INTERPROVINCIAL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 179, 29 July 1880, Page 2

INTERPROVINCIAL.

Wellington. Thursday. The Bchool-house at Featherstou was destroyed by fire at seven o'clock last night. The origin ia unknown. Christchcech, Thursday. The following is the report of the New Zealand Shipping Company, to be presented at the annual meeting on August 12th:— The Company's ships have been maintained in their accustomed high state of efficiency, and have -performed their respective services without casualty. The contract with the Government for the conveyance of immigrants and cargo to the colony has been further extended. The profit and loss account shows a balance to credit of £37,297 2s sd. Of this sum the directors have appropriated to the reserve fund, which will then stand at £73,000, the sum of £20,000. and your directors propose to pay a dividend of ten per cent for the year, of which a moiety was paid Id January last, £12,500 ; to make provision for the late General Manager's deficiency account £2,439 8s 2d; and to carry „, forward to profit and loss new account, £2,357 14a 3d. Total, £37,297 2s sd. The dividend will be payable at the head office and all the Colonial branches on and after the 13th August. One paragraph of the report referring to the late Manager's, H. fielwyn Smith's, proceedings is omitted, as its publication, the lawyers advise, is libellous. The non-allusion in the report to " Manager's deficiency account " is thus explained. At a meeting of railway employees last night, letters of sympathy were read from Messrsßeader Wood.and Stevens, who pointed out that the reduction in wagea would be discriminative and in no case lower than the price paid by private firms. It was reported that the wages at the Dunedia railway workshops were 20 to 30 per cent higher than thoße paid for the same work here. The prospectus is issued of the Illustrated . New Zealand Annual, to be edited by Mr Mosley. The first number will be published in December. Six families and eight adults left by the Hinemoa last night for the North, where they intend to settle on land at Wangarei according to arrangements made with;jthe Government. ---

Dunedin, Thursday. At the Education Board to-day a telegram was read from the Minister for Education notifying a ten per cent reduction on all salaries, and asking the Board's co-operation in retrenching the expenditure. The steamer Ino went ashore at Port Molyneux last night. She has a full cargo, aud is expected to become a total wreck. The hull is insured for £500 in tbe South British, and £450 in the Victoria, and the cargo in the South British for £500. Auckland, Thursday. Mr Milne, the agent for Messrs Grant and Foster, the Lincolnshire farmers delegates, says 'that the report of those gentlemen, which is eminently favorable to New Zealand, will be here by the next mail. Adelaide Neillson, tbe famous actress, has positively arranged to leave San Fraucisco for New Zealand and Australia by the August steamer.