LATEST TELEGRAMS.

Patea Mail, Volume II, Issue 196, 24 February 1877, Page 2

LATEST TELEGRAMS.

[Pee Press Agency.] AUCKLAND. February 23. Backhand repoHs: —Fat cattle, 23s to 28s ; fat sheep, 23s 4d ; Adelaide flour, £ IS; Dunedin flour, £l7 ; bran, 5s IGd ; pollard, 6slod; oatmeal, £ls ; pearl barley, £22 ; oats, 2s 9d to 3s; maize, ss; potatoes, £■!•; butter, Is ; cheese, 0; hams and bacon in cloth, lOd, WELLINGTON. February 23. O’Shea reports produce prices as follows:—Flour, £ls: old oats, 3s to 3s fid ; bran, l()d to Is ; wheat, none ; hams low, 9d ; bacon, fid to 8d ; cheese, 7-ql to B.7'!’, potatoes, 80s to 90s; maize, Is Gd ; pollard, 7s lo.lUs. NELSON. February 20. Pitiable talcs having been received of the distress occasioned by the floods at Motneka. where many of the settlers have lost their all—horses, stock, crops, and in some cases the land itself—a public meeting was called by the Mayor for last night, and it was well attended. The Bishops of Nelson and Melanesia, and Messrs. Curtis and Sharpe, M. 11. IPs, took part in the proceedings. A resolution of sympathy was passed, and a committee appointed to collect subscriptions. £9O was collected in the room, BLENHEIM. February 20. It was a beautiful day for the races, and there was a large attendance. The following is the result: Hurdle race—McArtncy’s Whalebone won easily, bard held. Maiden Plate Lady Mary won easily. Redwood’s Ladybird was the only other competing horse. Bheras’ Purse—Chanticleer was first and Rosebud second in each heat.

Blenheim Handicap Horn first, Lady Mary second. Tom Finn third. This was a splendid race, and there was great excitement. Sapling Stakes—Rata won easily. Purike second, Ladybird third. HOKITIKA. February 19. The First Rifle Match was finished at one o’clock. It took one hour less time than the same match last year. The following are the scores: Richardson 70, Partington 69, Paynter 69, Sergeant King 68, Keefe 67, Clark 66, Harding 66, Willcocks 65. Second Carbine Match. The scores are: Hill 36, Cummins 33, Broughton 33, and Kettle fourth place with 32. The second rifle match resulted in the best shooting ever made at the colonial meetings. The scores are : Partington (Auckland) 37 ; Stonebridge, Parker, Keefe, Turner, Wash, and Mclntosh, 36 each. In firing off the ties Stonebridge made five ball’s eyes and one centre. The others were placed as named. February 20. Heavy rain fell last night and there was no firing iintill after breakfast. Third Carbine Match. The scores are: Kctter (Dunedin) 33, McLean (Auckland) 81, Strange (Christchurch) 30, Kissell (Nelson) 30. Third Rifle Match. The scores arc : Parker 32, Keefe 32, Willcocks 32, Armstrong 32, Stonebridge 31, Paynter 31, A. Sutton 31, Atcheson 31. February 21. Heavy rain set in this morning, and the shooting was ail stopped. Every

j preparation was made at the camp for wet weather. The 200 yards range of the Fourth Rifle Match was fired iu the afternoon, and won by Ross (Wanganui) with the splendid score of 27, out of a possible 28, with an eight-inch bull’s eye. The Fourth Carbine Match was then fired, the following being the result: Bell 67, McLean 67, Cummins 66, Blake 64.

February 22. The Governor and suite arrived at the Riffle camp shortly after one o’clock, when His Excellency addressed the competitors. After land icon the carbine men fell in and marched to the range, and by the time His Excellency arrived, all was in readiness for the moving target-match, which commenced, the result being: Blake, (A.C.) 47; Milne, (Dunedin) 89 ; Rose, (Auckland) 38 ; Lange, (Oamavn) 37. The Rifle men then fell in to complete the fourth match. The prize winners are, Richardson, 71 ; Acheson, 71; Paynter, 70; Smith, 69; Haslett, 69; Anderson, 68 ; Murray, 68 ; Ballinger, 68. The English and Grey mouth, cricket match ended in a draw. The total of the English Team was 99, Ulyett not out, Ulyett and Charlwood kept the field leather hunting until time was called at 6 p.m. February 23.

About 500 people were present at the Eifle firing yesterday, during the visit of the Governor. In the evening His Excellency and suite attended the Citizens Banquet in the Town Hall, the Mayor presiding. The Governor in responding to the toast of the evening, expressed his gratification at the signs of progress presented in the district. Mr Button, in proposing the toast “ the Governor’s responsible advisers ” said lie was satisfied there was no part of New Zealand in which the people were more generally satisfied with the Ministry of the day than the people of Westland. Mr Bowen in responding, said no doubt on the question of Abolition a great part of the country was at the back of the Ministry, and this part of the country especially. In afterwards proposing “ The prosperity of Westland ” he referred to recent discoveries of tin, antimony, silver, and lithograph stone. He said he should have liked much to have seen the County Council in full working order, so that he might discuss with them at this meeting, the question of water races. After the Banquet the Governor drove through the town, escorted by the Volunteer Band, and the Fire Brigade in torchlight procession. The clays proceedings ended with illuminations, and a great display of fireworks. The Governor is now on his way to Greyiuouth, via Kumara, where there is to bo a lunch and presentation of an address, and a characteristic miner’s procession. The highest aggregate scorer for the Eifle Championship, including fourth match, was Paynter, 205. The highest for the carbine’s belt, was McLean, 173. DUNEDIN. February 23. At the Annual Meeting of subscribers of the Benevolent Institution, held yesterday, [Sir J. Eichardson, and Mr Bathgate, E.M., dwelt at length upon the future prospects of the institution, and the question of legislation, with a view to check the evils arising from wife desertion and drunkenness.

Two other questions were also largely discussed, viz., the increasing pauperism in the city, and the establishment of an orphanage in connection with the institution Mr Driver, yesterday, sold the Raglan estate, in the North Island, to Mr Studholm, of Christchurch, for £34,000. The escort, last month, brought down 8,773 ozs. of gold. Quotations remain unaltered in the Share Market, and but little has been done in the grain market during the past week, but good samples of new crop are wanted, and will command a high srice. Oats are in request. The market is bare of stocks—prices 2s 3d to 2s 9d; barley, of prime quality, inquired for, but none offering. Feeding and milling saleable at 2s 9d to 3s. AUSTRALIAN. PER TARARUA AT BLUFF. February 15. The Opposition policy, it appears from Berry's speecli on Monday night, has undergone no alteration ; that it still consists of protection and breaking up of large estates, but no land tax. Candidates are being daily announced for the several constituencies. Parliament is not likely to be dissolved until the end of March. Until then, there will be no ministerial deliverances. There was heavy rain on Monday night. It was joyfully received. It was the first rainfall for six weeks. Numberless cattle and sheep have died from starvation. The Union Bank intend erecting new premises in Collins street on the site recently purchased for £33,000 Three theatres and a large circus are now open in Melbourne, besides other amusements. A woman was killed by lightning, and two women swept away by a flood, last Monday night. The Stevensons have given notice to the Crown that they intend to discontinue their action. Tasmanian advices announce a deficiency in the hop crop this year. Breadstuffs continue firm.