WELLINGTON.

Otago Witness, Volume 14, Issue 2648, 14 December 1904, Page 23

WELLINGTON.

Notwithstanding the backward season, the output of butter from the East Coast promises to considerably exceed last year's returns. For instance, the grading works, at Patea have sent away 500 more boxes of butter than at this date last year.

The Gazette, issued on Thursday, contains the "combined districts," as provided bjr

the Shops and Offices Act. The combined district of Dunedin comprises the City o£ Dunedin and the boroughs of South Dunedin, St. Kilda, Mornington, Roslyn, Maori Hill, North-East Valley, West Harbour, and' Port Chalmers. Mvs Porter, wife of Colonel Porter, died suddenly at New Brighton on Thursday from heart complaint. She was a chieftaine?s o£ the Ngatiporou tribe, in the Gisborne district, and the mother of Mrs J. Howie, a well-known singer. It is only a month ago since Colonel Porte 1 ' lost his son. Lieutenant R. H. Porter. At the Wanganui Police Court Martin Malono was fined £10 for procuring liquor for a prohibited person. James Kmcaird was sentenced to three months' imprisonment for the theft of £1. The police arrested on the train on the 9th at Eltham one of two burglars wanted in connection with a safe robbery at Okanva. The accused, whose name is Jefford, alias King, left here a few day 3 ago without money, "and when arrested he had £11 in his possession. At a meeting of representatives of the banks on Saturday it was decided to increase six and 12 months' fixed deposit rates of interest to 2 per cent, and 3>>- per cent, per annum respectively. It' is intimated that these increases and the recent increase tc 4- por cent, in the two years' rate will necessitate- a hardening of the banks' pending rates throughout the colony. The Court of the Registrar of Patents presented an unusually animated appea-ance on Friday and Saturday last, when .adit*" dressed in the height of fashion, and hailing from Melbourne, Dunedin, and Wellington, endeavoured to prove to the registrar the merits of their various systems of drafting patterns for garments. Here men struggled gallantly with basques, darts, arm sizes, across back and under arm length, and other intricacies in their endeavours to plead the cause of one party of ladies ; while other men were entrusted with the task of showing how much in error the first party of ladies was and how absolutely right their party was. • The point in dispute, arose through an application filed by Messrs Baldwin and Rayward, on behalf of Miss M'Leod, of Melbourne, for the grant of lettei-3 patent for her systejn of charts, the application being opposed by Mr Young (instructed by Mr Hunter), on behalf of the Misses Charles and Stewart. Miss M'Leod' s charts are well known in Melbourne as

The Improved Parisian," and the chart of the opponents is well known as " The Langer." The Registrar save his decision yesterday in favour of Miss M'Leocl, with costs against •' The Langer." It is understood that the decision will be appealed against.