LAST NIGHT’S WIRES.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1339, 7 August 1883, Page 2

LAST NIGHT’S WIRES.

(From our own Correspondent.) DUNEDIN, August 6. The Rotomahana arrived safely at laylight yesterday. Captain Carey has made h statement, of which the foilowing are the principal points Took the ordinary course, and took departure from Slope Point. We were going 8 or 9 knots, and think the current must have taken her in. There was a slight swell from southward, and the wind was off shore. The captain was on the hurricane deck looking for Dog Island when the casualty occurred. Gresham, the second officer, was on the look-out at a quarter to four. 'The second officer telegraphed “ Stop,” and the order was given, “ Full speed astern.” After going astern some time, she touched lightly. The current slewed the steamer round like a top, and I put the helm hard a-port. The engines were now going at full speed astern, all the time bumping heavily. We put the helm hard a po again, and went a-head. Saw a rock on the starboard bow, and at once went astern again ; put helm to starboard, and crawled

along the shore. The man at the lead reported 6 to 7 fatboms, later he gave it at 11. and then f«r a time no water, I (aid, " What is it now," and he said “ Seventeen fathoms, and no bottom.” The vessel muse have touched the edge of the reef in 17 fathoms. I stopped and then saw Dog Island. Stayed there until daylight, and then steamed for the Bluff. The ship struck heavily twice. I cannot account tor the casualty, unless the current sot her iu. Everything was got ready in case of necos sity, and the passengers and crew behaved splendidly. The steamer was among the rocks for twenty minutes- The fact of the captain having extricated ths ship from her condition, is considered by the orew and passengers as nothing short of a miracle. This is the first mishap Captain Carey has had in his long experience. A man yesterday entered Molllson’* stables, selected one of the best horses in the stalls, put on a bndls, and mounted. One of the stablemen ran up and asked what ho was doing, when the man threatened to knock him down with a big stick he carried, and then rode away. He was subsequently arrested with the horse in his possession. The adulteration oases against the publicans have been dismissed, on the ground that the police had not sufficiently identified the aampiea. The Rotamahana arrived safely at daylight this morning. The steamer was docked, and it was found that she had serious injuries. The after stern frame ia broken nine inches below the base, the keel piece is broken, six • feet of it being gone; two feet of the sternpost is broken off, and 43 feet of the keel; the [larboard streaks on both sides are twisted, and on the starboard side amidships are several large dents ; one blade of the propellor is broken right off, and the other three are more or less damaged. No damage has been done forward. Her repairs will take a considerable time. THAMES. The new Prince Imperial claim obtained 2,6030 z. IBcwt. of gold for the month's crushing, and declared a dividend of 6s, making the total dividends £l6 per share or a total of £23,400 within sixteen months. CHRISTCHURCH. The excitement in reference to diamond discoveries are on the increase. The Shorthorn oow Duchess of Brunswick, recently imported by Mr J. Deans from Australia at a cost of over £6OO, died on Saturday, AUCKLAND. A man named Quinlan has been dangerously stabbed by three Kbnakaa in a drunken row at the Auckland Hotel. Humphrey Rawlings, recently a plumber, has died, bequeathing about £l6OO to tho establishment of scholarship* for public schoolboys, and £l5O to the Young Men'* Christian Association. INVERCARGILL. On Saturday the Rabbit Inspector sued Richard Spanos for the cost of clearing his run of rabbits, and recovered the full amount £BO, and £2O costs. Yesterday two horsemen oame in colli*sion with each other ; one horse was killed, and one of the riders, Fincham, was seriously injured.