NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 49, 21 November 1907, Page 9

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

[or TKMGIUPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

OTAGO METHODIST SYNOD,

' THE GAMING DILL. . Balclutha, November 19. _ Tho Otago Mothodist Synod met this morning at Balclutha. The Rev. W. Slade .(president of tho conference) presided. Tito-" Rev. T. N, Griffon, of Oumaru, was elected secretary. Mr. W. Rowo, of Palmerston, was to tho conference as a candidate for tho ministry. In 'the afternoon representative session Mr.. E. Rosovoro, tho district secretary of Church properties, read a roport, which showed considerable progress, tin) total value of property ill tho - district being ovqr £40,000.- ' Tho following resolution was carried unanimously,.and a copy sent to the Prima .Minister"That; while, repotting tho pro-' posals contained in.the Gaming and Lotteries Act Amendment Dill, 1907, lor the licensing ■ of bookmakers by racing cvabs, this Synod , strongly approves of the tiauses- dealing with tho suppression of ga'.'-ing houses ana of betting on tho public streets,'.ou sports.-. grounds, -and 'in factories. The Synod ', view's' with disappointment' tho fact ' that,'' though tho session is almost at an end, this' second attempt of tho present Government to deal with the gambling-evil has not yet,,"; 'been passed, and respectfully urges the Prmw ' Minister to press on the. measure with all tha forces at his disposal." ' • foreign mission matters were dealt with/ and a resolution was passed requesting the' Mission Board to arrange for an extended visit-to Now Zealand of the Rev. Ws B. ' and Mrs. Brohiilow, for seventeen years the '".' leaders in tho New Guinea Methodist Mis- ; 1: sion." Tho valuable help rendered by theOtago-: ladies' auxiliary was recognised. Homo mission matters .occupied tho rest of;' the day, <i nymber of amounts being pro-, niised : and grants recommended. In. the .evening a public, welcome was" I '- tendered to tho Synod, which was largely attended. The meeting was addressed by • '• Mr. A- S. Malcolm, M.H.R,, tl)o Mayor, tho -; Revs. -W. Slade and C. 11. .Laws, 8.A., and"' 1 Mr. -J. Stead. •

.. DIVORCE COURT. Dunetfin, Novomber 19. ■ - At' the. .Supreme Court to-day Florence', iHelena Hansford applied for a divorce from.* George Duke Hansford. Petitioner said she.' married respondent in 1592. Four days after tlio marriage respondent left her and went, to' England,, or elsewhere, and during the time', ho yas; away he contributed nothing towards! her support. When he returned tliey lived., v together for seven years and three months. ,' There was one child, born in 1897. In 1900. respondent wont to livo in Queensland, at Toowoomha. On Decomber 25, 1906, ho went - through the form of marriago with one Flora - Robertson, and sinco then he had lived with her. During the time the petitioner and. , her husband lived together lie treated-her, badly, and at times violently assaulted her. A decreo nisi was granted. lii the caso Kennard v. ICeiiriard (liua-,, band's-petition), which was adjourned-yester-day, to euable corroborative evidence to be called. regarding tho wife's desertion; aV decree liisi was granted. AGRICULTURAL LABOURERS' DISPUTE/" . Christchuroli, November 20. The hearing of the disputo between the ' Agricultural Labourers' Union and ■ tlio farmers of tlio Canterbury Industrial District was resumed tp-day before the Conciliation Board. Mr. E. Kennedy, the organiser if' the Union, in the eourso of his evidence,' stated that the reason why lie had ito appeil to the Trades Council for assistance was that the organising of the Union was luunpero.l by tlio fact that, farmers were intimidating, those labourers who desired to join tho Union. 1 Hundreds of men who were willing to join were frightened to do so. Witness gave particulars of the causes which led to his dis-. missal-from the difl'orent places he was employed at. Other witnesses vero examined, and the hearing was adjourned tiH..\to - morrow.

