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New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4542, 11 October 1875, Page 2

By direction of the Hon. W. H. Reynolds, the following account of the recent gales has been forwarded to us in the interest of our maritime readers:—During the early part of the past week the weather has been very unsettled, and strong westerly winds were very generally experienced, bringing in at times a heavy sea on the western coasts of both islands. On the morning of the 7th inst. preliminary warnings to expect falling barometer and northerly winds were sent to the Southern seaports at 9 a.m. During the day the glass continued to fall steadily, and at 3.30 p.m. warnings to expect a gale between N.E. ■and W. were sent to all Middle Island stations, and soon afterwards to places in the North Island lying southward of the East Cape. By the morning of tho Bth the barometer at all these places except Poverty Bay had fallen between 3-lOths and half-an inch, and strong gales from the northward were experienced generally from p.m. of the 7th to the evening pf the Bth inst. Captain McLellan, the deputy-harbormaster at Lyttelton, report's that the wind changed northward at about 9 p.m. of the 7th, and was then light, but by midnight was blowing very hard. He estimates the force of the wind at the latter hour at 11, by the Beaufort scale. The gale was also felt heavily at Wellington, Napier, Bealey, Naseby, Roxburgh, and many other places .in the Middle Island. On the evening of the 7th the barometer in the North showed a downward tendency, and by 9 a.m. of tho Bth it became evident that the gale was also approaching that paSt of the country, and warnings to expect bad weather between N.E. and W. were sent to all tho North Island stations by 10.40 a.m., and about an hour afterwards warnings to expect a westerly gale were sent to all the Middle Island stations, urgent messages being sent to Oamaru, Port Chalmers, and Bluff. Information received during the day showed that the gale was commencing ‘in the North. By 5 pirn, the glass had risen a little in the South, and fresh southerly winds were reported from Bluff and other Southern ports ; but the wind continued a strong gale from N.W. at Wellington, Castlepoint, and adjacent places. All this time the glass in the North continued to fall steadily, but the appearance of the weather was not considered threatening ; but during the night the barometer : commenced to fall with great rapidity, accompanied by a heavy fall of rain ; and by 9 a.m. on the 9th it had fallen to 29T9 at Hokianga,and 29T2at Russell, a heavy S.W. gala blowing at both places. A strong southerly wind was blowing at Manukau Heads ; barometer 29’09. At Auckland it was 28'97, wind S.E. by S., light; at Grahamstown, 29'04, light wind between oast and north ; at Cambridge, heavy south-east gale, barometer 29'08 ; at Poverty Bay, 29'25, a north-east gale blowing all night. Rain had fallen heavily at most places, and Captain Best, at Grahamstown, reports that 2J inches of rain had fallen between 3 p.m. of the Bth and 9 a.m. of the 9th inst. The wind at Wellington commenced to blow from the southward at 3 a.m., and urgent messages were sent north at 11.25 a.m. to expect heavy weather from the southward. By 10 a.m. it was blowing 9 to 10 in the squalls in Wellington Harbor, and the barometer falling slow. By noon the wind had changed to a southerly gale at Grahamstown. . At Taurauga it changed at 12.45; barometer 29'04. At Poverty Bay Captain Crisp reports that the wind changed to a whole gale from south at 2 p.m., barometer 29T7, and an unusually high tide; at 4 p.m. 29'30, wind south, with very heavy squalls and rain. The lowest barometer reported is from Coromandel, where Mr. Tait found it read 28 - 88 at 1.25 p.m., wind then light from north-east. The glass commenced to rise during the afternoon, and heavy southerly gales were felt all over the North Island. There do not seem to have been any unusually strong winds in the South, though the difference in pressure (amounting to nearly nine-tenths of an inch) was sufficient to warrant tho sending of warning to expect bad weather at Middle Island stations. Telegrams from the North, received yesterday afternoon, show that the barometer had risen with almost equal rapidity, and heavy southerly gales_ had been very generally experienced. The indications now imply that strong northerly winds are probable. The Wairarapa Standard confesses that Mr. Waterhouse’s support of the Abolition Bill has caused it some surprise.

It had been arranged that a cricket match should be played on Saturday between the Wellington Cricket Club and a team selected from the Sappho, but owing to the rough weather it was necessarily postponed. The New Zealand Shipping Company have forwarded to us from Christchurch some information with regard to the sailings of their ships, the which, if it were inserted, would present the company with a gratis advertisement in' the columns of the New Zealand Times. In this shape it is declined, with thanks. The public will be pleased to learn that Lyster’s Opera Company purpose visiting New Zealand shortly. A private letter informs us of the fact, and speaks highly of the talent comprised in the troupe, the prhna donnas being Mademoiselles Andree and Lalange Navaro.

