INTERPROVINCIAL.

Evening Star, Issue 11674, 5 February 1902, Page 4

INTERPROVINCIAL.

[Per United Press Association.] HAWTCRA. Febmary 5. In the District Court the jury in the case o ( Wi'iiam Holmes, 'barged with indecent assault, failed to agree. A new trial was ordered to begin to?day. Percy Hawkins, a. lad, was found guilty of common assault on a girl of seven and a-half years, and fined £2O. HOKITTKA, February 5. The Premier will visit Hokitika on the 14th inst. to turn the first sod of the railway extension to Rosa; and in the afternoon, as Past Grand Master of the New Zealand Masons, he will lay the foundation stone of the Westland war memorial. NEW PLYMOUTH, February 5.

A fire broke out in the top storey of :he Egmont Brewery, owned by Mr J. Paul, at three o'clock this morning, but it was suppressed before it had got any hold. It is supposed to have occurred through the frame of a malt hopper becoming ignited from the adjacent boiler. The damage is estimated at abort £IOO. Mr Paul was insured in the South British Office.

WELLINGTON, February 5. The annual Conference of the Council of the "Fire Underwriters' Association .ras opened this morning, but is not open to the Press. At the Chambers of Commerce Conference this morning a committee was appointed to consider the question of the federation of chambers. Mr Keith Ramsay (Dunedin) moved—" (1) That it is desirable that all postal contracts be restricted to services carried on under the British flag; (2) that the Government be urged to arrange for (a) a monthly service to Vancouver, (b) a weekly service between New Zealand and Australia, suitable to all ports of both islands, to enable the fullest advantage to be taken of the existing Federal service via Brindisi." GISBORNE, February 5. A meetmg of the Gisborne School Committee was held List night, when strong disapproval was expressed as to the Hawke's Bay Education Board's treatment of the Gisborne District High School in regard to withholding the applications for the mastership, as to the Board's omission fo "consult" the Committee re the staffing of the school as well as to the unsatisfactory position of the secondary classes. It was decided to absolutely close the secondary school until all information as to scholarships had been supplied by the Board, and to request the Board to forward without any further delay the names of the applicants for the position of head-master. INVERCARGILL, February 5. At the Police Court this morning a man was charged with shooting ducks out of season. He raised the defence that he was misled by Magistrate Cruickshanks's decision. Counsel for the Acclimatisation Society sau- that they had publicly announced that they would prosecute in all such cases, as they had been advised that there were not sufficient grounds for the decision of Mr Cruickshanks. Under the circumstances Mr M'Carthy, S.M., imposed a nominal penalty of Is, with costs (£2 13s).