NEW ZEALAND.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 9886, 17 November 1897, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND.

(PRKS3 ASSOCIATION TELEGRAMS.)

AUCKLAND, November 16. Gallagher, licensee of the Metropolitan Hotel, was charged with two breaches of tho Shop and Shop Assistants Act by havintt failedto give two barmaids a half holiday! His Worship said it appeared that barmaids in hotels wore well treated, but that did nob excuse employers for a breach of the Act. The defendant was convicted and fined 40s and costs on each charge. A man, name unknown, was found dead under the Oratia bridge, Henderson. He was supposed at first to be an escaped lunatic, Thos. Meredith, but he is stdl at large. An application will be made to the Board of Conciliation on the 24th instant by the Auckland branch of the Federated Seamen's Union of New Zealand to show cause why the Board's decision in the matter of the recent industrial dispute betweeu that Union and the Northern Steamship Company and other local steamship owners, has not been complied with.

Some time ago the Marine Department made a regulation requiring scowrt to have 3 feet bulwarks, and to carry a spare suit of sail-*. A meeting of scow owners was held here, and it waa decided to ask the Department not to enforce the regulation on scows trading between the North and East Capes. Mr Malcolm Niccol, who was proceeding to Wellington, was asked to interview the Minister for Marine ou the matter. As the result of the interview Mr Niccol received a communication from tho Minister to th_ effect that it had been decided not to enforce the regulation on vessels of this class trading between tho North Cape and Cape Kidnappers. On other parts of the coast, scows will be required to have 3 feet bulwarks, and to carry a spare suit of storm sails.

An application, under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, 1894, that an industrial dispute between the Auckland branch of tho Federated Seamen's Union of Now Zealand and the Cleveland Steam Navigation Company of Wairoa, Onehunga, and the Waiiiku Steam Navigation Company 'of Waiuku and Messrs Jagger and Holgate, both of Auckland, shipowners, be referred to tho Board of Conciliation for settlement, has been filed with the Clerk of the Awards. The Board will meet on tho instant.

HAWERA, November 16. At a poll taken yesterday, the system of rating on unimproved values was affirmed in the Nor man by Town District by a majority of twenty-six votes.

WELLINGTON, November 16. A body, supposed to be that of P. R. Leahy, a half-caste, who has been missing since the 19th o£ October, was found in the Ruamahunga river, near Gr.eytown North.

DUNEDIN, November 16. William Smith, alias James Chester* was arrested at Palmorston yesterday on a charge of obtaining money and goods by false pretences. Representing himself as a man of means he seemed the affections of a widow, to whom he was to have been married yesterday.