CHRISTCHURCH.

Thames Star, Volume IX, Issue 3014, 12 October 1878, Page 2

CHRISTCHURCH.

■ ■;.■■. „.'. ■/ ;■' . ' ', ■';• •.i Friday. j A hot wind blew yesterday and to-day, accompanied by a heavy rain to-day, which had the usual effect of flooding the Waimakariri, the Eangitata, and the Eakaia. A span of the Kangitata, or .at least seven piles of it, were carried away this morning, and railway communication between Christchurch and Dunedin cut off. All goods traffic is suspended, and passengers cross the bridge on foot, exchanging trains on the other, side. The river is reported to-be very high^ arid danger is anticipated for the.whple of the bridge, as both ends have been weakened. 'Through communication is again suspended on the north line, and th^^aimakariri issaidto be rising at an alarming rate. The Eakaia is also,,rising, rapidly. The. general manager left for the Kangitata this .morn.lrig,■..T«aad..> t a gang of ten men were in readiness to repair the ballasting near the Waimakariri. >

The JS.Z. Shipping Company have received cable advices of the arrival of the Waikatb in London.

At the Supreme Court this morning Belcher and Sorenson, for feloniously and maliciously killing cattle, were sentenced' to two months' imprisonment with hard' labour. In the .ckse of Hqch, for/wife murder, after.,a |,bri(Bf delibeiation, the jury returned into Court with a verdict.^f " Wilful Murder," with a strong recom-, mendation to mercy. The Judge passed •sentence of death, and said he would forward the recommendation) with which he. agreed, to the proper quarter. . ': Bad accounts of the flood are still coming in from all quarters. , .