INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1675, 20 December 1887, Page 4

INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

A firo in Fergusson trseot, Feilding, at about 3 o’clock, on Thursday„mormng, burned a block of buildings owned by Mr P. ! D. Nicholas and occupied by.;Mr Prior, solicitor, the'Bank of New Zealand, and Mr Henry, saddler. The books and pipers of Mr Prior and the bank were; saved. The saddler’s stock belonging to Mr Hsnry were all destroyed except a machine for teasing horsobair. Tho total value of the property destroyed is not less than £2OOO, and the insurances amount to £1250. The prigin of the fire is unknown. The Importation of Stock Committee appointed to enquire into the advisableness or otherwise of New Zealand porta being opened for : tho importation of stock, report that .the Committee is of opinion that the resolutions arrived at by the Stock Conference held- at Sydney in October, 1886,;,in go .fur ;aH they apply to?,the ipiportafebVof fbreigfl anitnalsj be adopted by New Zealand, and the Government should be requested to take action accordingly ; such importation to be subject to general regulations recommended by too ■Conference ; that one or at most two ports he declared quarantine ports,- and that a •quarantine ground should in all cases be on an’island. • r ■ ; ‘ ' At a public meeting at Auckland, on Thursday night in connection with the 'lndustrial' -Ausociatiori, 1 it was resolved to agitato for the Parliamentary session con.tinning, with short • Christmas recess, until the question of encouraging local industries bo dealt with. ■ A man known ns Tomniy, a'ged 18, was killed at Awahuri, near Foilding on Friday afternoon. He waS engaged 'with a native carting wood -out of The bush, and in-’assisting to get a cart out of a rnt was crushed"between the c;Ut and a tree, and died about two hours afterwards. His father is believed- to be employed on the railway,., , , , . t , , H.M.S. Nelson and Rapid have arrived at. Auckland . ' The New'Zealand railway revenue for the first thirty-two; weeks of the current financial year amounted to £589,598, as against £570,500-last-year, or an increase of nearly £20,000. .Of this,;, the working expenses absorbed “£429,003, as against £431,514, a deeroase'of£2sC)o, : so that the net profits are in, round numbers ,£22,500, more, than foiHhe corresponding period of last ye'ar, There is a markdd imprp'vemerit pn the Kurunui-Blutf section, the receipts,being nearly £12,000 larger,.; and tho oxpemiituie iOOpO smaller than, last year. 'The traffic details show an increoso in passengers, parcels, 'horsejtV sheep, ; piga, wool, grain, inercbandisd and minerals, ■ but a decrease in cattle, timber and fire-. wood.. _ ... , The civil business of the Supreme Court' Napier, commenced on Friday with a peculiar case, in which Airs N. Williams sought to have a lease of a section of land to D. Hitchmau declared void on the alleged ground of fraud. Defendant bid' for a lease at aucitioh, the conditions being a rise of rent every seven years. The leasb mad A out by. a solicitor, noiv dead,; contained noprovision for such ..increases, but it was completed, the omission not being discovered until recently. ‘The plaintiff had instructed another firm to draw up a lease, and denied authorising the solicitor in question, yybp; was employed by ‘the defendant, v/ho, how-, over, denies that bo gave any specific .instructions, leaving the solicitor to find out the- terms of tho lease from plaintiffs agent. The case occupied all day, and will bo continued..