SOUTHERN NEWS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 15, 18 January 1905, Page 5

SOUTHERN NEWS.

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WESTFQRT HARBOUR. WESTPQRT, this day. The Westport Harbour Board balancesheet and statistics for the past year are highly satisfactory. A total of £80,000 in revenue was received from all sources. The coal export amounted to 570,2!36 tgnj, against Pfjl? in 1900, showing an average increase qf §bo\jt 50,000 tons per annum. A QUN ACCIDENT. BLENHEIM, this day. Michael Burke, a hushfeller at Rai. was accidentally shot through the cali of the left leg on Monday by a companion named Thomas. The" latter was explaining the mechanism of the rifle unaware of , the fact that it was loaded. FALL DOWN A STEAMER'S HOLDGISBORNE, this day. A young man named Reginald Skeet, the son of a local builder, met* with a serious accident aboard the Sbaw-Savill steamer Karamea last night. He was making his way down the, iron ladder into the hold,"and at the bottom of the first flight of steps, thinking he had reached the deck, stepped off into space. Falling through two holds, a distance of 20ft., he landed on to the frozen mutton below. The base of his skull was fractured, and his condition is regarded as dangerous. SIR JOSEPH WARD AT WANGAtfUL WANGANTJI, this day. Sir Joseph arrived here tp-day from Auckland,' via Taumaranui and the Wanganui river. He is goiong on to Wellington by the midday express. Speaking of the trip down the Wangantii river, be said it was a most enjoyable one, and as far as he could see all the arrangements for the steamer service vjexe excellent. The house-boat on the river was one of the finest of the kind he had seen. When needed improvepiepts were effected in the upper end of the river it would become the favourite tourist route of the colony, and the river would be one of New Zealand's best assets. Referring to the new time-table for the Wellington-Plymouth railway, Sir Joseph Ward said the statement that the alterations would not allow passengers to connect with the Southern steamers was incorrect, and the new service would give a through connection both for the North and South Island passengers as at present. DESTRUCTION OF A WOOLSHED. DUNEDIN, Tuesday. A fire broke out in the woolahed"At Greenfield station on Friday night, wbich resulted in the total destruction of the shed and furnishings, together with fifty bales of wool. At the time of the Sre there were 150 sheep in the shed, the property of someone, who had them placed there temporarily, and these were all destroyed. Nothing is known as to the origin. There was an insurance jn the Standard Office for £900. EDUCATION BOARD AND PREMIER. TIMARU, Tuesday. The South Canterbury Board of Education to-day discussed the remarks made by the Premier in reply to the Waitara School"Committee's complaints that the school was overcrowded. The Premier blamed the Boards of Education for mismanaging building grants. The Board passed a resolution protesting against the incorrect and misleading statements of the Premier regarding the responsibilities of the Boards. The case in question was one of the enlargement of the school, and this class of work has been taken out of the hands of the Boards, who have to apply to the Department for funds for each particular work, and this Board has applied again and again, and in vain, fox money for urgent requirements. The Board says the Premier's charge of mismanagement by the Boards is most unfair and uneaUed for, and calls his attention to the Department's circulars, of February 17 and 24 last. PRIMITIVE METHODIST CONFERENCE. CLHRISTCHURCH, Tuesday. At the Primitive Methodist Confer- ■ enee to-day the report of the contingent fund was received, shewing an income of £ 13 19/6, and a balance in hand of £2 16/10. The balance-sheet of the home mission fund showed an income for the year of £563 5/. The report of membership showed the number of members to be 2536, an increase of 87 for the year. Mr C. M. Luke, of Wellington, was. appointed delegate to the English conference, and Mr J. W. Rob crts vice-delegate. '