WELLINGTON, this day, PURCHASE OF A RUN.

Auckland Star, Volume IX, Issue 2716, 6 January 1879, Page 3

WELLINGTON, this day, PURCHASE OF A RUN.

The Hon. Jno. Martin has purchased the Hon. Mr Waterhouse's station at Waihenga, in the Wairarapa, about 7 miles from Featberston, with stock and improvements, for £SO,OOO. The estate contains about .34,000 acres of freehold land, £30,000 of purchase money to be paid in -cash tomorrow. The ship Fernglen, from London, has arrived. She brings 174 adults and 54 children. .She caHerl at Nelson, but was ordered on here. The immigrants are all well. The Supreme Courfcj] Criminal Sittings opened at 10. The remarks of the Chief Justice were confined purely to cases on the ■calendar, which is light. Mr Barton, M.H.K., denies the statement that he purposes practising at AuckJand, and adds tluit he intends to remain in Wellington to pursue the quarrel between himself and the Supreme Court Judges ■until a settlement more in accordance with what he and those who -think with him believe to be just shall have been arrived at, and then he will resume practice in Wellington. MOKAU COAL. Some samples of Mokau coal analysed colonial laboratory result giving S7 per cent . combustible matter, and little over two | p.c. ash. The evaporative power is that one pound coal will convert seven pounds

■water into steam. The New Zealand Eifle Association resolved that the secretary should at once proceed to Nelson to make the necessary arrangements for meeting ne* f. month.

1 umter's farm, in close vicinity "f Wellington, and recently purchased l>y Jacob. Josephs, Moerller, Young, autl Saunders, will be laid out in new township called Brighton, and £4,000 is to be expended to place it within tramway communication with Wellington. About 180 acres were valued at £100 per acre, level land some 200 acres hilly at £30 per acre, the remainder of land being very rough, valued at £2 per acre. There is a strong difference of opinion between the Government, and the deputation representing the mercantile community respecting the railway station, one thinking the proposed sitejjsuitable, and the other not. A good deal of dissatisfaction is manifested jvith regard to alterations in the tariff of fees* in the Resident Magistrate's Court, the increase in some instances being one hundred percent.

A tailor named Mcllwain, who was out on bail for arson, and who was to appear at the criminal sittings of the Supreme Court to-day, was found dead in his bed about midday on Saturday. For the last few days he was observed to be strange in his manner, and bid good-bye to several of his friends a cUy of two ago. The doctor refused to grant the usual certificate of death from natural causes, the body having swollen to twice its natural size. An inquest is to bo held to-day, when it is supposed it will be found that deceased committed suicide by poison. Mr James Gilligan, well-known at Christchurch in connection with horse racing, and for! many years a resident in Wellington district, died between 9 and 10 this niozning. His illness was very short. NEW DETECTIVE DEPARTMENT. It is understood that the Government are organising a Detective Department for the whole of the colony. It is probable that Inspector Thomson, of Auckland, will be Chief Inspector, and there will be three detectives in each of the principal towns, and that the Government will endeavour to prevent their identity being known to the public. The (oat crops on the East|Coast have been all destroyed by high winds, the grain having blown out of the ears. The " New Zealauder" suggests that in consequence of <'■« high rates of rent in the city some allow.' ■cc should be made to the married members of the police force. Sailed : Prosperity for Kaipara.