INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XIX, Issue 6127, 18 December 1894, Page 1

INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

(by telegraph.) (PEK PRESS ASSOCIATION.) WELLINGTON. December 17. Mr W. S. Read, Solicitor-General, who has been absent in Australia for the benefit of his health, has returned much improved, and resumes his duties in January. William Jones, aged 12, whose parents reside at the Upper Hutt, was drowned in the river at the Lower Hutt to-day while bathing. During the Premier's stay in Auckland he was successful in effecting a settlement of the issues between the New Zealand Ammunition Company and the Government in respect to the contract for the supply of Martini-Henry ammunition. The company wanted the term of five years fixed for the contract to be without any reduction of price, but the Premier adhered to the original contract as laid before the House of Representatives, provision being made for the price being lowered from time to time ; L 5 6s to be the maximum, unless in case of Great Britain going to war, in which case the Agent-General and the experts may raise the price if the circumstances justify it. The Premier is confined to the house to-day, suffering from what his doctor believes to be an attack of influenza. Old Canterbury residents now in Wellington held a reunion to-night similar to that of the old Otago residents which took place during the session. DUNEDIN. December 15. At a long sitting in bankruptcy to-day Mr Justice Williams suspended for three years the order of discharge of Charles Edward Leith, timber merchant, and that of Noah Hardwick for six months. He deferred giving a decision in the case of W. Gregg, coffee merchant. At Mosgiel this morning a young man named Aristides Verral Brown, a clerk in the National Bank, committed suicide by shooting himself in the head with a revolver. He had got. out of bed, partly clothed himself, bandaged his eyes with a handkerchief, and discharged the revolver close to the rialit. ear. The bullet passed right through" his head, and death must have been nearly instantaneous. He was about 24 years of age, and was a son of the Rev. William Panton Brown, now of Dunedin, formerly of Waikaia. Nothing is known as to the reason for the rash act. His books are all right; in fact, he had only been relieving in the Bank for a week. The Sew Hoy Big Beach Company's return is 51oz Bdwt 19grs of gold from two dredges. A dividend of 3d per been declared. Sandhills Company, 30oz 3dwt for days' dredging. United Hercules Sluicing Company, 220z 3dwt 6grs for 18 days. In the message referring to the banquet to the Minister for Lands at Clinton on Friday evening the word " not " appears to have been left out or dropped out in transmission. What the Minister did say was that he was convinced, after visiting Pomaliaka, that the price paid was "not" too dear. CHRISTCHURCH. December 17. On Saturday the sum of L2O was stolen from the guard's van on the north train. A railway porter at Amberley has been arrested charged with the theft, and was brought up to-day and remanded. AUCKLAND. December 17. The hearing of the charge of perjury against Abraham Bowden was commenced to-day before a special jury. The Crown and the defence freely exercised the right of challenge, and there was great difficulty in getting a jury. Great public interest is taken in the esse. A purse of 110 guineas was presented to the town clerk, Mr P. A. Phillips, today by the citizens in recognition of his long services. Mr William Errington, C. E., aged 62, a very old colonist, is dead. A gumdigger named Thomas Robinson dropped dead while at work on the Omapere gumfields.