NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 46, 18 November 1907, Page 7

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

THE CHRISTCHURCH TRAGEDY. WILSON'S CONDITION. ■ [bt telegraph.—mess association.] : ' ; Chrlstchurch, November 16. The condition of Hans Wilson, who shot his- wife at Addington, and then attempted to take his own life, is unchanged to-day, and is still very precarious. STRIKE AT RAURIMU. , AUSTRIAN NAVVIES OBJECTED TO. Auckland, November 16. Forty navvies, working in a cutting fiva miles from Raurimu, struck owing to eight Austriaus having been sent to join the original gang. The Austrians filled a dray, which it is alleged the strikers capsized, and prevented work continuing. Work at thesection is at a standstill. Mr. MlCellar, of the Public Works Department, has gone from Raurimu to investigate.

THE CHRISTCHURCH FIRE. ITS MYSTERIOUS ORIGIN.' Chrlstchurch, November 16. The fact that a huge fire could break bul in Christchurch.and reach an absolutely un> controllable stage apparently without detect tion, or without, at any rate, any officii knowledge of "its existence, has caused curi> osity and astonislimont in tho city, and the statement has been made that the,fire was visible a long way off before the bells rang. ' Though, it is certain that at the hour of its occurrence there must have been people in the streets, no one close handy seemed to seo anything unusual until it was too late to do any good.. The Fire Board will mak« a close 'inquiry.

. THE' MACLEAN ESTATE. '"/ ; HOME FOR INDIGENT GENTLEWOMEN. Christchuroh, November 16. The late Mr. Allah Maclean's estato will amount to over half a million, about onethird of which will be devoted to making pro- ; vision for women who are in need. Holby Lea mansion, which Mr. Maclean built seven years ago, will become an endowment for a Home for indigent gentlewomen and their young children. The will makes special provision for the selection of women, whose education and upbringing will make them con-, genial companions in an institution intended solely for gentlewomen. The Home-will bo * ; controlled by a Board, comprising Anglican and Catholic bishops, two Prfesbvterian and ■! "Wesleyan clergymen, the Stipendiary Mngistrato, the Chairman of several local bodies, ; and two women selected by the Board. Tha ' ■) balance.of the money, malting up one-third • \ of the estate, will he used by the Board'tai .' provide for needy women and their children under ton years of ago. The balance of the ' '! estate will be left to relatives and friends.

•AUCKLAND CRIMINAL SESSIONS. . Auckland, November 16. In the Supreme Court to-day,' before Mr. justice Denniston, Edward M'Donald, o young waiter; who stabbed another with 3 fi]t>, was ordered to come up for sentence if called. His Honour remarked that if ■> the ■ prisoner had not; pleaded guilty, ho t woulcl probably have been acquitted, on tho' grounds of great provocation. In the case of Richard Harlnnd, aged forty-three, charged with a criminal offenco against his own niece, the jury found a verdict of guilty. Counsel for the prisoner ; asked for leave to apply to the Court of Appeal for a re-trial, ,on, the ground that , the verdict was against tho weight of evidence. • Tho specific question put to tho jury by His Honour was, "iDjd tnc prisoner be- ; licve. tho girl was over sixteen years of age ? life 'Ijnes,' had he reasonable caustf for such belief P" Tho Jury had ignored the questions, and found: '".Wo think there are reasonable grounds for believing that thr prisoner knew tho girl was under the nga of sixteen." ': Counsel submitted that tho jury had practically disregarded the whole of the evidence.except the fact of the re< lationship,, which'weighed with them to an undue extent. His Honour said the question was: " Was the prisoner's intimacy with the family sufficient to justify the jury'a .finding?" He did not feel quite clear him' self. Ho promised to consider the matter. STOLEN LETTER. : Dunedin, November 10. Charlos William Affleck, aged > seventecv years, .who pleaded guilty at Alexandra South to having stolen a letter containing four pounds, has been admitted to probation for twelve months. Costs of the prosecution, £5 55., are to be paid ..withiff three months.

PROGRESSIVE NAPIER. ' l - '•'■'' Napier, November 16, ■ Unusual activity is manifest in the build* • in:.; (Jjradc, and new premises, representing an aggregate valuo of £K'!f,UOO, are in course of construction in N'.ipier. . Great difficulty is being experienced iii the matter of labour, carpenters especially being in de» mand.' 'ALLEGED ASSAULT ON A WITNESS. ', Auckland, November 16.; ' Throo young men were arrested on a war* rant last ovenmg and charged with assaulting ; •with intent to do grievous bodily harm to a witness in tho case against Spehc'c, tho tram conductor, convicted last Friday on : a charge of. theft. The accused wore released on bail, v tho hearing of the case being fixed, for next Wednesday. ' NATIVE LANDS. '' Hastings, November 16. At the Nativo Land Court yesterday, on an application being made on behalf, of, parties, interested, the definition of Crown interests in sub-divisions of Wnimarania, No. 3a block,, was adjourned till December 4. Judge Johnson, Land Purchase Officer, states that the Crown has acquired, therein interests totalling 2625 acres, and, including awards made by the Court, which sat last December, the Crown has now obtained deal titles, in respect to the Okuihau, Waipuku, aiid Wnimarnma lands for ureas aggregating 7401 acres; and that, adding tho area to which the Crown is entitled in Waimarnmi No. 3a, there will be over 10,000 acres avail* able for settlement in the near future. Tin total area acquired in the Pukekura east and west blocks, near To Auto, is 2541 acres. .. ; RAILWAY CLASSIFICATION. Oamaru, November 16. With reference to the telegram received by the younger mbmbers of the first division of tho railway service from a junior in Wellington, stating that the Minister had made certain concessions, and urging them to wire the.Premier to put tho Bill through in its jjreeout form, the opinion is unanimous that it has been inspired by a high official with selfish motives. The institute here has wired the Premier and Mr. Massey and tho local mombors that nothing short of equality with the postal officials will bu satisfactory.