INTERPROVINCIAL.

Evening Star, Issue 6479, 21 December 1883, Page 2

INTERPROVINCIAL.

[Pee United Press Association.] HAWBRA, December 21. Burton’s brewery was burned down last night. The origin of the fire is unknown and inexplicable. Insurances : L6OO on the stock and building in the London and Lancashire, and L2OO on the building in the National. WELLINGTON, December 21. The Chamber of Commerce have resolved to give LlO 10s a-year for commercial prizes at the college. They also passed a resolution that immediate steps should be taken to secure Imperial legislation to secure equitable terms to shippers of goods by steam vessels to the colonies, as the companies now avoid all liability by the new clauses in the bills of lading. Copies of the resolutions are to be forwarded to the London Chamber of Commerce and to Sir Julius Vogel, requesting their co-operation. The proposal made by the Canterbury Chamber for an association of chambers was approved of, and steps were taken to incorporate the Chamber as a company.

Mr John Tebbutt, of the Windsor Observatory, writes to the Sydney papers in reference to the interesting comet of 1812, which he says is now on its return from a voyage of seventy-nine years through space. It is still under close observation in the Northern Hemisphere, and is moving slowly southward. Its distance from our planet will be 105,000,000 miles, and the intensity of its light is fifteen times greater than on September 3, the date of its discovery with the telescope. Its brightness will go on gradually increasing, and will probably show itself in the evening twilight soon after the close of the year. It will then move cast and south, and towards the close of January it will be well situated for observations at southern stations. J. M. Cregan and R. F. White, promoters of the Great Victory and Melbourne sweeps, have been each fined LIOO and costs. Notice of appeal was given, and L2OO lodged as security. A knowing traveller, who had engaged half a-bed at a crowded hotel, and was determined to have the best half, buckled a spur on his heel before turning in. His unfortunate sleeping partner bore the infliction as long as he could, and at last roared out as he left the bed to sleep on the couch: “I say, sir, if you are a gentleman, you ought to cut your toe-nails,”