INTERPROVINCIAL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 24, 28 January 1881, Page 2

INTERPROVINCIAL.

FIRE AT PARIHAKA. New Pltmouth, Thursday night. Intelligence has just been received that a bush fire has occurred on the land of Parihaka which has destroyed a great quantity of food. So excited were the Maoris that it was with difficulty many of them were prevented from rushing into the flames and dying with the food that was being destroyed. Wellington, Friday. The date fixed for the payment of the first instalment of the Property Tax iB the Bth March, and for the second instalment the 22nd of the same month. A meeting of the Committee of the New Zealand Rifle Association was held yesterday evening to make arrangements for the Nelson meeting. Lieut. Ellis of Nelson was elected on the Committee vice Major Jones deceased, The prospects of the meeting ore considered good, and a large attendance is anticipated. The Union Company have agreed to convey members of the Association to Nelson. and back for s ngle fare. Hobson and Co. of London have presented Cups for competition. Owing to all the tents being issued for service in the Notth Island, the Committoe suggest that the teams coming

from other places should bring iheir own tents to/prevent' disappointment. Arrangements have been made for a fnll supply o f targets so as to ensure the meeting being got over in a Shorter time than heretofore. An influential Sub* Committee has been appointed to canvass for prizes. It was reported that • the Neisoti citizens Contemplated providing prizes for matches in addition to thoSe Oil the programme. ~ Sir Tatton is scratched for all his engagements at the Wellington races. The betting is completely paralysed by the uncertainty as to whether Natator is coming or not. NAriER. Friday". The police received a report from Poranahu of a robbery of £250 belonging to Henare Mattia and other Natives, The Maoris refused to give any further information to the police, Baying that they will settle it among themselves. The Silver Cloud which [went ashore on Wednesday is full of water. Donedin, Friday. • During the passage of the steamer Albion from Lyttelton to Port Chalmers a steerage passenger from Auckland to Melbourne named James Gurnet Pike was missed. He was last eeen by, his mate at 2 o'clock on Wednesday morning when he was muttering to himself in bis bunk. He bad been drinking rather heavily at Auckland. Christcherch, Friday. The weather is very favorable, ssd the crops are beiag rapidly harves,t«d in splendid condition. Great interest 'is manifested in the cricket match with the Australians. The general opinion is that- the Canterbury team is not strong enough to win. A dißastrouß fire occurred at Kaiapoi at 2 o'clock this morning, Five buildingo were destroyed. Full particulars are not yet to band. The Australian cricketers arrived from Timaru by the 1.55 Irain, and will practise this afternoon. The ground is in magnificent order. The Board of Eeviewers yesterday considered the objections raised by the various Building Societies. The Boar i decided that shares in Building Societies must be located as in any other public company and taxed accordingly. Timaku, Thursday night. The cricket match, Timaru v. Australians, '. was concluded to-day. The Australians made ' 218 in their first innings. In their first innings Timaru scored 43 and they then followed on and made 67, the Australians thus winning by one innings with 108 runs to spare. New Plymouth, Friday. The Herald's Urenui correspondent writes that the natives released from Dunedin gaol have the same faith in Te Whiti as ever, and pay that shortly all tbe land from the White Cliffs to Waitara will come back to them. The natives wbo have come back from Parihaka say that when the Governor arrives in Taranaki he will pay Te Whiti a visit. Tbe native prisoners who were taken on to Auckland an i released in the Waikato have made their way back here. They arrived at Mimi yesterday, and will join their released comrades to-day. The uatives are busy cutting their wheat, so as to bo free for Te Whiti's meeting on February 17. The Urenui Volunteers are disbanded, owing to the Government compelling them to parade for . inspection of arms once a month. The men are willing to parade once a quarter. Owing to the district being native, the policy of the Government in taking the arms from the menjwho have been soldiers is condemned. The natives from Mokau say the steamer Hannah Mokau has been seventeen miles up the river, which is five more than any vessel has been yet. The news respecting the coal and opening up of that country is satisfactory