INTERPROVINCIAL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 113, 13 May 1881, Page 2

INTERPROVINCIAL.

REVENUE RETURNS 1880-81. WEixiNGroN, Thursday night, The Cattle Board to-day refused an application for the release of two pigs, the property of Mr D. Canning of Hawke's Bay, which arrived per ship Hurunui on the 19th January last, and. which have remained in quarantine ever since on account of no certificate from the shippers declaring that they were free from disease at the time of sbipment being produced by the consignees.' Friday. The total ordinary revenue of the colony for the year ending 3 let March was £3,123,960, exclusive of £94,200 deficiency bills. The total ordinary expenditure for the Bame period was £3,168,183, leaving a balance in hand of £88,533. The land fand revenue was £299,176, and tbe year's expenditure on the same source was £266,703. The two accounts, after providing for deficiency bills, show a Surplus of upwards £26,000. On the same date the total expenditure on the loan account for the year amounted to £1,060,974, leaving a balance in hand, subject-' to liabilities, of £1,360,373, exclusive of the guaranteed half million. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency report under date London, May 10:— The wool sales opened bn tbe 1 Oth inst. at an average decline, of 5 per cent, on last sale's closing rates. The sales comprise 337,000 bales. The opening catalogue contained 5100 bales. 2600 bales have been sent to the manufacturing districts direct.' Thecompetition by both home and foreign buyers is active.— The. wheat market is flat. Adelaide is worth 49s per 4961b5. Charleston, Thursday. The Government dam was' carried away last night, taking with it Gregory and Homer's dam, also everything below it, and very nearly causing loss of life. The damage is considerable and will cause a nearly total cessation of mining in the district. Tauranga, Friday. ' The census returns show the population of Tauranga and Bay of Plenty to be 3399, heing an increase of 71 per cen6 since 1878. Another meeting of the Native Lands Court will be held on the 30th May. There are seven cases set down for hearing. Ddnedin, Friday. Grange's store in Forth-atreet wos burned down yesterday. The building was insured in the Tranelantic for £400, and the stocl^and furniture in the same office for £350. Thompson, the owner, estimates his loss at £550 above the insurances^ The Vincent County has reached the end of its financial tether, the Bank having refused further advances, and requested a reduction of the overdraft. The Garrick Club had a crowded house in aid of the Tararua fund. There are three insolvencies tbis week, the principal one being John Morrison Innes, of Mosgiel, storekeeper; debts, £1935 : assets, #139?, :■•■■•• '•''•■

THE TARARUA INQUIRY. Dunedin, Fiiday. The Tararua inquiry was resumed yesterday. Thomas Dixon, Edward Johnston, and FraDk DeDZ, seamen, first gave evidence. All agreed as to the danger of a boat in the vicinity of the wreck and hore out- the second mate's expression of opinion in tbis respect. Denz wound up his evidence thus: — " If all the steamers in England had been tbere they could not have saved a soul from the Tararua after 12 o'clock on Friday." Captains Chatfield of the RingHroorua and Sinclair of the Arawata gave evidence as to tho dauger of Waipapa Point, aud the necessity of a lighthouse being erected. Cb as. Steward, seaman, gave unimportant evidence, John Weston deposed that he relieved Barnett on tbe look out about five or ten minutes after 5. He concluded a_ follows: — " When I went forward I Baw the loom of high land, but not the beach. I heard nothing. I looked towatds the bridge, because I bad orders always to keep a bright look out, but I saw nobody on it. I saw some one aft. I don't think I was on tho foreOastle head more than from five to eight minutes when the ship struck. Just about a minute before Bhe struck I ,saw foam round the vessel, and thought she was in uotae current. I did not sing oat about it. 1 did not think the foam meabfc any danger. I saw nothing eslse and heard nothing before Bhe struck. The foam Waß Hot likfc water breaking over rocks. It looked as if it was boiling. Just as sbe struck. I wai in the act of coming to see what the foam waa. It was so comical liko. I got ashore from the mate's boat. I dont recolleot seeing any one on the bridge after I went on the look out." George Lawrence, -who swam ashore from tbe first boat and sent thO messenger to the telegraph office, deposed that he did. nofc say anything about danger. He only said assistance was immediately required. Afc the conclusion of his evidence Mr Simpson said that Lawrence should be highly complimented for his. plucky and brave conduct in -swimming ashore. The enquiry was then adjourned until Saturday. Cukistchdrch, Friday. A peculiar inquest was held at Kaiapoi yesterday A child, whose name and parentage were unknown, was being nursed by a woman who received 15s a week which was paid her by a solicitor in Christchurch. She got the child frora another woman by the direction of a third woman named Mrs Brough. Dr Ovenden said the cause of death was tapes mesenteris, but as he did not know tbe child's name he would not give a certificate of death. He had telegraphed to the solicitor, and the latter said be did not know the name but would ascertain it and took no farther notioe. Tbe child had been poorly treated. The foreman of the jury Baid tb.y were quit* satisfied about the causo of death, and thought the police ought not to tako any further steps, but tha Ootober would not consent to this, and adjourned the inquest till Thursday next when the solicitor and Mrs Brough will be brobght upi Two attempts were recently taade to set fire to a hobse at Leitbfield by means of firing tbe hedge close to it. A man named Michael Theimisy has been arrested on suspicion. Mr Saunders addressed the constituents of Waipari oa Wednesday night Aftet claiming to havo done mote than any other member to reduce the public expenditure, he said bo could not support Sir George Grey, whose Government had in tWo yeatsy to their great disgrace, spfenfc £1 5,000,000. He spoke highly of Major Atkinson's speech, and said the present was the first Government that ever reduced the expenditure a shilling. He supported the Property Tax, bat thought improvements should be exempted, and that land bhould be taxed to catch speculators and not improvers. He was strongly opposed to protection. He supported the present education system, and thought its cost and that of charitable aid were rightly charged to tbe consolidated revenue. The po-called Liberal party had no claim to the title. Tbe real Liberals were men like Mr Ormond and Mr Reader Wood. A vote of confidence was passed. Tbe Canterbury Coursing Club's meeting, which commenced on Wednesday, was continued to-day. The Canterbury Oaks weie divided between Mr Cannon's bide-a-wee, and Mr Taylor's Desdemona. The meeting continues to-day. The weatber whicb was very hot in the early part of tbe week changed to-day, and heavy rain from the south-west is now falling. Wanganui, Friday. A fire occurred last night in the post office here between 11 and 12. It originated in the store room wbich waa damaged as well as the roof. The cause is unknown. The damage is estimated at £100, uninsured. The telegraph and mails are uniojured. Timabu, Monday. At the Magistrate's Court tbis morning, Michael Quirk was charged with attempting to committ suicide in the Park by stabbing himself. The man wan only discharged from tbe hospital this morning, and waa immediately arrested by Detective Kirby and committed for trial but liberated on hia own recognizance of £50. Ashbubton, Friday, A fire broke out at 2 o'clock this moruing in Watts' Temperance Hotel whicb was burnt to tbe ground in a short time. Ifc also caught Baker and Brown's coach factory which was aho destroyed. One lodger iv , the boarding house waa extricated with difficulty and was much cut and burnt. Mr and Mrs Watts were absent At tbe time. Their two children were rescued by a lodger. . Tbe insurances on the hotel (Baker and Brown owners) were : — South British £300 ; ' Standard £300, and on the furniture, Uuion £200. Tbe factory insurance was £250 in tbe South British. The stock was uninsured. Tbe origin is unknown. Baker and Brown are heavy losers.