SPECIAL TELEGRAMS.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1915, 10 December 1874, Page 2

SPECIAL TELEGRAMS.

(rer Anglo-Australian Telegraph Press Agency.) Auckland, Wednesday, 2 p.m. Sky overcast; drifting' and heavy banks of clouds, broken here and there; threatens rain. Very unfavourable for observing the transit of Yenus.-The cutter 'Hose,' from Whangapoua, has ' been seized by the Customs authorities, having on board three ten-gallon kegs of. spirits not on cargo list.—Arrived: Memento,' from flewcastle.-At the time for commencement of transit, the Sky was completely overcast-no glimpse of sun still continues, so observations must be a failure here and at the x names.—lt is reported that an Auckland whaler is ashoro at the South Sea Islands.

6 pm. The sky continued heavily overcast 'all the day. Capt. Heale, who was specially appointed to conduct the observations in Auckland, failed to get a view of the transit. Mr Lambert's party, con sisling of himself, Mr Pond, and Mr; Martin, were observing from Hobsonstreet, and they succeeded iu getting the hrst contact, which was noticed at n 37sec > Greenwich time, subject to correction. The formation of the black drop was noticed at lhsßmin,and at 2h 17min lOsec another glimpse of the sun was caught, and the planet was fully.on. Subsequently the sky became so overcast that further observation was impossible. 1 -The police have been out in a steamer , specially chartered, searching on board ' the 'Bella Mary' for Hobart Town, for Thomson, manager of Quick's stable who is supposed to have bolted. They' were not successful.—At the wool sale o-day pnees were a penny per pound higher than at the last sale.

7,55 p.m. An own correspondent's report regarding the wreck of the Auckland whaler 'Albion' is very vague. It was brought by the' Oallao,' an American whaler; to Kussell.—Thompson, the managing clerk of P. Quick, who is supposed to have absconded, had been entrusted with the full management of the affairs of the firm. A few days ago he drew the second prise, of £92, in a sweepstakes on the Melbourne Cup. All the books of his employer and a cheque book are missing. The exact amount of his defalcations is consequently not known. They are variously stated up to £700.— Cecilia Allen, the girl charged with arson at the North Shore, and supposed to bo afflicted with incendiary mono-' mania, now says her confession was ex-' torted by the promises of the police that' she would be liberated if she pleaded, guilty. She now denies committing the offence, and will be defended.-The Ous. Toms' seizure of the cutter <£ose,' for smuggling, will probably , turn out a mare's-nest. Allan, proprietor of the Albion Hotel, Coromandel, claims the liquor on board as being duty paid, and purchased by him at a sale of .a bush hotel under distress warrant. The case will be heard on Saturday-Walter Witheford, an Albertland settler, burned out recently, losing everything, was last week crossing the Whareina bridge when his horse' bolted and pitched ; himself violently against the staunchions of the bridge, breaking its neck and throwing the rider about twelve yards. He was seriously injured in the head and other parts of the body. He is gradually recovering.—. Great disappointment is felt at the unfavourable weather for the transit. Such an unbroken clouded day ha 3 not been known in Auckland for months.— A deputation waited upon the Governor this afternoon to urge the retention of the. Native Lands Court Departmental Auckland. He promised to forward the petition to the responsible advisers.—Dr Pollen was a passenger South by the 'Phoebe,'s.s., yesterday.—The schooner ' Fairy,' which went ashore at Hokianga and was abandoned by the New Zealand Insurance Company, and the wreck sold for £170, has been successfully floated off in good condition.—The weather got still more dense towards the close of the day, and none of the Auckland observatories saw anything of the final phase of the transit, .