SPECIAL TELEGRAMS.

Waikato Times, Volume XII, Issue 1009, 10 December 1878, Page 2

SPECIAL TELEGRAMS.

[press agency.] TERRIFIC STORM AT CAMBRIDGE.

DAMAGE TO THE TOWNSHIP.

CAMBRIDGE, last night. A terrific storm broke over the township ou Saturday List. Sjou after 12 o'clock blask clou'ls aurI'ounded the place, betokening the approach of a heavy stofra. It first >roke upon us from the South-west, 'tain full m such torrents as if one !<mtinuQii-s ."-heet of water. Lightning flashes were frequent, occisioimlly forke!. The storm rag«d fcr an >our, and then lulled for a few minutes only, aucl returned from

the opposite direction and with increased violence, and spent its fury m another hour and a half,

Hally's cottage, opposi'e the school was flooded, the floor of one room bsing several inches under water. The B»\nk of New Zealand grounds were covered to the dep||f of nearly a foot. A boat coiilcl have siilel from the Bank door|io Isaac's store. Walker's cellar| :6f National Hotel, was flooded out, barrels of beer, &c, floated about,, and it took many hours pumping to clear it. Groat injury was done to the roada and drains. A sheet of water fourteen feet wide, rushed past the residences of Messrs. Mackintosh and Neal, near the Wharf, . and carried tons of e^rth away m dangerous proximity to the house of the latter* Rose's cutting is damaged to the extent of £100. Culverts near Chitfcy'a, on the Pukekura road, are nearly destroyed, drain pipes two feet m diameter, being washed out completely and smashed to atoms. Mmy wells are rained and fences carried bodily away. Gardens have been considerably da waged. A quarter of an acre is washed away from the back of the Wealeyan and Roman Catholic Chapels. A cow and calf were killed by lightning »A Mangakawa, the calf being driven* twenty yards away from the cow and blackened like a cinder. The storm did not extend beyond Cambridge for more than a radius of four or five miles m any direction. It must have been the bursting of a waterspout. Neither Pukerimu nor Ohaupo were aftected by the storm, which did not leach that way beyond Walker's Gully. Very little of it was felt at Tamahere.

The Cavalry meeting oa Saturday was private, your reporter not being admitted.

AUCKLAND, last night. Mr J. YTStevunson, 01 tne firm of Clark and Son, is dead. At Hunter and Nolan's wool sale to-day the bidding was animated. The Meg Merrilees arrived this evening from the Islands. Captain Moller was murdered eight weeks ago by one Reynolds, an Auckland trader. The murderer has been brought to Auckland. GRAHAMSTOWN, last night. Mr Tylet? is instructed to commence action against the Thames 'Star,' for libelling Brassey m connection with the Mayoral Election. WELLINGTON, last night. A violent thunderstorm occured yesterday m the country district, causing floods and several thousand pounds worth of damage. Sir Hercules Robinson, it is said, succeeds Lord Normanby, as Governor, "Varley, the Eveangelist, visits New Zealand. A fund was started for the relief, of Glasgow Bank sufferers. CHRISTCHCJRCH, last night. Three boys are charged with incendiarism, ROrORTCA, Friday. GRAND CEREMONIAL AT ROTORITA. The sacred stone image on the island of Mokia, known ad Matuatonga, said to have been brought m the Arawa canoe m the thirteenth century, has been presented to Mr Robert Graham, to be placed m a cabinet for general inspection. This j curious stone image is four feet high.

The great Te Nuku flag, i\s feefc long, was hoisted on a carved pole (carved by Ariiru te Houtakaiku) amidst the acclamation of the people and a salute of 'firearm?, after which a splendid chanfc, beginning with " Katarohia te kipeka," Scripture reading and prayer, and benediction from the Church of England service. A Maori printing-press is to be established without delay, and other projects to advance the Maoris have been uuanimously agreed to. The committee of management is appointed, to be duly sworn m today under their seal, the design of which is a fern tree and white crane. Mr R. Graham has been presented with certain lands at Rotorua, and invited to establish himself firmly at the Rotorua Spriugs, under the auspbes of the newly-organised Maori Confederation. The proceedings are to be concluded to-morrow with a grand dinner, at which the toasts are to be —"The Queen," "ThelUorua Committee," &c. ■■ TATTRANGA, Saturday.

Pascoe Marks has been dismissed from the Government service for his late attack on Mr Edgecutnbe, proprietor of the 'Bay of Plenty Times. 1

NEW PLYMOUTH, Saturday. Autumn Handicap. — Izaaz Walton, 1 ; Folly, 2 ; Otawa, 3. Harbour Stakes. — Speculation, 1 ; Jocasfca, 2 ; Chanticleer, 3. Railway Plate. — Izaak Walton, 1 ; Redeemer, 2.

Consolation Stakes. — Ofcawa, . 1 • Catch-era, 2 j Venus, 3. A deadheat between Ofcawa and Catch-em. It was run over again, and won by Otavra. WELLINGTON, Saturday. A movement arising out of the Sydney-Chinese d ffi-.ulty lias been sob on foot, and a petition is now m couvse of signature here, prayin? the Government to have an Ac. passed imposing a poll-tax upou all Chinese arriving m New Zealand as sailors or labourers, and making tliv captains of visaela re<ponsibl j fo.' the introduction of Chinese. WELLINGTON, M n ay. The Chronicle BP-ys that alfchQ^h

t».e Government have as yet taken no steps regarding the probable changes m the Speakership of both Houses, it is not unlikely that Sir -oP" the" Upper';, House, and gfokt Air p'RqrkawiU succeed him ! m Jthe Lowes^ffou|& J^t is uride^ood fjidt the Native Minister, af|ec bisf return to Wellington, will- at/|(rice proceed to Auckland, via. the Eist Coast, for the purpose of visitiug, whh tho Premier, Whangarei, and other places m the Auckland district. At a meeting of the New Zealand Rifle Association Committee the fact of Volunteers and other intending members holding. back their support was brought under notice, and the followiug resolution • passed :— « In viewof the Association meeting bein« held about the latter end of February, and the intention of the Government to subsidise pro rata to the amount of subscriptions raised by members, it is absolutely necessary that officers m command of corps and local secretaries should immediately communicate to the Secretary the number of members already joined to enable him to apply for the subsidy, and ascertain what amount of funda : will be at the disposal of the Comaiittee, for the purpose of forming the range and preparing a programme of firing, a3 unless this is ascertained on or before December 31, the Committee cannot make any arrangements whatever."