SOUTHERN NEWS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 140, 12 June 1908, Page 2

SOUTHERN NEWS.

(By Telegraph-—Press Association.) ECHO OF A TRAGEDY.

VV Xl .T/TNOTON, this day. There was an echo of the Invercargill tragedy to-day, when Mr. Justice Chapman granted probate under the will of James Reid Baxter to the Public Trustee. The will bequeathed all his estate to the -widow, on her death, the estate to devolve on the children, and to be vested at devolution in the last surviving child. Accordingly, administration was also granted the Public Trustee of the estate of John Colin Baxter, minor, deceased, and Phyllis Baxter, minor, deceased. At devolution the whole estate of tbe father and mother becomes vested in Phyllis, the last surviving child, una a distribution will now be made amongst her paternal and maternal relatives.

SHIPMENT OF OREGON PINE.

WELLINGTON, this day. Upwards of a million feet of Oregon pine arrived by the Mahukona, a fourimasted schooner, from Grays Harbour, U.S.

THE PREMIER.

NAPIER, The Premier arrived this by the steamer Wimmera frojii the South, and spent a quiet dajv-/He -"oes on to Gisborne, and political address there to-morrow ej£ en iner.

WELLINGTON pQg-j, OFFICE. / WELLINGTON, this day. Tenders are to be called at once for .Jrnew general post office for Wellington, to cost £80,000. It will be much higher and more massive than the present building, which will be much altered internally to fit in with the general scheme.

EMPLOYERS' RESOLUTION RE HOLIDAYS.

WANGANUI, this day.

At a meeting of the Wanganui Employers' Association, a resolution was carried, recommending that all holidays should be uniform throughout the Dominion, and, for this purpose, holidays under the Factories' Act should be universally adopted; also that the Government should be requested to amend tbe law so that the Arbitration Court shall have no power to add to any award any holidays not specified in the Factories' Act; that when existing awards expire, then all holidays not mentioned in the Factories' Act shall cease to exist. It was decided to forward the resolution to the Minister for Labour and to kindred associations.

RAILWAY SERVICE GRIEVANCES.

NAPIER, this day. At a meeting of the Napier branch of railway servants, the following resolutions were carried —"That the system of classifying the service in two divisions should be abolished; that men injured in the service should be paid from time of accident, irrespective of the period they are off; that political rights should be granted to all railway servants; that temporary transfers should be abolished; that a test case be made re broken service not counting for superannuation.

BOARD OR COURT.

WELLINGTON, this day. In the engineers' dispute before the Conciliation Board, the employers stated that they desired to go direct to the Court. The union representative pointed out that the Board had power to compel the employers by subpoeqa to give evidence if desired. The chairman said this would be done if necessary. The union opened their case, but the taking of evidence was defe« red.

STATE COAL DEPOT.

DUNEDIN, this day. A State coal depot is to be opened in Dunedin during the first week in July. Mr. F. J. Gunn, a local coal merchant, has been appointed manager.

A FRUIT PEST.

NELSON, this day. It is understood that San Jose scale has been observed in some orchards in the Nelson disrict. The officers of the Agricultural Department are reticent, but samples of fruit and wood badly infected have been seen, and no denial is given. The officers are reporting to the Department, and awaiting instructions.

DUNEDIN, this day. At the inquest on Thomas Brown, found hanging from a tree in the bush at Caversham, a verdict of suicide while temporarily insane was declared. FELLDIMG, this day. ** r Ernest Short has received word that the Cabinet has decided not td purchase his Parorangi Estate near Feilding. INVERCARGILL, this day. , J t a Tt b i ert ! on » * drover, was arrested by Detective Cameron this morn ing, and was subsequently charged in th» Magistrate's Court witti stealing ns «f e^','^ e - Pr ?? ty ° f Geor S e *W*kney, of Waikaia station. He was remanded till Thursday next, on bail, himself £200 i £200 two sureties of £100 or one of