LATEST TELEGRAMS.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1220, 8 December 1882, Page 2

LATEST TELEGRAMS.

[per united press association], WELLINGTON, This Day. The N.Z.L. and Mercantile Co. report, under date London, 6th December, that the wool competition is increasing, and the market is firmer. Long staple merino scoured is in demand. Up to date 11,700 bales have been sold : the total quantity withdrawn to date is 11,000 bales. The sales will close on the Sth inst. Wheat.—The market is quiet; Adelaide is worth 49s 6d per 4961bs ; N.Z. is worth 43s per 4961b5. Tallow.—The market is quiet, best mutton being worth £44 10s; best beef, £42 10s. Leather market flat; best sides are worth lid. The steamer Napier struck Barrett’s reef on leaving the Harbor last night, and arrived at Picton this morning with her forefoot injured and leaking. The Marine Department received the following telegaam from the Customs officer at Foxton ;—The Master of the cutter Hero arrived from Akaroa, and reports seeing some wreckage on the sth inst. He ran alongside and found it to be a vessels foremast painted yellow, and floating upright. He thinks it is that of the brigantine Esther. Cape Campbell Cove, South by West, distant about seven miles.

TH3 TRANSIT OF VENUS. A superb morning broke on this eventful day of the long-looked-for Transit of Venus ; hardly a cloud was to be seen, or a breath of wind felt. When the sun first rose there was, as there had been all night, a good deal of that atmospheric disturbance known as “ boiling,” which caused the solar disc at times almost to resemble a circular saw, and rendered all precision of definitions impossible, but as the morning wore on this passed away, and there was, at the critical moment, perfect stillness and definition; the dark body of the planet could plainly be seen, even with the naked eye, protected by smoked glass, as the sun rose, and it remained uninterruptedly visible to the end. Just before egress some light fleecy clouds passed eastward, causing apprehension lest at the supreme instant of internal contact the observation should be marred. Fortunately the fear proved groundless, the clouds passed by, and at the time of contact the clearness and stillness could hardly have been better. As Venus slowly passed off the sun the curious appearance noticed in 1874 was presented, of the sun having a small semicircular notch cut in the upper edge of his disc. By 7.52 a.m. all was over, and it only remained to compute and compare results. The success of the New Zealand observations was almost complete. Col. Tupman (Bumham), Mr McKerrow and Mr Adams (Mount Cook, Wellington), the Ven. Archdeacon Stock and Mr King (Thorndon), Mr Shannon and Mr Littlejohn (Terrace, Wellington), Mr Marchant and Capt. Hewitt (Wairarapa), Mr Humphries (New Plymouth), and Professors Smith and Pritchard, of the American observing party (Auckland), all report thoroughly satisfactory observations of both internal and external egress contact. The American party, moreover, has been successful in taking no fewer than 75 splendid photographs of the Transit. W. B. Gibbs, of Wellington, has also taken several excellent photographs of the phenomenon in its different stages. It would hardly be possible for a more perfect accomplishment to have been achieved after the expiration of so many years than that which has on this occasion rewarded New Zealand observers- The only failure among the more important observations was that of Dr. Hector, at Clyde, whose view was vexatiously interrupted by a dense cloud almost at the very instant of contact. There are, however ample and sufficiently complete observations for all the the purposes aimed at.

The Cricket Match, Auckland v. Wellington, commenced at 12.15 to-day. The weather was fine, with a light southerly breeze. A good wicket had been prepared. Wellington won the toss, and elected to go in. Brown and Alpe first men. With the score at 13, Brown skied one of Gibbs’, which was taken by Dufaur, the wicket-keeper, I—7 — 13. Heenan followed, and, after scoring 2, was caught by Gill off his own bowling, 2— 2—20. Frith (captain) was the next man, but after a dozen had been added, Alpe played one of Lankham’s back to him, and he had to retire, 3—20—32. Lynch was the next man. The score stands three wickets for 39. With 40 up Lankham changed to the north end and relieved Gill, Buckland taking the south end. The change was successful, for in Lankham’s second over Lynch, in playing back, hit his wicket, 4—11—55. The teams then adjourned for lunch. CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. Henry Clark, a lad who had fancied he could shoot himself with an unloaded gun, not possessing a trigger, and then tried to cut his throat in disgust at his non success, was brought before the Resident Magistrates Court. It appeared that he is of weak intellect, aqd being a cripple, his inability to work preyed upon his mind. The Magistrate decided to try and see whether he could not be admitted into the Ashburton Home.

At the Inquest on the young woman Berry, who was found dead in her bed, the medical evidence showed apoplexy to be the cause.

There is an outbreak of scarlet fever at South Rakaaia, which is spreading rapidly. The public school is closed in consequence. Robert Ewing has been comitted for trial for setting fire to his house, which was insured for £lOO. He had smashed up the place generally in a drunken tit, and then set fire to a quantity ef gorse inside. Bail for £lOO and two sureties of £5O was demanded of him. AUCKLAND, This day. Mr Sheehan, M.H.R., and Mr Moorhouse, will probably leave for Napier in the course of the present week, meeting Mr Bryce at Rangipo, Taupo, there to endeavor to settle the long-standing dispute between the Natives and lessees of the Murimotu. The Northern Boot Factory has delared a dividend of 10 per cent. The Native road obstructors at Whangarel were very defiant yesterday, and paraded with loaded guns and tomahawks on the disputed blocks, and practised firing at targets from sunrise. These proceedings were witnessed by many ; settlers. DUNEDIN, This Day. 1 Caldwell, Head Gaoler of Dunedin, who it was announced recently would be shipped 1 to Auckland, has received 12 months’ leave > on full pay. i Mr Bracken, M.H.R. for Dunedin Cen-

tral, addressed his constituents last night. There were 600 or 700 people present. At the close of his address a unanimous vote of confidence was carried. PATEA, This Day. The cricket match Aucklack v. Patea concluded yesterday, wit an easy victory for the local team. Auckland collapsed suddenly, the last five wickets falling without an addition to the score. Auckland, Ist innings, 40, 2nd, 55. Patea : Ist innings, 60 j 2nd 47, with 6 wickets to fall. OAMARU, This Day. As a married woman named Page was milking a cow last evening, the animal kicked her on the chest, which caused the bursting of a blood-vessel. Tbe cow then gored the unfortunate woman. The sufferer is still alive.