INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10061, 1 February 1909, Page 2

INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

(Per Pukss Association.) WELLINGTON. February 1. The North Island Main Trunk .Railway will finally pass out of the hands of the Public Works Department 011 the 13th instant.'. and* the' regular; through service" will commence from Auckland 011 Sunday evenine, 14th, and from Wellington a| 11130- il.'rn. 011 the 15th. The 11am©. of O. A. llickson, Comniissioner of Stamps has been erroneously inclriided among thoso who would be possibly retired, under the age limit regulation, but he is not-yet 65 years , of age.' During 'last month the estates of 111 deceased" persons were finally certified for stamp duty. The largest Otago ostates were: John K. Smeliie £14,063, G. Davis £4701, Henrv Harbour £2077, James Ciirncnrj. £19?6, Kdwatxl Dobson £1934, Charles Dore £1487. Jean Wilson £1304, Anna Bella M'Masler £1285, John Aitla'U £lO9l, .-Ul'rod Hastings £857, John Mmr £767, George Sinclair £620. AUCKLAND. February 1. Sir, J .G. Ward left for .Rfltorna by th. expr.css this morning-with' bis faii'i'y. an.l proposes to take a. three wc- bolidiiy at tho thermal 'regions, afterwaixls returning tO'.Aiickl;ind. Arrived —Sildra, from Ocean Island ; N.-iyii.t, from t'iji. The I'rime Minister this morning informed: a Star representative that the Government had authorised the erection of a new Legislative Council Chamber alongside the present Parliamentary Buildings. The new additions will include a room for the Speaker and three or four Committee rooms. The portion of the. buildings last session used by the Legislative Council Will be used by the House of Representatives in addition to the. present' Assembly, and better accommodation will be provided for the press and public. Interviewed by a Star reprCsontatiye this morning, (lie Prime -Minister said the Timber Commission would consist of ten members. The sawinillers would be asked to nominate two members, the middlemen two members, the rcprcscu-' tative workers unions two members, the builders one member, and tlio Government three members. The Commission would sit ill the four centres and take evidence to enable the Government and Parliament to know every side of the trouble 011 which diversity exists. The timber ring had been accused of keeping prices up, and the the fact, that timber had gone up enormously in price during recent years needed explanation. The quest ion whet her imports of Oregon pine bad been responsible for the decrease in the output of our 111 i"ls would also be gone into and likewise the subject of available supplies iu the bush, 'i'lie Commission, the I'rime .Minis ter expects, would sit feu- six or eight weeks.

EIvUTAIIUNA. February 1. An elderly 1111111 named Elsmley,' aged 75, was to 111 id de.'id in an outhouse at, Aotea, yesterday, lie came from Scotland twelve months ago for the good ol his health, and has been sutl'ering from general debility. NAP IKK. February I. The poliie. last night raided I lie pi e ir.iscs ol a Chinese I'riiilercr named l.im liuy iu Hastings st reel, an<l arrested sixteen out of sev enleen Celestials engaged iu plaving fau-tan or watching the progress of the game. Klahor.itc precautions were taken by the police to ensure the complete capture and only one escaped, ihe capture was effected just, as the neople vvere leaving the churches. 'lhe unusual sight of sixteen Chinese marching under police surveillance to the Police Station attracted a tremendous crowd. Tile Chinese concerned in the tan-tan raid appeared at the Court, this morning, Lim Hoy charged with permitting his premises to 1»; used as a common, gaming house and others with being ioinul on the prelllii.es. The cases wereadjourned till this afternoon. STRATFtHU). February 1. At a meeting of the Taranaki Centre of the New Zealand Athletic l.'niou a strong protest was made against the fai l of the Wanganui Caledonian Society being allowed by tile I'nion to run all unregistered meeting without being disqualified. I'AIIIATCA. February 1. Since publicity has been given to the fact that the sheep for the stealing ol which a. man named 11. liergstrom is under arrest have been idontilicd as belonging to the Balfour Estate, some littlo alarm has been created among tlockowucrs in this district, with the result, that, the police are investigating several other cases of alleged sheep-stealing. IXVKRCAKGILL. February 1. The oyster season opened to-day, the weather 'being fine, aiul the dredging llecl obtained large hauls. The annual report of the Southland Frozen Meat Co. shows that after writing off for depreciation ±15889 there remain;; a sum of £11,486 from which the directors recommend payment ot a, dividend of ( 5 per cent, and a bonus of 1 per cent., to transfer to the reserve, fund £4OOO, and to the insurance, fund £IOOO. and to carry forward £5773. As compared with the "previous year, the season was not quite so favorable for fattening stock, with the. result that about 70,000 less sheep and lambs were handled. In view of the increasing demands of the Company's business, considerable additions were made to the building and plant at Mataura and Bluff. BLUFF. February 1. Arrived—Clituaroa, from Melbourne.