WELLINGTON.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 701, 21 May 1879, Page 2

WELLINGTON.

This Day. A Royal Commission has been appointed, consisting of Commander Hewitt, R.N., Captain Rose, New Zealand Shipping Company, and Captain Cross, Nelson, to make a thorough investigation into the circumstances under which the Taupo was wrecked off Tauranga. All allegations which had been made relative to neglect on the part of the Harbor Master at Tauranga, and Marine Department, at Wellington, both m regard to the shifting and non-replacement of one of the Tauranga Channel buoys will be carefully sifted. The Government Surveyor is now engaged making an exact plan of the locality, showing the position of the steamer, buoys, etc., so that the Commissioners may have all particulars before them. A boy named Edward Holt, aged 12 years, has been missing from Wellington since Friday. When he was last seen he was selling papers. Captain Stafford has presented a silver cup to the Wellington Fire Brigade m acknowledgement of their services to the city generally, and .at the late Kaiwarra fire. Five sailors of H.M.S. Emerald, who were left m the Wellington hospital, will be sent to Auckland by the Wanaka to-day, to join their ship, cured. The charge of perjury against Mr. J. G. Kinross, of Napier, was down for hearing at the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday. Mr. Rees appeared for the prosecution, and Messrs Travers and Chapman for the defendant. Mr. Mansford said the case had been brought into Court without his being consulted m any way. He would not therefore allow it to take precedence of any business of the Court. The first clay he would be entirely disengaged would be the 10th June. The case had now stood over since 1871, and a delay of a few weeks could not be of much consequences- Mr. Rees said he had himself come to Wellington, and brought a large number of witnesses from Napier, and it would be very expensive for the case to be put off to the 10th June. His Worship replied that he would get two J.P.s to take the ordinary business on Tuesday next, and would take Kinross' case on that day, commencing at 9 o'clock m the morning. This was agreed to. The following is an official estimate of the value of property m the Colony, under the Land Tax Act : — Auckland £3,235,600 Hawke'sßay £3*899,079 Wellington £7,983,361 Nelson £3,000,000 Canterbury £15,790,000 Otago £16,800,000 This at one half-penny m the pound will yield .£105,625 per year.