TELEGRAPHIC INTELLIGENCE.

Southland Times, Issue 1338, 22 November 1870, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC INTELLIGENCE.

DxmEDiK', Nov. 21. Thomson's road steamer, just imported by Mr Gillies, made a very successful trial trip on Saturday. Police protection is not to be withdrawn from the Bluff. A constable for that station leaves Dunedin by the first steamer. In the Council to-day, Mr M'lndoe's motion — "That the provisions of the Volunteer Act should be extended to fire brigades" — was - carried, as was also a motion for the appointment of a con. ference to arrange a basis of union with Canterbury. News from Auckland says that rain broke a long drought on the 17th. James, Friers, Irwin, and Armstrong have been convicted of illicit distillation, and fined £100 each. The American correspondent of the Southern Cross says that Webb's and North Pacific Company's first boat starts in February, and calls at Honolulu and Fiji, with a branch boat to Auckland, "Wellington, and Port Chalmers, the main line continuing on to Morton Island, there transhipping mails and telegrams for Brisbane, and thence going on to Sydney and Melbourne. The boats already named for the line are tho Nevada,. Nebraska, and Dacotab, the fourth being undecided.

The time in which it is proposed to run the distance from San Francisco is to Auckland, 24 days; Sydney, 28 days. Mr Nelson, agent of the company, is here conferring with Mr Vogel. Mr Binney has sold wheat at from 5s 3d to 5s 6d; barley, 2s 8d to 3s. The Council here have considered the Superintendent's proposal for a subsidised steam service between Auckland, New Caledonia, and Fiji, and postponed the matter until the Estimates are brought down. The Blanche sails on the 21st. She takes the Governor to "Whangarei, and will call at Kawau, where His Excellency will visit Sir Geo. Grey. The firat sale of the season of wool and flax has taken place. "Wool in the grease brought from 4£d to 6£d; washed, 8d to lid ; flax, favorite brands, £16 15s ; medium, £11 to £13 lOg ; inferior, £8 per ton. Arri ved — Taranaki. A dreadful boat accident occurred at Napier last night, when five lives were lost. A party of six, comprising Messrs Martin, M'Nalty, and son, Mr Robert; Brenton, architect, and son, Mr Henry Tates, printer, and Mr Henry Holloway, went out to the Bay for a pleasure sail. They lost their rowlocks near the Bangitira bank, when Beukers, late ferryman, went out to their assistance. The party caught hold of his" boat, and both boats capsized. Other boats went out, and searched till darkness came on. Beukers and Holloway were picked up in an exhausted state by a boat from the Challenger, two miles from laud ; all the others being drowned, and their bodies not yet recovered. The evening was beautifully calm. The three men drowned leave wives and families. James Alexander, postmaster at Kaiapoi, Canterbury, was arrested last evening on a charge of embezzling Government money. The defalcations are over £100. The ballot was brought into operation for the first time in Canterbury on Saturday last in an election for Oxford, when Mr Higgins was returned to the Provincial Council for that district, beating Mr M. B. Hart by 4. Christopher Dalwood's uninsured stables were burned down last night. This is the second fire in the same locality in less than three weeks. Alexander was brought up this morning, and remanded to Kaiapoi.