LATEST TELEGRAMS.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1309, 14 April 1883, Page 2

LATEST TELEGRAMS.

(PER UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION). WELLINGTON, Yesterday. The Railway Commission for the purpose of inquiring and reporting respecting the feasibility of the proposed direct railway from Christchurch to the West Coast of the Middle Island, has now been appointed, and will consist of the following gentlemen i— Messrs J. G. Wilson, M.H.R., Mr Napier Bell, engineer, of Christchurch, and Captain Russell, of Hastings, formerly M.H.R., for Napier. The Commission will commence work in a week hence. The Agent-General cables under date Lon* don, 10th April, the departure of thb steamer British Queen for Wellington, with 290 emigrants, and the ship Forfashire for Port Chalmers, with 267 emigrants, and that the Oxford, which was dismasted in the Bay of Biscay, will probably re-embark her passengers and leave for Wellington on 25th inst. It is now considered certain that the Hannah Barrett has been lost with all hands. DUNEDIN, Yesterday. H. Longford, attempted suicide by shoot* ing himself. He had bid good-night to his wife and family, and shortly afterwards a report of a pistol was heard. The bullet narrowly missed his heart, lodging in the left lung. The family assert he discharged it ac« oidentally, but the medicai idea is otherwise. No hopes are entertained of his recovery. AUCKLAND, April 12. In the nautical enquiry yesterday into the cause of the barque Thames striking a sunken rock off Tiritiri, the Court said that although there might bo a want of caution on the part of the captain, still, taking into consideration that tho rock was not on the chart, and that there were six fathoms of water close to the rock, they did not think the master was to blame. The Court made no order regarding costa. The Society of Arts Exhibition was opened by the Governor yesterday. In the course of his remarks, Sir W. Jervois said the Colony presents an uncommonly fine field for landscape painting, and added : I do not know that I have ever seen in my life any views finer than in New Zealand, and especially in and about Auckland, for the exercise of a genius for landscape painting, and I am glad to see that so much attention has been paid here to drawings which depict New Zealand scenes. A few months ago Captain Hargraves, of the steamer Coromandel, was thrown, and had his leg broken, through a horse shying at some projecting planks on the New Zealand Timber Company’s premises. Mr Hargraves took an action to recover £5OO damages from the Company. It is announced that the action has been settled out of Court by the payment of £l5O. Owing to the heavy rains, which have flooded the whole country, Mr Brycc'a de* parture from Alexandria for the journey through the King Country is delayed till Saturday, The Waipa is flooded. No importance ia attached to the adverse letter purporting to be signed by Wahanui, which has been published. Te Wetere, with an escort, variously reported at from 50 to 100 natives is coining to meet Mr Bryce and accompany him through the country. Some people believe his passage will be obstructed. The mail steamer left San Francisco on the 9th instant. The racehorses Tim Whiffler, Rubina, and Kiugask arrived per Arawata on Wednesday night. NAPIER, April 12. The Synod has passed a resolution expressive of satisfaction at the erection of Sefwyn College, at Cambridge, as a memorial of Bishop Selwyn, and at the appointment of : the Rev. Mr Lyttleton as head master. The j college is not part of the University, and is intended for training students in the princi- i pies and doctrines of the Church of England. I

The Bishop of Melanesia (son of Blslieji Selwyn) expressed the hope tliat some wealthy colonist would found a scholarship at the college, open either to all youths of tho Colony, or to sons of New Zealand clergymen. Tie added that a resolution to this effect was passed at the anniversary of th® death of his father. NAPIER, Yesterday. The Synod disposed of several small niatters of no getieral interest. Permission tb introduce a bill giving female communieahta the right of voting at parishioners' meetings; was refused on a division. The Dein of Christchurch gave notice of motion, ebndtotining marriage with deceased wife's sister, . Et’BNfXO SiTTtTC The Synod at this sitting, were occupied with a warin debate on the religious education question. Thb Bishop of Nelson denounced the Catholic schools as giving teaching subversive of noth civil and religious liberty, in setting the head of their church and his commands bver thb Queen and her laws. Ultimately a petition was adopted, praying (1) for grants to denominational schools ; (2) for the right of clergy to enter schools ana give religious instruction to children of their own communidn aad (3) for a local option clause, empowering each committee te order specified portions 0! Scripture to be read at the option of each committee. The last clause was an amendment of Archdeacon Miles' CHRISTCHURCH, Yesterday. The damage done to the barque Monarch; by stricking the bar at Port Chalmers, will; it is estimated, cost about £2OOO in repairs and demurrage. The captain blames the Harbor authorities. The nautical inquiry will probably be held in Dunedin. The Dunedin Harbor Master exonerates the pilot from blame regarding the accident to the Monarch. She only drew 20ft. and the Edwin Fox passed safely, drawing 21ft Bln, but the swell was on in one case and a calm in the other. Vessels of short deep model, like the Monarch, are declared unsuitable for the Port. Thomas Y. Hunter, a patient who recently died in the Christchurch Hospital, has left £23, by will, to the destitute patients relief fund. This generous parting gift was the whole remainder of Hunters estate, after paying funeral and other expenses. In the matter of Ducan McCallum of the Tambour Major Coy., an application for annulling the bankruptcy proceedings was referred to by Judge Johnston this morning, in chambers. His Honor held that the court had jurisdiction, and proceedings should be set aside, unless waived irregularity was proved. Mr Joynt, for bankrupt, asked time for further argument, and the case was adjourned for a week.