Telegraphic.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 3150, 11 March 1889, Page 2

Telegraphic.

■ sad' fatalities.

■■■■ • - Westpori, Monday. , AVltilo oroasing: Fox's River between l Brighton and Chavlestoe on Saturday ! morning , in. a chair the ropc broko, and the three occupants were thrown into the stream and carried out to sea by the flood running, at- the time. Their namos are 'William Ryan aged 60, John Niven, 12, and Margaret Niveu, 15.. The bodies avenot yet recovered. Heavy rains and flooded rivers prevailed on Friday, and Saturday. No damage is reported. It is fine to-day.

Bush Fires. | . "Woodvilie,- Monday. On Saturday the strong gale blowing spread the bush fires in the Maharahara district to such an extent that the hom&s of; iievoral settlers were in great danger. 'Fortunately rain fell in the afternoon and stopped the spread of the fires.r ■ ;.'

A SENSIBLE REPLY. Ohristohubch, March 10. ■■ The deputation who asked Mr (J. \ Louisson, tho Mayor,lo presido over t a meeting expressing sympathy with j Mr Parnell, have received the follow.- j ing reply" In reference' to; your request that I should preside oyer a ' meeting called for expressing sym- 1 pathy with Mr.-Parnell auil his 1 colleagues, I have considered the matter carefully, and.- am of the i Opinion I expressed to you that, it would hot -be advisable for me, as ' Mayor of Ohristohuroh, to preside at ' such a meeting. Were Ito do so, 1 the immediate result would be that. ! it would be telegraphed all'over the , Colony, and probably to England, ' that at the meeting presided over'by J the Mayor of Christohurch, certain . resolutions were passed unanimously. 1 These resolutions would be taken as ' expressing the opinion of the citizens' of Christchxirch, • and• 1 do not think that Ihavo any right to bind the oitizens to any resolutions passed which would be of an ex part? nature, Further, I think it inadvisable to introduce for public debate those questions which do not interest except sentimentally, and which aro being discussed and fought out in another country with the bitterest animosity. I think when ■we come to this Colony, which has been so kind to us, we • should leave behind all questions of such nature, and should only bring with us a feeling of love and veneration for the i country of our birth. .. I conaidei-that i my functions as Mayor are purely 1 local and municipal; and although ! occasionally it becomes necessary to go beyond that in matters having | provincial or even a colonial tendeuoy, i I do not thinli that I should be , justified in introducing Horuepolii tics into our community' officially." above reasons I trust you will 3 excuse my inability to accede to your c request, and I hope that- such a J refusal will not be considered by you , as an expression of opinion on the 3 merits of the subject yon propose to 0 discuss,"

• . FIRE. ' Oajiaru, March 10. If l'be Totara Estate woolshed was 3 destroyed by fire on Saturday morn- " in& early. Three men supposed to be swaggorfl were observed to leave the vicinity shortly before tho fire ' broke out, audit is supposed they were smoking and'thus caused the [J fire, The building was a large one, and at the time of the fire contained [t 40 tons of chaff, beside other articles, 'j The insurance is LBOO in a Dunediu n office. The name is not at present li known,

Bush fires ill Canterbury. Ohuistohdroh, March 9. jj'ires are still raging on Banks' Peninsula, Knox's house, at Akarou, was ik'Btroyod, and a very large quantity of winter feed was burned, Serious bush and grass tires are reported from the Oxford district. On Driday ft grass fire started, on Henderson and Mcßeath's run, and burnt for six miles, destroying the. stock of oats and a quantity of feed belonging to Mr Jeffs j also two stacks of oats and the fences belonging to Charles Thompson). A bush fire started near Cooper's Creek on Thursday night, and spread, over two miles of country, destroying ut large quantity of fencing,. firewood, posts and rails, &c, A telegram from Akaroa thiß aftornoon states that at Barry's May almost all the winter feed hus been burned, as' well as many fences! The fire is still raging, and has just run round toward Fronch Farm, A very serious loss has been sustained, At Kaihi Mr Aylmer's feed has been i destroyed, as well as his shoe]), Early this morning Mr A Knox's house was destroyed; Mr G. Knox's was 6aved with difficulty, all the furniture being removed iu case of accident. Yesterday and to-day parts of the Summitroad were impassable, A very large area of winter feed has been destroyed, The loss is estimated at hundreds of. pounds. There is no knowing where tho fires will spread to;: Large fires broke out at Le Bons Bay. yesterday.

FLOODS. Greymouib, March 0. Very heavy rain fell last night, and this morning the river was bank high.. News from Ahauro reports a likelihood of a stiff flood - there, hut the-weather .is breaking. The tram'way manager at' Terematau wires: —A heavy flood in the Toremakau River; no cage traffic. Scott Bros., the contractorslost 80ft of a cylinder, a pair of locks, a donkey engine and monkey, and 16' Oft of staging and all the loose gear.

The "Bags" Dispute. ... Dbnf, din, March 10. At a meeting called on ; Saturday to consider the hags question, there, was a good attendance of farmers but .only one broket. : The meeting ™ adjourned to Mosgiel, one speaker remarking that if the brdkers did not attend the meeting the' question would be settled without them, as the farmers- were 'determined to get .a price for bags, instead of having theni weighed in. ■

Death of an old Settler. Auckland, Monday. Alex Chapman, for sixty years a resident of Hokianga, died suddenly, aged 88.

Death of a Noted Maori. Auckland, Monday. Wetere te Rerenga, chief of Mokau, died on Saturday night of congested liver. He was well known as the leader of the party of Maoris who committed the White Cliff massacre, when the Rev Mr Whitely and others were murdered.