NEW ZEALAND NEWS

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 211, 30 May 1908, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND NEWS

[DY TELEGIIAriI.—VHESS ASSOCIATION.]

WEIR LINE OF STEAMERS. IMPROVED SERVICE. Auckland, May 29. V' The agonts of the Weif tine of steamere iro in receipt of information that within ; ;he next few months the' service between ■ 3an Francisco and Auckland will be very much acceleratcd. Faster steamers are being secured, , and it is-believed that'about July next a ml'.ch improved timetable will be brought into operation, making the service 3f real valuo as being the most direct means jf mail communication with the United States and London. • . CHRISTCHURCH WATER SCHEME, FIRST SOD TURNED. Christohurch, May 29. Tho Mayor yesterday performed the ceremony of turning the first sod in the work of construction of tho reservoir at Cashmere Hills, Christohurch, for tho system of highpressure water supply. Tho Mayor said the : scheme would involve the' expenditure of £115,000. Tho reservoir would be 240 ft. above i tho level of Cathedral Square, would hold a million and a quarter gallons, and bo decked with reinforced concrete. About 120 miles of pipes would be used in tho reticulation. The whole work will''be complcto in seven months. ; BANKRUPTCY ACT. A CURIOUS POINT. Auckland, May 29. A curious point respecting the Bankruptcy Act was raised in the S.M. Court to-day by Mr. E. W. Burton. The Act provides that • immediately upon the filing of a petition all tho property of tho debtor shall be vested-in ' the Assignee. Mr. Burton held that' until • the bankrupt had filed tho nccessary statements he was not a bankrupt. His Worship (Mr. Kettle) said that it-was the first timo he had heard of such a point. '< We all live and learn," said Mr. Burton, who intimated that at a later data lie might press the point. NEW LAWN TENNIS BALL.' ' ' Auckland, May 29. The Auckland Lawn Tennis Association has unanimously, decided to'adopt the Sykes ball, and- to support the New Zealand ■ in selecting it as the official ball for next season. . ■ ■ ~ CHRISTCHURCH TRAMWAYS.' Christchurch, May 29. ■ The Staff Committee of the Christchurch • Tramway Board at its meeting yesterday afternoon received a deputation from tha men regarding their grievance relating to tho appointment of an outsider as inspector, and making the men responsible for short" ages without allowances for surpluses. ,Ths Committee sat until 11' p.m. considering the matter, and finally adopted recommendations, which will be brought 'before the ; Board at its ' ; ; ' 1 MEETING OF CREDITORS. , • Auckland, May 29. A meeting of creditors in' the estate of Philip Mintaro Muir, indent agent, of Queen Streot,' Auckland, whose , whereabouts , are ■ at present unknown, was held at the Official . Assignee's office. It was • stated that: tho , whereabouts .of the bankrupt were not - known; also that tho bankrupt's.uncle, who resides in Dunedin, was a- secured' creditor. The meeting agreed to. make investigation in ; , Dunedin, and guaranteed the. expense involved. • , I .. DUNEDIN POLICE COURT. .-. : " , ' ■ Dunedin, May 29. Chun Dun was found guilty of assaulting' Ah Kee, and fined £18;"' at the Police Court to-day. '. '. ' August Ericksen; charged with receiving four copper boilers,- knowing thom_ to have been stolen,' was .committed ;for trial./_ Thq prosecution .alleged that boys-stole the rboiV ers, .and sold them to'accused. -. PAINTERS' DISPUTE. " • Napier, May. 29.. The Conciliation Board sat,to-day tO_con- • sider'the painters' and 'decorators' dispute, and, as a result of a- conference, the employees and employers of the . Napier and ! Hastings district camo;to an agreement, including a minimum wage of; Is. 3d., per hour, and preference' to .Unionists. ' OBITUARY. Napier, May 29. Mr. Robert Rowland Durrant, a wellknown Napier resident, and one of the oldest engine-drivors on the Government railways, '■ is dead. Ho drove the mail train as usual on Thursday, but died in his bed at about 3 o'clock this morning, probably from heart disease. He was in his fifty-eighth year. NEWS IN BRIEF. - . , Auckland, May 29. ' • Two of tho inmates of the Inebriates', Homo at Pakatoa, having refused to work and becoming troublesome, the Salvation, Army appealed to the police. Two constables were • sent to the island, and the offenders—one . man from Wellington and one from Auck- ; land—will be brought "before the Court. .Wairoa, May 29. Two' men, Alick Young and Tom Ryan, were arrested last night for alleged burglary at Storey's Hotel. Thoy were brought befyre tho Court to-day and remanded for a week. ; Groymouth, May 29. 1 The by-election for a councillor of the Borough of Greymouth, caused through an , extraordinary, vacancy, was held to-day, and resulted as ; follows James Kerr, , 898; 1 James Beirne, 415. Majority for Mr. Kerr, ' 483. . ' . ■