INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XIX, Issue 5904, 28 March 1894, Page 1

INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

(by telegraph.) (per press association.) WELLINGTON. March 27. The Shorts Handicap'at the Feilding races was won by Chatterbox by a head, with Magazine second" and Goodwood third. L2. Further accounts of the fires in the Forty-mile Bush state that the residences of H; M. Peterson, Sekow, and Mrs Rougood were burned at Mauriceville west, along with a large quantity of hay and wheat stacks, fencing, etc. It is also reported that several houses at Newman, Parkville, and Alfredton were burned. Heavy rain to-day extinguished the flames. Colonel Fox has requested the Premier to relieve him from his engagement as Commandant on April Ist. Mr Lowe, the Government produce agent, reports that Victorian butter is making great strides in England owing to the evenness of quality and the excellent factory system, while the irregular quality of. the New Zealand article and the large quantity of inferior farmers' butter are doing the opposite for this colony. The other causes of harm are the purchase of large quantities of inferior butter by speculators here and the erratic arrival of shipments. Mr Lowe considers that the South African market misdit easily be captured by New Zealand. He mentions that a new method of refrigerating has been discovered by Mr Washington, engineer to the cold stores at Port Said, which, it is claimed, turns out meat in a superior condition, and, if successful, will result in an advance of id to Id per pound on mutton. The weather has cleared, and promises to be fine for the regatta to-morrow. It is now quice calm. March 28. The annual report of the WellingtonManawatu Railway Company states that the earnings for the year were L 80,303, being an increase of L 3739 on last year. A dividend of six per cent, is recommended. In the statement of assets railway plant and rolling stock are set clown at L 763,728. The report says that the work of draining the Makeura swamp is progressing satisfactorily. The Times says that Colonel Fox has not resigned, and that the Cabinet, at his request, will shortly consider whether they will give him sufficient inducement to do so. The Postmaster General returned to Wellington last night. DUNEDIN. March 27. James Kerr's Confectionery works, Sawyer's Bay, were burnt down this forenoon. The fire broke out in the engineroom close to the boiler, and rapidly spread. The building and plant were insured for L7OO. The meeting of Knox Church Congregation endorsed the acceptance of the Rev. Davidson's resignation, and placed on record their high appreciation of his services. March 28. George Cameron, miner, was found dead near Alexandra yesterday. Suffocation is supposed to have caused death. WANGANUI. March 27. It is reported that Walter Whiteman, one of the settlers here, has been found dead in the Rotorua baths. REEFTON. March 28. The manager of the Big River reports having found two feet of stone diiving from the winze under No. 2 level on Tuesday. Four hundred shares have changed hands at four shillings. PATEA. March 28. Judgment was entered in the libel case Dickson v. the publisher of the Patea County Press was entered for defendant with costs. NAPIER. March 27. The fourth and last day of the bowling tournament was devoted to completing the unfinished championship singles and the championship pairs. The former was won by Barnett, of Christchurch, and the latter by Laing and Miller, of Napier. The play was good throughout, and the weather fine. Last night the visiting bowlers were entertained at a big smoke concert in the Theatre Royal. It was a must successful affair.