TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4835, 20 September 1876, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

(per press agency.) Auckland, Tuesday. An extraordinary accident occurred at the Union Beach mine, Coromandel, which is flooded out through the defect in the pumping gear, throwing sixty men out of employment. A man named Ecclestone, not a diver, had volunteered to go down the shaft and remove an obstruction which prevented the plunge working. He had seventy feet of water to pass through in utter darkness. The professional diver had charge of the air pump, and instructed Ecclestone as to signals. Ecclestone signalled for more air. Again he did this, and again for the third time, when the air pipes burst with a report as of a pistol-shot. Ecclestone was hauled up, and was found to be swollen to three times his natural size, the features of his face not being distinguishable. In his ignorance of diving, he thought he wanted more air when in fact he was overcharged with it. He was blown out like a bladder. Dr. Hovel! was sent for. The was insensible, and blood came from Ins mouth. Ho was treated for several hours, and the pulsation of his heart was again discernible. Ecclestone is still in a precarious state. Napier, Tuesday. At a meeting of the Harbor Board to-day the engineer stated that work was commenced on the 7th inst., and was steadily progressing since. Nine piles were set up to date. The question of the appointment of an assistant harbormaster was postponed. A letter was read complaining of the high charges for wharfage on small parcels. It was agreed that the rent should not be charged for the first twenty-four hours. The Union Bank has informed the Municipality that they decline to advance the money required for the reclamation of swamp roads on tlie terms offered, viz. That the Bank should take Corporation debentures at par for seven years at 7 per cent to the amount of £5500. Tenders are to be called for from persons willing to advance the money. Lyttelton, Tuesday.

Captain Bayldon, of the schooner Sissy, reports fires burning, evidently as signals, on Portland Island, on Tuesday last. He was unable to communicate with the island, owing to the heavy weather. Christchurch, Tuesday.

Mr. Jonathan Booker, farmer, who was thrown out of a trap on Saturday, died yesterday. , In consequence of the success in hatching out trout ova, it was resolved, at a meeting of the Acclimatisation Society yesterday, to still further reduce the price to 30s. per hundred. The Simonseus succeed Hoskins at the Odd Fellows’ Hall. Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Hall and Laura Wiseman appear at the opening of the new theatre, which is now rapidly approaching completion. A correspondent in the Times to-day warns the public not to be carried away by the false glitter of the Kumara rush. PUBLIC OPINION IN OTAGO. Dunedin, Tuesday. ’ At a meeting of the committee of the Dunedin Political Association, held yesterday, it was resolved that the following challenge he presented to Messrs. Cargill, Fish, Rattray, and others :—Gentlemen, —It having been ascertained that signatures to the letter to our city representatives have been obtained by misrepresentation, you are challenged to call a

public meeting of the citizens to pronounce upon the public -affairs therein referred to. The committee undertake that at such meeting they w?ll be prepared to submit and maintain the following resolutions in opposition : “ That our representatives are' nobly defending our constitutional rights against tyranny, injustice, and aggression, and that it is most desirable that they continue to do so until they obtain the victory.” It was also resolved — “ That inasmuch as already a large public meeting of the electors has heartily accorded its approval of the conduct of our representatives, if the promoters of the letter do not at once accept the foregoing challenge, the public will be justified in opining that they dare not.” The memorial addressed to Stout, Larnach, and Macandrew has about 400 signatures, and will be sent North to-day. Weston beat Roberts last night by 19 points at 500 out of 1000. Spot strokes barred to Roberts. Roberts left for Timaru to-day.

The Waikouaiti section of the northern railway is to be commenced immediately. The following letter accompanies the memorial sent to Larnach, Stout, and Macandrew : “James Macandrew, Esq., M.H.R., Wellington.—We have had the honor of posting you to-day a letter addressed to yourself and other members for Dunedin, signed by 864 electors. We can assure you this letter originated solely with a few of the gentlemen whose names head the list of signatures, and was not sug-, gested in any way from Wellington, as has been falsely said. The signatures now forwarded were freely given to the letter since Saturday afternoon ; and if time had permitted, we believe double the number would have been given.—E. R. Cakgill, R. Wilson, J. Rattray.”