TELEGRAMS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1641, 22 February 1886, Page 2

TELEGRAMS.

(» KR UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION.) Timaru, Saturday. . The annual meeting of v the Timaru G-as Company was held to-nfght, when a dividend of 15 per cent, per annum was declared. The number of consumers continues to increase, and the Company contemplate reducing the price of gas at an early date. In the.licensingjeleetion for theborough yesterday, the Temperance candidates ■were defeated. < Dunedin, Saturday. _ The Directors' report of the Equitable Insurance Associationfor, the year shows the receipts, including balance from last year, to be £'50,108, and. the expenditure, including .provision for unadjusted "and probable losses and written; off, 43,818, leaving a balance of £6179. The Direc-: tors recommend a dividend of 8 per cent.; absorbing £1167. Nelson, Saturday. As the little steamer Elsie was on her way from Motueka to Nelson, and when about seven miles off the land, Captain .Johnson noticed a boat bottom up, and a j man yelling at the. top of his voice. On making for the boat it was found to be Mr Deck, of Motueka, who stated that he had been m that position for 16 hours, during which he had drifted five miles, i Mr Deck was got oh .board with difficulty,, owing to his being unable to catch the line thrown to him, his hands being numbed. He was immediately attended to, and is now" little worse' for his long immersion. ' Auckland, Saturday. Owing to an informality m the spelling of the name of one of 'the temperance candidates, not discovered till about noon, it °is likely that there will be a fresh contest m City South,, where the Moderates gained the day by three men to two. Christchurch, Saturday. ! The handsome new offices which have been erected m Cathedral-square for the Australian Mutual Provident Society were opened to-day, and - the occasion was celebrated by a luncheon, at which. Sir W. Fitzherbert . presided. In the course of fiis speech he referred ta; the satisfactory progress of the Society since it was first established m New Zealand m 1871. He condemned the Government Life Insurance fo~r~ guaranteeing absolute security ;topolicyhoiders, because it meant the possibility of increased taxation to the community. . v . ! At the quarterly meeting of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce to-day the Chairman reviewed the possibilities of the prices likely to be' obtainable for the Colony's wheat crop, and concluded that the chances of securing better prices were doubtful. He considered,. however, that reliable English authorities were unanimious m their opinion that m the hear future there will be a splendid mar- 1 ket m Europe for all the meat New Zealand is likely to be able to -produce for many years to come. ■