INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

Westport Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1199, 4 August 1874, Page 4

INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

At the disposal of the police business at Dunedin a few days .ago, the Magistrate said ho wished to express his gratification at the fact of tbat being the third Monday morning on which no person appeared before him charged with having boon drunk on the Sunday. This ho considered was creditable alike to the community and those engaged in the liquor traffic. According to the Auckland Evening Star, the Government have decided not to provide the ports of the Colony with storm-signals until Captain Edwin has ascertained from a year's experience the avei age run of the weather along our coasts. We notice by the Bruce Herald that Mr George Capstick has made arrangements for importing a pureblooded Zebra, in order to test his abilities as a driver. The employees of the Telegraph Departments in Otago, have presented Mr J. D. lloldsworth, telegraphist of Oamaru, with a silver service, consisting of a silver salver, tea pot, coffee pot, cream jug, sugar basin, aud several sets of silver spoons, on the occasion of his marriage. A correspondent writes to the Welligton Tribune, apparently in good faith, about what he calls " the uukindest cut of all." lie is grieved, he says, to hear that somo one has emptied the contents of a dozen bottles of P. B. into the water reservoir of that town; consequently the Good Templars are now at their wit's end where to got a drink of their natural beverage. Speaking of the necessity for refoimation of the Civil Service of the Cilony, the Wellington times ob. seives: —'"Instances are well known where men employed by tho Govern-

inent have been, not simply contented with contriving to do as little as possible, but actively engaged in the practice of open and unblushing profligacy, and yet for years it has been impossible to obtain evidence as would satisfy tho Board of Civil Servants before whom the cases must bo heard previous to dismissal. This is a state of things that no private employer would suffer to continue for a day, and tho Government does well to ask Parliament to deal with it, in spite of a similar measure having been, mainly on this ground, last year rejected by tho Legislative Council." The Provincial Secretary of Otngo announces in the Gazette that tho (Jovernment, being desirous of encouraging ihe establishment of pottery works in Otago, is prepared to pay a bonus of £250 on the following conditions.—On the erection of buildings and plant to the value of at least £Boo—£7s ; on the production of pottery to a value of not less than £ls0 —£75; on the production of a further quantity of pottery to the value of not less than £2oo—£loo. The pottery-ware in each case to bo suitable for household and domestic purposes, to be produced in works permanently established in the Province, and to be manufactured either wholly or to a large extent from material obtained in the Province. Owing to the complaints that have been mado respecting the alleged existence of a truck system in connection with the Waimea Water llace, and other public works, Mr Geisow, the District Engineer, has had a number of placards printed and posted in various places containing the following clauses from the Act having reference to the subject:—"The workmen, tradesmen, and labourers of every class employed on the works to which these conditions refer, shall be paid their wages in i'uil in money, current coin of the Colony, at least once in every fortnight, and no ticket or other system of payment by provisions, liquor, or goods will on any pretence be allowed, nor shall the contractor or any person or persons employed by him or in any way connected with him, establish any shop for the supply of liquors, provisions, or goods, nor shall the contractor oblige his workmen to take-provisions, liquors, or goods of any kind from any person in particular. The workmen of every class shall be paid on works if it be possible, or in some building adjoining, and in no case shall they be paid at a public-house, or other place where liquors or refreshments are sold.

The Cromwell Argus says :—At the meeting of the Municipal Council, one of the members of that body " did a growl" at the manner in which the Argus reported their proceedings. One of the grounds of complaint was that as all the motions brought forward were not given, in the opinion of this Councillor, there was little use in giving any. We do not know whether the omission of any notice of the following resolution, which was brought forward at the previous meeting, had to do with the growl under notice ; but its publication now will give the public some idea of what, in the poor judgment of the Argus, is not allowed to encroach on space. We forbear mentioning the name of the proposer this time, but hope that the lesson will be taken, Reporters are generally allowed a discretion, and the public may from the sample of motions omitted whether it be not sometimes wisely exercised. Here is the effusion, which our readers may interpret for themselves :—" That it' this Council think fit that an open ditch to carry the water along Melmorc Terrace, will grant the sum of money to private undertakers in the way of water supply: that is, to those that have gone to any expense to supply water-tanks." Some amusement was occasioned recently in the Princess Theatre Duuedin, by the ready answer of a youngster to a question put by Macbeth to his wife. Macbeth exclaims, in anxious and nervous accents, <l What noise is that*? " to which a full-fledged god in the pit replied, " The rain on the roof, to be sure."

