TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5506, 19 November 1878, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

(PER PRESS AGENCY.) Auckland, Monday. Father Hennebery opened a mission to a large congregation yesterday. James Houghau, shoemaker, recently from Wellington, yesterday mounted the firebell stand, Queen-street, with an accordion, and *gave an address on religion, mixed up with some remarks ou medicine. He rang the bell, creating an alarm of fire. A constable seized him, when he proclaimed himself to be Christ. He was taken into custody, being Insane. Mr. Buckland held a wool sale to-day, consisting of 250 bales, the first of tho season. The following were the prices:—Wool, in grease, averaged 6d. to 9|d.; mixed, grease, from 7£d. to BJd.; washed, 9Jd! to Is. IJd., according to condition. • Mr. Peacock, optician, will bo a candidate for the Mayoralty. Oosgrave and King, chemist, are also spoken of.

Venus-Transit is scratched for the Auckland Cup, The Rev, Mr. Webb, Baptist, improved the occasion by preaching a sermon on “ Back from tho Grave,” founded on Darrell’s play of that name.

At a meeting of the Improvement Commissioners to-day, a deputation was appointed to wait on the Minister on hia arrival at Auckland, to request the removal of the immigration depot from Albert Park. Father Hennebery is erecting a 'monster marquee capable of holding people for the next Sunday services. He shortly begins a crusade against intemperance. A largo and influential committee was formed to • day to receive the Australian cricketers. A ferry steamer has been engaged to take the party down the harbor when the mail* flag is hoisted. The shipping and principal houses will display hunting, &nd tho May Queen will fire guns if the vessel arrives before 10 at night. The reception party is to meet her aud present an address on board. If tlio steamer arrives later than 10 the address is to bo delivered next morning. Tho band will await tho arrival of the steamer. The general public will muster in strong force to give the cricketers a hearty cheer. Gisborne, Monday,'

On the 18th November, 1877, Gisborne suffered from a terrible fire, and scarcely has the anniversary passed when another serious conflagration has to be recorded. About a quarter past two o’clock this afternoon the warning notes of the firobell rang out an alarm, and in a very few moments the cry rang throughout the main street that the fire was down near the water, and a rush was at once made down Read’s Quay. It was at once apparent that nothing could bo done to savo the bonded and free stores owned by Mr. Adair, as the flames had secured a strong hold of the building. , A cry was raised that there was half a ton of gunpowder stored in the building, and this caused many to retire to a respectful distance, but a gallant few were not to be so easily alarmed, and boldly got the fire engine into position; its services wore, however, of little avail, as the jet of water was directed at Morgan's premises, which, the wind being from the N.W., were hi- comparatively little danger.. The spirits stored in the building once ignited the heat became intense, and no effort could be made to savo a portion of the wharf at'the end of the stores. The fire originated iu the stable owned by Mr. George Burnand. At the time of the flames bursting out Jns. Turner, a carter in the former’s employ, was the last on the premises, aud he immediately jumped down arid endeavored to turn but the three horses which were iu the stables. Two of them ho succeeded in getting out, but the third, a fine mare Burnand had just purchased from P. Kelly for £SO, proved

fractious, and was burned to death. Everything being dry, the destructive element gained ground every second, and especially at Adair’s store, which was also in flames, and the wharf subsequently caught. Several of the members of the Rowing Club rushed to the boatshed and managed to get out two of tho racing gigs, but the building firing rapidly, the third on© could not be rescued. Messrs. Shepherd and Co. had a very large quantity of goods'iu bond uninsured, amounting, it is said, to £2OOO. There are other heavy losses besides. It is supposed that the stable was ignited by a spark from Morgan’s engine falling on the shingles of the roof. The wind was blowing so strong that before any water could be obtained the stable was all ablaze, and Turner, who was in the loft, barely escaped with his life. It is impossible, owing to the confusion, to obtain insurances, and the brigade are now at work pouring water on the smouldering debris. Blenheim; Monday. A. M. Nonnanby, a bankrupt, was brought up on remand charged with perjury in his testimony given before the trustee. The case was dismised. Westport, Monday. A mysterious fire occurred here early on Sunday morning, destroying a large building, the property of Messrs. Hooper and Dodson, brewers, Nelson. The building was situated next the Westport Times office. It was occupied as the offices of the Koranui Coal Company, and also of the Halcyon Quartz Mining Company, and was the local agency of the Curator of Intestate Estates. All the papers connected with the affairs of these offices were destroyed, William Lloyd, the company’s secretary, locked up the building at half-past ten on Saturday night, and asserts that all was then safe.- No one lives iu the building, nor had it any fireplace. The buiding was not insured. The local fire brigade and the citizens saved the adjacent buildings—the Westport Times office, the Westport Colliery Company’s office, and Carpenter’s fruit store. The owner of the latter suffered some loss through the hurried removal of. his effects. # An inquiry will be held. The Koranui Coal Company have duplicate plans of - their works in the hands of the Government. Timaru, Monday.

