INTERPROVICIAL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 8, 9 January 1879, Page 2

INTERPR OV ICI AL .

fPRKSS AGENCY.] Wei lington, Wednesday. Tbe land revenue for the last month shows a great falling off, the total being £24,000. Ministers have been in Cabinet all day discusaing questions of policy. Thursday. Tbe Colonial Secretary has agreed to make the Anniversary Day a pubiic holiday.— The remainder of the Fern Gl n immigrants are landed. The majority of them will be sent to the West Coast, and the others are for Nelson and Taranaki — Regulations are in course of preparation, and will shortly be gazetted, setting forth the conditions under which exhibits can be forwarded from New Zealand to the approaching New South Wales Exhibition. James Mackie, who was yesterday found guilty of larceny and forgery, was this morning sentenced to four years imprisonment. Referring to the recommendation to mercy made by the jury, the Chief Justice said that, as Mackie was 31 years old, he had passed that age when such a recommendation could be entertained. There was also no excuse for the prisoner on the ground of insufficient salary. — Of the money robbed from the Anchor Line office, £206 have been recovered. The money was found in a panel tinder the house where the office boy named Bacon is living. The lad has been "arrested. —At a meeting of the Wellington District Highway Board yesterday one of the wardens said that during his 39 years experience in this district laborers were never so scarce as at the present time.— -The Hutt County Council are taking a legal opinion as to their claim to a twentieth part of the proceeds of the sale of the reclaimed land. They also consider that they are entitled to a twentieth share of the amount realised by the sale of the Courthouse. The Board also discussed the unfairness of allowing Maori land holders to be exempt from paying rates, while the poorest European who rented only a couple of acres from a Maori land owner had to pay. — There is a great scarcity of room for shipping at the public wharf, the Pleiades having been waiting eight days for a berth. The wharf extension contract has been completed, and it will be formally handed over to-day to the Corporation. The Taiaroa left for Picton, Nelson, and Manukau at 3 p.m. Passengers: Mrs Maiden, Messrs Henry, Campbell, Easton, Williams, Orcheston, and 15 immigrants ex Fernglen, 11 being for Taranaki and 4 for Nelson,

The ; a d Bacon, arrested this inorniug for robbing the Anchor Line office, at first denied the robbery, but after some little time he confessed that he was guilty. He said tbat tome other boys were in it "with him, but this is doubted. Besides the money there was found a new Martiui-Henri rifle and two boxes of ammunition ; the plunder was discovered by some little boys while playing uuder the house, which is on piles. Later. Ihe boy Bacon has made a further confession of having £45 in his pocket-book planted at Wadestowu. and has gone with, the detective to show him where it is. The lad is only about fourteen, but smart and bold for his age. This makes up all the money with the exception of air , lt £o 0 o f which £9 was paid for I^. Martini-Henry nfle and ammunition. -There was a swa°- of nsw colored btinkeH tied up with straps iv readiness for the road. The money was loved up in a copy of a newsi , a p ei . conta in_ ] S£ an account of the Kelly gang. o, • °-«iARir, Wednesday night. Mr Shnmski. M.H.K , left for Livingstone to day to accompany Professor Ulrich, who 13 to report on the Marewhenua coalfield. The all-absorbing topic of iuterest here at present is the construction of water works by the Municipal Council- A meeting is to be held on Tuesday night, called by the -Mayor, xor the purpose of obtaining the ratepayers consent to the additional tax, so that water may be brought into town. The cu"ineer says the work can be constructed at°a cost of £32,000. Gn.uiAMSTOwx, Thursday. The cricket match, Taranaki v. Thames, resulted in a victory for the former by 102. In thn two innings Taranaki scored 20o"; Thames 103. Christciiuiich, Thursday The Kaiapoi Boating Club will hold a meeting in a few days to consider the question of the Interpr.ivincial regatta.— Cowan, charged with arson, was acquitted yesterday. He expressed his gratitude to the jury, much to the astonishment of the Judge, who expressed his disapproval of such a course — The Kaiapoi new woollen factory will be opened iv about three weeks.— The Commissioner of railways returns from the West Coast to-morrow.— The civil sessions commence on Monday.— A number of Americans in town, chiefly connected with the reaping and binding interest, are anxious to try conclusions with a local team at their national game of football.— At a meeting of the Fire Brigade last evening great satisfaction was expressed at the result of the late demonstration, and the good feeling that had existed among the various Brigades.— A man, whose name has not been ascertained, made an attempt to shoot John Frazer, blacksmith, on Tuesday afternoon. Mr Fraser noticed the man in time to dodge the bullet behind a coach he was repairing, and so escaped. The ball, went through the coach and entered the earth at some distance away, when another man had a narrow escape. The man (who fired was evidently intoxicated.— At a meeting of footballers last night it was decided that no sum could be guaranteed to an English visiting team, but that they should have the whole of the gate money. It was also thought that £250 might be raised by public subscriptions. Hokitika, Thursday. Sailed— Claud Hamilton for MelbourneEliza Firth for Lytteiton. Timaru, Thursday. Mr Chadwick, a chemist at Pleasant Point, who attempted suicide yesterday morning, got worse last night, Dr Mclntvre was constantly in attendance on the unfortunate man, and this morning more favorable symptons showed themselves, although he is not yet out of danger. (From a correspondent.) AsunußTox, Thursday. The crops around Ashburton me much better than was expected, the late rain having done wonders. All are busy harvesting. The weather is fine One farmer, McGregor, towards the Beach, expects GObusheis to the acre off a large area of wheat. The bad crops are mostly owing to the bad farming.