INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXI, Issue 6504, 13 March 1896, Page 4

INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

[by telegraph.] (FEB PRESS ASSOCIATION.) WELLINGTON. March 12. In comments upon the reconstruction of the Ministry, it has been taken for granted by a number of papers that Mr Carroll's admission to the Cabinet carried with it full pay s and both vacancies were therefore filled up. This, however, is not the case, as, though receiving full Cabinet rank, he is still paid as native member of the Executive only. The Government continue to receive applications for the post of AttorneyGeneral. They have been coming m freely from would-be Ministers for some ■weeks. The latest was received yesterday from a gentleman not in Parliament. Judge Ward will hold an enquiry into the suicide at Ashburn Hall Asylum. _ The Premier replying to a deputation who wanted the Government Office to execute the printing for the Exhibition advised them not for the sake of a few pounds to bring themselves into conflict with the trade. Similar requests had been preferred before, but he had always tried to keep clear of them. If he did it for one he would have to do it for all and he did not believe in bringing the printing office into antagonism with outside firms. The amount involved in this case was so small that it was not worth while troubling about. „ , _ . ... Mr S. Brown, President of the Exhibition, has written to the Premier stating that the request of a deputation for the services of the Government Printing Office was quite unauthorised. The Executive Committee had already discussed the question, and came to much the same conclusion as the Premier. Ministers are all leaving «elhngton this week with the exception of Messrs "Walker and Thompson. The Premier croes to the West Coast, the Treasurer and j Minister of Railways and Public Works south, and the Minister of Lands to Gisborne. The Council of the Wellington Cnamber of Commerce, at a meeting to-day, decided to telegraph to the other chambers in the colony that it is strongly m accord with the views expressed by the Auckland and Kelson Chambers as to the impolicy of the proposed tax on the assumed profits of foreign consignors, and to suggest that resolutions should be forwarded strengthening the hands of the deputation, which it is proposed shall wait on the Commissioner, urging him to suspend the operation of the Act. The Hon. W. C. Walker is gazetted Minister of Immigration ; the Hon. W. Hall-Jones, Minister for Public Works : the Hon. T. Thompson, Minister of Justice and Minister of Industries and Commerce; and the Hon, J. Carroll, Commissioner of Stamps and Duties. The public offices throughout the colony will be closed on Tuesday, the 17th instant, St. Patrick's Day. The postal authorities here have received information that the Rotorua post office was broken into the night before last and L2OO stolen. It appears that the thieves bioke into the postmaster's house, and he thinks drugged him while asleep, and obtained the keys of the post office safe from his trousers pocket. They then effected an entrance into the post office by breaking the window, and made off with the contents of the office safe, which included L2OO in cash. All the conrents of the safe have been recovered excepting

the cash. Two men were to-day arrested by the police on suspicion of beins; directly concerned in the robbery.

DUNEDIN. March 12. At a special meeting of the Chamber or Commerce it was resolved to send the following telegram to the Commissioner of Taxes : " The committee of this Chamber urge the impropriety of arbitrarily assessing the profit on consignments at per cent for the purposes of the income tax. The fact is that the consignments very rarely leave any profit beyond merchant's commission, •which is already taxed as part of his income. A similar policy on the part of the British C4overnment would be ruinous to the Isevr Zealand export trade." _

Two men named John Brodie and Thomas Farrell were each lined L 3 and costs for falsely representing themselves as travellers to the licensee of the Terminus Hotel.

At a meeting of the Committee of the Dunedin Jockey Club an application by the bookmakers to charge them a fee for the privilege of betting was declined. The president reported chat he had seen the chairman of the Forbury Park Company, and asked for a reduction of rent, which, with rates, amounted to L 1209 per annum, or the Club would buy the land for LIo.OOO. He had received a reply that there was no chance of business resulting at the figures indicated. The president aud Messrs Miller and Gourley were appointed a committee to look out for another course. March 13. In Wedderspoon's case the Justices failed to agree, one favoring a committal and the other an acquittal. They will meet this afternoon to consider how they will act.

AUCKLAND. March 12. In the decision come to by the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants the rates of pay hitherto in force were principally adverted to, as the society wish to avoid asking for any increase till the colony's finances improve. Some changes were made as to the rating of different departments. These will be forwarded to the Government for consideration. A fire at Onehunga destroyed the premises of Morton and Sons, general storekeepers, and also M'Kenzie's house adjoining. Morton's stock was insured in the North German for LBOO. and the building and fittings for L4OO in the Manchester. M'Kenzie's house was insured for L2lO in the North German ; and the furniture for LIBO in the North British. Gavin M'lntyre Park, charged with stealing L 442 6s 4d while postmaster at Tanpo, having forfeited his retiring allowance was admitted to probation for twelve months. The Marramirra, a wooden steamer of 45 tons register, recently bought in Sydney by a New Plymouth gentleman, arrived in Sydney after a passage of seven days. The Rotorua post office was burglarised and L 230 stolen from the safe. A number of postal notes and registered letters were found in a paddock with a roll of notes. Entry was effected by the window. The burglars pntered Dansey's bedroom, and stole the keys while he was asleep. Eherefriend Bros.' premises were burglarised and 2500 cigars stolen and a . uantity of champagne. During the past two years over 50 robberies of cigars and tobacco have taken place, and not one arrest has been made. Recently there have been a number of petty robberies and attempted burglaries. NAPIER. March 12. Captain Hushes of the barquentine Glide, was to-day fined L 25 aud costs for breaking the seal of bonded goods within the proscribed limits. The vessel was being towed out when she struck on a mud bank after leaving the wharf, but before touching he broke the seal of the ship's stores. A boy navued Martin, son of a fisherman, fell off port Ahuriri bridge while walking along the top, and was drowned. The Minister for Lands arrived here to-day, intending to go to Wairoa, but the bar was bad there so he goes on to Gisborn*.