NEW ZEALAND NEWS

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 194, 11 May 1908, Page 8

NEW ZEALAND NEWS

[BT TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION,] \'. : : — POTATO INSPECTION. VIEWS OF AUCKLAND MERCHANTS. Auckland, May 10. ;- ' ■ Inquiries were made amongst the Auck« land merchants with regard to the dissatis-. -faction over tho subject of potato inspection. For somo 'timo past Auckland has been entirely dependent on' /and > Southern shipments, but the recent advance in price has brought about a discontinuance 1 of Tasmanian . importations, I and Auckland is notf 'relying -solely upon from the South. Shippers take absolutely 110 risk, and the onus falls upon merchants. Instead of being inspected at tho port from which they are consigned, the; shipments' are graded; upon arrival, and any-loss incurred falls, upon the shoulders of tho merchant' whoso order is being fulfilled. Fortunately, the quality of the southern. potatoes this year is excellent, but tho principle is regarded as altogether unjust, for,'in the ovent of a season when blight, is prevalent., tho merchants have to take . the. risk Of a whole shipment being '.condemned upon arrival in Ajickland,' and the 'loss -is , theirs, - and not the shippers. l Tho present movemerit, in .opposition to the system of ; inspection, emanated from, Auckland.'. There is a strong! feeling;.that.the; grading, should be done. <T at tho other . end" before -being shipped" away. \ '.'

THE BURNSIDE DISPUTE.

AMICABLY SETTLED. ; • " Dunedln, May 9/ The Burnside trouble,', which only con; corned seven or eight men employeiipjm the , freezing chamber, was amicably settled thinmorning. A representative of the' Christchurch Meat Company interviewed the men, ' and agreed to pay Is.' 3d. , per hour ordinary. time, and Is. fid. overtime, 'instead, of Is.' ljd. per hour.' The higher rates' are those .granted under the award made this ' year in the" North. 1 The men here are riot working under - any." award of the iArbitration. Court', : but' 1 , the. companyj on ascertaining that higher .rates were'paid elsewhere, agreed to tjjo -men's demand. - ' . . ■ . '■ ; As far as can bo ascertained, there war no idea among the men of a general striker A YOUTHFUL FORGER Eltham, May 9. Fred Percy Pilcher, a youth who,' on Wednesday, pleaded guilty to - altering a. cheque from £1 10s.- to £10 10s., . and was committed to tlio Supreme' Court .for sentence,' to-day pleaded; guilty, to, further forgery' of a " cheque "from -:£T-12s. ..6d.' tb '£4'--12s. 6d.', and' was'- committed . for ~sentence. A' charge against- the'same person 'of: stealing £10 was; adjourned till . Wednesday. .

V EAST COAST RAILWAY. ■ Auckland,' May 9J , ■ Mr. A. Wilson, Resident' Engineer of the Public ' Work's,'Doparfcmeiit. .who has'.tray- ' ersed the country from Waini to Otamarakaii % . (abou 1 half-way between Maketu aid Hatata); a distance of 70 or 80.; miles -from Waihi,.' states that a trial route for the East Coast railway, has been located as far'as Katikati, : and from Katikati to about' ten miles .south of- Maketu. ' The 'route,' so ;far.'as,tKo,trial survey is' concerned, has been generally de-' cided.'upon, subject' to consideration, of . alternative .routes: ' Over certain 'sections where the route lies near the.sea,.the: ; R«sid'ent,Eii- ' gineer states, it/ is .hot difficult to fix, but that over a considerable portion of ths other 'part of the route the country requires to "be Carefully examined. . It'.must. ! be 'borne' in' '• mind that, it Ms only a- trial .survey .that-.is ~ being made. , . '. ; ' ONLY FIT'FOR CHILDREN. " , For playing ."two up " at Denniston, Mr. Rawson, ,S.'M.,'fined.Geo. MilleF(with a previous conviction), "£10; ;Percy.. £3; and Alfred Croft,.and James"' ; Melpd6no- \ vitch, £2 each.'" .Thei,magistrate' ..said .the ■ practice of playing " two uj>:"was'becoming a', very great.,evil throughout New Zealand, and complaints.wore made.to the police from . time to time by the-wives ;of miners at Djeii* niston .that their .husbands' .wasted-" theii , 'money playing " two up." ..He set any. sense in the game; it seemed only fit fo: children. He >was determined to do whal - he could to stop the vicious practice. PROHIBITION LEAGUE RESOLUTION. , . ~ ; Chrlatchurchj' May 9. , . The Christchurch- League : last night' resolved, that in'view/.of thV tragedy'resulting jn th^' death of one of the Dunedin 'Voluri-' toers;' coimecterl' with the. Easter 'encamp-. ment'.the League urges upon .the Govern-; merit that regulations fie at once issued prohibiting- liquor upon- railway ' .trains, ' and enforcing; total abstinence during. working -hours' \upori -all railway employees. - ~' t :

STONE-THROWING LN T A QUifttREL. ■ ' Cisborno, May 8. /.. Joseph .Caltaux, who throw a stone at a youilg' mn inamed-Sheen;- whilst the latter was endeavouring to stop a quarrel in .which Caltaux was engaged frith another man, the btono fracturing Sheen's skull,' pleaded guilty , at tho .Police Court' tor a charge,' of ', assault,and was' committed for trial/'--:-;.-';-'. NEWS IN BRIEF, Auckland, May 8.. ■ Thic? captain of -the Muritai- found-it neces,. sary to .use oil hags when/crossing the ManuIcau' bar yesterday; a heavy sea breaking fo> five miles oiit. . T • The City Council last night fixed the allow-. - ancb of the-Mayor for the year-at £400.' .' - -- Auckland, May 9. Tho Cook Island revenue' for the' year, ended March 31 was £6349, and : the expenditure ' £6159. ' Two men- wo'ro interrupted while loading , scrap iron belonging .to.'.a Pakuranga resi- . ,• dent.They abandoned the horse,'cart; arid contents, 'arid - fled-'in the direction of Auckland.-.' 1 Tho ; horse'' • and 'cart, presumably stolon/ are'how in the ;possession-- of th? police. '• . V - - ■ '. .- . Auckland, May 10..,-. The .icon, which' arrived, to-day from - ■ Sydney, has oh board \£100,0(j0 worth o', ; specie for Sain'/Francisco.- ■'