NEW ZEALAND.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 9005, 18 January 1895, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND.

(FBBSS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAMS.) ' NAPIER, January 17. There has been a decrease in caees of drunkenness throughout Napier and the East Coast district of 117 cases daring the year as compared with 1893. In the latter year 579 cases .were reported. This year there were 462, of which number 447 were convicted. WELLINGTON, January 17. Pending the revieiori of the Railway rates, the Government has decided to encourage the fruit industry by the establishment of a uniform rate of carriage, irrespective of distance. They have fixed the rate at sixEfface for parcels up to 561ba and a bIu)« Jftng up to lewt for the carriage to centres of Native fruit, with a proviso that empties are to be returned free of charge. 1 The Lyttelton yacht Mascotte, which is to compete in the firat-olaea championship yacht race at the anniversary regatta, arrived from Lyttelton late last night. The Times states that the revenue for the three quarters of the financial year- is £2,995,799. The Customs provided £1,134,468, railways £779,252, land and income tax £283,590, and stamps £450,298. The Premier left tor Napier by this afternoon's train. The Minister of Labour desires to remind shopkeepers that the Act provides,that in the event of any othe> day than Saturday being chosen by the, local authority for the half-holiday, shopkeepers are entitled to close on Saturday instead by giving notice to the Inspector during the month of January in each year. Messrs G. H. Davey and L. O'Brien have been appointed Judges of the Validation Court. The various Inspectors of Factories are gazetted. The officiating ministers for 1895 are gazetted. NELSON, January 17. The Acolimatisation Society to-night fixed the deer shooting season from the 16th of February to the Bth of April. DUNEDIN, January 17. The Education Board has unanimously decided to eanction the inspection of .Catholic schools.