TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1664, 20 January 1904, Page 30

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.

v AUCKLAND, January 18. Mr John Holmes, who toured the world as. Trade Commissioner in 1897-98, and is a specialist in the hemp industry, has written to the Premier, suggesting -ft special exhibit of flax-dressing methods at the St. Louis Exposition, with a view to getting the machinery and methods of treatment improved, and also introducing the flax to the world at that Exposition. NAPIER, January 17.

A fire last night destroyed two fiveroomed houses owned by Mr 11. P. Cohen, and occupied by Mr House and Mr J. Ireland. Mr Rouse's effects were insured for ,£l4O, and Mr Ireland's furniture for ,£l5O. The houses were insured, but the amount is not yet ascertainable. The Rouse family lost everything but the clothes they wore

NELSON, January 16. ThO claim of Mr Leslie Reynolds in a writ against the Harbour Board totals ,£1923 (not <£1423 a 3 sriven in the original statement of claim served on the Board a month ago). Mr Reynolds abandons his claim of '<£2soo for alleged breach of agreement, and the writ sets forth a.s follows : —Preparing plans and specifications to enable tenders to be called m duly last, <£1007; progress payments, £SO per Hronth, from 2nd Juno, 1902, to l/tli Octobdr, 1903, £825; detention of assistant in Nelson, £9l. ' HOKITIKA, January 16. A disastrous fire occurred at Staftox'd last evening. A private dwelling house belonging to Mr Jeanes, the Oddfellows Hall, and a general store, the property of Mr Lyons, were completely demolished. The insurances are: —Jeanes’ building, £l5O in the Imperial Office; Oddfellows* Hall, £IOO in.the -ABauee Office; -yens;s store, £IOO in the Standard Office. £75 in the North German, and £125 in the North Queensland, and £2OO in the North German Office on the stock. The loss is considerably over the insurance. TJMARU, January IS.

The annual meeting of the limarti Harbour Board was held to-day, when the audited accounts for 1903, and the returns were presented. Ihe return ot imports and exports* shewed: Impoits, 61,448 tons; exports, 81,251 tons; total, 142,699 tons, as against a total in 1902 of 124,497 tons. Twenty years ago the total was 61,927 tons. During the past -near forty-one vessels (tonnage 159,8oo) loaded at Tima.ru for the United King, dom. The inward cargo by these boats was 6256 tons, and tEe outward 3.',313 tons. Thirty-seven vessels also loaded at the port during the year for Australia and South Africa, taking 15,517 tons cargo, while the inward cargo amounted to 15 863 tons, chiefly coal and timber. The total shipping, foreign and coastwise was 308 vessels, tonnage, 382,050.