NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 167, 8 April 1908, Page 8

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

CliT TELEGRAPH —rRF.SS ASSOCIATION.)' '- .. ———9 '

SOUTH ISLAND TRUNK RAILWAY, SPEEDY CONSTRUCTION URGED. Blenheim, April 7.' Tho Land and Railway League yesterdaj decided to approach both the Canterbury and ■.Wellington Chambers of Commerce with a' view to securing their co-operation in re-, newed .agitation for-the speedy construction of the South Island Main Trunk Railway. The membership of the Marlborough Leagui is being greatly extended, while the Kaikoura and Cheviot Leagues areaccording enthusiastic support.. UNITED STATES FLEET. INVITATION FROM NAPIER. Napier, April 7. The Mayor telegraphed to the American Consul in Auckland inviting Admiral Evans's I fleet to call at Napier in the event of a visit being paid to Wellington. The Consul-General, Mr. W. A. Prickett, replied Will be pleased to convey- your cordial invitation to Admiral Evans should his fleet visit. Auckland, and' meanwhile will advise tho State; Department at Washington by letter of your request." MR. HORNSBY AND THE " RAILWAY I REVIEW." Masterton, April 7. : At a meeting of the Masterton branch of. tho Amalgamated _ Society of Railway Servants, the> following resolution was carried :— "That, in connection with the 'Railway Review,' this meeting of the Masterton branch, of the Amalgamated' Society of Railway Servants expresses ■ its entire confidence, in the ExecutiveCouncil as at present constituted, and. .. considers that-Mr;- Hornsby was fairly treated by beingable to tender for our piper, and it would have been an injustice to othor publishers had. the Con- 1 ference . ailoweid ~Mr. Hornsby .to' take , . over the same without tendering for . ■ it." . ... ■ -" • A CHINAMAN FINED. ' Christchurch, Ajjril 7. ','Lock-Wali, a seventy-year-old Chinaman was this'morning, fined. £5 and t costs on i charge 'of haying opium. in his possession,, and ordered. to pay costs on a charge of smoking opium. V A .HYBRID OF BLACKBERRY. Cisbome, April 7. In a case in which a local 'resident waf charged with failing to extermindte. blackberry, the information was dismissed;',th< magistrate holding' that hawsonberry VdiA. not come within the designation coritaiDf?! in the Act, being a hybrid of blacklierry. ' ATHLETIC , SPORTS. Inuercargill, April .7. At. a'meeting of the Irish Athletic Society, a letter. was received from the Southland Caledonian Society in reference to its ■'Secession from, the Athletic Union. 'The : following motion was carried unanimously "That in the opinion of this society a.gov' : erning body is absolutely. necessary in thi' interests of. true sport, and that' the" Cileclonian Society has acted unwisely in secer ding.". ■. ."■■_ ' CHARGE OF FORGING A CHEQUE. • Cisbome, April 7.. . Martin Malcolm O'Halloran was committed for trial on a charge'of forging a cheque for £12 18s. 7d. r , ' . , ; . ' COMMITTED FOR SENTENCE. Talhape, April 7. William Larrabee was brought up at thf Polico Court this.ynorning charged, with, i serious, offence 1 against his daugnter, agei seventeen, at Wairouru, on slarch t 31 : . Th< case was heard with .closed doors. Prisoner pleaded guilty, and was' committed to. tlw Wellington Supreme for ~,;. ■ COOKERY CLASSES. : ; ' Cisborne, April 7. The Gisborne Technical School Committed is initiating cooking classes for youths as well as girls, that tho opportunity should bo affordedi young men. whose occupation takes them to\places where competent cooks aro not available, to secure a Knowledge of plain cooking'. ; TIMARU TECHNICAL SCHOOL:. .. Timaru, 1 April .7. # Word was received td-day that an .'add> tional grant of £2500 had been made by the. Government for. the enlargement of■ the. Timaru Technical School, i FIRE PREVENTION. '■ '. '' . ; Christchurch; .April 7. ■. r 'Successful trials;-have been, made of thi Tramwav' Board's road sprinklers, usc-d for laying dust, as fire prevention appliances. A nozzlo added enables a: jet of water, to bo thrown 25 feet high. The ; cost, of. fitting • sprinklers with 6-inch- valves for fire .prevention purposes-would-be about £30 each.. Tho Fire Board will be allowed the use of the sprinklers,.-tho larger ones of .'which carry 5000, gallons.•' ~ .. ; An attempt to ..form a fire police corps in Christchurch failed, only 25 applications'for membership having.been received. ' ' ." ■ ' I MIGRANTS OF THE BEST CLASS. ' Christchurch, April 7. . A number of the English immigrants who arrived at Auckland by the>s.s. Essex; last woek, have found their, way to Christchurch, including two or ; three farmers, some'gardeners,- 1 a, marric-d oouple (who desire work on a station.or farm), and. a: bricklayer.' They are iminigrants of the best class; and- areready and willing to work-hard.- • . ; . : . ■ . PRICE OF FLOUR.. -' >•- - Christchurch, April 7. It is stated" in'grain circles here- that there is. a 'probability: that Australian iloui will be imported-'in -view -of tho fact that local flour Is up to £11 10s. ; 1 . ' POULTRY AND' EGGS. ' ■ Auckland, April 7. Over 900 birds were received at the Governmcrit|poultry depot' last 'week, the. great majority being for local' consumption;. but while the number of birds' coming 'forward is not decreasing appreciably, eggs-are showing a tendency to fall away. It is thought that the present cold snap will still further tend to a, decrease in, this respect.' ' ". , HEMP. Auckland, .April 7. The total "quantity of' Now' Zealand hemp graded at Auckland by - tho Govemtiieiit grader during the 1 jear ended March 3 last' was 43,692 bales, or 7126 tons, valued at £95,000. For the same'period 12-50 tons of tow, worth about £6000, passed through the grading works-, making the total value' of liemn dressed at Auckland for the : year £101,000.' The figures show a decrease on tha • previous year.' .The Government grader indicates that from April 1 a. remission of la. per cwt. is to be niade in hemp-grj»ding foefl, VESSEL-REPORTED TO BE ON FIRS. . Nelson, April 7; There'is a report that a vessel is on firs pff Takaka. No details are yet available.