INTERPROVINCIAL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 8698, 18 December 1899, Page 2

INTERPROVINCIAL.

[PBB PbESS AB3OOIATION.J WELLINGTON, This dat. The writs for the Otaki election will be issued this week. The polling will probably be held on January 5. ■ Information has been received that 0. F. Hewart, of Fitzroy Bay, Pelorus Sound, : has been missing since the 9th.. He went for a aail, and neither he nor the boat, have been seen since. It is feared he has baeri . . drowned. \ : ; .' '■;- '['. Messrs Meason and Merchant, the engi- ■''■ neers engaged to report on the protection of the Hutt Valley from floods, nave suggested a scheme of embapkments and proteotion works and the widening of the channel, involving the removal of the present bridge to another site, at a cost of £18,000. The National Bank of New Zealand have declared an interim dividend of 6 per cent, for the half-year ending September 30th. AUCKLAND, This day. . A cable message received by Mr John R. Gray from Mr Thomas Melville, London, under date December 14th, states that an extraordinary general meeting will be heldby the Waihi-Silverton Gold Mineß Com-: pany on the 20th, the property beiog "• offered at £35,000 for cash,. the buyers _. being the Union Waihi Company. . • '" '■■: The late Mr T. W, Leys left the whole of his freehold properties, Bubjeot to life -' interests to near relatives, as an endow- - tnent for the establishment of a freepublio": library in.Ponsonby ward, .City of Auckland, to be known as the Leys Institute. The estate includes freehold properties in England street, Ponsonby road, Kareugahape road, and High street, and is valued at from £6000 to £7000. The widowsand. son are accorded life interests. "The.tnui- . tees are directed to build a.briok building, to cost not less than £2000, and to, buy : . books and fit out such building as they deem requisite, and may make 'such regulations and conditions as they deem proper. The model of the Birkbeck Institute, in' the City of London, is indicated as a guide, the only restriction being that no religious leotures or discussions be allowed within the Institute. '.'•'_ OHRISTCHURCH, This, day.At the cycling meeting four heats of the. New Zealand Wheel Race were won by. G. Body, E. Reyuoldß, Paget and Bennett. The final will be ran to-day. The five miles (paced) was won by E. Reynolds - easily. Heavy rain has fallen and the weather is very cold. At the opening of the Cheviot Show the Pj-emier -said there was only £171 -arrears in rent out of a total of £14,397. The capital value of. the estate had inoreased from £303,000 to £382,000, and improvements had been effected to the extant of £49,000. . _ ■ ; Two delegates from either, side in the - bootmakers', dispute met Mr Justice ,£dwarda in the Arbitration Court in Chambers, with the result that the whole of the matters in > dispute between tbe masters and men were amicably settled.