SOUTHERN NEWS.

Auckland Star, Volume XL, Issue 55, 5 March 1909, Page 5

SOUTHERN NEWS.

■ : fßf~ Telecrspk^—Prtss Assoelatlos.)

SLT-GROG SELLING.

(By Telegraph.—Preis Auodatioo.) '

Gore,-this day. >

At the Gore Court this morning. Mr. Kenrkkimposed » fine of £3-and Court costs 7/ against Fredk. Dickson, charged with selling whisky ,on January, .10 last ' in a No-license district. The magistrate said': "It is stated.that there is no evidence of Sale but to persons employed by the police for the purpose, and I i think, a small fine will meet' the case." Charles Pumpa, for selling beer,.pleaded guilty, and was fined £10 and coats 7/. Malachi Hanley (previously convicted) was sent to gaol for 14, days,,;but the warrant will be suspended during the illness of his daughter, and he was ordered, to come up for sentence'on March 25..' ''-..'„.■'. .'• 1'" ASHBCRTON, this, day. Wm. Porter wasi fined £50 and costs . for sly-grog selling in Ashburton SECRET OOMMI^OiNS. i CHBTSTGBTJBCI&, this day. Mr. Beswkk, president ";of the Law Society, made ran emphatic' denial: in Court this morning of Mr. CreswelTs statement, made yesterday, on the subject of secret commissions. He stated that no respectable solicitor in this : city adopted the practice described. He knew of cases where solicitors were approached by lang i agents, into, whose : hands. they had placed properties for sale, and offered a share of commission, but ..in every instance the solicitors absolutely .refused to receive any share of commission. If Mr. Creswell said what Was attributed to him, he had said what was absolutely untrue. FIRE AT STRATFORD. this day. A fire which broke out at 3.30 this morning gutted a shop occupied by Miss Flynn, fruiterer.' Chambers Occupied by Mr. FußSell were somewhat damaged, and the stock and fittings of Messrs. Bendall (tobacconist), Simmons and MacKay (civil engineers),'and Cook (tailor) were slightly affected by" imoke and water. Flynn's stock and fittings were insured for £100 in the Sun office.--"- •- - ■ *»■>■ -i *' METHODIST CONFERENCE. - WELLINGTON, this day. ' At the Methodist Conference to-day _%. resolution was-carried:'"That continued efforts be made by the committee to secure early Sunday morning services on board meh-o'-war when visiting New Zealand ports."" A recommendation that the military and naval affairs committee suggest to the Minister fOr Defence the appointment of. more Methodist ministers as chaplains of ' volunteer forces'was Withdrawn. It Was, decided that commemoration: of the hi-centenary of Oharles Wesleyybe suitably recognised by the different circuits on Whit Sunday. ~ ' LAB6tJ!R_iBS'.W"AGES. • ' ;.' r '•':.--.--- ■ The-special reporter-of/the "Evening News'* telegraphed from Broken River th»t x although there is a good deal ofdisaffection on, the railway works beyond Broken River, the trouble does not appear at the present time to be assuming-very serious dimensions, being confined to what is, known as No. 17. cutting, in which about 130 men are employed r ,The.men.had hitherto been receiving "0/- a day, and were satisfied with that amount, but recently-the Governo>ent issued a mandate that it was not going. to..pay...by-day labour in future, but at the rate of 1/3 per truck; This intimation was received with resentment by the co-operatives, who went ■ on strike on Tuesday. If they were going to be paid per truck, they said, they must have 2/-. On the.assurance of (the overseer that they would be paid at the former r«te of 9/- a day till the difficulties were solved, they returned to work. They held a meeting on Wednesday, which resulted in a telegram being sent to the. Minister; for. Labour, .protesting that - the contract price of 1/3 per truck did not permit of a living:wa je. A conference is to be held between Mr. Vkkerman, the engineer in charge of the works, and the men. . ■?&';.-. ..V'iySOUTHERN EXPRESS j SERVICE. ' WELLINGTON, Thursday. ;: The acceleration of one and a half bourse in the express service between Invercargill ' and ' Lyttelton, already announced, is - to come into operation on April 1, 'and will be limited', to one express daily each way. Tne train leaving Invercargill at 6.15 a.m. will stop only 'at a, limited number of stations, and is to be 'timed so as to reach Lyttelton about' eight p-m. The departure of the steamer for Wellington Is to take place on and after A»pril 1, it 8.30 p.n_', and the arrival at Wellington will, under ordinary err<*umstanCes,' be about 7.30 a:m. This Wotttd leave very Httle tune_for_ the traveller wishing to catch the" New Plymouth express, and the Railway Department has' consequently decided to start the mail train at 8.15 instead of 10 minutes before the hour. The Wellington-Napier express leaves at 8.20 am., and no alteration need 'fee made. ~, '.' '," The' express leaving Dunedih for Christchurch at eight a.m., Will follow its. present schedule, arriving at Christchurch at five pjh. Oh the southward journey the acceleration in the time will lesult in invercargill being reached at 9.30 p.m., instead of 11.5 p.m. ITEMS. GISBORNE, this day. I 'At the Supreme Court in the case ' Joseph Hennon, alleged horse-stealing, prisoner was discharged,- the Judge stopping the case owing to the contradictory nature of the evidence of the principal Witness, whom bis' Honor severely lectured for insobriety. Norman McLeod, convicted of howe-etealing, was sentenced to two years." In the charge against Edward Boniface, burglary, ; the.jury' iailed? to agreei aiid aeeUsed was James Straker Jjickson, convicted of assault, was sentenced to six months. this. day. It is now' almost certain that /the-wo-man found dead yesterday is Mrs. NichplsOU/.lately employed as a cook in -St'rat- | ford. She has relatives. in Wellington. .'''. % ' '. day,',, - Several prominent : were charged »,the Magistrate'B Court i to-day wtSi breaohe* of' the city by-laws Ite havinf fixed sale notice* on their ' the kind. ' l&tes. &,6&jioJj&,jweto junVpoaed, oj-i**'** " : l\