LATEST TELEGRAMS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 146, 22 June 1877, Page 2

LATEST TELEGRAMS.

INTESPEOVINCIAL. NARROW ESCAPE OP THE S.S WELLINGTON. Auckland, Thursday. Captain Lloyd, of the steamer Wellington, reports that the vessel very narrowly escaped wreck on the Manukau bar when she attempted to enter last Sunday. At 1 o'clock the signal " Take the bar," was made from Lookout Station, and Captain Lloyd immediately set sail and steamed for the south entrance. On approaching the bar, it was found that the sea was very heavy, and the tide had begun to ebb. When the steamer was right over the first break, a tremendous green wave struck her on the port quarter, completely filling the decks to the rail, and, in addition to sending the vessel on her beam ends, causing her to broach-to in a very dangerous manner. The sea carried away one boat and davits, and smashed two others; stove in the stern posts, filled the saloon, smashed the main and poop rails on the starboard side, and the main railing on the topgallant forecastle; carried away one of the iron catheads, filled the deck-house, and iuflicted other damage. Captain Lloyd was on the bridge at the time, and on seeing the sea coming, he laid hold of the stern of the forward boat on the starboard side. This boat was one of those smashed, and Capt. Lloyd had a most miraculous escape. The forward portion of the boat was carried away, and the remainder swung round; the only part which remained firm was that which Captain Lloyd had hold of; the force of the sea knocked him down, and he was prevented from sliding off into the sea through the gaps where the boats had been by coming with his mouth against one of the belaying bits. A German named Andrew, who is one of the hands on board, saw the Captain's dauger, and with praiseworthy ' promptitude scrambled to his assistance; he managed to get within reach of him, and taking boid of one of his arms, ho drew him up into safety. Meanwhile the vessel was in a very uupleasant predicament; she was right in the trough of

the sea,' and it waa^ obvious that if another sea struck her, she must founder. Captain Lloyd, who did not lose his presence of mind for a mo-uent, determined to try and get her head $o the sea, and run out again. This was accomplished with coqsfderable difficulty as the water had brought steam down in the boilers to about lllbs. Captain Lloyd expressed his conviction that not one steamer in twenty would bave done it in time to meet the next sea head on, and her fine lines alone saved the Wellington from destruction. She was get round safely when only about twice her length from the bank, and steamed, to sea in the face of a heavy westerly gale, which had now commenced to blow. The steamer behaved magnificently; and rode out the gale like a duck for three days. The signalman hoisted the ball for the Wellington to enter too late, so that she encountered the ebb tide when on the bar. Mr Xusk addressed the Franklin electors " last night. He advocated a scheme of colonial compulsory education; said senaration was the only solution of present difficulties; condemned the system of resident Ministers, but was doubtful of the utility of the proposal to substitute a Board of Works for each province^, and thought the principle of the Native Lands Bill was .good, but it placed too much power in the hands of the Judges. He received a vote of confidence. mu'" v " Lyttelton, Thursday i : The„.produ'*e remaining' from the fire in the exportcahed was sold for £31. iThe;Cleopatra;ha3 arrived from the ?Chat-. ham Islands*, leaving on June 12th. i She reports- the wreck of ihe Qcean Mail broken ■> up, and no' more cargo saved. The schooner ! Agues was afloat, and was td go to Kangaroo to load cargo from the 'wreck. The Agnes has. been re-named the Island Lilv.; The beach was strewn with ioosie wool and wreckage ; f or nearly miles. .;, / Wellington, Friday. Last night the Mayor moved in the Council that steps be taken for the reclamation of the Te Aro foreshore, and that a special loan of ' £100,000 be raised for that purpose. The motion was carried, but the amount of. the loan was left for, future ; consideration." A TeporthbyMr Charles O'Neil was* read/ recomuiepding the enclosing of an area of 38J. acres between Taranaki and Harbor streets, which; wiU give a wharf frontage of 1645; feet, and a building frontage. of, 12,000 feet, the depth of Water along the outer portion being twenty feet. Estimated cost, £98,500. The scheme is intended as a continuation of the Chamber of Commerce scheme for extending the existing reclamation of the Queen's wharf. New Plpmouth, Friday. At Mr Courtney's cattle sale he sold sixtythree head of cattle. Small yearlings, £2 18s to £3 15s; eighteen-months old steers and heifers, £3 15s to £4 10s ; store cows, £5 to £6 ; cows in calf, £6 to £9 ; good heifers, £8 3s 6d ; fat cows, £7 5s to £7 12s 6d. The cutter Dawn has quite broken up, and the beach is strewn with the debris. ■ Donrdin, Friday. J At a meeting of the shareholders of the Otago , Daily Times aud Witness Company held yesterday, it was resolved to accept an offer made to purchase the property of the company. The purchaser is said to be the Hon. -W^. H. Reynolds, and the price about £22,000, being nearly 100 per cent premium on the naid up capital. X Gretmouth, Friday/ The wreckage at Seventeen-Mile Beach is that of a schooner, supposed to be the Elizabeth Conway. A quantity of oats have been washed ashore, but there are no signs of any of the crew, who, it is supposed, are ail lost. The weather is again threatening, and all steamers in the ports are detained. . # Christchurch, Friday. The Times this morning says that arrangements for prosecuting the work of recovering the gold from the General Grant have been completed. Captain Giles goes to the Bluff by the next steamer, having secured the services of an experienced diver and other hands. The Board of Governors of the College have decided to purchase 320 acres for a model farm connected with the school of agriculture, also to select several blocks of land as an endowment for a Girls' High School. Considerable dissatisfaction is expressed at the new goods tariff of the railways. The Chamber of Commerce intend protesting.