INTER-PROVINCIAL NEWS

Westport Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1236, 11 December 1874, Page 4

INTER-PROVINCIAL NEWS

An editorial article in the Te Wananga, published by llenare Te Moana, at Napier, says the Echo, contains the following :—" We have learnt since we thought of starting- a paper that the first English newspaper was printed about 250 years ago ; and up till now they have gone ou improving every year. This is our first attempt, and errors may have been overlooked, which to some of our readers may appear strange, and we wpuld, therefore, ask for your patience fer the present." Our Maori friends at_ last have learned that the pen is mightier than the sword.

Since its opening the Napier (Hfiwke's Bay) railway Las given a profit of £OO per week; the' gross receipts being £9O per week, and the expenditure £3O. The Herald says, a good many persons predicted the line would not pay. The "Wellington Land and Building Company have erected a numher of new dwelling-houses, which it is proposed to let on lease for a term of years, upon terms making it optional to the lessees to ultimately become the owners.

A Female Kefugo is talked of at Christchurch. Mr George Gould has given £25 towards the movement. The sale of Sir James Fergussou's furniture and effects at Government House, Wellington realised satisfactory prices ; a Broadwood grand piano sold for £IOO ; a harmonium for £7O ; the wines fetched eighty shillings per dozen, and some seventy.year old brandy ten shillings per bottle. The Dnnedin Star reports that Volunteering "appears to be in a most deplorable state in Otago Province." The remark was called forth by the Volunteers, neglecting to attend the monthly parades,

One of the warders of Mount Eden Gaol, named Beattie, ha 1 a narrow escape lately. He bad jq. t left the sentry-box at the main ga'e, when an immense boulder came rolling down the hill, and smashed the box into splinters.

"A traveller" complains, in the Duuedin Star, that there are seven! vessels at present trading from Dunedi;. and Port Chalmers ''rather seedy." and he should not be surprised to hear of them coming to grief. The writer states that another of our small craft has disappeared and there is not much talk about it or those on board. This is an allusion to the missing schooner Cambria, which it is understood went away leaking. " A Traveller" asks, reasonably enough, we think, first —When will the Government get a competent officer to inspect our coastal craft ? and second —Are the lives of the men upon some of these tubs to be considered of no value ?

Last session a petition was presented to Parliament by Haimona Te Aoterangi, and 167 others, praying Parliament to pass a very stringent law for the suppression of the drinking customs of the Maoris. It was presented by Mr Fox, to whom it was entrusted for the purpose by his friends, " who' are living in saduess on account of this evil." It sets out the evils of drinking very tersely and truly : —" It impoverishes us ; our children are not born healthy because the children drink to excess, and the child suffers ; it muddles men's brains, and they in ignorance sign important documents, and get into trouble thereby ; grog also turns the intelligent men of the Maori race into fools. Again, grog is the cause of various diseases which afflict us. We are also liable to accidents, such as tumbling off horses and falling into the water ; these things occur through drunkenness. It also is the cause of men fighting with one another."

The prospects of the Poverty Bay Petroleum Company are now highly spoken of. It was mentioned by telegraph a few clays since that in sinking a well a spring of oil was reached at a depth of only fifteen feet, giving from eight to ten gallons per day. This oil is much clearer than any sample previously obtained—one of the best, the experienced manager says, that he has seen in an experience of twelve years of boring for oil.

A coach has been started, to compete with the railway between .Napier and Havelock.

" The Qreat American Circus," we observe, has arrived in Auckland, for a tour in New Zealand. It is Messrs Bird, Blow, and King's. Numerically it is very strong, and includes several members of the famous Chiarini Company, and a number of Australian performers.

Mrlioberfc Graham has expended ten thousand pounds sterling in connection with the new Tea Gardens, at Ellerslie, Auckland. A favorite suburb is likely to spring up in the neighborhood. Houses, in large numbers, are being erected on the Forbury and St. Kilda roads, at Dunedin.