BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH

Westport Times, Volume VII, Issue 1117, 21 October 1873, Page 2

BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH

[Anglo-Australian Press Telegraph Agency] EEEFTON. October 20. Mr O'Conor addressed his constituents here on Saturday. A vote of confidence and resolution were unanimously passed asking him to become a candidate for the Superintendency. He announced his intention to stand. WELLINGTON. October 20, Great alarm on Saturday evening last. The outer signalman signalled a vessel on fire. The Patterson and Lyttleton put out and found the emigrant ship E. P. Bouvirie with 181 passengers, all well, but not on fire. The matter will form a subject for enquiry, The vessel anchored in harbor this morning. AUCKLAND, October 20, 4 p.m. The Hydaspes arrived yesterday with 205 immigrants, and Mr Robert Graham, late Superintendent. One adult and four children died on the passage. The passengers are all well. The Hydaspes met with the Queen Bee, from London to Wellington, twice on the voyage. Great preparations are being made for the reception of the Governor. Weduesday will be a public holiday. Charles Weston has cut his throat. Wound not dangerous. [Who on earth is Charles Weston, that his jugular performance should interest Westportians ?]. LYTTELTON, October 20, 4 p.m The Adamant, emigrant ship, has arrived. AUCKLAND. The Education Board have appointed Mr Curnall, B A., of Sydney University, English Master ; Mr Kent, 8.A., Senior Assistant; and Mr Toinlinson, of Nelson College, second Assistant in the Auckland College Grammar School. Seventy-three applications were received for the mastership; 42 from Australia, and 31 from all the provinces in New Zealand. The first charge against Neil Beaton, for larceny of the cargo of the schooner Florence, has been heard in the Supreme Court. He was found guilty. Sentence was deferred, pending the result of the other cases. The following was the result of the show of hands at the Superintendency nomination : —Williamson, 182 ; Dargaville, 143; Lusk, 18. A poll was demanded, and fixed for the Gth of November.

Another great fire has occurred in Queen street, which destroyed £50,000 worth of property. Eleven stores, all brick, were burnt. A large amount of goods was got out, but much damaged. A strong gale was blowing at the time.

The fire started in a store filled with gum and flax. Some damaged cotton wool discharged from the Lady Bowen, and stored there, is supposed to have ignited. The Fire Brigade's efforts were perfectly useless against the mass of flame driven by the gale. M'Farlane's store floor gave way, and numbers of men were thrown down, many of whom had narrow escapes. Vonder Hyde, of Henderson and M'Farlane's firm, was carried out insensible from the effects of the smoke. He soon however recovered.

The following is a correct statement of the total losses by the Insurance Companies : —New Zealand, £7650 ; South British, £5850; Victoria, £6000; Imperial, £700; Pacific, £2000; Norwich Union, £4000; Northern, £3000; besides other claims for partial damage, amounting to £SOOO. The total estimated damage is £50,000. The insurance companies thus lose £73,000 in Auckland during the last twelve months. No lives were lost nor any injury sustained by any person. Peter Boylan, landlord of the Royal Hotel, has been sentenced to four years' imprisonment for manslaughter of his wife by beating her and causing miscarriage, which terminated fatally. WELLINGTON. An Order in Council has been passed, authorising free passages to nominated immigrants. Superintendents will be asked to take charge of immigrants' depots and quarantine establishments. The Agent-General has been instructed to make advances to suitable immigrants, to enable them to reach a port of embarkation, He will be asked to send 20,000 immigrants during the next two months, and charter two fine steamers to start in December—one for Lyttelton, the other for Port Chalmers; so as to bring immigrants in time for the next harvest. The utmost stringency is to bo exercised in the selection of the immigrants. The American ship William Tapscott was being towed out by the

Luna, when Mr Vogel went off in a boat and stopped the Luna from towing her. He held that Captain Fairchild had no authority, and said that if the vessel went down people would say the Government wanted to get rid of her. A number of civilians and a portion of several crews had assisted to weigh anchor. The crew was very short. The captain signed an agreement to run into Lyttelton if the crew could not work the ship, and to give them £2OO bonus if they brought the ship into Queenstown without increasing the crew. He tried to charter the Ladybird to tow the vessel outside, but did not succeed. The Tapscott is still with anchor down. It is reported that a new series of Civil Service Regulations will shortly be issued, making the hours from 9.30 to 5, the same as with the Otago Provincial Government. A proclamation has been issued announcing that telegraphic messages originating in the colony of Victoria will be sent post free to New Zealand. An order of the Couucil has fixed the following telegraphic charges:— Private messages, for the first ten words, Is; every additional word, Id ; double rates on Sunday. For Press messages, on week days, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., for the first ten words, (id ; every additional word, |d. Between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m., for the first twenty-five words, Gd, and 3d for every additional twenty-five. Special arrangements will be made as regards the transmission of the Australian and San Francisco mail news. The Post says the new telegraph charges are unfair to evening papers. CHRISTCHURCH. The Punjaub immigrants continue to improve. There are twenty-six cases in the Hospital now ; only one dangerous. Thirteen are convalescent. There is a little more inquiry for wheat, for English shipment ; prices unaltered. Flour, dull. One hundred bags oats shipped to "Wellington during the week, but still dull. Holders are anxious to clear out their stocks. Quotations of wheat, 4s 9d; oats, 4s Gd; barley, nominal, 6s; flour, £ll 10s to £l2, with 10s extra, free on board ; chaff, £4 10s to £5 ; hams and bacon, 8d to B|d; butter, 7d to 7|d. It is understood that the Governor's contemplated visit to Canterbury will extend over two months. The Provincial .Government have secured Merivale House, Moorhouse's residence when Superintendent, which is ready finished, from Mr W, 11. Lane, for the accommodation of his Excellency and suite. The Christchurch journeymen butchers have given notice that, unless wages are increased on 2Gth October, they will strike. DUNE DIN. The Superintendent has received advices that the Surat has sailed for Port Chalmers with 400 immigrants. Mr James Adams, of Tokomairiro, immigration agent for the Province, has a two years' engagement. The Governor is expected to turn the sod of the Lawrence railway in December.

All the newspapers approve of the Order in Council regarding immigration. The Times insinuates that Mr Vogel will go home to take charge of immigration. The Guardian thinks the department in England cannot do the work expected. The northern gold escort is considerably larger than that of last month.

National Bank and National Insurance shares are in great demand. Trade generally is very brisk. The Mosgiel Woollen Company's shares are being briskly taken up.