A passenger by an evening train from Dunedin informs the Bruce Herald that before entering the tunnel at the Chain Hills the train came to a standstill, and about 100 of the passengers got out and pushed the train up the incline until it reached the level, when it was again able to proceed on its way. In the Resident Magistrate’s Couit on Saturday a man named Thomas Kerby was fined for having been drunk and incapable. George Gordon was mulcted in a similar amount for creating a disturbance in the Theatre Royal. A case of threatening language was adjourned. There were no civil oases.

A pure-hred Clydesdale was imported by the Taupo yesterday, of which the following are the particulars : —President is a powerfullybuilt dappled-grey stallion, seventeen hands high, and four years old. Ho was bred by Mr. Nimmo, of Taieri Plain, Otago, and has been purchased by Messrs. Douglas and Co., of Oroua, Manawatu.

The works at the Rimutaka tunnel are now progressing most favorably; as the tunnel goes in the rock become much easier to work, and in consequence progress is greatly facilitated. The railway engine, it is expected, will run over the line as far as the Upper Hutt within a fortnight from date, as platelaying and ballasting are at present proceeding at a rapid rate.

The indescribable weather of Saturday did not deter the Rifle Association from meeting at the Polhill Gully range. Twelve members competed for the Licensed Victualler’s Cup, bandsman Dixon coming off winner with a score of 41. The money prizes were decided thus ;—Lieutenant Scott (City Rifles), 37 ; Sergeant Harris (City Rifles), 32; Captain Crowe (City Rifles), 32 ; Constable Sherwood (A.C.), 30. The following is a statement of the telegrams transmitted through the cable of the Eastern Extension Australasia and China Telegraph Company, for the two weeks ending Friday, September 10 :—From the Colonies— South Australia, 13; Victoria, 41; New South Wales, 27; Queensland, 7; New Zealand, 13; total, 101. To the Colonies—South Australia, 14 ; Victoria, 61 ; New South Wales, 31 ; Queensland, 6; Tasmania, 2; New Zealand 8; total, 122. Western Astralia is not quoted. The total number of messages transmitted through the company’s cable was 223. On Saturday evening, at the Albion Hotel, Te Aro, between seventy and eighty of the carpenters of this city held a meeting for the purpose of forming a society in connection with the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners in England. Some of those present, and who have lately arrived from England, brought an authorised communication from the parent society in England, impressing tradesmen here with the desirableness of forming such an association ; and after some discussion it was resolved to give effect to the recommendation by forming a local society, all present joining and paying up entrance and subscription fees. A resolution was also passed affirming the expediency that all in the trade should join the society without delay. In reference to the late amateur performance in aid of the Benevolent Society, we have been handed the following statement of accounts for publication :— Receipts —Tickets sold at the doors, £25155. 6d.; tickets sold prior to performance by members and others, £25 Bs.; total, £54 3s. 6d. Expenditure —Rent of Odd Fellows’ Hall on 20th, £3 35.; rent of Odd Fellows’ Hall for two rehearsals, £2 25.; advertising and printing, £7 5a.; hire of furniture, £2 ; Miss Raymond, £4 ; Miss Howard, £3 ; Miss Ashton, £2 ; attendance (Massey and Marshall), £2 15s; cartage, 9s. fid.; sundries, £3 15s. 9d.; total, £3O 10s. 3d. Net proceeds, £23 13s. 3d. The item sundries was made up as follows ; —Bill-sticking, 125.; refreshments and breakages, 10s. ; wardrobe repairs and additions, £1 13s. 3d.; copying parts, 155.; hire of wigs, 55.; total, £3 15s. 9d. At the Carterton Police Court lately, before H. S. Wardell, Esq., R.M., and Messrs. Vallance and Beetham, J.P.’s, a case was heard which excited considerable interest. The local paper gives the following resume of the case:—The plaintiff, John Greathead, sued E. Ticehurst, executor to the late W. Greathead, of Masterton, for £IOO, an alleged loss for removing from his custody a horse placed in his hands to train for the Southern Chief Produce Stakes. Mr. Stedman appeared for plaintiff, and Mr. Beard for defendant. The former called the plaintiff to prove the damages sustained. John Greathead swore to incurring an expense of £25 for oats, hay, and grazing while the horse was under his charge. Messrs, R. Bright, W. B. Allen, and J. O. Hayward were also called, but their evidence was not material. G. Greathead, at whose farm the horse was placed by John Greathead, gave a very different account of the expenses incurred to that sworn to by the plaintiff. The Resident Magistrate in summing up the case commented severely on the contradictory nature of the evidence given by father and son, viz,, G. Greathead and John Greathead, and gave judgment for one guinea, the nomination fee paid by plaintiff, holding that the other damages claimed were not proved. Each party was ordered to pay his own costs.