INTERPROVINCIAL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 31, 4 February 1879, Page 2

INTERPROVINCIAL.

[press agency.] ArjcKtAM), Monday. At the animal meeting of the Bay of Islands Coal Company to-day the directors

reported a steadily increasing demand for the coal. During the year they sold 39,364 tons, being an increase of 0103 tons, over the previous year. The quality of the coal improves as the work is driven towardfj the new shaft and the directors anticipate that it will shortly he fit for any part of the ™? rld - The new works cost to date £6,! 00. Ihe directors have decided to increase the capital of the company by the issue of 2000 shares of £10 each, one third of the shares to be issued at once. A dividend at the rate of 5 per cent for the half year was declared, making with the interim dividend of July last, 10 per cent per annum. Blenheim, Monday. The case of Henderson, J.P., vcnus'YeW Mayor of Blenheim, for using threatening laDguage was on for hearing: to day, bnt on the application of Mr McNab, the solicitor for the defendant, was adjourned for seven days to euable the defendant to obtain material witnesses, 31 of whom are to be called. Wellington, Monday. Ihe house of Mr Ardenscen. shipwright was broken into last night while the family were at church, and £40 in sold was taken 1 here is no trace of the burglars yet. „ T _ , Monday, night Mclvc-DKie's house at the Hutt was bur nt down on Saturday night. The fire arose from the explosion of a kerosene lamp. The flames spread with great rapidity, and in the confusion one little girl, aged five years, was burned to death. The other children were rescued. The house aud all its contents were entirely consumed. The house was insured in the South British for £200. The stock and furniture were uninsured. McKenzie, besides losing the whole of his stock valued at £200, and all his household goods, lost £40 in cash. Clelan's store opposite had a narrow escape and was on fire at one time but it was extinguished. ' It is understood that two or three gentlemen on the Board of Governors of the Wellington College intend resigning, owing to circumstances connected with the recent system of management, and the proposed changes in the same. The Blondettes. or female minstrels, now playing in Melbourne are arranging a New Zealand tour, commencing at Wellington Mr O'Rorke. chairman of the Commission on Higher Education has arrived, and taken his seatat the Board. Mr Tancred, the Chancellor of the New Zealand University, was examined on Saturday, but as reporters were excluded, the nature of his evidence is unknown. The Government are about to fit up an ice house on board the Hinemoa for the purpose of distributing about a million white fish ova, expected from San Francisco by the next mail steamer. The principal portion of these fish will be sent to Invercargill for the lakes and rivers in that district as it is considered that the more northern parts of the colony are too warm for them. The Hinemoa will probably leave here for Auckland on Thursday next, when she will take the commissioners on Higher Education to obtain evidence there. Tenders will be called in a few days for the first five miles of the Greymouth and Hokitika railway. i Tuesday. Messrs Macandrew, Stout, Sheehan, and Ballanch are expected in Wellington next week. £2175 were collected at the Wellington Customs yesterday. The Government surveyors have discovered a capital railway line for the Hutt. Wakanue railway betweeu Porirua harbor and Paikariki. The rise in five miles does not exceed 200 yards. John Elder sailed from Plymouth for New Zealand on the 30th Jannary. The Government will call for tenders for the erection of a railway wharf on the reclaimed laud before the 18th inst., and the work is to be completed within the shortest possible time. William Brown who arrived from Newcastle lately, was arrested last night for stealing thirty shillings from an oyster saloon. On searching his effects, skeleton keys, files, and other burglarious tools were found. When brought up this morning he showed an intimate acquaintance with the usages of a police court. The Bale of re-claimed land by Mr Duncan began to-day. Corner allotments fronting Lambton Quay fetched £63 per foot ; the others from £58 per foot for the highest to £40 for the lowest, averaging £47 for the firsf.block. There was a large attendance and the bidding was fairly spirited. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency report under date 29th January :— "In wool there has been) little private enquiry. Trade in the manufacturing districts is dull. Up to date 95,000 bales have arrived. The wheat market is quiet. Cali fornian arrivals are heavy. Adelaide is worth 49s per quarter, and New Zealand 445. The tallow market is quiet, and there is no speculative enquiry; mutton, 37s 6d; beef 34s 6d. Leather, best sides 9id." Gore, Monday. s Mr Conyers continues much the same. *If anything, his pulse is rather weaker. Oamauu, Monday. Mr Geo. Sumpter, the agent for the Clyde, received the following telegram from Capt. Bishop :— Bonthbridge, January 3rd— The Clyde is on shoie, twelve miles south of Banks' Peninsula. The crew are all saved. The yards and topmast are gone, and the stern post has started. The rudder is gone, and the top sides are started. The cargo is not much damaged. Dunedjx, Monday. Bishop Neville has applied to the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel for a grant of £3000, with which to purchase Government lands in New Zealand as an endowment for the diocese of Dunedin. The Rev Mr Fitchett, who has recently joined the Church of England, preached in All Saints' Church yesterday. Taufo, Monday. The missing trooper has arrived safely, the search party having met him on the coach road. He states that he met a man in a very exhausted condition, who had lost himself for ten days on the Tokorea Plains. Rewi arrived at Ordinui last night. There are not many Natives here as yet. Foxton Monday. The Jane Douglas managed to get over the bar this morning contrary to expectations. Mr Cooper of Wellington, who bought the wreck of the City of Auckland for £150 has sold it to Bow Birchley & Co., for £250, reserving for himself the steering wheel^ binnacle compasses, and one bower anchor and chain. The purchasers intend diverting the Otaki river by a cutting with the object of trying to get her off. If not successful they will break her up. Lyttelton, Monday night. This morning George Atkinson, late of Auckland, sued Mr Riley, proprietor of the Lyttelton Herald, for the balance of salary for services a 9 canvasser and managing editor. The claim for editorial services was at the rate of £6 per week. Defendant refused to pay more than £3 per week, and furnished evidence showing that the plaintiff was inexperienced at newspaper work and totally unqualified for the position of editor. Judgment was given for £14, equivalent to £3 per week. Chbistchurcii, Monday. The total number of nominated immigrants in Christchurch for the past month was 164.— Mr Joseph F. Graham, the actor, left for England in the Opawa on Saturday. —Mr George Darrell finished a highly successful season with Mr Rignold here on,

