TELEGRAMS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 857, 14 January 1879, Page 2

TELEGRAMS.

a {vv.v. !■.;:>■.- .\.-eoi :.\TioN). '.VKLLIXUTOX. .'s'.n.v.rv 13. U i.; ru%'.or-t .jMt ITr. <h Ik Barton. ,-."!':er et t ! .. "'"••v.- Z::vh.vA J'-nst. IS I'J :•'■■'■- I Mc. Sr.i:;'.:.l u; Aioe.o'.d J.,tw < »>":. . :•. '.\.o;>. the c*ia:s;p;on wrostlt/!-, ]>ass.:d :.F::."::::ii h.evj to-day wiih hi:; ti - -">ph;es ; i;j i.i*!c3 li"t ii'.tt-nd to co:::p- ::<. nay m-'-rc-. U '.vsng now we:i rr>e hei' t..:'-. , c year:, in :;eees>iot.. Ik will settle at Kopua, Ifav.ke's Uav. v.htre he lias a Siiw mill. About tv'enty-tiee p,:i.'i-r.ts from the ho i.e.: >ro still vc'.iiain on the quarantine island, all of whom arc progressing very favorably. A branch :»>st office was to-day opened at Tc Aro.

A paper by I>i. lieJtor, read before t..a j Philosophical Society, on Saturday overling, gives a somewhat romantic description of the discovery of a new species of tree (pomaderis) made during his recent visit to Mokau. Dr. Hector was much astonished at hearing from the natives that a peculiar tree was growing on the spot where their ancesters first camped I when they abandoned the " Taiaru" canco in which they came from Hawaiki, end that tho tree had sprung from the rollers or skids and the green boughs I that were brought as flooring to the i great canoe. On his doubting this, they ojfered to take him to the place, and if he could not recognise the tree as being found elsewhere in 2Sew Zealand they would consider it as a proof that tlieir tradition was correct. To his surprise they took liim to a clearing of trees which had previously attracted his attention, from its similarity to an old apple orchard, and as it certainly was a tree quite distinct from any hitherto described in New Zealand, the tradition receives a certain amount of confirmation. Dr. Hector added that lie need hardly point out that if it were true, and wc could hereafter determine the original habit of this tree, it might give us a clue to the whereabouts of the mythical I-J.twaiki, or the place whence the Maori originally immigrated to sc,v Zealand. .Mr. Kirk, F.L.S., who opened the discussion on the paper, spoke of the discovery as being of great interest, but was inclined to believe the plant would prove identical with an Australian species, notwithstanding its larger size. In other parts of New Zealand the natives had traditions that certain trees were paddles or canoe poles, which had been tixed in tho ground on landing, and had taken root. Tiie telegraph line is to be at once extended to Northern Wairoa. It will cross ai Tokoko by :i cable, which is to be sent from Wellington. The total delayed number of telegrams now reaches 1000 a week, and the urgent telegrams 150. January 14. Charles O'Neill, engineer, obtained a verdict for L 225 commission from Samuel lirowii, tramway contractor, in a special jury case yesterday. Some singular disclosures came out in evidence as to how contracts are worked. To-day the case of Oollop, a well-known billiard phyer, against Atcheson, the inspector of police, is being heard. The action is for slander in statements made to the Licensing Conch to prevent plaintiff from getting his license. The Higher Education Commission commences to sit to-morrow. The ketch Forest Queen, which was j employed taking the cargo from the S Hyderabad, was driven ashore about a j mile from that vessel in a heavy N.W. I gale this morning. She is likely to be a total wreck, and was insured in the New : Zealand Company for L 750, two-thirds of ! her value. ! Two new buildings in course of erection | a Foresters' Hall and a Methodist \ Chapel—were blown down this morning. ! The gale is very strong. ; DUNEDIN. i January 18. I Through communication between Inverc". and Christchurch will not be opened before the 21st or 22nd. Tiie scarcity of railway material is assigned as the cause of the delay. The quarterly returns of the Board of Education show l'.io schools open, employing IS!> male and 120 female teachers, beside 7 teachers of sewing. The number of children on the roll at the end of the quarter was 10,073, comprised of 5291 bovs and 7787 girls. The average attendance for the quarter was 704<i boys and 0445 girls. The most largely attended school is the North Dunedin, with C 45 pupils. Tho ceremony of laying the foundation stone of tho Itoman Catholic Cathedral will take place on the 20th inst. The portion to be completed first will comfortably s,-at !'OO persons. Judging from the drawing, the building will be a remarkably handsome one. ."dr. De Lautour, M.IT.It. for Mount Tda. will address his constituents about the end of the month. More favorable reports are received of the condition of the crops in the Taieri di.trier. and the fruit season is the best for -.