TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5497, 8 November 1878, Page 4

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

(from a correspondent.) ■ Dunedin, Thursday.

The “ Own Correspondent ” of Grey’s new political Press Agency does not seem to taka with tho people here, although started under the auspices of those public favorites Messrs. Win. Reeves and McCulloch Reed. The Herald, which has strongly oppose! and_ exposed these and other Government- jobs, is said to be rapidly superseding the Tims (Grey’s organ and Reed’s mouthpiece) in the public confid* ence, and is undoubtedly proving a wonderful success financially and otherwise. ‘ ■

(FEB PBE33 AGENCY.)

Carterton, Thursday.

A boy named Minifie was in the Agricultural Show grounds this afternoon. A large tree fell, and a branch struck him and fractured bis skull. He died an hour later. He was a son of Mr. Minifie, painter, late of Wellington. An inquest will be held to-morrow. ,

Auckland, Thursday. Messrs. Moss and Wallis have called meetings of their constituents.

A cattle train rau into nin * trucks at Papakura. Numbers of the van* were smashed, but no injury to life. The brig Vision was sold for £ISOO. Captain Brand was the purchaser. G. W Jonee, the manager of the Royal Insurance Company, and his three sons, were capsized into a cutting in Drake-street. One of bis sons sustained an injury to his arm. The others escaped with a few bruises. The Hon. Mr. Fox has written to the Sir Henry Havelock Lodge stating that his reason for voting against the beer duty was that the country should not be dependent on the liquor trade to a greater extent than now. He says the lodge he belongs to, and others in the South, have passed votes approving of his action. The Hero has arrived from Sydney. Her news has been anticipated by the Tararua. News baa been received at Sydney, per brig Sea Nymphe, from New Caledonia. She brings word of a massacre of seven persons at tiouri Station on the 14th ultimo. Troops have been sent up and have occupied the station. The list of persona massacred at Paya and Koae ia- , eludes the names of seventeen men, three natives, two women, and three children. On the route to Houuiihou the eura his wife, and mother were murdered, and four o.liurs. Eevry day fresh victims are reported. Outside theeuciente occupied by the troops no one ia safe. «

Blbnheiw, Thursday. The nominations for Marlborough Cup will close on Saturday at 8 p m. The body of Mr. Newman was found by a search party about six miles below the place where be was supposed to have gone into the river. The body was very much bruised.

TnfARW, Thursday.

A Royal Commission, appointed rs certain charges against the steward of the Timani Hospital, closed with the following decision We, the undersigned commissioners of the Timaru Hospital, holding powers under Royal Commission from the Governor to make certain enquiries into certain charges against G. B Fairbourn, the steward of the hospital, after hearing the evidence on both sides, find G. B. Fairbourn guilty of gross immorality, and adjudge him to be dismissed from bis position as steward of the hospital, and that he be served with & cepy of the decision of the Royal Commission which investigated the case, and be informed that the services of himself and Mrs. Fairbourn are no longer required after the end of the month.

Ddnbdtn, Thursday. Surveyors have commenced work on the 18,000 acre block on the Montere ran* which is to be thrown open for settlement.

Thirty-nine applications for free immigrants were received at the Dunedin office between October 3rd and November Ist. Balolctha. Thursday. Mr. Higginson, C.G., hrs banded an elaborate report to the committee re the protection of the river bank and township. He recommends the erection of groins at the top of the bank to divert the current. He says, “ I must here call attention to the inevitableresolt which - must ensue from taking no precautions to deal with this river in the manner and on the scale it requires. It will without any doubt out a straight coarse through between the township and the hill?, abandoning the old channel and rendering the present railway bridge useless. Thor© is a decided channel now cut in the portion indicated which, with every successive high flood, must be increased in size. lam confident that the river now seriously threatens the whole of the Government railway works in the valley, and tk tt unless decided steps are taken a once to prevent it an enormous expenditure will shortly be necessary in order to build a new bridge. I am afraid that the method suggested by me for dealing with the river will be too costly for the town to undertake unless assisted by the Government, whoso interests are, if possible, more seriously threatened than those of the inhabitants of the township themselves, as should the river change its course the delay and loss caused by the stoppage cf .the railway traffic would affect the interests of nearly the whole population south of Dunedin, should it occur after the line had been opened through for some little time.” I uadorstand Mr. Conyers is of the same opinion as Mr, Higginson as to serious danger to the railway works. The Minister of Works has been telegraphed to on the subject, and it is expected that effective steps will now be taken to protect the river banks and to save the township and Government works. In the meantime attempts are to be made to check the encroachment by mooring trees along the face of the bank. Inteboahoill, Thursday. The Stewart Family opened to-night at the Theatre Royal in the “ Rainbow Revels." The Imu-e was crowded to the doors. The performance was very superior, and the company is really talented and likely to draw well hero. They play six nights, and then go to Dunedin and the Lakes. A contingent of volunteers for the Dunedin review arrived to-night. There were twentyseven all told. Messrs. Feldwiok, Joyce, and Wood, district representatives, arrived to-night.