INTER-PROVINCIAL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume II, Issue 100, 8 January 1870, Page 6

INTER-PROVINCIAL.

The Canterbury papers says that a petition is being handed round for signature, praying for the commutation of the sentence of death passed upon John Smyth, who was recently convicted of the murder of his wife at Lyttelton. The" Lyttelton Times " of the 11th says : — Both the Zealandia and Hydaspes have declined to carry flax, as the insurance companies have not only advanced their premiums on flax, but on the whole cargo where this article forms a portion. The Helen has been specially chartered to carry flax, so that different interests will not clash. The " Canterbury Press," of the 11th inst., says : — On Thursday, the mail carrier to Hawkswood brought news of a most horrible character, relating to a woman living near Kaikoura, on the Conway river. It seems she was seen carrying one of her children under her arm with its throat cut, and in the other hand she had a loaded revolver and a gun, supposed also to be loaded, under the same arm. She had fired at some children belonging to a man named Monk, who keeps the accommodation house at the Boat harbour. She was seen by the Kailioura mail man on the ranges near the Conway on Tuesday, the 7th inst. The police constables stationed at Kaikoura, with men from Caverhill's and Hartland's station, went out, by last accounts, looking for the woman, whose name we have not ascertained, and who is still at large. A meeting of merchants was held in Mr. Edward Pearce's offices, "Wellington, on the 10th ult., to consider the propriety of urging the Government to again subsidise steamers to carry the English mail to and from j the colony. The Hon. C. J. Pharazyn occupied the chair. After some discussion, it was lesolved that a deputation should wait on the Colonial Secretary at one o'clock the next day. According to the " Mercury " the deer are thriving on the East Coast, a herd of five having selected the Awhea river as their haunt. The "Taranaki Herald" says:— Captain Morshead has informed us that during last week his bees have performed a feat hitherto unrivalled even in New Zealand, a last year's hive having swarmed four times in eight days. The swarms he assures us, were all above the average size, and are now carefully housed, and can be seen by anyone." A rumour was abroad that a parcel of 141 b. weight of gold -had been brought into Napier, and lodged at the Bank of New South Wales Mr. Grisborne issued a notice to the public that a considerable quantity of arsenic was found in a parcel that had been sent to the Grovernment Laboratory on the 17th. The Hon. Mr. Grisborne has sent a telegram to Mr. Curtis, in which he says : — " If within a goldfield, miners having miners' rights have a legal right to the claims taken up, the sale being in that case invalid ; if not within a goldfield, the miners have no such right." It is said that specimens weighing as much as 401 b. have been brought up from Collingwood. I A Riverton correspondent informs us that it is in contemplation to estabI lish a prospecting company of a permanent nature, employing experienced ! men only, and giving the workmen an interest in the results, with a deter- ; mination to deserve success if they cannot command it.—" Southland Times." The " Southern Cross " learns that orders have been received in Auckland

by the military authorities, to carry out the original instructions of the Home Government, in reference to the removal of the 2nd Battalion 18th Eoyal Irish, the various detachments of which will consequently be concentrated in Auckland at the earliest opportunity, previously to finally quitting these shoves. The "Wanganui Times" tells the following story, and remarks that it beats Cousin Jonathan by chalks : — Nearly a year ago a gentleman in Wanganui compromised with his creditors, and under a legal document promised to pay a dividend every six months from and after a certain day. He had just remitted from the Thames Goldfields one shilling as the first six months' dividend ! ! That positively, proteds him, as the legal document does not specify any particular sum to be paid every six months ! ! ! He demands from the " Trustees " a receipt for the remittance, and we demand from them our dividend out of the one shilling. First Sale of Taranaki Flax. — At Messrs. Carey and Gillies wool sale in Auckland, 41 bales of flax were put up at auction, and were sold at £21 10s, a price which, says the " Herald," " considering it was Taranaki's first attempt, and having regard to its condition and quality, must be regarded as being eminently satisfactory."