LATEST TELEGRAMS.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1239, 4 January 1883, Page 2

LATEST TELEGRAMS.

(from ovr own correspondent), Important Salo of Thoroughbred Stud,. AUCKLAND, This Day. The most important sale of thoroughbred stock ever held here took place yesterday at Ellerslie. The attendance was large. Messrs Bates, Butler, Vallance, and other horseowhers were present. Mr Montague Smith was the principal buyer. The following are Mr Smith’s purchases 3 year-old b f by Hippocampus, Venus—Transit, 30 guineas; Herculaneum, 3 year old, Yattenden— Peeress, 125 guineas; Tim Whiffler, 300 guineas. Maid of Honor was sold to Major Walmsley, for 295 guineas.

[MB WITBB PRESS ASSOCIATION]. ' LYTTELTON, This Day. Ths Lyttelton Graving Dock was opened yesterday. It is situated West of Naval Point, and the dimensions are—length, 4(50 feet j width at entrance, between the copings, 92 feet; depth of water on sill 23 feet) width on floor, 46 feet. The floor consists of 2 feet of masonry, on 2 feet 6 inches of concrete. The sides are of stone brought from Melbourne, and the concrete, excavation, and masonry were executed by Ware and Jones. The cost is £91076. The entrance is closed by an iron caisson from Glasgow, 62 feet long, 19 feet beam, and 28 feet deep. The dock is emptied by two centrifugal pumps, worked by a pair of 15-horse power (nominal) engines. These will empty it in five horse. The construction of the dock was commenced in October, 1879, and the last stone was laid in Feb., 1882. Considerable delay was caused by the non arrival of the caisson, owing to accidents on the voyage. To-day was observed as a holiday in Lyttelton, and a deal of bunting was displayed on the warehouses and shinning. The weather was exceedingly favourable, being calm but cloudy. A large nnmber of persons came to the Port by the morning train, to be present at the ceremony. Sir James Prendergast arrived at Lyttelton by special train at 11.40, and His Excellency was met by the Mayor and Councillors of Lyttelton, and was rowed in a pilot boat to the dock, where he was received by the members of the Harbor Board. A guard of honor, formed by the Lyttelton Naval Brigade, presented arms, and a salute of 17 guns was fired by the Christchurch Artillery, the National Anthem also being played. The ship Hurunui, 1054 tons, Captain Haselwood, then entered the dock, and His Excellency declared the dock open. Captain Haselwood was presented, according to custom, with a gold pencil case by Mr Peter Cunningham. About 2000 people were around the dock. After the opening a luncheon took place in the export shed. The Chair was occupied by Mr Peter Cunningham, chairman of the Harbor Board. The Acting-Governor was among those present.

WELLINGTON, This Day, The application by local bodies for assistance under the Roads and Bridges Construction Act numbers close on 100, but of these several are without the necessary plans, specifications, and estimate of the work to be undertaken. The total amount applied for is close on £68,000. The allocation of the vote will not be completed for some weeks. The Customs revenue collected here up to the end of last month showed a decrease of £1,650 for last quarter, and also showed a falling off from the corresponding quarter of last year of £1,600. Mr J. Jawers, manager of the local branch of the Bank of Australasia, and who has been promoted to the Inspectorship in Australia, was entertained at a banquet last night. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company report under date London, Jan 2 i The Wool market, unchanged. The Wheat market, no alteration to report, prices remaining without quotable change. Tallow market flat, with absence of speculative demand ; beet mutton, worth £44 ; best beef, £4l 10s. Leather, beet side are worth lid. N. Z. Flax market is qniet, fine quality is worth £2B per ton.

DUNEDIN, This Day. A lad named Thompson, in attempting to jump on the Beaumont punt, which plies across the Clutha, fell backward, and was drowned.

AUCKLAND, This Day. The body of Edith Wallis was found floating outside Raglan Harbour. £lO,OOO passed through the totslisator during the three days races. At the inquest on H. J. Smith, formerly of Christchurch, a verdict of death from natural causes was returned; the post mortem showed extensive disease of the heart.

CHRISTCHURCH, This Day.

At the inquest on the body of James Thomson, who was killed on the railway on Monday last, the evidence showed that the deceased had heen drinking for some time past, anc was alone at the time of the accident, which was not observed by any of tne other passengers by the train. During the firing of the salute ou the arrival of Sir James Prendergast at the Graving Dock yrsterday, Gunner Washer, whose duty it was to carry cartridges from the Umber to the gun, was standing with a charge in his hand too near to the muzzle while the gun was being sponged out. The stiong wind that was blowing at the time carried a spark from the gun on to the cartridge, which Washer was holding, and exploded it, inflicting some severe burns on his arms, breast, and neck. The whole of the front of his tunic was nlso burnt away. On Tuesday, as the last train from Southbridge was near Prebbleton, the engine driver observed a little child, about eighteen months old on the line. He whistled repeatedly, but the child had not sense enough to run away. The brakes were put on, but the engine was not stopped in time, and the cowcatcher pushed the child off the line, bruising one side of the face and head rather badly. She was immediately taken to a doctor and attended to, and yesterday was doing very well.

INVERCARGILL, This Day.

At the Police Court to-day, a rabitter, named James Mulholland, was brought up and remanded, on a charge of having on New Year’s Day discharged a loaded gun at his wife, with intent to do grievous bodily harm. The parties live at Jetting river, in the Oreti riding, Southland county. The accused fired through the door, on the other side Of which the wife was pushing in order to keep him out. The ball struck her stays, and grazed the spine. The wound inflicted is not serious, but there is danger of erysipelas setting in. It is understood that Mulholland was jealous of his wife, who is considerably younger than he is,