INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

Grey River Argus, Volume V, Issue 322, 6 February 1868, Page 3

INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

The Wellington CQroe,s.pqndent of the Otago Daily Times says :— The regulations for civil servants, published in* the Gazette of the 31st December, have led to the resignation by Mr Robert Hart ,of the appointment which he has for sometime held as assistant law officer. One of the regulations runs thus — " No professional officer to whom the Civil Service 4<?t, 1856. applies., shali engage in the private practice of. his profession withqut the authority of law, or the jexpress permission, in writing, of the responsible Minister.'' Mr Hart was apprised that this regulation applied to him, amongst others, but that the necessary permission would be given, on his making application for it to Mr Stafford, who is -the " responsible Minister" in this case, -;fche Attorney-General being a non-poli-tical-head. Tljis piece of humble pie, or jorbitrary authority, appears to have been a little too large for Mr Hart to digest, and he chose the alternative of resignation ; which, considering the appointment was, worth L6OO a-year, and that his connection with the Government in various pnpacities, wpuld in a few more years have entitled him to a tolerably handsome pension, is a very notable proceeding. The following letter will be accepted as .conclusive, as regards the intention of Priuce Alfred to visit Dnnedin. The letter is from the Colonial Secretary to his Honor, the Superintendent, and is dated " Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, January 23rd, 1868 :"— *' Adverting to my letter,"44o, of the 25th of October last, f have the honor to state that Sir George' £rrey has received a letter from His Royal Highness, the Duke of Edinburgh, informing his Excellency that His Royal Highness will visit the City of Dunedin While in New Zealand." A letter from Mr Stafford, to the effect that His Royal Highness will be present at the gathering .of the Caledonian Society, has been repeived by the President. The Riverton correspondent of the Southland News says says: — "A severe shock of earthquake was felt here on Friday, the 24th instant, at about 615 p.m. A low rumtyjng noise was heard, followed Immediately by & stpong vibration of the earth, causing buildings to shake very much." The shock^ was, np,t perceived in Invercargill, although remarked by resi4ents at the Bluff, at Win ton, and elsewhere. In this town moderate rumbling and vibration would not attract much notice, as people are accustomed to, similar effects produced by the arrival and departure of heavily loaded trains. Great Native Gathering at Wanjjanui. — The Wanganui Chraniele of the 22nd instant has the following remarks pn the proposed meeting of the Natives to welcome the Duke of Edinburgh, which it hears is. to be held at Wanganui : — It is .currently reported and very generally believed that the Reception Committee at Wellington have decided upon Wanganui as the most central and suitable place for a great Native gathering to be held on the arrival of the Duke, qi Edinburg. Certainly there is no place in the colony where it could be done so efficiently and .economically. Colonel M'Dqnnell could bring from the Patea district both Friendlies and Hau Haus in considerable force. Mr Booth could muster large numbers from the Upper Wanganui, Waitotara, ,&c., and Mr Buller from the Wangaehu, Tnrakina, Rangitikei, Manawatu, and other places. Canoes enough could be brought together, and what with war dan-i pcs and aquatic evolutions, a right royal jtreat could be provided for our royal visitor. All the material are at hand, and the men to show it off to the best advantage. Provisions are cheap and abundant, and with proper management the expense would be trifling as compared with anyIhing that could be got up at Wellington. Speaking of the epeditnic which has recently visited the Chatham Island Maoris, the correspondent of a Northern paper says : — "Almost every whare was tenanted by the sick , indeed in many cases the inmates were all prostrated, and unable to assist each other. Their sufferings and privations mus{) have been great, and

many have perished from exhaustion, want of care, and necessary comforts. Such a state of things fearfully exemplifies the evils of Maori improvidence. Surrounded as they are by so many blessings, they avail themselves of none, and starve in a jan4 of plenty. They have cows in abundance, but few take the trouble to milk them. Here and there a poor creature may be seen begging a few turnips, or ; Some article of food which a suffering relative may crave. It is mournful to enter their miserable whares, where they lie moaning and huddled together — the dead and the dying. Amongst our natives this epidemic has assumed a most malignant form, and the strongest and most robust have been the greatest sufferers. Many who have passed the crisis, and may be considered out of dauger, are horribly attenuated. " A somewhat singular circumstance, which may be interesting to the curious in such matters, has come to our knowledge. A gentleman residing in this town has two female oats, mother and daughter, the latter produced a litter of young, four in number, on Wednesday last, and the kittens were immediately appropriated by the grandmother, who suckled them, herself producing a litter of kittens the following day in the same basket, since then the two .cats have shared the duties of maternity between them, each suckling the whole eight in turn, and neither seem- j ing to claim any special right in either litter ; in fact the kittens have got "mixed," and in despair of ever being able to sort them out, the mother suckles them as Mrs Partington would say "permiskus.'' — Oamam Times.