INTERPROVINCIAL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 43, 19 February 1880, Page 2

INTERPROVINCIAL.

[Pkbs6 Association. \ Chbistchuech, Thursday. The Minister for Public Works received a number of deputations yesterday. He promised to attend to the various local railway matters, but he held that the strictest economy was necessary in the management of the railway. .A deputation from the Chamber of Commerce interviewed the Minister relative to the removal of the Commissioner of Railways to Dunedin, stating that his removal had caused surprise and they inquired the reason of the change and wished to know whether or not there was to be a centralization of departments in Dunedin, and also whether the pay of the Canterbury workmen, was iv future to come from Dunedin,

Mr Stead showed by figures the trade and, traffic to be greater in Christchurcb than Dunediu and said the Chamber bad failed to see the desirability of the removal of the offices from Christchnrch. All that was desired was to consult the interests of the colony. The Minister in reply said that all was done in the interests of the railway system of the \Vhole Island. Mr Cor.yers bad been transfered to organise the goods system at Dunedin and it must Dot be understood that there was any .intention to c ntralise the management. It was rather th? wish of the Government to sectionalise i. The amount of business done did not effect the question and very little importance was attached to the withdrawal of the resident staff from Christchurcb. He was quite open to reconsider the matter with a view to consulting the best interests of the colony-. The Temperance Hotel Company will make further Calls on the Oonipany's capital; and will take steps to commence the building. During 1879, the attendance at Ihe Norh Canterbury schools vVas 2" 1,653, almost equally divided amongst boys and girls. rThe daily average was only 10,568. There are now 120 schools in the district besides fotir aided school? and the normal school} whibh litely had 719 children. At the Rechabite district meeting, the levies for the current year were fixed as follows :— Contingent fund, Is lOd 5 relief funS, 11s 2d. The election of officers resulted as follows :-D C.R , Bro F. Sidney, Wellington ; D D.R., Bro. P. Rankin ; D.T., Bro. J. Okell, Wellington. Auditors, Bros. A. J. Bennett and H. B. Parsonage. It was decided that £10 be paid to a member on the death of his wife, whether she be a total abstainer or not. It was decided to establish an annuity branch, and a scale of contributions and benefits was prepared., for submission to the Government , ' Donedin, Thursday. The Licensed Victuallers Association has decided to take legal advice whether the license fee is demandable for billiard tables. At the City Court Henry Epps was charged with fishing w?th a net for trout. Mr Watt held that section 2 of the " Fisheries Act " did not apply to the creek where the fishing had taken place aa ; it was , not mentioned in the section. After the case had been dis missed Inspector Mallard pointed out that under section 7 fishing with a net was prohibited in all creeks. Mr Watt admitted taking the wrong yiew of the matter, but thought it was unnecessary to re-open the case. George Stevens was charged with forging an order on the Green Island Coal Company for £15. The sum was due to the prisoner as wages. Mr Watt decided not to send the case for trial and dismissed the information. The Irish famine subscriptions have closed. About £1000 have been collected iv Dunedin and the suburbs. There is about £200 more to come in. A boy named Fullarton, while bathing at Port Chalmers, was seized by an octopus, and bis companions rescued him with difficulty. The Oamaru Mail states that Mr J. H. Pope, ex-master of the Girls' High School , has been appointed Inspector of native schools for both Islands. The Builders' Association^ has fixed the wages for bricklayers, plasterers, and masons at 12s per day, carpenters 10s, and laborers Bs. The Carpenters' Association decline to accept less that 12s. A meeting of ratepayers last night to consider the excessive salaries paid by the Corporation to its officers, was adjourned, pending the report of the Council Committee on the same subject. Blenheim, Ttursday. The races were well attended, and there was fine weather. For the Hurdle Race, Grey Momus had a walk over.— Maiden Plate : He.o I, Maiio Stuart 2. Won by two lengths.— Sapling Stakes : Sir George 1, Heather Bell 2. — Maryborough Cup: Norseman 1, Magnolia 2, Loch Lomond 3. An enciting race, won by a neck. — Flting Stakes : Talent 1, Hero 2. New Pltmotjth, Thursday. The monthly Parihaka meeting 13 over. Not more than 300 natives were present. Te Whiti made a short address of little or no significance. Sailed, at 10 a.m., Steamer Waitaki for Nelson and Southern Forts. Passengers : Rev. Brady, l>r. Leetham, Messrs. Smith Riettson, Benjamin, Cowles, Patterson, King and Simmonsen. Wanganui, Thursday. A fire has destroyed the valuable dwelling bouse and workshop, the property of Donald Ross, cabinet maker, situated in St. George's Gate. The workshop was insured for £500, and the stock in trade for £150 in the Norwich Union office. Auckland, Thursday. As soon as the Hon " m F. Whitaker, Attorney-General, received official information of the landing of French prisoners at Onehunga, he communicated to his colleagues at Wellington. Unfortunately,however,there is no English law which prohibits landing of such prisoners as the Griffin's passengers in British dominions, or the law would at once have been set in motion against nine criminals. Were the police to arrest the nine ticket of leave men who arrived by the Griffin, their release could be secured by a wrifc of Habeas Corpus, and Frenchmen would have a good action for damages against their captors. The leades of the Communists is M. Augustus Tbordguard, formerly lieutenant in Garde Nationale. j Eight cases of assault on females are set down for trial at the next criminal sessions. Counterfeit sixpences are in circulation. James John Pook has been arrested, charged with embezzling the f uuds of the Oddfellows' Lodge of which he was Secretary. He was remanded, bail being accepted in his own recognizance of £100 and two sureties of £50 each. As the result of the reward of £20 offered by the police, the authorities received iuformation that the Fijian suspected of indecent assault on a child, and who was chased into the Oraki bush, was getting away on board the schooner Transit, and the police arrested him. His clothes were changed, showing that he bad been assisted by some one. Tbe vessel was going to sail to Fiji. Great dissatisfaction exists ainonerst the Volunteers at the action of the Union Steam Shipping Company in raising the fares for Volunteers proceeding to the Nelson prize firing. The following have entered, but unless the fares are reduced, not mor ethan half will go : — W. Henderson, Rose, H.Rose, Woolley, (A battery), Easby, (Engineer) Sub-Lieutenant Skinner, Haslett, Taylor, Haslett, Leigh, Fairs, Cooper (Victoria), O'Brien (Hobson), Leigh, Sergeant Hay (No. 3), Moore, Smith (Navals), Barriball, Currie (Waiuku Cavalry). Hawera, Thursday The natives returned from Parihaka yesterday, but did not visit tha Commissioners at Oeo. Te Whiti told them that those who visited the Commissioners were only chaff, and that the wheat was all bagged at Paribaka, but he left it to tbeir own option to visit the Commissioners or not. The letter from the Commission to the tribes at Parihaka WBS read, but had no effect in inducing the natives to attend. ' It was pointed out that it would not be considered proper for an adulterous man to enquire into his own sin, and that Sir W. Fox was a Government man enquiring into the faults of the Government. The natives present numbered about 700. They said there was to be no fighting, no survey, and no land enquiries. There are ' continued presents of food to the Constabulary. There is to be a great meeting at Parihaka iv March.

Napier, Ttiti rsday. The Natives on Hardiiig's station at Mount Vernon have stopped the men feociug under threats of violence. , Major Sully and an interpreter hare left fbr Mount yernoh. A survey party from the disturbed Patea country returned to town to-day having been threatened by natives. It is also reported, though the report yet lacks v confirmation J that;, men have- been turned ofe Moorboiise's station at Patea.