PROVINCIAL NEWS

Kumara Times, Issue 3097, 6 October 1886, Page 2

PROVINCIAL NEWS

[united press association.] Nelson, October 5. The Town School Committee, last night agreed, by a majority of four to three, to grant the use of the schoolrooms for religious instructions by ministers of religion, between 9 and 9.30. It was, however, agreed that the whole of the committee should resign in order to give the householders an opportunity of expressing their opinion. Christchurch, October 5. Thomas Hall left Lyttelton for Timaru this morning. One report says that the removal is in connection with the exhumation of Captain Cane's body ■ another, that he has gone at his own request to dispose of certain property before his trial. Dunedin, October 5. An awfully sudden death took p ace just as the Court had risen. DeputyRegistrar A. D. Harvey fell down on the fl >or, and, when assistance reached him, he died almost immediately. VOLCANIC OUTBURST IN THE TONGA ISLANDS. Auckland, October 5. The Arawata arrived at Russell this morning from Fiji. She reports that the Island of Maafiu, in the Tonga Group, burst out as an active volcano, and two-thirds of the island disappeared! The remaining portion is covered with volcanic dust. Many lives are reported to be lost. The Suva was chartered by the Tonga Government to visit the scene of the eruption. Later intelligence from the scene of the volcanic eruption in the Tonga Group is that no lives have been lost. The Island is covered with sand, like Tarawera, from 2 to 20 feet deep. WRECK OF THE KETCH JANET. Wellington, October 4. The Ketch Janet, from Waitapu to Lyttelton, with timber, was wrecked it Cape Campbell on Saturday ni«lit. She left Waitapu on Thursday and "ran under Cape Campbell on Saturday f„ r shelter. "It being a hazy night, the master mistook the distance from thy

light and ran on the reef. At 7.30 p.m. the vessel filled and turned over in ten minutes. The crew took to the boat and landed. At 8.30 next morning they hoisted signals of distress, which were observed by the steamer Haaraki, bound from Lyttelton to Wellington, and the crew were brought on here. The Janet belongs to Mr J. Sims, of Kaiapoi, and it is not known whether she is insured.