INTERPROVINCIAL.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 4180, 13 December 1884, Page 3

INTERPROVINCIAL.

(Reuters Telegrams.)

[from our oavn correspondent.] Wellington, This day. Some days ago your readers Avere informed by a London cable that the Draft Federal Enabling Bill had been posted to the governments of the various colonies. The Agent-General has since telegraphed the proposed alterations in the Federal Enabling Bill. The most important alteration is of a very interesting not to say revolutionary character, and provides that any colony may by its oavu legislation relieve itself from the operations of the act. This simply means that after joining tho Federal Council of Australia any colony may by the act of its legislature AA*ithdra-v from the great Australasian Union of the future and cease to be a member of the Federal Council. If this Avore agreed to ■ surely this federation' business would be knocked on the head altogether. The provision appears so unlikely that it may bo thought I am romancing, but I can assure your readers that I tjive this statement in all good faith, and that I make it on the very best authority. Some excitement has been caused in the press and political circles, by the statement that Sir J. Yogel intends to issue a Avrit for £10,000 damagcslfor libel against the Ncav Zealand Times. The lawyers have the matter in hand, and the declaration will probably be filed next week, or as soon as it may be discovered who aro the real proprietors ef the journal in question. The alleged libel is contained in several leading articles appearing in the Times, and commenting adversely on the actions of Sir J. A r ogel as a director of the Consolidated Telephone Company, London. It is expected that there will be considerable consternation iii political circles when flic real proprietors of tho Ncav Zealand Times are known.

Leading Christchurch and Nelson citizens

are here intervieAving Ministers with reference to tho East and West Coast and Nelson Railway Draft Contract. It is the desire of the Nelson delegates that the Nelson railway contract should be offered in London at the same as the contract for the East and AVest Coast railway.

[Pee Untied Press Association.]

Auckland, This day. The following is the betting on the Cup : —5 to 1 against Administrator, taken ; C to 1 against AVelcomo Jack taken, 5 to 1 offered ; 8 to 1 against Black Rose and Libeller, taken ; 10 to 1 against Salvage, and Necklace, offered ; 100 to 7 Tigredia offered. Salvage, Turquoise, Youth, and Linwood arrived from the South to-day. Radames has been scratched for all engagements for the Auckland Summer meeting. Captain Wing, harbor-master at Onehunga, who was formerly in charge of the pilot station at Port Philip, and has a book showing that on February 2nd, 1853, a three masted schooner called the Osprey went into Port Philip Bay, going out again on June 12th in the same year. Captain Wing states that he remembers perfectly that the Osprey was stated to havo picked up a boat at sea. The owner of the Triumph has made some progress towards arranging an experimental charter to load at this port and at Napier for London. Sericulture is to have a practical trial at Whangarei. Mr Grothe, who was recently a sericulturalist in Spain, intends erecting buildings and going into the industry on a large scale. Wellington, This day. The Gazette notifies that after the representations made by the Council of the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland, the name of Louis Sinclair, on production of a diploma as licentiate in dental surgery R. 0.5.1., has been erased from tho dentist register for New Zealand. The Government have decided to reinstate six of the Sub-Inspectors Avho were by the late Government's retrenchment scheme reduced to Sergt - Major to their former positions as third-class inspectors. They will continue at the same scale of pay for the present, but next session an increase will bo considered and provision made on the estimates. Dunedin, This day. At the City Police Court White and Foley were remanded till Thnrsday, and Pandyke till Saturday. No evidence was given on either side. Ciiristchuroh, This day. The directors of the Southern Cross Petroleum Company report the following telegram from their AVorks:—Depth on Tuesday last, 453 feet; are boring through the same stratum ; indications as lieforo; all going on well; tho depth at AA-hich the stoppago took place Avas 445 feet