INTERPROVINCIAL.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 4173, 5 December 1884, Page 3

INTERPROVINCIAL.

[I'EOJI OUE OWN COERE3POXDENT.]

This day. Things are looking somewhat rtmrky .just now, especially in connection with the delays in fixing the date for the election of the three members to represent the policy holders in the Government Insurance Aspooirttion Hoard, mil tt>o selection o| gentle: i'lien" "fo' apjT upbji"tH o ; conim.Ht.ce. Regarding the 'fire* mi.%ot X wired yeatov. day I need only add In connection therewith that the Post last evening has a strong article severely censuring the Government for the delay. It averg tlijvt thg Ctefamt Went are in ten tonally, delaying flic. election in direct opposition to ifio spirit of the Act, in Qrder that the" ofllcpra and nominees of the Government may hold the first meeting of the Board before the other threo members arp elected, so that they may settle important business without the voice of representations'of tHe policy holders. The Act states that the operations of the association shfill

commence with the new year, and ir the lection does not take place before the first week in January," the. members, elected by the policy-holders can hardly be present. It is-hinted that the delay in the election is premeditated with a view to altering in some manner by a resolution of the board the intentions of Parliament with reference to the election of representatives of the policy-holders. With reference to the second subject,- so. many, local mugwumps are desirous of having'a finger in the pie that it is said Sir Julius Vogel has pettishly declared that he will place at least a hundred gentlemen upon the main ; committee. It was at first intended that the manufacturers should be represented by seven members on the committee, but those enterprising people declare they must be represented by twenty members. This has been agreed to and the acquiesence to this demand for further representation is said to have been followed by the threat to place fully onehundred names on the committee. This reminds one of the story of the hungry street arab, lounging by devouring with his eyes the exhibition in a pastry cook window, and who upon being asked if ho could eat a tart, scornfully replied, could I eat a tart, can I eat forty tarts, t Writing upon the retirement ot Mr Mitchelson, late Minister:of Public Works, from public life, the Evening Post highly eulogises his administration of public works. The article says that Mr Mitchclson's retirement will be regretted by men of all shades of political opinion, and that many much more prominent men could have been better spared. [Peb United Press Association.] Wanganui, This day. At a largely attended meeting bold last nio-bt the following resolutions were passed unanimously: —"That with the view of establishing a company to open the upper portion of the Wanyanui river by means of steam communication a committebo formed for tho purpose of interviewing the Hon. Mr Ballance and asking him what support the project will bo likely to receive from the Government." "That the committee enquire as to the probable cost of a suitable steamer." The following committee was appointed:—Messrs G. Carson, F. B.Jac*son, and A. D. Willis ; and Messrs Hasscll and Houng, C.E.'s. . Auckland, This day. The remains of the Hon. Mr Swaiuson were interred yesterday. Sir George Grey, SirF. Whitaker, Dr. Shortland, Sir M. O'Rorke, Mr Tole, and Dr Pollen were amongst the mourners. _ Tim Whiffier, Fusilier, and Charmer, have been scratched for all engagements for the Auckland Summer meeting. Leonora, Yuba Bill, Tctford, Alaska, and Kulo, for the Auckland Cup. Youth, Minuet, Ngatata, Kingask, and Angler, for the Steeplechase. Welcome Jack was backed to win £-100 at 100 to 10 and 12, aud has advanced to the top of the list, his price is now 6 to 1. Tigredia and Turquoise are firm at 8 to 1. Ugly Buck, Barbary, and Maccaroni arrived safely yesterday. \ A powerful steam-tug for harbor purposes was launched yesterday. She is named the Awahina, and has been built to the order of a party of Auckland shipowners. • Frank SeAvell, surveyor, was charged _at tho Police Court yesterday with obtaining money on false pretences and remanded. It appears that he realised on a cheque signed by himself and drawn on a bank at Blenheim and it was subsequently found that he had no account at the bank. The Potter Wool Scouring Company is to be wound up. It has a debit balance of £520. The Industrial Exhibition of the Band of Hope Union was opened last night by Mr Thomas Peacock, M.H.R., in the Foresters' Hall. There was a good attendance. Charles Wesely attempted suicide last nigh tat the Queeii-strcotwharf by drowning. He was crossed in love, and his reason became unhinged. CiiKiSTCHUECH, This day. The racehorses Welcome Jack, Sou'wester, and Clarence were shipped to Wellington yesterday by the Te Anau. Wellington, This. day.

