical phenomena passed over New Zealand last night. The Commissioner of Telegraphs supplies the following particulars:— The officer in charge at Wellington reports as follows : At 7.55 very strong earth currents suddenly appeared on all wires, and lasted for about a minute and a-half. The direction was from south to north, and west to east. The north and south wires soon came right, and were but very slightly affected afterwards. The westerly wires showed a moderately strong current for some time afterwards, until 9 p.m., but as the direction was steady it did not interfere with the working of the wires to a serious extent. The currents ap peared almost simultaneously through out the colony. The officer-in-charge at Hokitika reports that he observed a heavy current, which closed the circuits, "threw the galvanometers over on the reverse side." Heavy rain ; cold.

The officer-in-charge at Greymouth wires : « Observed on all wires ; closed relay circuits; three galvanometers were over in a reverse direction. Very heavy weather; rain cold; wind very strong." At Christchurch the strong earth currents affected all the wires about 7.53, and lasted a few minutes on the north and south wires, but lon°er on the West Coast lim-s. They threw the galvanometer "needles strongly in leverse directions.

Wakapuaka reports that the currents affected the Australian cables a little before the laud Hues. The direction was from Sydney. Other stations report in similar terms.