Saturday. Every body had beep delighted with the performances. Mr Darrell reop&bS in Cbriatcburcb. on the 31et March with Mr Creswick.— The Rev. J. W. Inglis commences a series of lectures here this week.— Mary Elizabeth Groves, a widow aged 7fi, was found dead in her garden yesterday at noon. The supposed cause of death is appoplexy. Tuesday. At the inquest on the body of Miss Groves at Kaiapoi, a verdict of died from natural causes waa returned.— Mr Scott, the suicide^ bad returned home to his tea before he committed the rash act j he commenced to scold before tea and seemed out of temper, but he afterwards recovered his equanimity. After tea he returned to his bedroom and discharged the contents of two chambers of a revolver into his head, and died instantly.— The railway picnic is decided to take place on Thursday. — A death occurred on the quarantine Island on Sunday, and on the Northern Monarch yesterday, both infants. — The Interprovincial cricket match Otago t;. Canterbury will be piayed on the 10th, 11th and 12th» practice will take phce every evening this week except Saturday, the Canterbury eleven will be chosen from the following players :—Mes3rs Ashley, Beard, Corfe, Fuller, E. Fowler, J. Fowler, W. Frith, Godby, R. Harraan, Hartland, W. E. Leach, Longden, H W. Moore, Neilson, Olliver, Secretan, Skelton, Stevens, S. A. Turner, Watson, A. Watson, and Wood.— The Sergeant of police has returned from the search for the missing crew of the schooner Clyde, and reports all saved. An enquiry will be held. Westport, Monday. The tender of a local man for the Ohika bridge contract has been accepted for £1098. The Koranui Company who have let the contract for the bridge, propose to push on the construction of the branch line and put No. 2 issue of scrip into the market when the time is complete. Mr Cooper and Major Roberts R.M., arrived by the Reefton coach on Saturday to sit as a Commission to-day re certain charges of intemperance and consequent neglect of duty made against Warden Broad, R.M., by a police officer. It is said that the latter has been incited thereto by the Warden reporting the said officer undeservedly.