INTERPROVINCIAL.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 94, 29 March 1884, Page 2

INTERPROVINCIAL.

[Per United Press Association.] DEPARTMENTAL TROUBLES. Wellington, March 27. The Government having decided to divert a portion of the new Post and Telegraph offices for the use of the Customs Department a meeting of the members of the Chamber of Commerce and leading citizens was held for the purpose of considering the matter. Ultimately a deputation of the Chamber was appointed to wait on the Government to protest against this diversion. The deputation interviewed the Premier this morning, when Major Atkinson promised full consideration of the question, and that he would ascertain if the ground floor of the building could be left in undisturbed possession of the Post and Telegraph Departments. THE EUROPEAN MAILS. The Australia, with the February English mails, left San Francisco on March 17, three days late. The Zealandia, with the March Colonial mails, arrived at San Francisco from Auckland on March 23, three days early. ELECTION INTELLIGENCE. Mr. T. Dwan, auctioneer, is announced as a candidate for the Thorndon seat. He contested it at the last election. With regard to a statement that his Excellency the Governor had visited and reported unfavourably on the Caswell Marble Company’s works, the Governor has, in reply to a letter from the directors, assured them that while on his tour round the West Coast Sounds he did not visit their works. ARTFUL ROBBERY BY A DOMESTIC. At the R.M. Court to-day, a domestic servant named Kerr was committed for trial on a charge of stealing jewellery and money from the dwelling of Mr. Holt, Upper Willis street. The accused had been engaged by Mr. Holt, but six weeks ago she was dismissed. She was seen, loitering about the neighbourhood, and during the temporary absence of the occupants she entered the house and abstracted a jewel case. Kerr was arrested just as she was leaving for Lyttelton, and among her effects were found a steerage ticket to London by the lonic. Nearly the whole of the stolen property has been discovered. SUNDAY TRADING PROSECUTIONS. At the Resident Magistrate’s Court to-day four publicans were charged with trading on Sundays. The evidence showed that in each case it was a lodger “ shouting,” and Mr. Wardell, R.M., dismissed the informations. I

COMMITTAL FOR FORGERY. Phillip K. Watty, formerly a commission and hotel agent, has been committed for trial on four more charges of forgery. Those whose names he forged are—J. B. Brown, publican, for £3O 10s; Bishop, publican, £22; H. Gilmour, publican £22 ; J. and *W. Staples, brewers, £45. There are still fourteen other charges, but it is understood the Crown Prosecutor has decided to proceed only in one other. March 28. A shock of earthquake was felt along the West Coast of this Island from Palmerston to New Plymouth about 10 this morning. LOSS OF THE LOCH FYNE. Lord Derby has cabled to His Excellency the Governor respecting the loss of the barque Loch Fyne, from Lyttelton to London, and asking the New Zealand Government to search the Enderby Islands for castaways. THE THORNDON SEAT. A requisition is being signed asking Mr. Henry Bunny, formerly member for the Wairarapa, to stand for the Thorndon seat. It has been decided to form a branch of the New Zealand Seamen’s Union in Wellington. THE MANAWATU RAILWAY. The annual report of the Wellington-Man-awatu Railway Co. shows that since the last meeting 50 miles of line have been let, and the contractors have made such good progress with the works that without doubt the six miles between Wellington and Johnsonville may be opened for traffic in September next. The Company yesterday accepted the tender of Mr. Seymour, of Auckland, for the construction of eight miles of line at the Otaki end and a bridge over the Ohau river, the price being £B,OOO. There are between 600 and 700 men at work on the line at this, and a great number at the Manawatu end. Twenty months hence it is expected to be open as far as Otaki from the Palmerton side. An immense amount of heavy work has to be done between Wellington and Porirua, which will take a long time. The Company is using steel rails, which cost less than half what the Government paid for iron rails some years ago. SHOCKING SUICIDE. A man named George Symington cut his throat at the Victoria Hotel, Featherston, today. He was found dead with his head hanging out of a window.. An attempt had been made to fire the house. WARNING TO SEXTONS. Dunedin, March 27. The City Council have discharged the sexton of the Southern Cemetery under somewhat peculiar circumstances. Mr. Atkin complained that the grave of his child had been interfered with, and that an adult had been buried in the plot. The Reserve Com-! mittee brought Mr. Atkin and the sexton together, and, finding that the grave had been interfered with, asked the sexton for an explanation. This he persistently refused to give in the presence of Mr. Atkin, and consequently the Committee suspended him, and the Council converted this suspension into a discharge. The Committee will further investigate the matter. The sexton had held the office for the last 18 years. Judge Williams has given judgment in a case Fonder v. Brown. The plaintiff had cohabited with the defendant for years, and claimed the ownership with him in a diary business he carried on on the goldfields. Judgment was for the defendant, His Honor holding they had evidently agreed to live as man and wife. ACCIDENT TO A CHILD.

