TELEGRAMS.

PEB PBESS ASSOCIATION. VITAL QUESTIONS. | Wellington, October 22. At to-day's meeting of the Wellington Hospital and Charitable Aid Board it was resolved that Dr. Hardwicke Smith, the Board's representative to the Tuberculosis Conference, now sitting in Wellington, be afiked to lav before the conference the advisability of obtaining the family history. where possible, of persons admitted to sanatoria, also that Dr. Smith should obtain the views of delegates as to the advisability of adopting means of sterilisation in cases of hereditary degeneracy sUcll as lunacy and habitual criminals, advanced cases of consumption, or any disease which may be considered hereditary and calculated to bring misery and suffering to future generations. OLD AGE PENSIONS RECIPROCITY. Wellington, October 22. The Prime Minister informed a reporter to-day that he thought it would be only fair if reciprocity could be brought about with Australia in connection with old age pensions, but he could not find time to put such a measure through this session. An amending Bill would, however, be circulated dealing with various phases of the Act and be proceeded with next session. A VALUATION CASE. Greymouth, October 23. The Grey Assessment Court yesterday afternoon considered a case of interest to "local bodies. It was over j the objection to the valuation of the I Blackball Coal Company's property. The Council objected on the grounds that the valuation was too low. The present valuation is £35,000, and the Local Bodies' system of estimating the cap.ital value placed the figures at £160,000. Counsel contended that all gross profits such as owners' profits (royalties) and the company's -(lessees') profits should be taken into consideration, besides the net profit, for the purpose of valuation of county rates on capital value. After a lengthy hearing the Court raised the valuation to £51,115. an increase of £15,633 being under the heading of coal valued and increasing the figures from £18,770 to £33,303, on the unimnroved values. DEATH OF MR McCARDLE., Pahiatua, October 23. The death occurred at an early hour this morning of Mr William Wilson McCardle, Mayor of Pahiatua. Deceased was the second son of the Hon. W. W. McCardle, M.L.C., and was aged 44 years. He had been in ill health for the past year, and underwent two serious operations, the last one recently in Sydney.