SOUTHERN NEWS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 27, 1 February 1910, Page 6

SOUTHERN NEWS.

1 By Telegraph.—Press Association.) i THE KAITANGATA FIRE. DUNEDIN, Monday. Further particulars of the lire at Kai- ! tangata yesterday morning show that •' the outbreak originated in Rislop's bak--5 cry, but its cause is unknown. The * total damage is estimated at about £2500. The following are the losses esti- * mated to have been sustained by different owners over and above the * insurances:—Hislop. £150; Armishaw, i £30; Middlemas, £250; Jarvies. £30; ' Myers, £50; Paterson, £S0; Mrs. Mc--1 Kenzie, £100. [ WELLINGTON GAS COMPANY.'. . WELLINGTON, this day. Speaking at the annual meeting of the , Wellington Gas Company to-day, the , chairman (Mr. Nathani mentioned that jj in 1879 the number of tvnsumers on the , books of Che company numbered 1503, in ] j 1599 4793, and this year 12,340. The [ ; called-up capital and borrowed moneys . j sunk in the business at the end of 1579 j were £ 85,488. This year they amounted | j to In IS79* the manufacture of I : gas reached 40.454 cubic feet, and in- , j volved a capital sum of £2 1/2 per 1000 j feet of gas made. This year the com- '■ j pany had made 256.454,C00 cubic feet ot * I gas upon a capital expenditure amount- , j ing to only £1 1/10 per 1000 cubic feet :] of gas made. CASE DISMISSED. WELLINGTON, this day. Judgment in a case affecting bakers, ■ and arising out of the fact that three :; consecutive holidays were observed at ; i Christmas, was given by Mr. Riddell, j S-M., to-day. The Inspector of Awards . sought to recover £10 as penalty for a breach of award. It was claimed that defendant employed certain bakers between the hours of 10 p.m. and midnight on the 23rd December, contrary to Clause 9 of the award, which provides that "No work shall be done after 10 pan. except on hot cross bun night." In view of the fact that three consecutive holidays were being observed, the magistrate held that the occasion was an unusual one, and was not provided for by the award. Defendant had acted fairly, and paid Sis workers correct overtime. He accordingly gave judgment for defendant. MERCURIAL POISONING. DUNEDIN, Monday. A man named Archibald Brown, proprietor of motor engineering works in Castle-street, died in the hospital to-day from the effects of mercurial poisoning. When admitted to the hospital on the 22nd inst., deceased had in his possession a headache wafer, and in the same pocket was a packet of mercury chloride. The wrapper of the mercury packet was broken, and some of the contents were apparently mixed with the headache wafer. ' MISCELLANEOUS ITEIIS. ; FKILDING, this day. A branch of the Navy League was formed here last night. A corner section in Manchester-street, with a single storey brick building, was sold yesterday at £100 per foot, Ihe total price being £2250. NELSON, this day. After the-seasonable rain fine weather is being experienced for the sixty-eighth anniversary of the province. CHRISTCHURCH, this day. CTrristchxrreh will attempt to provide no novelty entertainment for Lord Kitchener. The Field-Marshal will be welcomed by the citizens and subsequently entertained at a banquet. DUNEDIN, this day. The Dunedin Postal and Savings Bank daring 1909 received £1,813,41 L, against £1,727.001 in 1808. Withdrawals totalled £1,145,707, against £1,128,180 in 190 S. Donald MeKenzie, for tie theft and forgery involving £800, was sentenced .by Judge Williams to three years' imprisonment. Robert Clark, charged with forgery at Oanraru, was admitted to probation for 12 months. Stuart Wall, for forgery at Oamaru, received three months' imprisonment. Aif. Leonard • Blue, for housebreaking at Balclutha, received six months' imprisonment. NAPIER, this day. A very large deputation, representing all classes of business interests, waited on the Hon. J. A. Millar, Minister for Railways, to-day, to discuss the railway time-table. The deputation strongly urged that the old service be reverted to, with such acceleration as was possible. Mr. Millar, in reply, admitted that the time-table was unsuitable to Napier, and said that as the people at this end were willing to forego connection with New Plymouth, there would be no trouble in readjusting the service on lines similar to"the old time-table. NEW PLYMOUTH, this day. Customs duties collected during January amounted to £2474 IS/9, against £2410 13/7 in January, 1909.