TELEGRAMS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 330, 15 May 1877, Page 2

TELEGRAMS.

(from the press agency.) o Wellington, May 14. APPOINTMENT. The Gazette to-day notifies the appointment of W. J. Steward as Trustee of Oamaru Municipal Sinking Fund, vice Dr. Wait, resigned. A FIRE. The following are the different insurances effected on Casselberg's store and stock burned at Masterton yesterday : Liverpool and London and Globe, LISOO ; Northern, LIOOO ; New Zealand, L 100 0; Batavia, L 50 3; Norwich Union, LSOO ; Victoria, LIOOO ; National, LISOO (a third of Avhicli has been re-insured). The store was considered the finest in any country town in the Colony. The origin of the fire is still unknown. May 15. ARRIVAL OF HOME SHIP. The ship Ben Levi, from London, run in without the pilot during the heavy gale last night. She encountered very heavy weather while running down the English Channel, and lost four men off the jibboom, and had to put back for repairs. She brings a number of cabin passengers. Auckland, May 14. A DENIAL The Star authoritatively denies the rumour of Sir George Grey's intended retirement. A METEOR. A metcor-like globe of fire passed over the city this morning. MORE GOLD. Some quartz specimens, sent by Sir G. Grey from Kawau for analysis yielded at the rate of about six pennyweights per ton. SAMOAN NEWS. The brigantine Helena has arrived from Tonga and Samoa. About March 20th the May Queen was at B-ua. Having taken on board a cargo of sheep, a hurricane came on suddenly, and the vesse} was lost sight of. Nothing lias been seen or heard of her since, although the man-of-war Sappho and the King of Tonga have used every el Fort to trace her. The hurricane lasted 24 hours, and destroyed on the Tongataboo and Keppel Islands over a thousand houses and sixteen churches, which were blown down. It is generally believed that the May Queen is lost, with all hands. Captain Menzies, late chief officer of the Countess of Kintore, was in command, and the following were known to be on board : —G. Bullock, salesman for Owen and Graham, of Auckland ; George Owen, jun. ; with the mate and a crew of four Kanakas. Mrs. Menzies had landed at Samoa. The ketch Pearl, during the hurricane, was thrown high and dry on a reef at Tonga, but was got off with only a slight injury. A deputation of Samoan chiefs has gone to Fiji to claim British protection for Samoa, where all troubles are now at an end.

Lyttelton, May 15. ARRIVAL OF THE PIAKO. The New Zealand Shipping Company's ship Piako, from London, is signalled.