INTERPROVINCIAL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 6911, 24 February 1894, Page 2

INTERPROVINCIAL.

[By Tblkobafh.— Punas Association.] WELLINGTON, To-da*.. Mesara T. K. Macdonald and W. McLean, ex-M.H.R.s, and J. O'Dea propose to petition Parliament to change the system of land rating by exempting improvements and imposing all rates on the value .of the land only. A public meeting will be called to discuss the question. In the Supreme Conrt yesterday afternoon the case in which Sister Mary Joseph Auberb sued Orlando Kempthorne, of the New Zealand Drug Co. for £500 damages for breach of contract was concluded. The Chief Justice said the question he had to consider was whether plaintiff continued to make medicine in the way in which she had been making it before. He thought there was no evidence from which he could conclude that -she did not do this, and he was of opinion thai plaintiff was entitled to expect that defendant would take from her the 35 gallons in respect of which she now sued him. Defendant must pay damages in respect of 35 gallons which he had failed to take between 1892 and 1893, and for the loss which plaintiff had sustained by reason of his not having taken it. Assessing the amount, he was somewhat in the dark, but he thought that plaintiff would be compensated if he allowed her £6 per gallon in 35 gallons, ,Yrlrich would give £210. Judgment would accordingly be given for that amount with costs according to scale. As regards the counter claim, he did not think defendant had made out his case. He would allow only actual costs, as the two claims were heard together, and would certify for an extra day. - ' ' MrH. G. Seth-Smitb, Chief Judge of the Native Land Court, has resigned, and will retire from office at the end of next month. Family berec-vement, together with his own impaired eyesight, are believed to be.tfae reasons for the resignation. Mr Seth-Smith intends to leave the colony and take up his residence in England. . In view of complaints that f requently have been made to Government of the inferior quality of liquors retailed in many of the hotels of the colony, Government have decided to appoint inspectors at Auckland, Wellington, Christohurch, and Dunedin. It is possible that the duties of this office may be assigned to the inspectors who now act under the Adulteration Act. Mr D. Gain is instituting an action for libel against the Licensed Victuallers Gazette, and pending the result has resigned the Presidency of the Wellington Prohibition League. , Otago members have wired to the Premier urging that the construction of the Otago Central railway be pushed on. The Premier replies, pointing put that the utmost amount that could have been legally expended within the ten months so far expired was £30,000, while the actual expenditure of that period was £29,497. The total expenditure in Otago and Southland from January, 1891, to 31st January, 1894, amounted to £245,339, while the total expenditure in all the other districts of the Middle Island, exclusive of Otago and Southland, during the same period, amounted to £233,685. He also reminded members that expenditure on public works is now largely charged to revenue, and until the revenue is received moneys cannot v be expended. After two hours' argument this morning the Chief Justice and Judge. Richmond refused costs to respondent m the Stout election petition case. . Their Honors ruled that they had no jurisdiction in. the matter, and refused to allow Sir R. Stout costs on the ground that had the petition been proceeded with instead of preliminary objections being taken, he could then have recovered.