INTER-PROVINCIAL NEWS.

Westport Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1218, 9 October 1874, Page 2

INTER-PROVINCIAL NEWS.

_ The circular heralding the publication of the Dunedin Diocesan Journal states that: —" The object of the publication is the promotion of corporate uuity by the circulation of information as to Church work and progress in every part of the Diocese, while at the same time, matters of interest relatiug to the Church in every part of the world will be introduced, together with leading articles upon the questions of the day, both social and political, with especial reference to their religion aspects and bearing." Mr Vogel recently stated in the House that the newly-appointed Inspector of Post-offices,"' who seemed to bo thoroughly acquainted with postal matters, would shortly visit the various post offices in the colony, and would, he hoped, introduce many reforms in the smaller districts. It was intended to assimilate the Postal Department as nearly as possible to the almost perfect system of England. The last lot of Scandinavian immigrants landed at Picton when mustered for landing appeared to have been impressed with a notion previous to leaving their homes that they would be required to defend their lives and substance with the aid of defensive weapons, as nearly every one was armed with a formidable gun, and, the Express says, they appeared when leaving the steamer as if they were prepared for any opposition and were determined to protect their goods at all hazards. The men, notwithstanding their warlike aspect, were a peaceable looking body, and seemed made of the stuff of which good colonists are made. They will soon become disabused of the idea that they require means of offence or defence here, but the hostile attitude of the Natives is made so much of out of the Colony that immigrants may be excused for not knowing better than those who make the Maori a bugbear to scare intending settlers.

The Wellington Evening Post makes a speciality of extraordinary rumors. This is one of its latest: —It it rumored that prior to Mr Vogel's departure he made things pleasant with liis Excellency the Governor, by prov d:ng f-ui able billets into which the Private Secretary, A.D.O.,and Assistant A.D.G. are to he drafted when the gubernatorial staff is broken up. We fail to seo what thea i gentlemen, or the Governor, have done to entitle them to be provided for at the expense of the colony, and to the detriment of officers already in the service. It is said that liis Excellency's anxiety to provide for his followers extended even to his clirf do cuisine, fer whom a billet in connection with Bellamy's was asked, but as this was not within the gift of the Premier, the request was declined by those to whom il was made.

The Dunedin Guardian speaking of tho fiscal affairs of Otago, says : —"We are gravely assured that the deficit in Ihe Provincial Treasury is greater than was at first supposed, and that it now amounts to one shilling and sevenpence three farthings. Mr Bathgate, the Resident Magistrate at Dunedin, has ruled that the service of a summons by an informant is illegal, and that it should always bo served by a constable other than the informant.

The Bruce Herald says that of the entire distance of fifty-one miles between Dunedin and Balclutha over which the railway line, when complete, will extend, already over twenty-soven miles of rails are laid.

The Lake Wakatip Mail is very glad to be able to say that the anticipated heavy loss amongsheep,owing to the late unparalleled and protracted winter season and heavy snowfalls, is uot likely to be realised. Old ewes have mainly suffered, and so have lambs, and the loss will be above the average of the usual winter ; but not so much as to cause any alarm. A correspondent, writing to the Otago Daily Times on the subject of cremation, remarks that " there is far more odour from the living on the earth than from the dead in the earth."

The export of silver from Auckland has been very steady for the last two years. In 1872 it amounted to 37,061 ounces, and 1873 to 37,187 ounces.

The way of life familiarly known as " on, the Wallaby track" is becoming well frequented in the Ilawke's Bay district. A recent issue of the Herald states on very good authority, that for some time a number of men have been travelling to and from town, and the districts of "Waipukurau, Eorty-rnile Bush, &0., utterly without money, and depending for " tucker" chiefly on the road parties at work on the route. One of the road workmen states that, having been employed some time, he had saved up £l4 against a " rainy day," the whole of which, except about £l, he hes given in charity to men travelling on the road, who have stated that they were going further on to seek work, and had neither food or money. The Taranaki News, in reporting a concert given by the Philharmonic Society in that town, has the following in reference to the ladies of the Society: —" We notice that many of the fair members seem to consider that their principal duty is to stand up and look pretty • perhaps if each and all took part in singing the choruses. &c, the result would be a stronger orchestra." A resident at Wanganui informs the local paper that since the late earthquake there has been a hole, the depth of which he had been unable to fathom, in his back yard, the opening to which hole is about six inches across. It answers the purpose of a drain, as it carries away in an instant water which is poured into it. It is also reported that the Manawatu beach shows a marked elevation above its former level.

