INTERPROVINCIAL

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXXII, Issue 12668, 2 May 1905, Page 3

INTERPROVINCIAL

Par Press Association.

AUCKLAND, May 1. Although the Ist May is the day fixed by the Government for opening the oyster season no official notification has yet been received by the Auckland Collector of Customs of the fact, and consequently the men who expected to engage in the work as usual are unable to obtain licenses. The Customs returns at Auckland for April show that the net duties amounted to £50,391, compared with £50,233 for the same month lost- year. , The beer duty amounted to £1667 as against £1415. WELLINGTON, May 1. The time for the Land Commission to report is extended to June Ist, The Government has appointed a Commission consisting of the Chief Justice, Mr W. H. Quick, Mr H. S: WardelJ, S.M., and. a member of the Maori race, to inquire into the Porirua-Papawai-'VVaikato education trusts. The Premier received a very large number of telegrams yesterday from persons of all political beliefs all over the colony, congratulating him on his twelve yeats' premiership. It is understood that a writ of habeas corpus is to be applied for on behalf of the ex-Premier and Treasurer of Tonga, recently deported to Fiji. . An application for their release has also been sent to King Edward and the Colonial Secretary. GREYMOUTH, May 1. The election ior Borough Councillors on Wednesday resulted in the Tetnrn of Messrs Coates, Kerr, Petrie, Tennent, Shannahan, Bignell, Sheedy, Morris, and Halt. To : day Mr Morris resigned,_owing to a petition being lodged - that- he was one of the bondsmen for the town hall contract, and not entitled to a seat. Dr Bell, Government Geologist, is now visiting the Wflberforce reefs, and from what can be gathered he is greatly impressed with them. He has reported to the Premier, and the nature of his report is anxiously awaited on the coast. There are several cases of diphtheria reported, one case ending fatally. CHRISTCHURCH, May 1. At the conference regarding the proposed ney bridge over the. Heathcote, a letter was resd from the Minister of Marine stating that the Governor had no powerß to declare the present bridge to be the limit of navigation of. the river as requested, and advising the local bodies desirous of having a fixed bridge to make further endeavours to come to an arrangement with the Harbour Board. It was decided that the engineers of the Tramway Board and Woolston Borough Council be asked to report on what form of bridge will best meet the. requirements of local bodies and submit plans to a future meetMg " DUNEDIN, May 1. It was reported at a meeting of the Otago Central Leaguei as showing one effect of the opening of the railway that an order for 300 cases of Central. Otago apples had been received from Wanganui. It was also stated that a Government officer had secured samples of apples from Alexandra to .serve as models for the AgentGeneral's office, the apples Being the finest obtainable in the colony.