NEW ZEALAND.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 11245, 10 April 1902, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND.

(PRESS ASSOCIATION , TELEGRAMS.) WBLLJtJfGTON, April 9. A& a meeting of the Police Provident Board to-day, the application of Sergeant Murray, of Auckland, to retire on May 31St was granted. Sergeant Kelly (Christchurch), and Constables Joyce (Kaiapoi), Walker (Invereargill) . and Salmon (Ha-wera), will retire on April 12th, on account of ill— beatth, and Trill receive tihe usual allowance. The rise whkib has taken place in the price of flour will make the cost to local bakers £10 15s par ton. While going Ouough the French Pass on Sunday the Ditigadte took ground, and stack fast- for twelve hours. The vessel was on the wiy from Greymooth to Lyttelton. She proceeded on her voyage, and will be docked at the latter port.

The members of tiks Victorian Factories Commissior. arrived in Wellington to-day, and piid a visit to a sitting of the Arbitration Court.

At a sitting in banco this morning, the Chief Justice was asked to quash the decision of the 5.31. who recently fined a cumber of Chinese for playing fan tan and pak-a-poo. It "was contended by counsel for the appellants that they cou2d not be convicted of assisting to conduct a, common gamins: house unless some person had been convicted a£ keeping or managing such, place. In this case tisere had been no keeper convicted. It was not an offence tn play pai-ar-poo or any other Chinese game except in a house kept for the purpose; in fact, in this case there was no evidence that the game had been, played, at all, only tte production of certain articles used in gajnes of ciance, which -were feand on the premises. The case stands "irtiv heard. NAPIER, April 9. Frederick Herbert Howard, who was recently committed for trial on a charge of brea&ng aad entering a Chinaman's residence, has been committed for trial on a charge of forgery.