The regulations for tho formation of special settlements were gazetted last night. The members forming tho committee for the Industrial Exibition are also gazetted. They numbered one hundred. The contract for the conveyance of the mails for Great Britian by direct steamer is for a period of 5 years. The contract time for the voyage is 42 days on the trip Home and 45 days outward. The contract with tho Union Steamship Company for the distribution of the mails is not yet signed, but is expected to be in the course of a day or two. The difficulty as to the dispatch of letters alternately by the San Francisco boats and the direct .steamers having been adjusted does not relieve letters via Brindisi from the additional charge eanctioned last session.

It will be remembered that some two years ago three residents in the Porirua district were arrested on the charge of the illicit distillation of whisky, for which they were convicted and mulcted in penalties of £200 one of the defendants, and £100 each the other two. The parties were liberated on bail, the sureties in each case becoming a guarantee for the amount of the fine. Since then the case was brought before the Appeal Court with the view of having the conviction quashed. The Court, however, upheld the decision of the Lower Court, but the amount of the fines have never been paid. Yesterday the sheriff of the Supreme Court visited the district and arrested all the principals, along with their sureties, and lodged them in gaol, where they will remain until the fines are paid. The principals with the amounts to which they are indebted, arc as follows:—George Taylor (£267 7s Gd), William Thompson (£127-Is 2d), Thomas Morgan (123 Gs 2d). The. names of the bondsmen are John Morgan, George Morg-an, William Taylor, Frank Lewis, Gcqrge Thompson, and Henry Thompson. Dunedin, This day Hancock and Swan are coining over by the Manapouri to take part in the 18 hours' walk here. Austin expresses his willingness to back Scott agains the former for 21 or 48 hours. Hancock is the celebrated English pedestrian. Mr Wakefield having resigned the editorship of the Timaru Herald, he has been succeeded by Mr W. H. Triggs, formerly of the Wellington Post. Yesterday's Herald says :—" We understand that it is the intention of the Government to place the charitable institutions of all parts of the colony on the same footing as far as State aid is concerned as those of Dunedin—that is, that each is to receive a pound from the Government for each pound raised locally." The two men who were apprehended in connection with the fatal assault on Meldrum were brought before the justices at Outram yesterday, and remanded till Saturday when it is expected the inquest will take place. The first professional medical examination in connection with the Otago University was held on Saturday and Monday last, when. Mr William Christie, of Warepa, passed the various examinations.. . Mr Christie is the first medical student who passed a professional examination in this colony. Dr. M'Donald, the recently appointed Materia Medico, lecturer, has, in consequence of Mr Christie's successful passing, commenced lectures, the summer session opening on Monday last. New Pltitoutii, This day.

The Tiiranaki Horuld special reporter who accompanied the Hon. Mr Ballanco round the coast, wired from Opunake, that the stables at Pr'osaer's Hotel were burnt down this morning at 2 o'clock. Nine horses were in it, and all were got out. The stables were not insured.

The Native Minister loft for Hawera this morning. The wet yesterday prevented Mr Ballance seeing much of the country, and lie did not visit Parihaka. He was depulsationised' at Opnnake relative to the harbor and road?! '. Reepton, This day. At the hearing of the petitions against the county elections for the ridings of Crusliington, Murray, find ijra lieicj phaf \he rptqirn'6'(ffcprs >yas irr.egu.tar in not allowing otliei' than.-"fchciso on tlio vojl to vote, refusing votes tendered by virtue of miners' rights. Tho elections were therefore declared void-. The unseated members are Messis J. Brennan, county eliaivSßar-; "W- OaiMhell, : jtHti \ar\ jj J. Ovajg-, Murray ; and James i Lynch, 'OrukhingtQn. Full' costs were alj lowed to tho petitioners in each case, ;