There was an accident on the railway line yesterday. A child 3 years old, belonging to Thos. Fisher, railway ganger, was playing on the line about half a mile this side of Greytown and was struck on the head and thrown off the track by the cowcatcher of an engine. A nasty scalp wound was inflicted, but the accident is not expected to terminate fatally. IMPORTANT JUDGMENT. Mr. Carew, R.M., has given an important judgment upon a question raised between the British and New Zealand Mortgage and Agency Company and the Property Tax Commissioner. The question for decision was whether the Company was liable to be assessed for Property Tax upon a sum of £60,000, representing the price at which it purchased the goodwill of its business. The question had to be considered under two heads: first, Whether goodwill is property liable to be assessed under the Property Assessment Acts; secondly, If goodwill is not property ordinarily liable to to be assessed, does the Company become liable from the fact that there is an entry in its balance-sheet showing goodwill entered as having a value of £60,000. His Worship decided that the Company was not liable to be assessed on goodwill. He thought the Legislature had not intended goodwill to be “ property ” under the Act. TRAMPLED TO DEATH. March 28. A man named Michael Whelan died yesterday at Hamilton diggings, Maniototo County. He had been drinking heavily, and after a long debauch was taken ill, and was put in a stable where there were two horses. He died next day, and on a post mortem examination being made it was shown that deceased had serious injuries on the head, which were evidently caused by the horses. The inquest was adjourned. The office of the Otago Daily Times was successfully lighted last night by electricity. HEAVY FAILURE. A meeting of the creditors of William Haydon, hotelkeeper, was held to-day. The assets and liabilities are both set down at £12,000. A committee was appointed to enquire into the debtor’s position. DESIRABLE EXODUS. Auckland, March 27. Several of the fair proprietors of the cigar divans have left the city for a change of air, the stringent surveillance in reference to drink exercised by the police over such establishments of late having made matters rather irksome. THE SURVEY OF THE KING COUNTRY, Spencer’s survey party have returned to Waikato from the survey of the southern boundary of a three million acre block in the King country. SUDDEN DEATH. A gumdigger named Patrick Gibbons was taken ill in the street and died in a few minutes. At an inquest on the fire in Allen’s premises, Ponsonby, an open verdict was returned. FIJI NEWS. The Penguin has arrived, bringing the following news from Fiji:—The new mission schooner John Hunt has been floated off the reef and is now safe at Macuttai. RESCUE OF A SHIPWRECKED CREW. The captain of the Elizabeth, which arrived at Levuka after a long cruise, reports rescuing the captain and crew of the American schooner Staghound, wrecked at Strong’s Island on August 22nd last. The Elizabeth touched there on December 22 last, and rescued the castaways. It is reported in Levuka that portions of a large ship have been washed up on the island of Aloga. THE LABOR TRADE. The returns of the transactions of the labor vessels for the season of 1883 shows seventeen vessels were engaged, making 32 voyages during the season, in which 2,213 laborers were introduced to Fiji, and 1,339 expired men returned to their homes. Gold is reported to have been recently found on the Island of Viti Levu (Fiji), and rich specimens were exhibited just before the Penguin left. THE LICENSING ELECTION CONFIRMED. March 28. The Magistrate to-day gave judgment on the licensed victuallers’ petition against the City North Licensing election which resulted in the return of the temperance candidates. The Magistrate held that though there had been irregularities in the conduct of the election, they were none of them of sufficient importance to justify the upsetting of the election. THE BLUE RIBBON CHAMPION SENT FOR. The Temperance Alliance have sent for Messrs. Booth and Glover, the Blue Ribbon champions, and expect them here shortly.

DEATH FROM DROWNING. James Breen, aged 17, fell- off the Queen street wharf yesternight and was drowned. He was waiting for the arrival of a steamer to take delivery of some fish, and it is supposed he fell asleep and tumbled over. The body was recovered two hours later. PAINFUL ACCIDENT. At two o’clock this morning a woman named Granity, while drunk, fell from the upper window of a boarding hoose in Albert street, and fractured her skull and thigh. She was conveyed to the Hospital and will probably recover. MR. FEDERLI ON SILK CULTURE. Mr. Federli gave a lecture last night on “ Silk Culture,” and a committee was formed to promote this and similar industries. PETITION AGAINST BY-LAWS. Petitions have been presented to the City Council . against the by-law regulating street assemblies, and which is believed to be aimed at the Salvation Army. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co. have purchased the New Zealand Frozen Meat Co.’s Queen-street premises for £31,500. The latter are about to build new premises. A CHILD KICKED TO DEATH. Blenheim, March 28. A child named Bothwell, two and a half years old, was kicked to death by a horse yesterday evening. The child was missed, and search was made by the father and others, who were horrified to find the little boy’s body nearly cold, and with the head broken in, lying in the stockyard adjoining the parents’ residence. It is supposed the child got between a horse’s legs, or in some other way attracted its attention, and that a kick smashed its skull in. Hawera, March 28. A sharp earthquake shock was felt here at 9.37 this morning, the direction being East to West. ARREST OF A ROAD BOARD. Christchurch, March 27. The members of the Gust Road Board, while transacting the business of the usual monthly meeting on Monday last, were arrested by Sergt. Scott at the suit of the trustees of Murphy’s estate for trepassing on lands of the estate, and knocking down a bank to make a opening for water. There is some dispute as to the natural water courses through the estate. The members and their employees who did the work were brought to Oxford, and were let out on their own recognisances to come before the Court to-day. LARGE FIRE. March 28. A fire broke out in the Triangle yesterday, threatening the City Hotel. Fortunately, however, the fire was confined to the premises of Mrs. Wilson, in High Street, which were occupied by Mr. Stratz, jeweller, and Mr. Gregor Wright, picture framemaker, and upstairs by Mr. E. K. Spencer, a working jew’eller. The building, which was gutted, was insured for £4OO in the Royal office. Stratz’s stock was insured for £3OO in the Royal. A person who had a lien over part of his stock had a policy for £2OO, it is supposed, in the Victoria office. Wright’s stock was insured for £lOO in the Victoria office. A considerable part of Mr. Stratz’s stock is saved, as it was in a safe. Wright’s stock was entirely consumed.