INTERPROVINCIAL.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXIV, Issue 9662, 4 November 1882, Page 2

INTERPROVINCIAL.

(PER UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION.) AUCKLAND. November 2. Colonel Tupman and Lieutenant Eltuesley and Coke, motnbers of the English Transit of "Venus party, loft for the south to-day per Manapouri. It is not yet definitely decided where the transit will be observed from, as Colonel Tupman is desirous of consulting Dr Hector beforo arriving at a decision. November 3. Meoallum's opera troupe opened tonight at the Opera House with " Tambour Major." There was an excellent house, notwithstanding the inclemency of the weather. The audience were enthusiastic. There is a stiff north-easter, with incessant' rain. The only accident reported is the swamping of two men in a boat belonging to the cutter Lizzie, but they were. rescued. The City Council ordered an indent . from England of plant for the extension of the water supply to. the recently annexed suburbs to the city, at a cost of £10,000. It was decided at a public mooting, presided over by the Mayor, to give Dr Philson a testimonial on his retirement from the office of medical superintendent of the hospital. A committee has been appointed to go into the question of taking over the hospital under a local committee of management. GISBOBNE. November 3. The directors of the Southern Cross Petroleum Company have decided to commence boring at once from the bottom of the shaft. The drill hole will bo ' seven and a half inches. The manager reports that the oil is still flowing into the shaft in small quantities. The Electric Light Committee have decided to call for tenders in England, through the Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, for the supply and delivery in Poverty Bay roadstead of the necessary plant and machinery to light the town of Gisborne. NAPIER November 3. A committee has been formed to get up competition matches at the annual meeting of the Now Zealand Fire Brigade Association, at Napier, next January. It is hoped that sufficient subscriptions will be raised to offer such substantial prizes as to induce colonial brigades to send up strong representative teams. MASTERTON. November 3. At Brancepeth yesterday a bushfeller named James Duncan, nged 18, had his leg crushed by a falling tree. He was removed to the Masterton Hospital, but died this morning from the shock received to the nervous system. WELLINGTON. November 3. The Harbour Board have ordered Priestman's dredge to remove the silt along the breastwork. To-morrow night all the Volunteer officers who went to Parihaka last year will be entertained at dinner at the Club by Captain Johnston, of the Naval Brigade, .

EEEFTON. i .November 2. | Gassier and party, alluvial miners at j Marina, within a mile of ' the route of i the "proposed East and West Coast i Eailway, report the discovery of quartz i reefs forty miles from Eeefton, in the direction of Christchurch, and near Cannibal Gorge. They obtained fine gold in all the reefs, and near another lode found a piece of quartz with odwts of gold in it. They will take up tools from here to cross-cut the reef and test it._ The formation of the country is said to be the same as Eeefton. They also report the existence of several coal seams in the same locality. " A small wayside hotel near Eeefton was burnt down yesterday afternoon. The place was fully covered by insurance of £400 in the Imperial. CHKISTCHUBCH. November 3. Ex-Superintendent Harris, of the Fire Brigade, was formally presented this afternoon with a douceur of a hundred guineas by the City Council. Mr Meddings, electrician, took the opportunity of explaining at length the new fire alarm system. At the inquest on the body of the man named Perry, killed in a fight at Hororata, a verdict was returned exonerating Truman Jones (not Hobbs as telegraphed) from blame. The evidence showed that Perry was in an unhealthy condition, and the excitement had killed him. The new electric fire alarm system was tested to-day, with the chemical engine, both being satisfactory; The weather has been very hot and mu ggy to - For the first time this month a little rain also fell. . ■ ; DTJNEDIN. ; \ , . . November 2. ! Mr Hackwbrth, Collector of Customs; held a preliminary inquiry into the Eotomahana accident at the Bluff. All the evidence went to show that the accident was caused by the strength of the wind and tide, which were unusually strong, not being sufficiently allowed for. ' • ■- At the railway inquiry the evidence given by one of the platelayers named Lockley is to the effect that the ganger who was iv charge of that portion of fine did not know his duty, and that ho had once threatened to the ganger to report him in relation to this. Messrs Hannay, and Lowe say, " the statements made by the -.platelayer Lockley regarding his manner of doing his work form a subject of independent inquiry. Lockley asserts positively that the statements he makes of portions of the line being improperlyi treated do not apply to this curve on' which the accident took place, which he, eqaally with others, states was in goodj order. All this portion of his evidence is, therefore, foreign to the subject of. this inquiry." Edward Bogden, a little boy three jpars old, was drowned in Tokomaririro Biver yesterday through a poition of; the bank on which he was standing 1 falling in. . '• The nominations of immigrants forwarded from Home for October, number .117. A full report of Mr Hannay and Mr Lowe on the Waitati railway accident,, , with notes of the evidence taken, has been handed to the Press here. The rereport says, ' ' in the evidence adduced and amongßt.allthe circumstances that have come within our ■ knowledge, nothing has transpired to point prominently to an immediate cause of the derangement of the train," and concludes, " We do not find that any negligence or wrongful act of any person has been proved to have beeu the occasion of the accident, but collateral circumstances which have been brought under our notice during this inquiry demand strict investigation, and willresult in increased vigilance throughout the ' service.' " The National Insurance Company's balance-sheet to 30th September is published to-day. It shows a net income from all sources of to which must be added £3287 from last year. The losses were ; working expenses and other items, £30,833 ; leaving a surplus on the year's operations of £28,844, The directors recommend the payment of a dividend of 10 per cent, for the half year (making with the interim declaration 20 per cent, per annum on the old capital of £4000), absorbing £500, and £0619 19s is carried forward of the new issue of shaves. All with the exception of 3785 shares have been taken up by shareholders. A gale of extraordinary violence was experienced on the Carriok Bange. 'So great was the force of wind that a dray and three horses were blown over, while aii unfortunate miner, who was caught in a blast, was lifted clean off his feet and hurled in the neighbouring gully.