TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5541, 31 December 1878, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

(PEJtt PBESS AGENCr). Greytown, Monday.

The nomination for the office of first Mayor of the Borough of Greytown took place today. Mr. F. H. Wood was proposed by Mr. St. George and seconded by Mr. McMaster. Mr. T. Klcmpbon, sen., chnirman of the late local board, waa also nominated. Both candidates addressed the ratepayers at the Town Hall. The show of hands was largely in favor of Mr. Wood. The poll will take place on the 7th provimo. Great interest is taken iu the election.

Auckland, Monday.

At a meeting of the Board of Education to-day it was agreed to amalgamate the several school districts in the city. The ketch Reliance, built at Hobarton, was sold to-day for £6OO. Ariel has been scratched, he having suffered too much to be ready to start again. Hippo is out of sorts, and will not be brought out. Omega got her foot injured. Magician, Fiction, and Trezeagle will not go. Don met with an accident yesterday. Pinfire has top weight of 7st 111 b j Xantippe has the feather weight. At a meeting held at St. Patrick's Cathedral yesterday, for the purpose of furthering Chiistian education at Auckland, the edifice was filled. After a short address by Father Henneberry, in which he pictured the dangers and evils of secular education without the support of religious teaching, he proceeded to take up his second collection for the erection of a Bpacious Catholic school building in Auckland. In the short space of about thirty minutes about £4BO were subscribed, which, added to other subscriptions realised to-day, will amount to £SBO, which when taken in connection with the sum of subscriptions obtained on the last evening in the marquee, makes up the handBorne total of £IBOO. Well nigh half the sum is required for present wants. In general those present at the meeting of yesterday acted with great Hpirit; eveu the poor gave as high as £5. < Henneberry expressed himself very dissatisfied with some who could assist iu the work he was endeavoring to promote and yet have up to the present shrunk from the task. He was particularly hard on the rich. He said those of that class who would not make a good use of their wealth they and their money would go to perdition. He hoped that the rich Catholics in this city would conduct themselves as the rich Catholics in Ban Francisco did some years ago. When called on for the erection of Catholic schools thoy subscribed about 70,000 dollars. He said if thoße of their class iu tho city cannot do so much he trusted they would give £IOO each, or as much as they can, according to their means, which would be a fine example for others, and would establish the name of the Catholics of Auckland for laudable generosity. The City Council to-day refused to grant a reduction onthelicenso fee of the international circus. '"'"

Tho Council approved of the proposed site of the public baths. The Baths Committee recommend the selection of another site for a socond bath.

New Plymouth* Monday. The immigrants arrived safely this morning. A cricketing team leaves here to-day for Auckland.

TAURA.KOA, Monday.

Mr. Edgcumbe, chairman of the Town Board, addressed a crowded meoting of ratepayers on Saturday eveniug, prior to his departure to visit England. A cordial vote of thanks for his past services was accorded him, and subscription lists opened for presentation of a substantial testimonial.

Blenheim, Monday.

It is reported hero that Mr. Adams, a stranger in the district, son of an extensive mnholder, has beon appointed a valuer uuder tho Land Tax Act for tho whole of Wairau. Tho statement excites universal astonishment. William Smith, a laborer, _ working at Tuamarina, was found drowned in the creek yesterday. He had been missing for some days. He had beon drinking. Ho is supposed to have accidentally fallen into the stream. Conolly, on behalf of tho Bar, delivered a complimentary address to Dr. Mueller, on the occasion of his retirement from tho office of Resident Magistrate, Registrar, &c, eulogising his past services. Dr. Mueller replied, and Buid h» had been requested to retire without any reason being assigned. It is understood that it is in contemplation to amalgamate tho offices. HOKITIfCA, Monday.

Thosohoouer Mabel Jane, with a cargo of produce from Oamaru, is ashoro on tho beaoh at Wanganui Bluff, about twenty miles south ofHokitika.

It is still raining heavily. Tbo raceo me indefinite}/ postponed,

Nelson, Monday. Tho navvies on the Port Railway extension struck this morning for 9s. a day. Ashbubton, Monday.

The inquest was held here this afternoon, touching the death of a man named William Williams, whose body was found drowned in tho. Upper Rangitata on Saturday. 3?or some time traffic on the bridge iu the Upper Rangitata has been . interrupted, and the Couuty Council have placed a ferry-boat on the river there. .It was under the charge of Watkins, a local publican, who employed Williams to work the boat. The evidence shewed that on Boxing Day a number of people had been drinking at tb.3 hotel in the evening. Williams had to ferry two men named Barrett and Brooker over the river. It appears they had all been drinking. Wheu over the worst part of the river Williams was seen in the water, and just then the boat got adrift from its wire rope, and Williams was seen no more till found dead on Saturday. The other men evontually got to the bank. Brookes was examined at the inquest, but not Barrett, aud the inquiry has been adjourned till next Tuesday for the purpose of hearing the statement of Barrett, who had not been subpsened by the police. A heavy rainfall has just set iu, and is likely to increase the value of the country harvests by thousands. CnniSTClinncn, Monday. At the inqueßt on tho lad White, who was run over on Saturday, a verdict of accidental death was returned. The fifteen large passenger carriages brought from Invercargill to be used on the Christchurch section on New Year's Day are collected at Oamaru, and are likely to remain there for some days as the traffic beyond the Rangitata is completely suspended in consequence of a portion of the bridge being down. This stoppage has proved a great inconvenience to business men and others. It will probably be several days before the damage is made good and through traffic resumed. At a meeting of the Water Supply Committee to-day it was resolved to ask the Council to make a grant of £250 to continue certain experiments.

The Wairaakiriri is still very high, and the mails and passengers are conveyed by road. A* large gang of men are repairing the damaged portion of the railway, A man named Jardine was fined 20s. to-day for fishing without a license. "His lawyer hold that he was not liable, as he afterwards took out a license, which gave him the right to nab from before the time of the committal of the offence, but the Bench held a different view. Dbnbdin, Monday. Messrs. Reid aud Duncan, of Dunedin, have issued proposals for connecting Dunedin with Roslyn, Half-Way Bush, Kaikori Valley, and Maori Hill, by a tramway.