INTERPROVINCIAL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 76, 30 March 1881, Page 2

INTERPROVINCIAL.

, Wjh^wtgtoit, Wednesday. • The official protest of Sir Arthur Gordon and also of Commodore. Wilson respecting the action of the Colonial Conference on the'

question of the High Commissionership of the Western Pacifitfhas been received by the New South Wales Government, and copies have been laid before the Parliament of that colony, and Sir H. Parkes haß officially sent copies to this Governme&t. The protest relatealess to the. action of the Conference than to the question published as one of the appendices to the proceedings of the Conference. , _ . . James Owen, proprietor of the Tamui Hotel, fell down in a fit and expired yesterday. The cause of death is believed to be apoplexy. The deceased/was well known, having been licensee of various hotelaf in the district. A Chinaman fell off the Wellington-Btreet tram to-day and was picked up in an unconscious state, The extent of his injuries is not yet known. ' : r The Government have decided to relense two of the Maori prisoners confined in Hokitika Gaol, one on account of his suffering from consumption and tho other iv order that ho may accompany tbe invalid home. Both belong to the hapu of Titokowar u. In consequence of the low depth of Wftter in the reservoir it is intended that pasters be placarded over the town requesting hotaseholders to Use eVery means to prevent the waste of water. A cilSulir has been aent to the hotels aekiug them to discontinue their baths until the reservoir is replenished. Mr Hutchison addressed his cqnstituen's last night, the attendance beiug small^ ,Ec characterised the last session, as exceedingly barren, although the tlouse Was flooded by Bills which always disappeared when discussed. Not one of the measures promised in the Governor's opening speech had passed, abd he thought that fact was unprecedented. The only result of the session was a stroDg dese Of additional taxation. He objected to an excise duty on beer, condemned the property tax, and said the increased Customs duties had failed to increase the revenue. Last session, to suit their own ends, Ministers had depreciated tbe credit of the colony, thus adding to the financial crisis. He condemned the ten per cent reduction while approving of retrenchment. He denied that the present Ministry had any sympathy with the bulk of the people or in any way represented their feelings. He advocated the establishment of a Bank of Issue to relieve the Government and save the. people from tbe capricicuj actions of the existing institutions. He strongly condemned the scheme proposed for the reductions in the representation to single constituencies.' He laughed at Mr Kolleston's boasted efforts to promote settlement, and said the Government were not sincere in their desire to settle people on the land. He thought the railways should not be managed on a cast iron rule but on commercial principles. He gave the Government credit for resisting Mr Bryce's advice to attack Te Whiti, and denied Mr Bryce's claim as a, reformer of the Native Department j on the contrary Mr Bryce had trailed the British honor and law in the diist by arresting innocent men and detaining them without trial. Maoris had been sentenced to two years for what Europeans would be fioed £5. He rejoiced that Mr Bryce was now out of power. He had great faith in tbe West Coast CommisaJonj but feared Te Whiti would u6t negotiate till the prisoners were, unconditionally released. He urged the necessity of electoral and representative reform, tbe abolition of the Property Tax, a, change in the incidence of Customs taxation, ' and the imposition of the land and income tax. The land tax should be designed to break up large estates^ and every vestige of primogeniture should be abolished. He objected to the. growing system of game laws, and Urged thS necessity of bankruptcy reform. He postponed his remarki on education to a second meeting. A vote of thanks and confidence was carriedj after a speech from Mr John Duthie in defence of Mr Bryce and bis policy, in the course of which he pointed out that the Governor's letter to Te Whiti was written while Mr Bryca was present, and expressed his own opinion that, had it not been written, Mr Bryce would not have resigned. Arrived — Bteamer Norfolk from London via Lyttelton. An enquiry will be held on Thursday the 7th April into the circumstances in connection with the mishap to the Penguin on Friday lilst. The Asylum Commission made an inspection of the Asylum yesterday. It is ex-, pected that their report will be presented to the Governor next week. Chhistchurch, Wednesday. Mr M'Lean, who has commenced the manufacture of pickleshere on a large scale, under-' takes to give tbe first order for 20,000: bottles, if made here. The industrial: Association is prepared to show that there are enormous deposit! of glass sand in the colony, which give a splendid analysis and received an award at the Sydney Exhibition. OaUauo, Wednesday. A. two roomed cottage occupied by a mason named Rodgers waa burned down last night. The furniture was insured for £50 in the Liverpool London and Globe. The House ii said to be insured in the New Zealand, but the amount could not be ascertained. lKvaßCAEori.ii, Wednesday. The dwelling of Mr Sinclair, a farmer at Castle Rock, was totally destroyed by fire, the family only narrowly escaping, and leaving clothing and everything else to the flames. Auckland, Wednesday. • Two stacks of wheat and one of oaten hay were burnt at James Elliott's farm near Mangere. They were insured for £450 in the Union office. There is no clue as to the origin of the fire. Rich specimens from Coromandel are exhibited in town to-day causing a good deal pi excitement and a rise in shares. The foundation stone of the Masonic Hall in Princea-atreet was laid with Masonic honors to-day. The District Grand Lodge E.K. met in the Choral Hall where the officers were received. District Grand Master G S. Graham addressed the Masons; and there was a procession to St. Paul's; Cathedral where Brother Dr Kidd preached the sermon. The procession then re-formed and went to the Hall site where a temporary" platform was erected and a large crowd as-i aembled. District Grand Master Graham laid the stone, and Brother F. Whitakerj Attorney - General and Provincial Grand Master, delivered an oration. :