[Pbr Press Assooiation.] WELLINGTON. To-day. The imports for the December quarter are £2,010,174, againab £1,753,117 for the previous year. The imports for the year were £7,137,084, as against £6,400,129 in 1895. The exports for the December quarter were £1,769,766, against £1,788,966, and for the year £9,318,763, as against £8,550,224 in 1895. A despatch has been received from the Secretary of State intimating the Queen's approval of the retention of the title of " Honorable " by Mr J. G. Ward. ' A man named Holland baa been com mitted to trial for stabbing another named McGovern. Mr S. Brown, President of the Wellington Exhibition, has written to Mr Cad man suggesting that if it is desired that this colony should be represented at Brisbane, the best course would be for the Government) to arrange for a New Zealand court and I grant the expense of sending the exhibit* I and placing someone in charge. If this ware done, he believed, from hia intercourse with likely exhibitors, a very representative court could be established. Mr Brown has asked the Minister to give him a definite reply to his proposals, and be will then ascertain what support New Zealand prodncers will be prepared to give. 1 An agitation is going on for an improve merit of the lighting at the entrance to the harbor and Soames Island. The inside Pencarrow light is 420 feet up, and is said ! to be too high in thick weather, and it is urged that a buoy and light should be placed | on Barrett's Reef, a somewhat dangerous rock at the entrance. The light on Soames Island has long been Known to be insufficient, but nothing has ever been done. In fact, the lighting of the approaches to the harbor remains much the same as years ago, when the shipping was small both in volume and size of vessels. PATEA, Last night. Tberp is no material change in the position of the s,B. Aorere. it was expected that she would be lightered last night, bub owing to the southerly sea the tide did nob take off sufficiently, and they were only able to work for about an hour. They worked again this morning and got out about twenty tons of cargo, but the weather was bad for such work. The wind still continues southerly with heavy rain, which delays the work very much. 