-,;:!.rs past. The Secretary of tho Society for the promotion of Savings Banks in schools has received a letter from the Government, saying it is intended to have everything perfected, so as to admit of the inauguration of the system taking place on the reassembling of schools. The Education Hoards are to be immediately communicated with, and a circular of general application is being prepared for the schoolmasters, which will be issued from Mr. Ilislop's oirice, Wellington. January 14. Bain fell in torrents, accompanied by a high wind during the greater part of last night and this morning. The weather is slid showery and threatening. This will relieve the anxieties of the city authorities, who feared a stoppage of the water supply, and had ordered the discontiuance ..f ilVj Daily Times and Star water engines. Owing to tiie prevailing dissatisfaction about the gas supplied, the Corporation gave the odicers of that department notice recently that their services would be dispensed with, and an independent inspection of the works was made by an expert. His report on the causes of the inferior light supplied confirms the report submitted from time to time by the Corporation Engineer. ?.Ir. Genevcr. The blame is chiefly attributed to the plumbers, and regulations are about to be adopted prohibiting the erection of bad fittings. It is proposed to take the drainage and sewerage of the city past the bay out to the Ocean Beach by means of a large covered sewer. The cost of the portion of the sower along the water frontage of the citv as far as its southern boundary is estimated at L-30^00. Tiie City Council proposo improving and beautifying the Town Belt by grazing sheep on it. By this means it is believed the ornamental shrubs will bo kept in subjection, and manual labor will be economised. AUCKLAND. January 13. The yacht Zodiac has been missing for a week. She went out fishing with one ■iava provisions. Her crew consists of I'rvd. ?-latson and two boys named Quinn and llealey. Considerable anxiety is felt -"'■•• their safety, and boats iive out searching for the yacht. Mr. Coiilnon, olios Sir Richard Carkeer Coulsoii, just liberated from gaol, is again its tiie hands of tho police, for smashing a window. He was removed to the Hos- ; ital to have his wounds sewn up. Col. Rosenvelt. late American Consul, has imparted by the City of New York for "Frisco, somewhat unexpectedly and to the surprise of several neighbors and friends. January 14. A man named Smith, 'working at the rech-.tnafion works, while regulating tiie v.iie-driver, lost three fingers through the fall of the monkey. The remainder will probably be amputated. There was a fight last night amongst tho crew of the James Wishart, ending in the second officer and two seamen being apprehended, CHRISTCHURCH. January 13. • The maximum heat on Thursday was 152; Friday, 152 ; Saturday, 155. The maximum in the shade was respectively 7<>, 82, and 80. Last night it begafi to

rain, and a few drops have fallen during to-day. At" the Supreme Court to-day the dispenser at the Hospital applied to be exempted from jury service on the same plea as the apothecary in "Pickwick." The judge Teleased him, not as his right, but on account of the inconvenience that might arise through his absence. A queer case has just cropped up, which i 3 causing much amusement and rejoicing in certain quarters in Eangiora. A well-known resident lately entered the Bankruptcy Court, alleging that he was forced to do so by the loss of a large sum of money, in notes, over L-2000, in Dunedin. He offered his creditors 5s in the £, which they were unwilling to take. Suspicion being aroused, the services of a detective were called in. During the debtor's absence at Christchurch, the detective and a female searcher entered the premises, and after a good deal of trouble, found a large number of notes securely and secretly sewn into an article of dress belonging to the wife of the defaulter ; L7OO, it is said, were secured in ( j :i3 way, and the joy of the creditors is easily imagined. GRAHAMSTOWN. January 14. Mr. Slieehan was entertained at a banquet last night. The Mayor occupied the chair. There was nothing very important in the speeches. BLENHEIM. January 13. A cart with a Maori man and woman in it upset at Havelock in the river. The man was drowned, and the woman is not expected to recover.