TELEGRAMS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1165, 10 January 1880, Page 2

TELEGRAMS.

■■ ♦. (PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.) WELLINGTON. January 9. An enquiry into the circumstances connected with the loss of a steerage passenger off the steamer Star of the South was held before the Collector of Customs to-day. The second mate stated that while on' watch late on Wednesday night he heard a splash of water, and looking over the side discovered nothing. H e did not hear any cries. It is believed that Grafton landed at Port Chalmers about twelve months ago, and that his wife died at Oamaru in September last. The City Council received a letter from the Bank of New Zealand last night, in reference to the Waterworks loan of L 130,000, stating that the managing directors were of opinion that the immediate appeal for funds so soon after the allotment of tho last loan would have a damaging effect. DUNEDIN. January 10. At the inquest on William Desmond, the jury found a verdict of death from epilepsy, occasioned by excessive drinking, and accelerated by poison. ' Neil, the herbalist, who sold poison to the deceased, was censured for not taking better precautions in selling the same. The poison consisted of bottles of vermin killer, which contains strychnine. j CHJtISTCHURCH. January 9. A woman named Stokes was committed for trial to-day on a charge of larceny of a gold watqh and chain and a pair of goldmounted eye-glasses. Her son had found them in the street, and a neighbor who had seen Mrs. Stokes with them, and saw an advertisement re arding the missing articles, gave information to the police. Complaints are made about the practice of " cross-fishing " in the Avon. Two men stand on opposite banks wjth lines from their rods attached and strung with flies the whole width of the stream. By moving gradually dowu they can strip a whole length of river of fish. The practice is visited with a heavy penalty at home, and jt will be necessary for the Acclimatisation Society to take immediate steps jn thg mattor. The gamekeeper at Cheviot Hills, named Harrison, was drowned on Thursday evening. He was learning to swim, and had gone down to the creek by himself.

January 10. The first of this seasons grain was delivered yesterday, Graham's farm, at the railway The sample is a very good one, and".the yield was from 30 to 40 bushels to tke- acre: The Union •Insurance '- Company ,-have : received/ 'information; from London to the effect that the missing ship Know'sely, ;now 214 days out, had been posted at Lloyd's "as missing ion January 7, and that the office is.now paying claims. The New Zealand Shipping Company have received a"-cablegram to the same effect.

j At the trial yesterday of .one of the J new American goods locomotives recently •imported by ..the ■'Government, seventy | loadedttrucks wefe drawn easily through the Lyttelton tunnel. The Engineer expressed the opinion that, after a few days' -work,: the locomotive would easily draw 'lO more trucks. These engines have been imported •■■specially for steep- gradientsr They will draw 100 loaded wagons over plains.- ■ • - - -■ : - - Cptain Bayldon, of" the steamer Wanganui, which.' arrived at Lyttelton last night, reported passing 12 whales-off'the Peninsula, a- little south of Akaroa He'ads. Harrison, the;,gamekeeper- at Cheviot Hills, who was drowned on Thursday, was formerly - gam6&£ep6r ; for Coloriel Whitmore. -

AUCKLAND. r : January 9. A consignment" of Pururi mineral.waters has been sent to Sir J: Vogel, AgentGeneral, to introduce them to public notice in the London market. NORMANBY;. January. 15. ; The news of tlie removal of the Maori prisoners is received by the natives generally with indifference and an expression of faith in Te Whiti. They have no fear for the prisoners, but think that the Government wishes to make Te Whiti discontinue his strife for the land. TIMARU. ; - January 9. The meeting of burgesses rethe L 60,000 waterworks loan to-night is crowded. The poll will be taken next week. There will be a good deal of opposition .to the loan, L 20,000 of which has already been anticipated.

PORT CHALMERS. January 10. Arrivals—Maori; from Timaru, and Estelle, from Kaiapara. Sailed—Ship Dunedin, in ballast, for Port Pirie, Adelaide. A smart shock of earthquake from N.E. to S.E., and of about .90 seconds duration, was experienced here at 2 a. m. to-day.