INTERPROVINCIAL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 180, 1 August 1877, Page 2

INTERPROVINCIAL.

[press agency:] Christchubch, Tuesday.. The case of Campbell v. Executors' of the late Mr Mackay was. resumed this morning. The evidence for the defence was to tho effect that Mr Mackay ,was always L a very hard man, and not at all likely to make presents of large sums of money, that prior to his death he was more than once wandering in his mind; that old- friends were re- : fused permission by Campbell to see Mackay, and thafc Mackay while in bed had several times said he had lost coufidence'in Campbell and would like to have another doctor. After the conclusion of. the evidence , the counsel for the defence asked for delay to enable him to amend issues. On resuming, , ; the counsel for Campbell said after what had transpired he would ask the Court to enteir a nonsuit agaiu3fc his client, which, after some discussion, was done. Wednesday. Lightband, Allan, and Co. write tothe Times this morning denying that they locked out their hands with a view to effecting a reduction in wages. They alsb'say— " Having had four years' experience . of their 'trade union' we have found not the .lightest dis-. position on the pare of the men to fall in with any idea whatever thafc meant a chauge in the system of working even when such change did not affect their interest in the smallest degree. We recently imported from England and America some new machinery, aud a few weeks ago put on two or three hands on weekly wages, with the idea of ascertaining its capabilities, and intended eventually to fix a price for piece work in connection with the machinery. We do not afc all object to the piece work system. The 'Union' drove those men off the premises under 'threats,' and from that time we thoroughly made up our minds not to recognise their ' Society ' any longer." The letter further says ifc was intended to adopt a systoni by which the men could earn better wages than elSewhdre, and , that the men are not locked out for a fortnight, but is so far as the old mode of working; was concerned for ever. !-, > The Acclimatisation Society has sent to San Francisco for 'prairie hens. j An application from Melbourne! for song birds was refused by fche Society. I Auckland, Tuesday. At auction to-day, Canterbury potatoes realised 4s; oats, 3s 7d; bran, £4 15s to £5- : bacon, Bd. An open air meeting of the unemployed is called for Saturday. Wellington Wednesday. Twenty thousand shares . in the new Union Fire and Marine Insurance Company have been applied for iv Wellington. The coufereuce of representatives from the several Municipalities iv the colony opens its proceedings there to-day. Dunedin, \Vednesday. Afc yesterday's meeting of the City Council ifc was resolved unanimously " That the Corporation should come under the new Act." As the resulfc of this another election for Mayor will require fco take place in November. The number of births, deaths, and marriages for July was as follows :— 139 births, 59 deaths, and 32 marriages.