INTERPROVINCIAL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 48, 25 February 1880, Page 2

INTERPROVINCIAL.

[Pkess Association. 1 Wellington, Tuesday night. It is stated that the counsel for the native prisoners have determined to contest the validity of the Governor's action in assenting to the Maori Prisoners' Trial Bill as being repugnant to the law of England, and ontside the Governor's instructions. Writs will be served on the Governor by some of the prisoners, claiming damages for illegal imprisonment. The following are the awards made to New Zealand in . the Sydney Exhibition in the milling department s— Dr. Hector, Ist prize, tot geological eeJlsetion; Bank o| New

Zealand, Ist prize, for gold collection ; Duryil'» Island Copper Mining Company, limited, 2nd prize, for copper ; T. R. Hackett, (for Johnston and Co. Nelson), Ist prize, for chrome ; Hematite Paint Company^ Nelson, 3rd prize, for hematite ore ; G. Miinro, Dunedin, Ist priie, fdr marble > Canterbury Marble Company. 3rd prize ; Oamaru Stone Company, W. Daniel, Southland, Professor J. Von Haast and Edward M'Caffey, Queenstown, Ist prize, and J. D. Emys, Canterbury, and ,Qfcago Slate Company, 2nd prizes, for building stone ; Nelson Museum, 2nd prize, for paving stone ; H. D. Jackson, Nelson, Ist prize, for ores from the Richmond Hill Bilver, . mine { , Gum and gpence, Lawrence, . Otagb, and George Munro, of Dunedin, 2nd nrize, for clays j John B. Stansell, Ist prize, for glass sand ; Pawa Rika Lithographic Stone Company, Abbey Rocks, Westland, 3rd prize, for lithographic stone. Wednesday. An influential committee has bteen appointed to coltept subscriptions in aid of the Irish dtsttieak fund and a house to lj&use canvass will be made on Mobday. CHbistchtjrch, Wednesday. The Hon E. Richardson has been re-elected chairman of the Lyttelton Harbor Board. A child five years old died to-day on board the Westland from measles. The Christchurch street tramway i3to be officially opened to-da-y. Dfcmicrtir, Wednesday. At ten o'clock last night a fire was discovered on board the ship Marlboroiign, lying alongside the railway pier at P"ort Chalme ra. . Four bales or wool in the hold had taken fire, but they were promptly removed. The fire is attributed to carelessness in ÜBing lights in the hold. " Stranger's" tips in the Baity Times for the Cup are Mata, Titania, and Libeller. For the Sfc. Leger : Hornby and Betrayer. Publicans' Purse : Cambello. The superiority of Greymouth coal over Newcastle for gas making purposes has received a striking oroof at the Dunedin gas works. The engineer states that he has been enabled to report that, for the 28 days ending February 18, Greymouth coal being used, the consumption was 60 tons less than during the corresponding period of last year, when Newcastle coal was used, while the quantity of gas manufactured was 165,000 cubic feet more. Besidea this, the gas from the Grey coal was of two candle greater illuminating power than that from Newcastle. The statement was made at the Council meeting that it was a saving equal to £6000 yearly. The Padishah, from London, is at tke Heads. Hawera, (Wednesday. Captain Fortescue, with a detachment of 35 A.C.'s from Opunake, arrived in camp at three o'clock. The band went out to meet them, and played them into camp. The natives presented Colonel Roberts with a bullock, 6 pigs. 150 kits of potatoes, 6 kits of peaches, 4 ditto of cabbages, A geese, 16 fowls, 1 turkey, 2 kits of maize, aud one can of honey. The present was made by Patu Manua in the name of Te Whiti and Tohu. Colonel Roberts thanked them. Ohinemotu, Tuesday night. The violent ejection case from the Ohinemutu Hotel came on to-day, before R. Brabant, Esq., and Robert Graham, Esq. The natives appeared on the information of Inspector Emerson. Counsel objected to Mr Graham sitting on the Bench, as being implicated. Mr Graham declined to leave the Bench, and ultimately said that he saw no chance of the natives getting justice, and he would procure a Parliamentary enquiry. Upon the application of the natives, the Magistrate adjourned the case to March sth, at Tauranga, adding that he did not think he could sit with Mr Graham, who might be implicated, but with impartial justices at Tauranga. Napier, Wednesday. The police enquiry on the removal of the sand bags from the rifle ranges proves that they were taken by Maori children for the sake of the lead in them. The Rev Samuel Williams is trying to arrange the dispute between the natives and Mr McMaster of Taharaiti, but they refuse to listen to him. They do not impugn the lease, which has 11 years to run, but say they are determined to retain possession of the land, and will drive McMaster's sheep on to the high road. When Mr Harding's fencers returned to work thiß morning, about 100 natives were found drawn up along the line of fence to prevent its erection. He telegraphed to Major Scully for police assistance, but the Major refused to give assistance pending Mr Hamlin's report to the Government, as he is making an enquiry into the dispute. Both Bides then agreed to await the report. Auckland, Wednesday. The Hon. Mr Whitaker ban appointed Mr Maxwell, engineer, to examine anl report on the alleged silting up of the Auckland harbor. The Board has proposed a considerable increase in the wharf dues with the view of increasing the revenue and providing funds for the construction of a large graving dock. The Volunteers will give a banquet to Col. Leokie next week. The Waikato Farmers' Club have resolved to bring into force the eleventh clause of the " Diseases of Cattle Act," and have appointed a sub-committee for the purpose. The number of visitors at the Bay of Islands regatta is several thousands, and the affair is expected to be a great success.