INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

Westport Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1192, 10 July 1874, Page 3

INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

The Thames Advertiser says that something like a break-down has occurred with regard to the coalfifild at the opposite side of the Frith of Thames. This land was acquired by Messrs Precce and Graham, who, with the assistance of some Auckland g cntleinan, took steps to have a company formed in Loddon to work the ground and to construct a railway from the coalfield to deep water on the Frith of Thames. Long ago. it was thought that the whole affair had been arranged, but it seems that the directors of the company in London got the idea that the Auckland directors or promoters had taken some advantage of them, or were seeking,to do so by tire terms of the agreement. Of course, wc cannot say that such a thing is impossible—Auckland people have done such thing 3, and the commercial reputation of Auckland is not, or was not, of a very high character in London. However it may be, the English shareholders have, as we are informed, thrown up the whole concern, so that, for a time at least, the public need expect no coals from the other side of the Frith.

Shaves in the Manukau G.M.0., ■which has so long lain dormant., are now offered at £l2 each, and as there are 6,000 shares in the mine this price represents the present market value of the mine at £72,000. Some months ago, when they Manukau battery was disposed of, the reserve price on tho entire mine, which might Lave gone with the battery, was only £SOO. The mine is held by three shareholders. Mr Wilkie Collins, the well known author, and colleague of the late Charles Dickens, it appears, is not unlikely soon to visit Australia, coming by the San jf'rancisco route, so that he will have an opportunity of seeing i\ T ew Zealand. Lately in the Otago Provincial Council, Mr K. Stout said: —" lie believed* that in one district there was a very great peculiarity in connection with the Governor's visit. He had two or three horses with him when he visited a certain place that ho (Mr Stout) would not mention, and though the stay there was onty for a few r hours, the horsas seemed to have been so taken with the place that they ate 75 bushels of oats, at least so the stable keepers accounts sent in showed."

On the estate of Mr Gillespie, near Auckland, there are under culture eight peres of tobacco. Many of the leaves of the plants are three, feet eight inches long, and the crop promises io be a highly remunerative one. A resident at Parnell near Auckland, whose near neighbor is a doctor, has been annoyed by people rousing him in the middle of tho night, mistaking his house for Lis medical friend's. About two nights in the week are as many as he contrives to secure undisturbed by midnight assailants at his gale. He has tried all methods ; denial of his competency, persuasion, protestations, abuse, missiles, but to no purpose; the cry is still they come. He is now trying a fresh plan. In Lis front garden he has erected a pole, upon which is hung a species of sign board. On this is written in bold characters " Dr "\V"-* — t docs not live here."

The Otago papers state that of the 100,000 salmon ova imported from the Clyde by the Oleron last year, the sole results is 05 young fish, now well and lively in a pond formed in the bend of a nice little brook running into the Aparima river.