NEW ZEALAND.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 10265, 7 February 1899, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND.

(PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAMS.) AUCKLAND, February 6. At the annual meeting of the Auckland Gas Company the profit for the past year wa.* shown to be £25,318. A dividend of ?f 6d per paid-up share was declared. Captain Giovello, of the Italian warship Etna, states that while here he intends U> obtain a supply of Westporc coal. He purcli&sed some at Suva, and considered it t_e best coal he had used for many years. The steamer Pakeha ships 7000 carcases of frozen sheep and lambs from the freezing works for the London market. The largest shipment of butter from the works, 100 tons, has been shipped by the Rotoiti for Wellington for transhipment to London. The Queen's Statue Committee decided today to defend the action raised in the Supreme Court regarding the disposal of the toumanient funds. WELLINGTON February 6.

A seaman is missing from the Ochtertyre, along with a number of life-belts. It is supposed that ho swam ashore, but as the vessel is a mile from the harbours edge, and the man has not been seen since, it is feared he may be drowned. The Petone borough has raised a loan of £8500 locally at par at 4 per cent The past * half -year's report of the Wellington Typographical Society shows the period to have ocen the most disastrous yet chronicled in connection with the trade in this city, principally on account of the introduction of the linotype machine, which had been the means of adding to the large army of unemployed hand compositors. DUNEDIN, February 6. , The funeral of the late Mr George Bell, journalist, took place this afternoon, and was largely attended. " " STRATFORD, February 6. The Chamber of Commerce has received a very favourable report on a sample of coal submitted to tho Government Analyst, who describes it as a good brown coal, well fitted for domestic purposes. The Government will be urged to push on the railway to the coal measures, which are said to be very extensive. , WESTPORT, February 6. The week's coal export was:—Westport Coal Company, 4870 tons 14cwt; Cardiff, 719 tons 17cwt. Dr Gaze, who is connected with the Melbourne boot trunk tragedy, is well-known in various parts of New Zealand. He practised in Westport for several years.