BAND CONTEST. ; 1 ' New Plymouth, Novemlier 20. The following entries have been received- •' to date for the band contest to be held here from February 24 to 28: — First Grado—Wellington Garrison, Wanganui' Garrison, Hnuraki, Masterton, Tar.v . liaki Garrison, Hastings, Morningtbn, Auckland First Battalion, Lyttelton Marines, • Woolston, Kaikorai, Nelson Garrison. Second Grade I—Marton,1—Marton, Stratford, Nowtou : (Auckland), Manaia, .Karangahake, Palmer--ston North, First Auckland Mounted Rifle 3. " COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. ■ ' Dunedin, November 20. .' At the Police Court G. J. V. Smart was'/ committed for trial on a second charge of having, on or about August 17, 190G, stolen!, acliequo for £14 Is. 4d., the property of tlm . State Firo Insurance Department. Evidence " was given by Patrick Troaliy, Ngapara, that - ho paid accused the amount stated for insur- ' auce, and departmental officials deposed that \ tho cheque for the sum h?.d been cashod by accuscd, but that tlioro was no record of an insurance , having been oifccted. AMATEUR ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION.. -i Ghristchurch, Novo'mbor 20. The final-ballot for tlio election of tlia Council of the Amateur Athletic Association ' resulted in tho return of Messrs. W. G. Atack, H. S. Bateholor, O.'J. Coopor, J. S. Green, •J, F. Grierson, D. Hanibor,' G. H. Mason. E. Norden, and J. R. Ollivier.

ANOTHER SCIENTIFIC EXPEDITION, Dunedin, Novombor 20. Tho Union Company's Taviuni will inaka ■ a special: trip to- iiarotonga and Tahiti ju Docomber. A party of I-lomo-scientists.will-:, leave Auckland in tho steamer, and on arrival at Tahiti tho vessel will tako thorn to Flint Island, where they will romain seven days, iu .- order to make astronomical observations.' AXEMEN'S CARNIVAL. V Eltham, Novombor 20. V Record ontrios have boon received for tlia.l. Axemen's Carnival at Eltham on Doceniber 26 and 27, being 15 abovo tlio total of last year. Two hundred and forty-nino axo•mcn and sawyers' have nominated for 11 events. Lato entries aro oxpectcd from Victoria and Tasmania. Tliore aro 50 entries for the Axomon's Cup, of £140, and 13 pairs for tlio Doiible-handod Sawing Championship. Nuley, tho Australian champion axeman, an<? Thomas Pettitt, the world's .champion sawyer, will-compete at the carnival.

WOOL SALE. Christchurcli, November 20. The first wool sale of tho season will 1)3 held liere to-morrowi The number of bales entered is 5538. NEWS IN BRIEF. Christcliuroh, November 19. ; A coach builders' factory, owned by Mr*' James Brown, and situated in St. Asaph Street East, was totally destroyed by fire to-night. Tho stock, which, was valued at- £1000, was ! insured with the Royal Insurance Company.' Auckland, November 19. Tho steamer Kclbride, which went on the, rcof off Suva, has been re-floated. J .1 Auckland, November 19. : It is not intended by tho syndicate to make • a further attempt to secure the balance of the -Elingamite's treasure at tho Tliroo Kings until early in January, tho most favourable ■ timo of tho year for tho operations to ba parried out. Tho auxiliary schooner Huia,. under Captain D. M'Konzie, will bo again employed, and the' party are sanguine of success, Christcliuroh, November 19. 1 A special meeting of the Samaritan Homs Board of Trustees was held this afternoon." for tho purpose of considering a notico of motion that tho sorvices of tho matron and sub-matron of tho Homo should bo disponed with. Tho motion was the outcome of tho 1 j'ofii.sal of tho two officers named to carry • out tho instructions of tho chairman to hand' over a girl itniiato to tho.To Oranga Home' authorities. Tho opinion was expressed that tho svstom of control at the Samaritan Home would havo to be reorganised, but aftor considerable discussion tho motion was lost.