SPECIAL TELEGRAMS. (From our own Correspondents.) THE FLOOD. DAMAGE TO THE RAILWAY,

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 556, 11 December 1875, Page 2

SPECIAL TELEGRAMS. (From our own Correspondents.)

THE FLOOD. DAMAGE TO THE RAILWAY,

Mercer, Yesterday, 4.45 p m. The fl wd has covered the railway -at 'Jflapakura flats up to about the fire bars of the engine .aud washed a portion of tha line away below Buckland's station, temporarily stopping the traffic. A larga slip in a railway cutting about a mile above Mercer, tilled the roail and effectually blocked the thoroughfare. This will be a great losa to the contractor. A. land -ad p aso at the coal mined hte proventel the usual work being cirried on. The river it still rising, «nd it is anticipate 1 Mercer will be awamped. People are re'iioviu* their stores, although the river has 2 feet yet to rise before it reaches the top of the wharf. It is still raining, but not heavily. NgubTUWA^IA . The heavy rains all yesterday, last nijht, and to-day, have swollen the rirers to aa alarming i extent. Thirty to forty it'iooemd feet of bridge timber came down the Horatiu, and also large quantities of firewood and rjila down .the VVaipa. The iniddie §pan of the railway bridge i% completely blocked up with debris. The rivers are rising still »t the rate of four inches per hour. Mr Cox addressed the electors last, night. „ . 8 p.te. The nvfir eoatinues'to rise, much alarm felt le*t the Cambridge bridgfc comes down. - AixEXANDKA. The country has been visited by the heaviest n* )od -known to the natives The bridge here wa» swept away early this, morning, though a week ago it was 20 feet ab ove the water <liae. Auckland, Friday evening. •Heavy rains all last night an;* to-d «y. 'The Merger train this znornins? only goi as far aa Buckhnd'e station near Pukekohe, when it was founS that half a chain of railway had been washed away. The rain has also oau4«d a Urge land slip just above Mercer, which .prevents toe mail -coach from running. | Sir George Grey does notintend % to visit the Maori King. The following account of the whole source from whence all recent rumours have sprung i« published authoratively by the "St%r" :—" Once upon a time two influential nu ssingeri one from T*w hiao, and the other from Maunhira proceeded together from the King country Te Kawau an d interviewed Sir George Grey. They told him whenoa and by whoso authority they came and in the names of the Kin? and chief adviser -invited Sir George to coma up to the King country and visit the King with the obj »ct of acting as mediator between the races. Sir -George Grey felt that as formerly a Governor there would be delicacy in so mt«»fering, but at the same felt that as Superintendent of the Province including of couraa the King country and its inhabitants, he would 'ba fully justified in goin^. He accordingly replied that if they brought him a letter from Tawhiao to the same effe< tas tho message brought by -word of mouth 1 o would go up. They replied 'that letter will not be written" and they would not have it r«orded that they had been first to make advances towards reconciliation. Sir G-eorge declined to go on any other condition. He then recommended that they should plaea themselves in communication with Sir Donald McLean, addiug " he is a goal man and .

wishes well to theaatire*," they thon left Kawau and returned to than country. Stan* tixne tubBequently certsia other influential chiefs waited on Sir George Grey and naid theyoanftesto accompany him to the King countrj. He replied that he lud not iatended going to the jKing country as he had net receired aa inritation by Jetter from tho King. They said that they umierttood he was going and they bad corns te escort him. The/ then left.

M^RKET3. Mr A Sucltland reports store cattle plentiful, and dull of sate; little alteration in value. Fat cattle average nuinbors, shipborne and second quality at previous values^ best, quality better worth; store iheep in demand at advanced valuos, f*t abeep in full numbers with fraa sale at fully lute values ; latnba, numerous, 1% each ■higher than last week. Prices given for fat cattle, 27a 6& to oit Gd >p«if 1001b* ? «boep 4a wool, four pence per lb ; shorn sheep, 3i per lb ; 8» to 12s 6d each.

DT7NEDIK. Hon Mr Hichardton addressed hia cocatituont* and received a vote of confidence. He affirmed the ability of the G-orernment to carry out tub* •idiea -to Highway .Board* *• originally proposed