INTERPROVINCIAL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 177, 26 August 1878, Page 2

INTERPROVINCIAL.

f PRESS AGENCY.]

Christciiurcii, Saturday. At a meeting of the Harbor Board yesterday, Mr Haraau called attention to the loss i of interest which would be entailed upon the Board if the Government persisted in the system of having that portion of wharfage dues which is paid through the railway department forwarded to Wellington, and then returned to Ly Helton. A paiuful case of destitution took place at Ashburton where an old man, G4 years of age, lay without food among the flax in the river bed for three days. When discovered by the Sergeant of Police he was in the last stage of inanition. A largely attended meeting was held at Lincoln yesterday, when the action of the j Government in regard to the abolition of the grain and flour duty was condemned, and the following resolution was carried : — That the President be requested to represent to the Government the injustice of the proposal to abolish the protective duty on grain, while retaining a, protective duty on timber, and the od valorem duty of ten per cent on corn bags; also that lie point out that the grain producers of this Colony have paid the highest wages of any agricultural country, -while the freight for grain to the Home markets is also higher than from any other Australasian Colony. The missing man and child have turned up. They had gone to Wellington, and have been sent back by the Police in the s.s. Arawata. Monday. At a meeting of the Farmers' Club held on Saturday, the following resolution was carried: — "That this meetingprotests against the action of the Government in remitting the duty on imported grain and flour, while retaining at the same time the duties on limber, cornsacks, &c, and they also think the duty will be very injurious to farmers. A meeting of the Chamber of Commerce on the same subject takes place this afternoon. At the same meeting of the Farmers' Club it was shown that the brewing interest is endeavoring to secure the aid of the other local industries in bringing about a remission of the beer tax. Special peace thanksgiving services were held yesterday in all the English churches. The Canterbury football team left Christchurch for Dunedin by the first train this morning. The match is fixed for Wednesday. The following is the team chosen by the election committee : — Baker, Boltou, Chapman, Fields, Goodman, Hamilton, Hamersley, Hamerton, Levin, Milton, G. Potts, Reeves, Tavenden, and Virity. Emergency men, McArdell, Jones, and Lack. Dunedin, Saturday. The Under Secretary has written to the Chamber of Commerce that the Government cannot support the proposal of the Chamber, that all bankruptcy notices should be published in the Mercantile Gazette and New Zealand Gazette. The Anderson's Bay school committee have decided to bring into force the compulsory clause of the Education Act. The last rail connecting Dunedin with Christchurch will be laid at 12 30 on Monday. Monday. John C. Gleeson was drowned at the Dunedin jetty while attempting, when in a state of intoxication to cross to the vessel to which he belonged. Arrangements are to be made for holding a grand annual musical competition in Dunedin Thanksgiving services for the preservation of peace were held in all the Dunedin English churches yesterday. Hokitika, Monday. The steamer Waipara went ashore on the South side of the new channel this morning. She is discharging cargo and will be got off this evening's tide. The Kennedy was off the bar at ths time of the accident, but would not venture in and returned northwards. "Wellington*, Saturday. The Steam Tramway was formally opened to-day by his Excellency the Marquis of Normanby. The Company haviug issued a great many invitations, three engines and five large carriages were placed on the line, the Governor and suite with members of the Legislative Council occupying the carriage of honor, and all the others were filled by citizens and their wives. The trip from Government House to the tramway station was most successful though nearly all the cabs in the city were continually driving with speed ou both sides of the tramway carriages. About two hundred ladies and gentlemen sat down to a champagne luncheon. His Excellency, in reply to the toast of his health, expressed his surprise at the rapid progress Wellington had made during the last four years, and complimented it upon being the first city in the Australian colonies to venture upon the experiment of steam tramways, Mr Kennedy McDonald in returning thanks on behalf of the director said the line, engines, and carriages, with other expenses had cost the Company £40,000, and that before they put "Wellington in complete tramway communication they would have to spend another £60,000. He also expressed the deep obligations of the Company to the Bank of New Zealand for the very valuable pecuniary assistance which had been rendered them. — The day being very fine, the streets along the line were crowded with people and the whole affair was considered a great success. A supplementary Gazette issued to-night publishes byelaws fixing uniform scales of fares and charges for passengers on the New Zealand railways commencing on the 22nd instant. Passenger rates : first class— single, threepence per mile — second clas3, twonence; return— one fare and a half •„— children half rates— minimum charges ; sixpence and fourpence. Special trains with one large carriage, 15s per mile — Season annual tickets £3 per 2 miles to 21miles (?) and so on in proportion for six, three, and one month— School tickets, irrespective of distance, 103 per quarter — School parties, 3s 4d per mile— family tickets for four persons, two-thirds of the ordinary rate— Season tickets for news-boys, half the ordinary rate— each passenger is allowed to take H2lbs of baggage free, and Is per 50lbs extra— Dogs, 6d per 25 miles, the maximum to be charged being 23 6d— Milk 3s 4d per gallon for 10 miles, and a farthing for each adtional 10 miles— grain, 2£d per ton per mile, with a terminal charge of Is 9s per ton on goods consigned to or from private sidings or sheds, the owner to load and unload — Minerals, 2d per ton per mile— wool, undumped, Id per mile per bale not exceeding double dumped, lj-d per bale, the owners to load and unload— Timber, >d per 100 feet superficial per mile—Live stock : sheep and pigs, 10s per truck up to 10 miles, and for each additional mile up to fifty 4d— Freight for a lot of sheep not le3s than 9000 for a distance not exceeding 170 miles, £360— cattle, 15s per truck up to 10 miles— for each additional mile 5s per truck up to 50 miles — horses, single 8s 8d up to ten miles and 2Jd per mile after — Hay and straw Cs per truck for 50 miles, and for each additional mile 7d — Posts, rails, and firewood, lOd per truck per mile up to 50 miles, and 7£d per truck for each additional mile — Corpses, Is per mile £I—Native1 — Native coal, Is 6d per ton for 3 miles, and 2d per ton for each additional mile up to 15s— General regulations : — A truck is computed at five tons. Drivers of public vehicles are to be charged an annual fee of £1 for a license for plying for hire within the precincts of any station. Road metal Id per mile. Monday. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company here have received the

following telegram under date London, August 21:— The wool sales opened on the 20th instant at the level of last sales, and comprise about 350,000 bales> of which 177,000 bales have been sent to the manufacturing districts direct. The market is firmer for washed and combing wools. The competition by botk home and foreign buyers is active. Trade in the manufacturing districts is slightly hotter. The tallow market is flat. Best mutton, 38s Cd; beef, 36a Gd. The wheat market is quiet. The quality of the crops here is good. The leather market is quiet; bestrides, 9 id. •