INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 977, 7 June 1872, Page 3

INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

A late telegram reports that the Beetham business continues to cause some excitement at Queenstown. The ' Mail' dares Barton to proceed with an action for libel. The excitement arises from a Chinese petition having been presented to the Provincial Council by Mr Macassey, for the removal of Mr Warden Beetham; and the remarks of the Wakatip ' Mail' thereon. A telegram from the Acting Mayor and Councillors of Queenstown to one of the members of the Lakes, appearing in the Wakatip ' Mail,' says : —' It is a disgraceful underhand business. .European residents know nothing about the petition. Chinese signatures possibly forgeries. [Residents are highly indignant." Chinese Interpreter never saw it. Am certain that nine-tenths of the miners wonld sigu a petition to retain Mr Beetham. Must have emanated from a defeated candidate or his agent" The returns of the Customs revenue collected in Dunedin for the week endiDg May 18th show that the " heathen Chinee " has been paying, directly or indirectly, for the privilege of living in this land of gold. On the 13th'the duty paid on rice amounted to no less than £658, the great bulk of it, of course, coming ultimately out of the pockets of the Chinese, On the following day £25 Os 8d more was collected on the same commodity, and on the 15th £53 3s 4dj making the the total amount of duty paid on rice during the week, £736 4s. On opium also, £96 was collected as revenue during the same period. The Tokatea mine at the Coromandel has yielded for the twelve months ending April, 16,7940z of gold, from 3958 tons, valued at £48,010. The Green Harp claim is taking out extraordinary rich stone, some of which it is said will yield six ounces to the pound. The Auckland ' Evening Star " persists in believing that Mr Gillies is to be appointed a Judge, notwithstanding an autboritive denial. Some of the miners at the Thames during the late Scarcity of blasting powder used sporting powder which cost 2s 6d per lb The Provincial Council of Otago have voted £ISOO bonus for the establisment of a paper-mill; £3OO for a bottle factory ; £IOOO, for a factor of of sacks and woolpacks; and empowered the Government . to spend £12,000 on immigration. The police of Dunedin have struck for wages, and police protection is now furnished by the Corporation servants, spare gaol warders, and special constables. The Government firmly refusing to make concessions The Superintendent applied for the temporary use of fourteen of the armed constabulary, and a detachment has been despatched by the steamer Eangitoto from Wellington. The ' Otago Daily Times' reports that some Chinamen are making £l2 per week per man by gold digging on the bankß of the river Manukerikia. At the late meeting of the Synod at Christchurch, the Primate, in his address, awelt on the insufficient supply of clergy. He said thrft in his opinion no plan would meet our wants which does not contemplate the employment of men trained in the Colony or whose qualifications for the ministry have been tested during a residence of some months in the Colony. The Canterbury Provincial Council after a fiv~e hours debato on a motion by Mr J. E. Brown for selling land on deferred payments, has resolved to

try the experiments to the extent of 20,000 acres. The Nelson ' Colonist'has compiled from official sources the following statement of the cost of inland mail services duirng the periods stated :

In 1870 Province or In 1870 Approximate County. Amount. amount. £ s. d. £ 8. d. Auckland .. 3514 1 3 2969 0 0 Taranaki 230 0 0 630 O 0 Hawke'sB&y .. 714 0 0 1232 12 G "Wellington .. 2321 0 0 2751 0 0 Nelson .. 1518 0 0 1275 O O Canterbury .. 5772 0 0 3910 0 0 Marlborough 494 14 0 729 14 0 Otago...„ .. 6079 12 2 5120 0 0 Southland . 1145 0 0 5 985 0 0 Westland .. 2679 0 0 2672 O 0 General Chai go — 1600 0 0 Total ... £23,555 7 5 £23,936 18 0