Theobald’s bush and houses' are all destroyed, leaving himself, his wife, and children with nothing. Twenty-seven families arc left homeless. Each of these families lose from £IOO upwards. At fivo o'clock ou Saturday afternoon the fire was still raging fiercely. Mr. Potts, who went in search of Mr. Studbolrue, was severely burnt, ’and suffered much on Saturday, but the doctors say he is not in immediate danger. Christchurch, Monday.

The fire at Waimate is still burning. The town itself had a narrow escape from destruction. At one time the flames were within a quarter of a mile from the town, when the wind shifted. The fire commenced on the top.of the hill, and cleared everything before it. Studholme, the owner of the largest mill, had a very narrow escape. He was at one time completely surrounded by fire, and was much burnt riding through the. flames. His manager, Mr, Potts, yyxs also burnt. One brave young fellow risked his life to save a woman and child, and although much burnt succeeded in his attempt. While galloping through the flames the woman’s dress caught fire, and her legs aud body were much scorched. Towards dusk yesterday'there was not a single house left standing at the edge of the bush. Very little damage was done to the Maiden Bush. The loss will fall principally on woodcutters, and on the holders of small sections of dry bush, which have been swept. Hayes’ large portable engine was saved; hia upper mill is expected to be at work iu a week. Hunt aud Jeffries and Barrett’s plants were totally destroyed. The fire brigade and public worked admirably at great personal risk* Fully forty families are homeless* aud destitute. At a meeting of the townspeople on Saturday £246 was collected in the room. A strong committee was appointed, and it was resolved that the Mayors of Christchuich, Timaru, Oamaru, and Dunedin, be requested to take steps to assist in, obtaining relief. Temporary accommodation is being provided for the homeless women and children in the public halls, hospital, &c. The wind is rising again. Stu*dholme’s loss is £40,000, Price's £IOOO, Barrett’s £BOO, and Rickman’s £4OOO. £BO,OOO will not cover all the damage, besides the bush aud the mills. A number of persons were severely scorched, an 4 two had limbs broken. The Globe to-night contains the following paragraph A fracas occurred this morning in one of the hotels in the city in which two distinguished members of a minstrel company recently performing here took a hand. A dispute arose on some subject, and one of the* gentlemen whoso vocal requests to “ be taken home” nightly drew forth loud plaudits during the season, not only “bent” but “broke” up the countenance of the facetious corner-man, who is so seriously injured about the face that it is highly improbable he will be enabled to give forth any of hia “gags ” to-night at Southbridge. He has unfortunately realised practically the effect of not having a “ticket” or the “equivalents” sqo frequently and graphically pourtrayed by him. Great sympathy is felt-for the sufferer ou this occasion, as he always makes himself most popular, and his secession from the company, which is now assured, will leave the rest stranded on a foreign shore, as he was without doubt the mainstay of it. The general manager of the New Zealand Shipping Company has received Intelligence that the ship Piako, which left London on the 16th October for Lyttelton, had prior to the 14th November put in at Pernambuco with fire on board. Ick and Thompson have been nominated far the Mayoralty. , * .A man named Peteraon was sentenced to a month’s imprisonment this morning for assaulting a married woman as she was leaving the theatre. • Waimate, Monday, A meeting was held iu the Temperance Hall on Saturday for the purpose of raising funds in aid of the sufferers from the bush fire. £245 was subscribed in the room. Twenty families have been burnt out. The damage to-property caanot yet be ascertained. The fire is still raging. Dunedin, Monday. The charge of child-stealing having been amicably settled, the information was withdrawn to-day. In the police court this morning* a mau convicted for drunkenness addressed a note, with a pound note enclosed, to the reporters, to keep liis name out of the papers. Thernortey was put in the poor-box and the name inserted. Mr. Blair, the engineer, has returned to Dunedin after examining the Clutha district; the damage is much greater than reported, and he is strongly impressed with the necessity of taking’steps to prevent tho encroachment of the river about tho township. In answer to the Secretary of the Harbor Board, the Attorney-General has telegraphed that a uew Board must bo elected under the old Act in December, and again under tho new Act iu February. The Union Company has £SOOO risk ou tho Piako, but £2OOO is reinsured.