INTERPROVINCIAL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIIL, Issue 106, 4 May 1878, Page 2

INTERPROVINCIAL.

: [PRESS AOENOT.] AticfcLAftD-, frri&ay-. Mr Buckland reports be£f i2s $er hundred higher than last Week TaS sheep market 'is fully sbstaib^ M^Bibney quotes 2 oUr at £14 . oata , 4s U; pearl barley, £22 ; wheat, 5s 6d hams and bacon, 8d ; butter, 9d j potatoes £2 10a ; oatmeal, £20 ; maize, 6d A naval officer of H.M S. Wolverine went into (xrant and Morten's auction mart to-day, and warned them that iv flying a white ensign they were liable to a line of £50Q v as only the Navy and Royal yachts could legally fly such flags. He eaid if the flag was. not removed he Would send a. file of marinteS ashore to take it down. Mr Morten immediately removed the flag, but was told by the officer he might use the flag if slightly altered. The boats of H.M.S. Nymphe and H.MS. Wolverine raced for £25 aside, when the Nymphe men won-.. The Jockey Club to-day confirmed their decision in disqualifying M'Gee's Falcon, after hearing his own statement. The case against Perfume dropped owing to a want of evidence, Wellington, Friday. George Thomas reports produce prices aa follows:— Adelaide flour, £18 per ton; colonial, £12 15s to £13 10s; oats, 4a 8d; bran, Is !d; good demand for wheat at 4s, but stocks are ample; haras, B£d; bacon, Sdj cheese, ?Jd, market full; pollard, £7 per ton; maize, 6s 6d per bushel, market bare; potatoes, £3 10s to £3 15sj butter. Is 3d per lb. Saturday. The contents of the telegram from tho Secretary of State for the Colonies regarding the defence of the colony are very obscure, and the Government have sent it to be repeated. The following is its purport as nearly as can be deciphered:— -"The Committee appointed by the Imperial Government to report upon the best means of defending the colonies in the event of England going to war reported with reference to New Zealand that defence by sea was impracticable, and should not be attempted. They recommend construction of land batteries at Wellington, Anckland., Lyttelton, aud Port Chalmers, by which they consider those ports might be defended against any class of vessels likely to be despatched by foreign powers to these waters. It is stated that twenty-two heavy guns, eleven seven-ton and eleven 64-pounders of the pattern used on board Her Majesty's ships of war, would provide an adequate armament for the battery. The Committee estimates the total cost of the guns, including transshipment and erection of batteries, &c, at £44,000," Ministers have resolved to telegraph at once to have the guns forwarded to New Zealand- by the earliest opportunity. The Government further intend, iv the event of war being declared, to telegraph immediately ou the receipt of the news to Colonel Scratchley, asking him to visit New Zealand to advise as to the distribution of the guns among the four ports mentioned, and as to the method of locating and mounting them, the batteries to be manned by artillery men trained for the purpose. The barque Cammore, belonging to the New Zealand Shipping Company is at tha Heads, 100 days out from London. Wanganot, Saturday. The Hon W. Fox addressed his constituents, and received a vote of confidence. After referring to the events of last session and his reasons for supporting the Atkinson Government, he stated that, bo far as he could gather at present, the Premier had given forth three points as his governing policy, the first of which was manhood suffrage. He would support the extension of the suffrage, so as to include all men and women, resident a certain time in the colony, who were capable of intelligibly understanding the political position. He would Bupport a tax on land without the exemption of small farms, and he would also include incomes derived from invested capital. He would oppose payment to members beyond their necessary expenses. About 130 electors were present, the Mayor in the chair. The motion of confidence was moved by Mr Robert Pharazyn, and on the vote being taken about thirty held up their hands in the affirmative. The majority abstained from voting.