INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1376, 21 October 1886, Page 2

INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

Wellington, October 20.

The Colonial Treasurer and the Public Trustee have agreed to largely modify the regulations under which the Native Reserves on the West Coast are administered, This change has taken place at the i-uggeation of the Native Minis'er, who during his last visit to the West Coast discovered that to a large extent the discontent among the Natives was due to the unsatisfactory administering of the lauds under the existing regulations.

District Judge Bread passed through Wellington to-;iay en route for Chrls'ohurch, to take his first Circuit Sittings in Canterbury, Otago, and Southland.

The steamer Uinemoa is tc be despatched to .ha scene of ihe wreck of the steamer Lyttelton near the French Pass, to ascertain whether it obstructs navigation, and it s> Captain Fairchild wilt t.ka stops to remove it. A telegram, received from Mr Sutter by ffie Postmaster-General, is to the effect that the Government of Now South Wales will aid in resisting an increase in the present cable tariff, but strongly urges Now Zealand to grant a subsidy on condition that the rate is lowered to 5i per ten words f r general messages, and 3d a word for Press telegrams. No further coalmen ettioua have been rooeived from the Cable Company. By a nvstake' in tlie precis of the Local Bodies Loan Acts reeeut y issued by the Treasury, the sum of £301)0 was put down as the limit allowed to Town Boards instead of £BOO

It is iu co templation to alter the day of the departure of the San Francisco mail steamer from this end. -Tbe Auckland Chamber cf Commerce and the Sydney Government are being consulted on the matter. It is thought that if the steamers left Wellington on Saturday, and Auckland on Monday, they would make sure of the mail catching the fast steamer which leaves New York every Saturday. The alteration would make the through service to Lon on both quicker and more regular. an Inquest was field to-day into the circumstances under a house at Wainuiomata was found on fire ou September 28th. The evidence showed it had been occupied by Shaw, who was not on good terms with the owner Woods, and had received notice to quit. Ho had at various times removed his property from the house, and was seen there on the day of the fire, and goin? from it in the morning af;er a tire of shavings and paper had been lighted in various parts of the house, which only escaped destruction through the walla being too damp to barn. One witness testified that Shaw had charged him not to let slip a word about ihe fire or it would condemn him The jury returned a verdict of incendiarism against some person, unknown. None of Shaw’s properly remained in the house at the time of the fire, = ”

Ihe Philosophical Institute a resolution -'to-night asking thq ' Government to direct the attention of the Forestry Department to the tree pests in tne colony.