TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 4958, 12 February 1877, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

! (PER PRESS AGENCY.) Napier, Friday. ' The Waipapa County Council resolved yes-terday-to take the full powers granted by the Counties Act. It Has resumed raining heavily, and there is ’every appearance of its continuance. . Gbahamstown, Saturday. Mr. H. Severn, the scientist, formerly: assayer of the 'Bank of New Zealand, is starting on a lecturing : tour' through the colony. He, has' most of- the apparatus required for popular scientific lectures. Mr. Severn has' been! most successful in his lectures delivered . here and in Auckland. .)■ ■ Gbeymouth, Saturday. The acceptances for .the Greymouth Jockey Club Handicap; are;—Tommy Dodd, Bst.; Strongbow,.Bst.; Lady Mary, 7st. 101 b.; Isaac; Walton, 7st. 61b.; Kingfisher, 7at. 101 b.; Nero,; 7st. 10lb.; Septimus, 6st. 101 b.; Doncaster, 6st., and Black Eagle, 6st. 71b. . ... A sailor named Brown, of the schooner Cleopatra, fell between the wharf and the vessel while'going on board last night, and was drowned.... The body has not been recovered. The man was sober, but as there were no lights on the wharf, it is supposed he tripped and 'fell. , Christchurch, Saturday. The Waimate County Council have decided to adopt the whole; of the Counties Act, and declared the Waimate Eoad Board dissolved. The All England Eleven Match is to be; played here on 26th, 27th,and 28th February. The weather is now fine. DREADFUL FLOODS IN HAWKE'S : BAY. Napier, Saturday. -- It rained heavily all last night, and has continued to pour down ever since more or less copiously. There is a very heavy sea on too, and the Kangatira’s departure is postponed till Monday at 2. The town of Napier is much flooded, and in some streets the progress of foot passengers is difficult. The country districts are so much flooded that it has not been practicable to obtain information eacept in-the immediate neighborhood of the town and of the railway line. - Mr. Miller,' manager of the railway, went up the line at daylight to take precautionary measures for the protection of bridges at the railway crossings. The NgararorO River covers a- portion of the railway line at Merrim’s corner, and the water is still rising at the tollgate. On White-road, about three miles from Napier, the water is 4ft. deep. Beyond there it deepens to sft,, and is washing like a sea. There is no communication beyond Meanee, and all the settlers there are flooded out of their homes. From Meanee to Taradale- is one unbroken sea of water as far as the eye can reach. Cattle are breasting their way along the water, seeking dry land; it is feared many sheep have’ been drowned. Though there is no information from Taradale, it is feared people‘thereabouts are in great danger and distress. It has been arranged by Mr. Tiffen, chairman of the Hawke’s Bay Council, and Mr. Kinross, acting chairman of the Harbor Board, to despatch a boat from the Spit to-night, to render assistance to the flooded-out settlers. AUSTRALIAN NEWS. Melbourne, February 6. The weather continues extremely dry and very disastrous to the pastoral and agricultural interests. There has not been an inch of rain registered for the past six weeks. Sheep are dying in all directions, and numerous bush fires have occurred. A man named ■ Sheriff, who recently died here, served against the Maoris in the Bay of Islands in 1841. Political matters are quiet; but there are numerous candidates announced. Bailey and Cooper’s Circus has been doing splendid business, and has completely killed the theatres. The pantomimes are all withdrawn this week, and the more legitimate entertainments commence.

The education question is likely to prove a great bone of contention at the election. The arrangements amongst the associated banks having broken up. The rates of discount have been lowered. Each one now acts on its own behalf. Sugars are still in great request and very firm. Wheat, 6s. Bd. to 6s. 9d. per bushel. Oats firm up to 3s, IOJd. The Cable Conference has closed its sitting. New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia have together agreed on the duplication of the line between Singapore and Bangoewangle, which will cost each £9OOO a year in excess of the amount of which all the colonies paid a proportion. This arrangement is not yet ratified by the respective colonies. It will be arranged to obtain English operators on the Dutch lines if the Netherlands India Government will sanction it.