NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 275, 13 August 1908, Page 8

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

IBY TELECBAPH —PBES3 A6aOCIATION.iI

PLOUGHING MATCH WON BY A MAORI. . Napier, August 12. A ploughing match was held at Longlands, Hastings, to-day under the auspices -of tha Hastings branch of the Farmers' Union. It, was the first contest of the kind in that district for many years. There were 16 entries for the ploughing events, and the prize for tho best ploughing-on the field was won by a Maori named Tiwi. >

OVERDUE TIMBER STEAMER. ' Auckland, August 12. Tho steamer Aeon is now considerably ovordue, as she should havo arrived hero from San Francisco last week. The steamer according to cable advices, left San Francisco on July 5 bound for Apia and Auckland. Under ordinary conditions sho should havo reached Auckland after a 28 days' passage, but as. she is now 36 days out tho delay is being regarded with some anxiety. Reports by tho Atua, which left Apia on August 4, and arrived here to-day, stato that the steamer Aeon had not arrived there, and that being much overdue, considerable anxiety was being felt about lier. Naplor, August 12. The Aeon, overdue from Vancouver, has a cargo of a million feet.of Oregon pine consigned conjointly to Bull Bros, and Cranby and Co., Napier. It is believed the steamer may. have been delayed at Apia, for Which port she had cargo. PLUCKY RESCUE BY AN ACTOR. Cisborne, August 12. When tho steamer Monowai was being tendered for passengers this morning, a welldressed woman, from Wellington, on reaching the deck of the steamer Tuatea, stepped overboard. Thero was a nasty sea running, and sho was being rapidly carried away. Mr. Douglas Hamilton, a member of the Frank Thornton Dramatic Company, promptly jumped overboard, and at great risk to himself brought the woman to tho boat, which he reached in an exhausted state. The woman is said to havo been suffering from melancholia in consequence, of. the death-of a relative. -OLD AGE PENSIONS. . Chrlstchurch, August 12. At a meeting of the North Canterbury Charitable Aid Board to-day it was resolved to draw the Premier's attention to the casa. of an- old age pensioner, whose certificate had been withheld for. several ■ months owing to the Registrar deciding to contest the Magistrate's decision. It was pointed out that 'tho Prime Minister had stated in Parliament that no such cases had occurred, and it was resolved 'to draw the attention of Sir Joseph Ward and the Canterbury members to tn» matter referred to.

THE UNEMPLOYED. Christchiiroh, August 12. Several members of the Charitable Aid Board inquired to-day whether there had'been any increase of applications for relief consequent upon tho recent alleged unemployed difficulty. Tho secretary replied in the negative. The Chairman said an, able-bodied young man applied for admission to tho depot, but upon learning that no tobacco was provided he disappeared. Two" "others had' signed forms of application for admission, but had not since been heard of: • SUPREME COURT.v ' , Auckland,' August .12. In the Supreme Court, a young man named James Stanley was found guilty of'a nameless crime. His Honour said he would order a light flogging, but if there was any iricreaso in this sort of thing lie would increase the flogging until it reached .the .maximum allowed. The prisoner was sentenced to fivo years' imprisonment with hard labour, and ten strokes.of tho cat. . '

' In'the'Supreme Court, alluding to charges of theft of postal notes against several persons, Mr. Justico Edwards said the'evidence - ■was that the accused, in common'with other officers, had had the opportunity of'committing a crime. Beyond that, the evidence was ' that of handwriting experts, .who were pre- ' pared to swear that to the best of their belief the signatures to the forged postal notes wero signed by the men chargcd. However, I expert evidence was always to be received ' with a certain amount of doubt. Dunedln, August' 12. Sitting in divorce, Mr. Justice 'Williams commenced tho hearing of the case Batger v. John Batger, wife's petition for dissolution of marriage on the ground of misconduct. Respondent is a well-known stock and station agent at Invercargill. He denies the alleged misconduct. The case is being heard in camera. . , PRISONER ESCAPES FROM WAIOTAPU - CAMP. . Auckland, August 12. •• It has just been reported that another •. prisoner escaped from the Waiotapu ;Camp . last week. He enjoyed but brief liberty, being arrested at Mamaku- two or three days later. , V THE BUSH FIRES IN BRITISH COLUMBIA. Auckland, August 12. In answer to his cablegram of sympathy-on behalf of tho Government tho Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward)'has received through ' his Excellency tho Governor a cable message from Lord Grey, Governor-General' .of Canada, thanking tho people of New Zealand' . for their'kindly expressions in regard to the losses by bush fires'in British Columbia. POLLS AT HASTINGS. Napier, August 12. At a poll to-day : a' proposal to constitute tho borough of Hastings a fire district was carried by 250 votes to 217. A proposal to borrow £12,000 for, the installation of an olectric and power supply plant ■in Hastings was rejected by 306 votes to 176. ASSESSMENT COURT. Dannavirke, August 12. The Assessment Court for.the Borough and County sat to-day. ..As a result tho valuations both in town and country were slightly reduced. SUNDAY CONCERTS. Dunedin, August 12. At a meeting of the City Council to-night a motion granting permission to tho Kai- : korai Band to give ! sacred concerts on Sunday was rescinded by eight votes to six. The 1 Council decidcd to donate £25 to the Band B funds. '