The programme on the Wellington Jockey Club races, to be held on the llutt, Park course on Thursday and Friday, 3rd and -ith December has been issued. The events of the first day wiil be a Maiden Plate of 100 sovs ; the Wellington Cup, a handicap of 200 sovs, with sweepstakes of 10 sovs added ; Selling Pace, of 50 sovs ; Hack Pace, of 10 sovs ; and Provincial Plate of 100 sovs. On the second day there will be a Handicap Hurdle Pace, of 75 sovs • Hack Hurdle Pace, of 10 sovs ; Wellington Derby of 100 sovs, added to a sweepstake of 5 sovs; Consolation Handicap, of 50 sovs; and Hack Pace of 10 sovs.

The Duuedin Press Dramatic Club has during the first half-year of its existence, handed over £llß lis Gd to the various charitable institutions iu whose aid the Ciub has given performances.

Thu VY'angamii Herald notices, with a certain amount, of reticence, a disgraceful row which took place recently in the house of a Mr Blake, saddler, Wanganui. The journalist says that the offender was " a person who professes respectability m the day time." Of course those who are acquainted with Wanganui have no difficulty in identifying this person, whose conduct not long ago was much canvassed, without, however, apparently teaching him circumspection. The paragraph goes on to say that this person iottnd his way into the bedroom where Mrs Blttke was lying asleep. Blake coming into the bedroom at the time (about 12 o'clock) closed with the man, and a scuffla ensiled. Screams were heard next door, at Atkinson's hotel, where the Oddfellows were holding their banquet and several men rushed to the scene, where they found Blake holding the midnight marauder down on the floor by the ears. Blake and his wife appeared to be indignant, and intended laying an information, but it is stated that he has received from third parties the sum of £3O and a promise to he set up in business, if he will say no more about it. Blake, it is said, is satisfied with the utu.

The following is a copy of a circular letter emanating from the Otago Central Miners' Association to the various district associations :—Be so good as to suggest to your committee the desirability of considering how the goldlields would be affected bv a change in the present system of Provincial administration, more particularly with reference to the idea thrown out by Mr Vogel, of placing the goldfields under the same mode of management as the Immigration Department. Public opinion on the goUlfields ought to bo matured on this matter, in the face of an exceeding probability of a sudden change resulting from any alteration of the relations between the Provinces and the Colonial Government—The Provincial Government would be glad of any practical suggestion as to what shape the bonus agreed to by tho last Provincial Council—for practical gold saving apparatus for for alluvial sluicing—could take, in being publicly offered for competition.

Tour committee might be able to make a valuable suggestion. The New Zealand Times states that it hears from Dunedin that his Honor the Superintendent, Mr Macandrew, has recommended the appointment of Mr J. Li Gillies, M.H.R., to the office of Secretary to the Harbor Board, at a salary of £SOO. The Now Zealand Times says : While so little is doing in Westland, Nelson, and the Southern Provinces to promote coal mining, the subject appears to be receiving a large amount of practical attention in Victoria. Several companies have been formed in Melbourne of late to work coal mines in New South Wales and Tasmania, as well as in searching for tho mineral in Victoria itself. The last formed—or rather, proposed to be incorporated —is the " Australasia Coal Company," with a capital of £IOO,OOO, formed to work a block of 1091 acres of coal land on Winding Creek, within seven miles of the port of Newcastle, only a small portion of which is freehold, and the rest selections under the mineral clauses of the Land Act of that colony. The first name on the list of the provisional directory, is that of Mr J. G-. Francis, the ex-Premier of Victoria. It is curious, in the face of what has been doing lately in Melbourne in this direction, that so much difficulty should have been found in floating the Wanganui West, and the Para Para Companies, the first of which proposes to deal with coal alone, and the latter looked to its coalfields for not a small share of its expected profits. Has there been a lack of local encouragement 1

The Okarito correspondent to the Ross Guardian gives the following account of a narrow escape, and gallant rescue from drowning. He says : Darning the stay of the Ino in our port, one of the sailors and a landsman had a narrow escape from being drowned by the upsetting of the ship's boat. The steamer was riding at anchor near the punt-house, at the north side of the river, and the boat, with two men in it, was going from the wharf to the steamer, when it turned over. The captain saw the accident from the deck of the steamer, and at once jumped overboard with a life buoy, and through bis plucky exertions the two men were landed in safety. The Thames Evening Star referring to the reports from the Palmer river says :—The genuine digger is always more or less affected by news of a fresh discovery. It acts upon him like the bugle to an old war horse, and but for the difficulty which attends the getting away from one place to another, where the places are separated by hundreds of miles of ocean, many would rush away on the first sound of a dh"C)vcry of gold, especially when comparisons are instituted between the new El Dorado and the far famed Ballarat and Bendigo of twenty years ago. This news from the Palmer must be received with suspicion. The reported yield is so improbable that wo shall not be surprised to learn that the report is altogether untrue or that the yield has been greatly exaggerated. Queensland is known to be extraordinarily rich in minerals, and the area over which gold has been found is a most extensive one; but until confirmation is received of the report which has reached us, via Newcastle, a considerable amount of doubt will exist in the minds of all but the most sanguine of diggers.