The captain of the immigrant ship Caroline, lias narrated his experiences on the voyage to the shipping reporter of the Otago Daily Times. The single women on board were all shipped at Qucenstown, aud were selected by that estimable person, Mrs Howard. Out of the 12G, (tO came out of the Cork Workhouse, and were reported by the captain to be amongst the best-behaved of the lot. Where the others came from was not known, but that they were vciy troublesome was vouched for by the captain, matron, and doctor. The utmost difficulty had been experienced in keeping them from the men, and the difficulty was intensified by their compartment extending as far forwards as the after hatch, which of course, opened on the main deck. The hatch -was barred across with iron, and every precaution necessary to keep the women under proper restraint had evidently been taken, and we should imagine with reasonable success. At the same time, excessive vigilance, nisdit and day, had to be exercised, the women being worse than the men. On being admonished for her forward conduct, one of these pets of Mrs Howard's pertly remarked, " Sure, we are sent to people the country." " Yes." was the curt rejoinder "but you must not begin until after you arrive there." The West Coast Times of the 27th instant says :—The shareholders of the Greenstone Water Eaco Company denoted their appreciation of the services ot their late Manager and Secretary, Air William Evans of Hokitika, by

presenting him on Thursday last with" a handsome gold watch and chain, on his retiring from tho managership, previous to his contemplated departure from the district. The presentation was made in the name of tho shareholders, by Mr John Hall, one of the directors of the company, wdio in handing over the testimonial, took occasion to testify to the value of the services gratuitously rendered to the company by Mr Evans for nearly five years, as also to the sterling esteem entertained fir the recipient of the gift, not only by the shareholders of the company, but also by the entire residents of the coast, among whom he has been so many years located. We take leave to endorse the remarks of Sir Hall, as to the general respect entertained towards Mr Evans throughout his long sojourn on the coast, and regret with many others, that men of such energy and zeal should be tempted at the present time to devote their enterprise to other localities than our own. The remarkable superabundance in Port Chalmers harbor of the fish known as red or rock cod, continues apparent. The fish absolutely swarm, and are of large size, and are said to be more pletiful this season than any preceding one within the memory of white men. When cured and smoked, the red cod passes current as iNcw Zealand haddock. The Central Mining Associatou of Otago has received a reply from the Manager of the Bank of New Sfcaland, in answer to a circular asking whether the Banks would be prepared to raise the price of gold 6d per ounce on the coming into force of tho Otago Gold Duty Eep&yinont Ordinance. The Manager states that his Bank, and also the others, will give the sixpence cxtrr to all sellers of gold at any of ' heir agencies, provided tho Bill comes into force. Mr Taiaroa, M ST.!-'., is pxpectccl to press a chum on the Colony for onetenth of half-a-niuliou acres, including the site of Dunedin, sold by his father. A serious complication awaits settlement. The Marlborough Express says : Really, Nelson reminds us of the fabled Saturn who devoured his own children. Having lived on the resources of others since she. became a Province—having swallowed first Marlborough, then Amnri, and lastly the West Coast, she now seeks fresh fields and pastures new ; and in pursuit of her quarry she casts her longing eyes over the whole colony exclaiming like one of old, " The world's my oyster, which with my knife I'll open." Our old acquaintance, Dr Can-, has struck trouble in Dunedin. JJe has been summoned for giving an entertainment without, applying for a license to do so. The learned doctor denied that his seances were stage shows according to the Act, the prosecuting Inspector declaring that they were, and gratuitously expressing his doubts as to the genuineness of the .subjects operated upon by the mesmerist. The case was dismissed, the Magistrate advising the Doctor to obtain the necessary permission.