INTERPROVINCIAL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 153, 28 June 1879, Page 2

INTERPROVINCIAL.

OBESS AGEHOT.I Wellington, Friday night. An extraordinary explosion occurred in College-street to-day. A fire had been made of West Wanganni coal, and soon after an explosion occurred, Wowing the coal and fire all over the place, knocking the plaster down and doing other damage. Two children had •been in front of the fire a few minutes hefore, and must have been severely injured if there when the explosion occurred. Mr and Mrs Binns received some slight injuries The copper case of a dynamite cartridge was found on the floor after the explosion, and it is supposed that it was intended for use, but had been accidentally left in the coal. Mr Squires, who waa lately finea in mistake for selling liquor after hours, was dismissed, and cautioned to be more particular in future in the conduct of his house. The ironmasters and engineers propose shorter hours as well as a reduction of wages.

Altogether the loss to the men will be about twenty per cent. Tbe men complain that they only received three days' notice. jThe masters urge dull times as the only cause of the reduction. Saturday. Mrs Cooper, of Adelaide Road, fell dead this morning. The foundry men and iron workers generally will endeavor to arrange matters with the masters by trying to induce them to fix shorter day's work instead of reducing the pay. Along with the new fire escape on board the Loch Cree are several ladders which command a height of GO feet and a dozen respiratora to enable the firemen to enter rooms filled with smoke. Dunedin, Saturday. Mr Itathgate was banquetted last night. In the course of his speech he said it was not generally known that his appointment as a Magistrate was unsolicited and wholly unexpected. When the offer was made by the Premier he refused to accept unless the whole Cabinet approved. Out of 18,000 cases brought before him during five and a half years, only 25 had been appealed against, and Qf these 18 were upheld by the Court of Appeal.