NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 134, 29 February 1908, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

' (BV 'TELEGRAPH—rPItESS'ASSOCIATION.). :■ 4— r - BAND CONTEST.. ' ANNUAL' MEETING OF THE ' .V ;. ASSOCIATION. - New .Plymouth, February 28. The annual meeting of the North Island Brass Bands Association was held last night. Mr. M. Cohen presided'. ' Tho annual report stated that fifty-five bands wore.; .now affiliated. , The : financial ppsition' was ■ sound,; the association having a cash balance .of £157. *... Mr.' Colicu 'commented adversely on' tho withdrawal of the Kaikorai Band from the present,.contest' as: unsportsmanlike.. •A- proposal, to. hold an annual Eisteddfod was .held over.' i ; It was decided -to , revise and reprint tho rules:,/'; \ '•«. ; Hastings will be the scene of the nest Oontpst. -V- . It was deoided :to..- iri future allot different - music, to second-class . bands, and'-to '.soc-'' tionise, tho,first-class.' • • j'* :' A • motioii to, elect threij judges instead of one lapsed fbr.waht'of\a',seconder.' Tho final' test-' selection, " "William Tell;" was played toiniglit •' in ; the , Recreation Grounds;' There was a large attendance, the ' t-otal gate takings:'being £700; The resulta ,woro:—... . ■. .- ■■-. ■. A Grade—Tho first prize, £100, for "nest points in two selections, waswonby Monw with. 282.-,; total .. points. Auckland • I'irst Battalion was sccond with 286.points, and \\'oolston third .with 275 points. NeJson Garrison, -274;. Taranaki Garrison, 259: Hastings, 256;. Mastertori, 255.- ; • Besson Shield, ; for - the . highest points '; for music, including march, was won by the .'Auckiaiid Battalion, with 381 points. B Grade (first .prize, £30): Palmerston North was first with 257 total' points; Auckland Mounted lliflcs ■ being. second with 257; Manaia, 251; Marton, 250. i Tho Boosoy Shield for most points for all music, B grade, goes to Palmerston North,

ARBITRATION COURT. . Diinedin, February 28. The Arbitration Court; has definitely decided that it, cannot hear , the industrial dispute Union, Steam Ship. Company . v. fthe Wharf Labourers' Union, during the present sittings.. The case will probably be i heard here at tho July sittings of tho Court. 11 iUOR IN A CRICKET ''AVILION. . , , Auckland,"February 28. The attention of the City Council has been called to .the drinking of . intoxicating liquor in, the pavilion "at- Victoria Park.' It . was stilted "that, cricketers" in i stages-of iritdxication have been seen in the. pavilion. Some of the .rooms, it is alleged, are literally turned' into bars. The Council referred the. matter to. the Works Comriiittee. , ' :. ,■ DWELLING-HOUSE • DESTROYED,' " ; ;. Hokitika, February,.23. A six-roomed • dwelling , in Bealey Street, owned;. by ,-'W. Whitten and occupied by J, Majorny, -was'; totally: destroyed ;by. fire;'atthree o'clock this .iriorniiig.- vThie: occupants had'to through a window."- The 'bri--gadel turned • out smartly,. arid, had, the >first jet; of water On .-very quickly, ; ..thus saving', ad-, joining- residences'. ' The building destroyed ,was insured for'£lso in- the. Victoria; Office. ;The . furnituro'..wassail' consumedj: and' was ■cover'e'd -by ,',a .policy . for £160.in: .th'o,'-;Norr, •therrt. :!'Tlie adjoiniiig -premises ,-of. ; -Mrs. : Harker,.'which was severely' scorched,, were insured for. £100 in the -Manchester '.Office.

7: . A' VETERAN'S PENSION. '' 1 Auckland, February 28. Reference to the' ,caso of; an - old-ago pensioner /a'recent,meeting of the Auckland-Charitable Aid.. Board, and : .it ; ■was telegraphed that;a_ pensioner, 82, years „■ : of age, who had fivb different medals, and against whom there , was not a single .black mark, had been deprived of his pension for five years. Mr: Ruddock,, deputy registrar, has informed the Board that on the first conviction/ for drunkenness the. . pensioner was cautioned and warned on his second offence that he would i lose his pension. He'' was again convicted and the Magistrate refused, to reriow his pension. ■ MEETING OF FORESTERS. ; : DannevirUe, Fcbruary r 23. A .■ meeting ■ of ;Foresters\.waS;'oheld at • Dannovirkc to-day," dclogatos being prc- ' sent from .all the, lodges in. the .district.,; One of; t-lio •' offect,.tnat .'the' dclegatcs'.call upon ;.the Friondly."Societies'/ Council- to,?,urge.;,', the Government .to . caus3: a thorough investigation to; bo mado, into, the financial of. fraternal .societies .before passing-.any ' fresh, legislation,;, such ,inquiry .; to.embrace 1 an.examination on. the rate of payment, cost ' of management,Yand investment of funds; tho possibility , of the 'ordere paying all , their, claims,; : and to find; cut 'the. lowest 'safe minimum. rato which ought; to .be paid' for thevbenefits'promise?!.- I .'

SAWMILLERS* WAGES.; - . > Invercargilli February 28. . A conference of Southland sawmill owners ■ and workers was hold to-day. The workers wanted practically, an . all-round. increase in wages. At present : more than 50 per cent, of,-'the mori .wero getting., more /than. -■ 'the, award minimum, .which is token as .showing, : that the demand'for men'is greater'than the. supply. The. men v argue that an increase . : number of available men will result in' a decrease to the minimum rate. Therefore, they sought ari increase' of the present ' -• minimum.-' The .employers are agreeably, to • make certain ; increases, provided the - men agree to compensation 'decreases. The "conference was amicablo; but abortive, and.the matters .remain,.as.>they.are.' .In .tho- meati- '. time, it . remains ' forthe Union ' to decide whether' they' shall' go to the 'Arbitration Court"again.'