INTERPROVINCIAL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 58, 8 March 1877, Page 2

INTERPROVINCIAL.

Wellington, Wednesday. Mr Pearce resigned his seat in the House of Representatives to-day. Mr Travcrs and Mr Hutcheson are at present the only candidates for the vacancy. The latter addressed the electors last night, aud Mr Travers purposes doing so on Friday. It is reported that the constabulary and police are to be amalgamated. They will not be sworn in till the 30th of June next, so thafc those who have been engaged under the provincial ordinances may, if they think fit, retire after that date. From the Ist July the whole force will be enrolled for one year certain; four divisions of which, numbering 350 men, will be held as a reserve, stationed in native districts. These will receive the same pay as the present Armed Constabulary and do similar duty. The remaining divf--1 sions, numbering about tbe same as an aggregate of the present several police forces, will form the police force of the whole colony. They will be liable to serve in any part of ifc, and may be concentrated in case of emergency to defend any part if threateued by attack until other forces are organised, but they will not be required to take the field. Their pay will be about the same as that now received by the Christchurch police. Inspectors will be moved from station to station with a view of their acquiring local knowledge. In each district probably one Superintendent-Inspec-tor will be appointed, but there will be no . special inspectors for each island. The pro- ■' posed changes will, it is believed, effect a saving of about £30,000 per annum. Thursday. The s.s. Taranaki sailed North at 11 a.m. Passengers— Mesdames Gisborne and Thiel and child, Miss Lusher, Messrs WMtcombe, Gisborne, Paul (two), Fie'd, Bennett, and Downes. A special meeting of the Harbor Board was held yesterday afternoon to consider a letter from the Harbor Master stating that— " Sea broken through the South Spit within a mile from the Heads, and a channel cannow be seen about a chain wide, with a depth of five feet, at high water spring' tides, the force of the surf having made through ifc a long sand spit out into the river about- five chains, which has caused the river to silt up below the last mentioned 3pofc, and set the current in another direction." Mr Rees, Resident Engineer, stated that the cost of stopping the channel would be" £1735. The Board resolved to apply to the Government for the best engineering advice to report on the means to be adopted to prevent further injury.accruing to the river, arising from divergence from the ordinary channel. The Board and a number of others proceeded to tbe place this morning. Taupo, Wednesday. Letters arrived yesterday from the Maori King apprising the friendly chiefs here of fche Native Minister coming to Taupo this month, fche object being to carry out the policy bequeathed by the late Sir D. M'Lean to New Zealand, and interpreted by the Taupo chiefs as the policy of peace and goodwill. Dunedin, Wednesday. The case of Pearson v. City Corporation, in which plaintiff claims £30 damages for alleged neglect of his child while in the fever hospital, was commenced to-day in the R.M. Court, and adjourned for a week. There was an acrimonious discussion at the Dunediu Presbytery to-day, re a dispute between Bishop Nevill and Dr Stuart in regard to the Maori Kaik (church). Dr Stuart said— "lf there had been no discourtesy, I should not have mentioned the matter. I have no hesitation in sayiug the Bishop has not acted as a Christian or a gentleman should have done, and when I sec him I do not mind telling him so." Ifc was resolved thafc the Presbyterian minister be advised to discontinue his visits to the kaik for the present. A requisition to Mr Pyke, demanding his resignation of his seat in the Assembly, has received 315 signatures; and another, asking the resignation of his seat iv the County Council, has received 156 signatures. The number of nominations made through the Dunedin Immigration Office between February Ist and 17th for free passages to the colony was thirteen.