SOUTHERN NEWS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 203, 25 August 1908, Page 2

SOUTHERN NEWS.

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) A CONTJNGENTER SENTENCED. AVELLINGTON, this day. Edward George Hansen, an ex-can-tingenter. was sentenced at the Supreme Court to-day to two years? imprisonment on a charge of breaking, and entering at EkctaJmna. A XO-MCENSE DISTRICT, OAMAE.U, this day. Thi3 morning Mr Hutcheson, S.M., fined Richard Andrews, for whom Mr Hanlon, of Dunedin, appeared, £20 for keeping liquor for sale in a no-lkense district. A similar charge against his wife, Margaret Andrews, was withdrawn when Richard Andrews pleaded guilty. TELEGRAPH TrfESSENGERS' BONUSES, WELJJNGTON, this day. The local telegraph messengers threatened to strike on Thursday unless the old system of payment of monthly bonuses was reverted to. The Department etates that the boys are under . a ■.' misapprehension, and that the matter at issue has been adjusted. THE NO-LICENSE TOLL. DUNKDIN, tbia day. The Enginedrivers' Union has endorsed the resolution of the Trades Conference, recommending workers to vote Nolicense. INVERCAEGILL SHOOTING CASE. rSVEROARGILL, this day. In the Supreme Conrt to-day Thomas Stott was found guilty on a charge ot having caused grievous bodily harm to Mary Ann Brown by shooting her with a gun. Sentence was deferred. Stott visited the house with a gun in his possession. The girl sought refuge in her bedroom, where the weapo-n was discharged, inflicting serious injury in her arm. The defence was that the gun was fired accidentally. SEDDON MEMORIAL SCHOOL. MASTERTON, this day. The Seddon Memorial Technical School, a very handsome and well appointed building, is practically completed, and will be out of the builders' hands in a, few days. The official opening probably takes place in October, when the memorial stone to the late Mr. Seddon will be laid. Ministers and the late Premier's family are erpected to be present on the occasion. BY RATS. HASTINGS, thi3 day. Rats proved directly responsible for an outbreak of fire in the two-storeyed residence of Morris Mason. Smoke was noticed issuing from a cupboard under the stairs at 8 o'clock last night', arid the fire was promptly subdued. Under some lumber was discovered a rats' nest, on which was an ignited' box of wax vestas; bearing marks of rats' teeth. MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS. TIMARU, this day. At a meeting of the Borough Council last night the Mayor (Mr Craigie) referred in the reverse of complimentary terms to Mr Fisher's bill extending the Parliamentary franchise to municipalities. It was not right, he said, that e»ery person 21 years of age should have the right to vote in a municipal elec-: tion, when contributing nothing to the rates. Councillors endorsed the Mayor's protest, and joined him in the hope that the bill would be thrown out by the Legislative Council. PALMERSTON NORTH, this day. The death is announced of Mr W. E. A. Slack, of Slack Bros., •well-known 9tud stock breeders, from pneumonia, after a few days' illness. NELSON, this day. The Nelson Trades and Labour Council carried a resolution in terms similar to ■those of the Chrietehurch Council, demanding the renvoTal of Mr. Justice Sim from the Arbitration Court in connection with his refusail to grant an award in the farm labourers' disnute. News has oeen received of the death at WiflowmoTC, South Africa, of Dr. E. T. Meßlukh, son of Mr. R. T. Mellraish, of ! N-elson. from blood poisoning, after performing an operation on a patient. " De-ceas-ed was formerly in the Kelson College, and was engaged by the Grand I Junction Railway Company, of Cape I CoJoay. He a!eo served ia the Boer war,