TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5476, 15 October 1878, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

‘ (per press agency.) Auckland, Monday. At the South British half-yearly meeting tn-day the report presented showed a 'premium increase of £68,904, an increase of £10,402 on the corresponding period of last year. The total income, including £9675 brought forward, was £84,925. Tho losses were £36*584 ; reinsurances and expenses, £25,254 ; ’ and the balance to credit at the end of the half-year, £28,086, of which £IO,OOO is carried to the reserve fund, making it £70,000* A dividend at the rate of 15 per cent, per annum was declared. The investments amount to £175,952, and the , assets to £183,086. . A petition against taking a part of the Government-House grounds for a school was being largely signed, when a telegram was received from the Premier that the grounds, could not bo taken. The petition was therefore withdrawn from circulation. The South British reports have been adopted. Mr. Hobbs, has been elected ,to the vacant seat on the directory ; the other directors were re-elected. Barton’s Australian Circus was visited by several thousand’ people on Saturday, They leave by the Taiaroa for the South on Wednesday. , Gbahamstown, Monday. The man McKelvie, who was rescued from a pass on Friday, after being seven hours buried underneath 20 feet of quarry, now lies dangerously ill in hospital, inflammation having supervened from injuries received in the fall. Napier, Monday. Mr. Roes announces that he will on Wednesday night address r the Napier electors on the Maori franchise and political .matters affecting Hawke’s Bay. Qreymouth, Monday. , The trial crashing from the Laugdon reef gave a little over two ounces to the ton. Balclutha, Monday. The water in the township has hot risen quite so, high as during' the flood a fortnight ago. The same streets and an equal extent of tho township are covered, but not to the same depth. The Clntha Leader oflico, the Crown Hotel, the Criterion Hotel, and several other buildings, are not flooded. The -water is now falling slowly, and getting away into the channels commenced last flood, which are widening and deepening. No more buildings are carried away, nor is there any extraordinary additional damage bo far as known. Mr. Armstrong, engineer, Mr. Grant, manager of the railway, and a number of gentlemen from Dunedin, have been here by special train, and inspected the wreck of tho railway line and station. The largest viaduct across the lower reserve of the towflship is rapidly giving way. A large gang of workmen have been at work all day with trucks and engine, attempting to save a large embankment next to the bridge. It is believed they will succeed. It is reported that' the railway station will probably be removed from the present site to the high ground at the end of Larnach-street, but nothing has been decided.. There are several very large channels. through the present station. 10 a.m. Cue of tho piers near the centre of tho ordinary traffic bridge here gave way this morning at nine o’clock, and the platform dropped with a crash into the river. The wire ropes are still holding, and no,part of the platform has gone. The piers next to that carried away seem likely to go. All communication by the bridge is of ’ course stopped. McNeill’s house below the bridge has been carried away since last night. Evening. Tho Balclutha bridge is sinking rapidly. The inhabitants arc watching, expecting to see the whole structure disappear every minute. Lawrence, Monday. The stable on the Greenfield estate, three miles from the home station, was burnt to th« ground last night. There were 42 horses in it, and 21 of them and a largo quantity of harness were burnt to a cinder. Dunedin, Monday. The agent for tho Now Zealand and Australian Land Company has received the following telegram, dated London, October 3 : —“ This company is in no way involved in the failure of the City of Glasgow Bank.” * Thomas Birch lias been requested to contest tho Mayoral election. He occupied the position of Mayor on a former occasion. A systematic canvass of tho city will bo made this morning by the Floods Relief Committee. The girl Jane Hamilton, who some time ago was supposed to have been ill-treated by her employer, died in the hospital on Saturday. An inquest is not deemed necessary. ” The Kaikora! schoulhouso was blown down by Friday’s gale. The annual meeting of the Shaksperiau Club shows that it has made vapid progress. It now t numbers twenty honorary anti seventeen playing members. Professor Hutton writes to tho papers this morning that the Chancellor told him that the Professional Board has a perfect right to publish their resolution rc the endowment of anew chair. It is stated that tho proposed Waggon Company meets with great support from the public. A grand volunteer demonstration will be hold on Forbuvy Park on November 9. The authorities are determined to have a great massing of tho volunteers of tho Middle Island on that day. Timaru, Monday. On Saturday night, owing to a nut becoming unscrewed near Coal Creek, on the Albury line, whereby one cylinder was rendered unworkable, tho engine came at a snail’s pace. Tho train from Albury did not reach Timaru till 10.30 p.m-, instead of 7-30.