INTERPROVINCIAL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 89, 14 April 1881, Page 2

INTERPROVINCIAL.

Wellington, Wednesday. The report of the officers appointed to enquire into the charges against Firth, property tafc collector at Pelorus Sound, for alleged alteration of valuation, has been received hy Government. It is understood that ifc declarcß the charges not proved ; however, Firth has been officially reprimanded for remaining drinking at ttie public bouses, ; and also for the manner in which he dl'ew up certain statutory declarations in connection with the charges. CiißiSTCHimcir, Thursday. There are now Bix large ships in Lyttelton flying the New Zealand Shipping Company's flag of an aggregate capacity of 10,000 tons, and tho block of grain, it iB expected, will be j speedily swept away. , A man named George Sadler arriving from England with a letter for £50 found on ar- j rival that the duplicate which came by the mail bad been cashed by another George Sadler. The culprit who ia a laboring man and could neither read nor write said he thought it came from his mother in Glouces- ' tershire. He was committed for trial. On Sunday five stacki of wheat, the property of John Murphy of the Buccleugh, Btation, were destroyed by fire. They were insured for £500. The origin of the fire is unknown. The following ale the acceptances for the Free Handicap :— Billingsgate, The Poet, Frailty, Nautilus, and Raineo. Dunedin, Wednesday. The race horse Le Loup; recently purchased by Mi 1 Jnities Shahd, will not race again, but will go to the stud. An adjourned meeting of the Dunedin Jockey Club was held to consider the matter with reference to the scratching of Natator for the Forbury. Handicap, and after further discussion a motion that the horse Natator and Mr JLance be disqualified was lost, and the following motion was carried :— '** Having received a letter from the Hon. W. Robinson together with the explanation of Mr Lance with regard to the scratching of Natator for the Forbury Handicap on the 26th Feb., the Committee considers the tame highly unsatisfactory, and expresses strong disapproval bf the course pursued in allowing the horse io remain in the betting nearly four hours after he had left Dunedin, and for a long time j after Mr Lance had decided to send the j horse away/ Bailed— Oamaru, for London, with 11 passengers and a full cargo. Blenheim, Thursday.; The steamer Napier returned to the Heads with Kaikoura excursionists on Tuesday, but owing to tho heavy sea running on the bar she is unable to get in, and is still outside. A boat containing the mate and two of the crew attempted to make the shore, but cap sized and the men had a narrow escape from being drowned. Auckland, Thursday. The coasting steamer Annie Milbank struck on the rocks in Parua Bay; and is making water fast. It is said that her back is broken. She is insured in the South British for £1,500, re-insured as follows : — National £250 ; Victoria £250 ; New Zealand £500. At the inquest re the fire which destroyed Ireland's Tannery, the verdict was that the place was wilfully set fire to by some person or persons unknown. The verdict created some surprise, as G. Ireland, the resident proprietor; and Roger Kay, the manager of the works, both swore that in their opinion the fire was accidental. Mr Mills, on behalf of the Union Company, has sold the eteamer Wellington to Captain McGregor, owner of various Auckland coasting steamers, and has agreed to withdraw from opposing him in the Russell, Tauranga, Whangarei, and Hay of Islands trade except with such steamers as go to coal. Mr Bowman, the engineer who attempted suicide hy taking laudanum, has been arrested and remanded. In the Police Court the prosecution by Mr Rees against Wickham of the Free Lance for libel wan proceeded with. Mr G. M. Reed, one of the principal witneßseß, deposed that he was the agent referred to in the article, and Mr Rees had never been guilty of the conduct imputed to him in tbe article with respect to the immigrants. He denied that ' Mr Rees had attempted to swindle the immigrants, or had failed in his promises to them, or tbat the judges had reflected on Mr Rees. On the contrary, they had complimented bim and the nativei had given bim (Reed) assurances tbat Mr Rees was carrying out their wishes. The case is still proceeding. "* Later. 1 Wickham ia committed for trial for libel on Mr Rees, solicitor. Timaiiu, Thursday. : Between eight and nine thousand bushels of wheat, the property of Gould and Cameron, station holders at Springfield near Rakaia, stacked ready for removal on the Cairnbrae railway station platform near Rakaia were destroyed by fire. The wheat was all right in the afternoon, and next morning was all burnt as well as the platform. It is supposed to be the work of an incendiary and the police are investigating the matter. The wheat was valued at £1,500 and was covered by insurance to tbe extent of £800. . Grahamstown, Thursday. Mining prospects here have materially improved during the past few days. The Alburnia have cut a new golden reef, which likewise, runs through the Whau. The former Company is likewise on a small leader which, it is believed, will lead to a rich patch. Tht Golden Calf Is getting gold daily.