NEW ZEALAND.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 49, 27 February 1901, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND.

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) Wellington, last night. Stewart and Company’s timber mill and machinery in Courtenay Place were destroyed by fire last night. The timber stacks were saved. The mill was insured for £4OOO. The B.M.S. Alameda, with the colonial mails of February 6th, arrived at ’Frisco on the 23rd, one day late. The Government have decided that May 24th shall continue to be observed as a public holiday. The insurances on Stewart’s mill and it 3 contents were: £2200 in the South British (partly reinsured), £I3OO in the Commercial Union, and £SOO in the Phcenix. The Agricultural Department have arranged to send a trial shipment of frozen poultry to South Africa by the Otarama, leavino- Lyttelton on the 9th pros. Martin Chapman, barrister, was in favor of Federation, considering it an advantage to belong to a large State, rather than a small State. A small State _ alongside a large State was always at a disadvantage. Australia was necessary to New Zealand, and New Zealand would not have been so great a colony but for the proximity of Australia.

Dunedin, last night.

A meeting of Dunedin Shetlanders resolved to invite subscriptions throughout the colony to alleviate the distress of widows and children left destitute through the loss of so many bread-winners recently in tue appalling fishing disaster on the Shetland coast.

Alexander Thompson, a sailor belonging to the Otarama, whose bill was ignored by the grand jury yesterday, was rearrested on a charge of murder, the police acting under instructions of the Crown Prosecutor.

Auckland, last night. Waugh, arrested in Sydney, belonged to Dunedin. He had been in the employ of Cohen for about a month. He is charged with stealing jewels with which ho had been entrusted as a commercial traveller for Cohen. The amount is believed to be considerable. A cable received by the police states that a large quantity of the jewellery was found on accused. A local officer will be sent over to escort Waugh back.

Nelson, last night,

The Government has appointed Messrs Graham, M.H.R.. R. McKenzie, M.H.R., and Mr Webster, members of the Nelson Harbor Board, which sits for election of Chairman to-morrow.