INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 1027, 3 December 1872, Page 2

INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

Murray's circus company are making their way to the West-coast, for a short sojourn at each town during tho Christmas holidays. On .Saturday week a large fish about 25ft long and IGft in girth, was' found on the beach near Donoglme's. Mr M'Gowan and an assistant cut tho monster up, and intend boiling it down for the sake of the oil. The recent fine weather has made the overland track from Marlborough to Nelson, not only practicable, but comparatively pleasant travelling, The * Examiner' says : —" A carriage drawn by four horses arrived in Nelson about eleven o'clock yesterday, driven by Mr A. B. Muuro, of Valley-field, Wairau, who was accompanied by two friends.. They left Blenheim on Sunday morning, and made Birch Hill the same day, a distance of about forty miles, but as the road is good that portion of the journev was easily travelled. The next day's stage to Fox-hill, distance fifty miles, was tho serious part of the undertaking, portiaus of the road being very hilly and rough, with a formidable river to get through. The journey was, however, made in perfect safety, and the short drive into town yesterday was of course over a good road. A carriage and four, driven by Mr W. Oldham, with a party of ladies and gentlemen, left town yesterday for tho Wairau, and we hope their journey will be equally successful. This is not the first occa&ion that a vohicle has been driven through between Nelson and Blenheim, Mr T. Ward having made the journey with a dog-cart and a pair of horses some four or five years ago. At a comparatively small outlay of money between the Tr-<* House and Birch Hill, the road mifdjL be made easy of travelling durii v summer. Sometimes clever people overshoot the mark. The Grey mouth Star says: We learn that a gentleman who was up here from Hokitika was put down without his consent for a Derby sweep in that town. Without his consent the drawing took place, when the representative of the non-consenting one drew for him the Quack. He was asked, subsequently, without being informed of his luck, if he was in the sweep, to which he replied that he had given nobody anv authority to put his name down, and repudiated the transaction. Whether the horse was sold again or not, we have not heard, but if so, we should suppose that this gentleman's quacking will bo both loud and piteous. We ' Napier Telegraph ' are not ill the habit of boasting of larrikins of Napier, as people do in other parts of New Zealand, but we think the following specimen of local precociousness takes the shine out of most places. It came to the knowledge of one of • our devils that a managing printer was required on the staff of a Northern contemporary ; without doubting for a minute that he was quite capable of filliug the situation, he applied for the post, but the proprietor of the journal being unwilling to give more than £5 a week wages, the youth declined to • to accept the situation. Thirty acres of ground have been secured near the Puru stream, the Thames district, for the purpose of coppermiuing. There are two lodes . cropping out on the beach, one containing yellow and grey ore, and the other black and grey ore. Tho ore is known as copper pyrites, and holds portions of iron, silver, and also gold. Wo ' Advertiser ' understand that the ore might be ' dressed up " to about 15 per cent, of copper—an amount which is considered very "good, and which would yield a handsome profit after paying the cost of taking the ore to South Australia and Swansea for further treatment. A shaft has now been sunk to the depth of thirty-fixe feet.

The loss of public documents at the Auckland fire has induced the General Government to appoint a commission to inquire and report on the safety of public documents. Even Wellington has no provision iu case of fire, A rather serious inter-tribal dispute has taken place at Waipa, East Coast. Natives on both sides are armed, and allow no information to bo conveyed by Kuropeaus uuder the penalty of being shot. The Native Minister is going to arrange if possible.

More ]iboi\al arrangements regarding nominated passages are about to bo enforced, The rates are to be reduced, and payment by instalments allowed, also a gratuity to be given to families for every single girl they b.iing out. The New Zealand Shipping Company, limited, was floated on November 20th, in Christchurch, capital £IOO,OOO in 10,000 shares at £lO each- The first issue of 5000 is to be allotted in Canterbury, and of which 3300 have already been subscribed for. The second lot of 5000 shares is reserved for the other provinces. The promoters of the company are the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company. The ' Tarauaki News' says : —" A marked feature in many of the Maoris at this time is their utter contempt of Sunday observance—ploughing, harrowing, ktimera planting, and horsebreaking being performed by them on that day more zealously than on any other." So much for missionary influence ; but in contrast to this it is said five Maoris are preparing for holy orders at St. Stephen's (Anglican) Church, Auckland. The ' Tucpeka Times ' publishes tho following :—A lloxburgh correspondent writes —"In a solitary umlis-

turbed locality whose striking events are raro, peoplo frequently onjoy practical jokes, oven when carried so far as to prove seriously detrimental to the complexion of the unfortunate beings who are operated upon. The truth of this was fully borne out here lately, and on the person of a member of the Houso of Representatives, whoso face strongly indicated a pretty dose connection with the dupes of the celebrated Madam Rachel. The member arrived here from Lawreuce, and was duly received by a few friends, who accompauied him to a " pub" where he was to receive a congratulatory address for the services which he bad rendered to tho people of Roxburgh as a member. On entering the houso driuksfor all hands were ordered. A little warm discussion now and then cropped up, but the consumption of fluid was always at hand, the solid dainty was not immediately forthcoming, and was at last fairly forgotten in tho excitement produced by the yelliugs and howling of disapprobation which were everywhere levelled at the member, who gradually, under the influence of the eighth tumbler of P. 8., abandoned the perpendicular, and, with a smile which can only bo acquired by long practice at Bellamy's, assumed a horizontal position, and " dreamt he dwelt in marble halls" audibly, through his nose. A worthy local artist thereupon faithfully executed the emplems of friendship, love, and truth, on the prostrate but noble head of our hero with " Judson's simple dye for the people." It is worthy of mention, as tending to correct the erroneous prevalent idea that SI.IT.E.'s are never, or very seldom, played with in this way, that the mrty" took the dyG like an old „. rising. The pigment applied did its work well, as the " party's" head is all but denuded of the crowning glory of which he was once so proud. JAyer's hair vigour was applied to counteract the effect of the dye, but it was of no avail. The " party" is, however, I am glad to say, now rapidly recovering, under the careful attention of our celebrated female accoucheur.