NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 130, 25 February 1908, Page 9

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

(BT TELEGRAM—MESS ASSOCIATION.") — 4 INCENDIARISM IN TIMARU. ATTEMPTS TO FIIIE BUILDINGS. Tlmaru, February 21. • Two attempts to destroy buildings by firs were discovered hero in the early hours of yesterday morning. Shortly after 12 o'clock on Saturday night, a firo composed of chips of wood, bits ot sacking, and coal was found at the foot of long timbers reared against tlio outer wall of tho Shaw, "Savill, and Albion Coinpanv's wool store. In tlje sloro were 2500 bales of., wool. Had the fire been left a few minutes longer tho whole storo must have gono. Tho-other- firo was discovered about the same time, outsido Messrs. Dalgety • and Company's business promises. In this case two empty cement casks had, with the aid of small'wood and paper,' been lighted ' against the wall of wooden buildings irr which kerosene and sheep dip are stored, . This was also discovered just as tho fire wa* getting a good hold. SAN FRANCISCO SERVICE. REVISION 1 OF TEE TIME-TABLE. :' Auckland, February 24. ... It has now been decided by tho management of "the'.present San Francisco, .direct service to call at Auckland and! Apia on tho return trips, tho s.s, i'oreric being the pioneer steamer, to load here, leaving Auelo land on or about March 21. In this wa; IVqwZealand Shippers will.not only, be abli to shin direct, but they will also bo able ti avail themselves of tho service for cargo t*

Apia" and also to Tonga, should: sufficiont in duccnient offer. On the trip from San Fran. >isco to Auckland tlio steamers Trill'- mak« , Apia and Tonga ports of call, and the ma» ■ asjwnent fool confident- .that tho steamers,, . .which J all fly the British' flag, will,; witli the .fovisi6n ; of ■ the time-table, .become.- of mucH \ greater service to oversea and island mor ' chants. i I. ' ' ' ■ THE HON. R. M'NAB. ; V ;; ! i Creymouth, February 24. • Tho Hon. R. M'Nab ; : arrived .'from Westland this morning and visited tho State Coal Mines andPoint;. Elizabeth'. 'At the State Mine township tho 'Minister.",was entertained _ at a complimentary dinner, and. in responding , to the toast of his health, said lie was do- i . ' lighted'at the prospects of' the coast from au agricultural point of view. received a deputation from the Miners' Union", who advocated 1 State-owned- steamers for carry- ;: ing State coal from Greymoutlv. The Minis- . ter said; he would'place their representations before his colleagues. Other matters of local importance iwero dealt' ;with.: ,011 arrival in Grevmouth, tho Minister was entertained at. afternobn tea by the Women's Christian, Tempbranco Union at tho Sailors'.; Rest. Tlio Minister leaves for Reefton in tho morning. ', PRISONER TAKES POISON. .V- Auckland, .February 24. - • " 'On Saturday; night at - Paeroa, Constable . Henry arrested a man named George 'Allen (alms Captain; Melh), on a warrant char^-. :... ing', him witli'"false ri? re^en 9 e ® at 'Waihi. While ; being searched* tlie prisoner put ono . •hand in his; waistcoat pocket 'and .-then put something ; ; :in : his mouth and fell to the, ground unconscious.; Emetics were admjn--ajd was summoned. The .. doctor'said ' tho^prispner'had'not-'taken poi-... • son,': but on his .recoveryvtho prisoner said lie had done' so; and 'thaty tho emetic had counteracted its effect's.'' He "w6uld.''npt say : what the - poison -.wasii; or -yrhere ; ho procured ;r "' CARDINAL 'MORAN. i ' Auckland, February 24. ; ..Cardinal' Moran and party . left by tha Victoria on their return to Sydney this evening'. 1 Cardinal Moran,, speaking with reference'.to tlio Maori people, whoso nobleness of; character and beauty ,of language could, he said, scarcely be surpassed, by any other. ~ race, expressed a hope that tho race would be preserved and their language . handed down. It would be a torriblo thmg on tha part of the New Zealand. Government to allow such a race to perisli. and their language ■ to' be forgotten. ' He congratulated ■ tho people of New Zealand on their grand , Government, developed along the lines of <t sound democracy. , ; ; ;

dwelling.house destroyed. ; . - ■ ; Auckland! February 24. A four-roomed house, owned by Mr. F.H. Eyro, and occupied by Mr. Thomas Rodda, was totally destroyed by fire at Wbitiange at about ten o'clock last night. The . occur pants, who wore nil in bed, liad a narrow cscapa; The. fire is said to have originated in a defective oil-heater which, had been lelt alight in tlio kitchen for the purpose of keep, ing hot some food for a '.sick-, child. / Mrs. Rodda, who was severely burnt in trying to save somo of tho effects, had to. be taken to tho hospital; this'morning for . medtca. treatment. .

MAORI.CONFERENCE ' Auokland, February 24. Tho' southern and district delegates to the Maori Conference,- which ' s to be-held at Orakei, were welcomed by the Orakei Natives . this afternoon.Somo fifty delegates arc present-, and auotlier party, under the Kev. Mr. Bennett, of Rotorua, jwill arrive at Orakei to-morrow. Mr. J. Thornton, Presi- , dent of the To Auto Association is presiding. Since tho Association was organised is lias - received much help . from tllo Government Nativo School teachers-and others engaged ' in Maori work. : /.

DREDGE DESTROYED BY FIRE Dunedln, February 24. Advico has been received by tho of the Nelson Creek Dredging Co. to-day that tho-Company's old dredge, situated on the West Coast, has been destroyed by. hro. Nc particulars "aro availablo, .except that tlu dredgo was -insured. BUTTER AT Is. on. • Tlmaru,' February 24. N Tho price -of butter has been further- advanced locally to.ls. sd. per lb. ; POLYNESIAN SOCIETY -MEETING. ■ <■ - New Plymouth,-February 23. ■ .The annual mect-ingi'of .the', Polynesian Sov' ciety'was .held last night,., v. > . . i Tho president's-report stated that one,of tho original members had- offered if another £400- was; raised, to print, the bo« ciety's records. . i :Tho new edition of ; the-Maori dictionary is • approaching. tho printing stage.. It will contain one-third nioro words than are, found 'in. existing'dictionaries.- ■■■■" ■<<•-" i.;. -V The library will- shortly bs removed to the Technical School buildings. ■■■•„::. • I'hb; fallowing officers were ; re-elected:— President. Mr.-.Si'.'Percy Smith; Council, Messrs. M. Fraser.vW. L.'Newman, and\F, P. Corkill; auditor, Mr.-W. D. Webster. ;