(From the Daily Southern Cross)

Waikato Times, Volume VII, Issue 402, 10 December 1874, Page 2

(From the Daily Southern Cross)

Napier, Tuesday. Qualified members for the Napier Artillery Volunteers fired for the colonial representation to-day, with the following results : — Greer, 90 ; Renouf, 88 ; Sellars, 70 ; Provo, 69,

Wellington, Tuesday. The Jockey Club paid over hu>t night about £1 000. The following owners were the principal piizetakera:—J. Watts, £295 ; Mr OBrien, .£213 ss; Mr Walker, £114; Mr Tancred, £71 ss. The remainder in small sums under £50. The weather has been overcast all the morning, and a drizzling rain is now falling. It looks threatening for the success to-morrow. The observation of the weather is recorded at the telegraph station. There have been several showers, and it is o\eicast and gloomy at most of the stations in the colony. The well-known hurdle racer Tommy Dodd has been sold by Mr Meiver to Mr A. OBrien, owner of Tambourini. The price has not transpired. All day the sky has been much overcast, with low-lying mist on the hills and intermittent drizzle, which is now beginning to fall brisker. Fears are entertained that to-morrow will be unfavourable for transit observations. Barometer, at 7.40 p.m., 1 29.80.

New Plymouth, Tuesday. All the immigrants arrived here lately are being taken up at fair average wages.

Christchurch, Tuesday. Rain fell last night, and the sky looked bad this morning, but is now clearing, and the barometer has a slightly upward tendency, thus good hopes are encouraged of fine weather for the observation of the transit of Venus to-movvow. In addition to the English party at Burnham, a large number of local amateui^s have made arrangements for observing the transit. A narrow escape from lire under singular circumstances occurred at the Warren Hotel yesterday. The rays of tho sun going through a bedroom window were localised by a glass water-bottle into a towel with such effect as caused it to ignite, and the table was just commencing to burn when the tire was discovered. Sky again thickly overcast, and barometer changed, having rather downward tendency.

Dunedin, Tuesday. The observation of Venus will be made at the meteorological station, Dunedin, by Messrs Pope, Ross, and Skey. The drizzling rain now falling is likely to continue. The first glassware furnace in the province was fired by the Superintendent at White's Milton Pottery Works.