Wellington, March 30. The GoYfirnment has been offered another estate of 11,000 acres in Hawkes Bay district, partly on hills and partly on plains. The matter will remain in abey ance until Ihe return cf the Minister for Lands, when he will decide as to whether a meeting of the Land for Settlement Board shall take place to consider it. The Public Works and Lands Depart ment continue to carry out the reductions ordered in the number of men <n co operative works. Daring the present month the Lands Department has reduced 292 out of the ' 1052 employed at the end of last month. The English mails which left Auckland on February 24 by the Mariposa, arrived afc London on the night of Thursday, March 28—due date. Several cases involving breaches of the Dairy Industry Act, 1892, came before Sir J. 0. Martin, S.M., in the Magis trates Court to-day, when Mr Skerrett. acting for the Department of Agriculture, proceeded against A. Manoy, of Riwaka, (Nelson), for supplying a number of boxes ! of butter withont stamping them with the required brands. Mr Gray, who appeared for defendant* pleaded guilty through ignorance, and suggested that a conviction without a fine would meet the ends sought to be attained by the prosecution. Mr Skerrett pointed out that the Act under which the prosecution had been brought was not a new one, and therefore defen dant could not plead ignorance. Mr Martin said the Act was not a fresh one, and the dairy industry was a most important one to the colony, and must be protected. Defendant was fined £5 and costs. O. O. Oldhara, Robert Kirk patrick. and George Johnston, similarly proceeded against, also pleaded guilty ihrough ignorance, and were each fined £5 The S.M. to-day made an order for winding up the Wellington Industrial and Provident Co-operative Society. Limited. The groom of Dr Cahill, Wellington, the doctor who is lying ill with typhoid *ever near Napier, was taken to Welling ton hospital to-day suffering from the same complaint. At the S.M. Court to-day, Richard i Smith was charged with having procured drink for on old couple against whom prohibition orders were issued about two months ago. The evidence showed that tho house in which the old people lived was in a filthy si ate. 