INTERPROVINCIAL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 16, 18 January 1879, Page 2

INTERPROVINCIAL.

fpiIKSS AGENCY."] Wfli.ixgtox, Friday. A new batch of Justices of the Peace will be gazetted shortly — It is understood that Government will decide tlvs afternoon in Cabinet to grant one free railway pass to each paper in the colony.— The Hon. Mr Ballaucc will leave by the Rinparoonia on Monday for Lyttelton, where he will take the train and visit the principal places in the Canterbury and Otajro districts. The Royal Commission ou Education appointed a Committee to consider the best mode of procedure to accomplish the object they have in view, and to decide as to what form the inquiry should take. The result ia that four Committees have been appointed, one to arrange as to University matters, a second to deal with the question of technical education, one for secondary education, and another to arrange for scholarships and finance. After the appointment of these Committees, the Commission adjourned till Monday at which time they expect to be able to proceed wtih the business without any further delay. Saturday. The ship St. Leouards leaves for London to-day with 5353 packages of wool, skins. &c, valued at £91,745. Also the Wairoa, with a cargo valued at £7G,495. The second New Guiuea expedition is being got under way rapidly. About thirty applications have been received. It is proto take a couple of horned cattle, two horses, and a number of goats, and an endeavour will be made to secure representatives of the different handicrafts. Preliminary arrangements have been made for obtaining land lor a European settlement. The Expedition is to start in August. The New Zealander says : " The Government have received a petition in favor of commuting the sentence of Welsh, for murder, signed by a number of people in the south ; also a report from a medical man that the prisoner is suffering from mania. A commission, consisting of three doctors, will be appointed to make an investigation as to his state of mind." The native owners between Otaki and Foxton have given the Government a chain wide of land, in order to enable the Government to form the railway which runs through their property. A presentation on behalf of the police force was made to-day to Mr Atcheson by the oldest member of the police force. The presentation consisted of a handsome casket with 100 sovereigns enclosed It is understood that Mr Werry, chief clerk in the Railway Department, will shortly be appointed Under Secretary for the same Department. H.M.S. Nymph has started on her homeward voyage. _, Hoiutika, Saturday. The rush to Lake Mahinapua is likely to proves success. There are 100 miners on the ground and several claims have been bottomed, yielding five penny-weighta to the load. The ground is taken up for one mile. Balclutha, Friday. Mr Nahr, the Resident Engineer, and others went over the line from Balclutha to Clinton to-day with a Fairlie engine and carriage and made an official inspection. It is understood that the line will be formally handed over to the Railway Department to-morrow. Chistciiurcii, Saturday. The new Harbor light has been commenced at Lyttelton. A champion billiard match takes place this evening between Weston and a wellknown amateur. It is expected that a large number of visitors will be here on Tuesday to attend the opening of the line to Invercargill. . , Komaha, Saturday. A destructive fire occurred last night in the main street. The following houses were destroyed j-Reefton Hotel. Dungan and O Bnen's Hotel, and Beehive Store. Owing entirely to the exertion of the local brigade tn&are was stayed, the whole street being in danger at one time. The Insurances areReef ton Hotel, £100 in the South BritishDanganand O'Brien's, £400 in the South British; Beehive Store, £200 in an office not known.