TELEGRAPHIC.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 1587, 29 April 1887, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC.

(FBOM OUR OWN COKBESrONDENT.) Dunedjn, Thursday, 8.5 p.m. The meeting which was held last evening in the Choral Hall, to decide what steps be taken to commemorate the Queen's Jubilee, was not very largely attended. Three proposals were submitted, namely, the establishment of a public park, the institution of a free library and a convalsscent home. The first two found nearly equal favor with the meeting. Mr Brown's proposal regarding park being chosen by a majority of 48 votes to 43. The ordinary meeting of the Land Board yeßtef* day morning lapsed for want of a quorum. LATEST. This day, noon. At the half-yearly meeting of the Bank of New Zealand, at Auckland yesterday, the report and balance sheet, as read, was adopted. The profit for the half year was £57,094 lis 3d. A dividend of 12J per cent, was declared. A strong committee was formed hst night to carry out the Jubilee Park scheme. The unemployed are to be put on the Catlin's River Railways, provided they take up land under the homestead system. The Daily Times has a sub-leader complaining of want of quorum at the Land Board on Wednesday, and urges that future members should not be M.H.R.'s. DESTRUCTIVE FIRE AT WELLINGTON. Thursday, 8.5 a.m. A destructive fire commenced at Wellington at 4.45 a.m. this morning. It is supposed to have j originated in the Press room of the telegraph office. The telegraphic room, the telephone exchange, the accountant's, the Postmaster-General's, Customs, post and mail offices are completely destroyed. The damage is estimated at between £30,000 and £40,000. All telegraphic instruments are destroyed. Accounts as to the origin of the fire are very conflicting. It was discovered by a woman coming to clean the office. She asserts that it appeared to be in centre of the building, where a new electric light apparatus is being erected. The building is completely gutted. Nine waterworks branches were playing on at one time. There are heavy losses in the postal records, but the telegraph documents were mostly in a safe. About £2OOO worth of telephones were saved. Everything was cleared out of the post office, and the employees began sorting the mails at once in the street. There was no insurance whatever. The contents of J. E. Nathan and Co.'s store adjoining were damaged by water. The Post Office is temporarily located in a shed on the wharf. The building burned down was only finished in 18S4. The lower storey walls are intact, but the upper ones will probably have to be pulled down.

LATEST PARTICULARS. This day, noon. The officials have made arrangements for temporary post and telegraph offices. There are three theories current as to the origin of the fire. The unexplained absence of the fire-house hose from its customary rack appears to indicate gross carelessness or something worse. Good authorities are of opinion that nearly the whole of the walls which are standing, are not so badly injured as to require to be entirely rebuilt, but they can be utilised if parts of the wall are erected. PARLIAMENTARY INTELLIGENCE. In the House of Representatives last night, the Adriress-in-Reply was passed on the voices. Major Atkinson spoke, but said he would not move an amendment. A number of hills', including the Representation Bill, were read a first time. .*

CABLE NEWS. London, April 26. The wool market is firm. Arrivals to date for the next auctions amount to 220,000 bales. General Wolseley states that England is able to place a larger force in the field at the present moment than at any period since the days of Marlborough. The Glasgow and Manchester Chambers of Commerce have been discussing Free-trade and Protection. At Glasgow there was a large majority in favor of protection, but Manchester favors free trade. The Conference will discuss the New Hebrides question to-day. Rome, April 26. His Holiness the Pope has created six newepiscopal sees and four vicarages in Australia and Oceania.