WELLINGTON. May 20.

North Otago Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2201, 21 May 1879, Page 2

WELLINGTON. May 20.

The Court of Appeal has reserved judgment in the cue Proudfoot r. the Dunedin Harbor Board, The case Henderson v. the Napier Harbor Board was partly heard. The charge of alleged perjury against Mr Kinross, of Napier, was down for hearing at the KM. Court to-day. Mr Rees appeared for the prosecution, and Messrs T. Travers and Martin Chapman for the defendant. Mr Mansford said the case had been brought into Court without hit being consulted in any way, and he would not therefore allow it to take precedence of any of the ordinary business of the Court. The first day that he would have entirely disengaged would be the 10th of June. The case had stood over since 1871, and a delay of a few weeks could not be of muoh consequence. Mr Rees said he had himself come and brought a large number of wit* nesses from Napier, and it would be very expensive and inconvenient if the case were put off till 10th June. His Worship replied that he would get two J.P.s to take the ordinary business on Tuesday next, and could take the Kinross case on that day, commencing at 9 a.m. This was agreed to. The assault case, Anderson v. Easby, has been adjourned for a fortnight. Letters have been received from Me Barton, M.H.R., who is at pcei—t UMU M

America, in which he says thai he expects to return to Wellington about 7th July next. Owing to the departure of the mails Saturday will not be observed as a Postoffice holiday at Timaru, Christchurch, Wellington, Taranaki, or Napier, but Monday will be obserrwd as a close holiday at these offices. A Royal Commission has been appotnted,joonsistinti of Commander Hewitt, Captain Rose, N.Z.B. Co., and Captain Cross, of Nelson, to make a thorough investigation into the circumstances under which the Taupo was wrecked off Taurang*. They leave by the Wanaka. All the allegations which have been made relative to neglect on the part of the Harbormaster at Tauranga and the Marine Department at Wellington, in regard to shifting and non- replacement of one of the Taursnga channel buoys will be carefully sifted. A Government surveyor is now engaged in making an exact plan of the locality, showing the position of the steamer buoys, &c. , so that the commissioners may have all the particulars before them. The boy Hall, reported missing yesterday, has turned up all right. The following tenders have been received for the Wingatui contract (formation only) of the Otago central railway — Accepted, Donald McKenzie. Dunedin, L 48839. Declined, Proudfoot and McKay, Dunedin, L 49.680. W. Bell, Dunedin, L 55.900. J. M. Watson and Co., Dunedin, L 59.893. The following is the official estimate of the. value of property in the colony taxable under the Laud Tax Act, 1878 : Auckland, L 3,235,000 ; Hawkes Bay, L3.899,T)79 ; Wellington, L 7.983.361 ; Nelson, L 3,000,000; Otago, L 16.800.000 ; Canterbury, L 15,790,000. Total — L 50,707,440. This at id in the £ will yield L 105.625 per year. The Wellington district includes the Wellington and Taranaki provincial districts. Nelson includes Nelson, Marlbororgh, and Westland provincial districts. Hawke* Bay includes Hawkes Bay provincial district and Cook County.