NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 254, 20 July 1908, Page 8

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

(BY TEIXGEAPfI— HIESB ASSOCIATION.);

CALEDONIAN SOCIETIES. • Duncdln, July 18. • At a, meeting of. the Caledonian Society of . Otago on Friday night, letters were received from the Wanganui and Southland Societies relative to secession from the New Zealand Athletic Union.. -It was- decided that the - Society was satisfied with its relations witt the Union. . ~'. HOSPITAL BEDS AND STAFFS. Westport, July 18. The. secretary laid before the Hospital Board, a return of various details in connection, with nine hospitals" in New Zealand. - Following, respectively, are numbers of-beds and total staff j employed at the institutions named:—Westport, beds 28. and staff 10:- > ' Greymouth,. 52 and 19; Hokitika, 46 and ,13; Blenheim, 41 and 16; Oamaru; 43 and--12; Nelson, 64 and ,24, Gisbome, 53 anc 18; Ashburton, 39 and 11; Hawera, 38 aw ' \ 14. ■ ■ • ; RELIGION'AND ALLEGED THEFT OF ' CATTLE. , ' . Walhi, July 18. .At the Paeroa Police-Court, four Maoris • fojlowers of a.new Maori.prophet, were com mitted for sentence at the Auckland SupremV Court on charges of cattle-stealing:., The evi deuce showed that, after killing the animals, . the bullock bells were used to call > follower# to religious services at their camp. ' DEATH FROM HEART FAILURE.' ■ : ' ChristchurcH, July 19. •• 'Mr. .Uriah i Hurrellj road "inspector .at thi ' Bealey, died suddenly bn -Thursday night"oi Friday .morning.- The' body was brought: to ;..; Chtfstchurch, and :an inquest' was held: at the morgue this evening, when a verdict was : ' returned that death.was duo to heart failure.' ■■; ; AN. EXCITING CHASE. ! . '. Auckland, July 19. • A desperate'attempt was made 1 yesterdaj • by-a : suspect to escapo.thei long-arm',.ofjtha law. During the. morning,' Detectives Hqllis,' Cox, and Skinne'r had,been keeping an activr.' ' look .'out for :the individual in'question, wht was in'demand respecting' the' recent house* ■ breaking - at' Mr. Olsen'.s -'Three. Kings, and between^ll.o'clock, and half-past;, Detective' Hollis, spotted , his man . in! Victoria, ; Street. The man had also spotted _tlu ' detective, for jio.sooner-did the officer/at*,' : proach'tnan! he dodged past him, arid"made •>..' off at ■ full; speed, vHollis set,out in .chase,, and a merry pace was sustained,;until at las* ■ the . superior, pace of the detective .fixed'fait ' . ' man'ii The man was'identified as;an old-ac*.' quaintarice of <the police authorities,' and' was' esco'rted.to the-watch-house by.the three ' detectives, on a -charge of breaking into Jlr. i - i Olsen's residence,-and. robbing it;'of Vqiiari-'. ; tity .of; jewellery and .coins.. It is understood tHat ; 'a ; part'-of.the;stolen property had'bee'' recovered prior to the, arrest. .. , . ; . ARBOR DAY.. ' ' ' \ Chrlstchurch, July: 17,' To date '■.'the; North. Canterbury; Educatiol '- Board - has received replies from about fifty •'. school' committees in'the' circular sent'out f. ! regarding theVobservance.of Arbor Day. -A continuance of the weather/at present being ' , experienced will; interfere with the-necessary preliminary preparations, and possibly render impossible any tree-planting operation* nest. Wednesday. v . LAND FOR SETTLEMENT. Auckland, July 18. : Mr:. John- Lynch; >.of Coromandel, has re» ; ceived defimto/word'-as .to the "intention-.of. the Government to complete the purchase; of v his Awakanae' property- for- settlement pur-; poses.' It is understood that, the survey will. ■be-completed-shortly.