NEW ZEALAND.NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 282, 21 August 1908, Page 8

NEW ZEALAND.NEWS.

•st/ lar TELEGBArn—rnEss 'Asscf .V'ON.I

A DUNEDIN SENSATION. alleged attempt to shoot. (Br TELEGRAPH— PRESS ASSOCIATION.) Ounsdin, August 20. Shortly before eight o'clock to-night a man named John Webster, who, about ten. days ago, was bound over to keep the peace toWards his wife, made,, it is alleged, an attempt to shoot a man named 'George Hub- ? i S ' cbster has been staying at the bouse of Mrs. Downos, her cousin, and _in the evening Webster presented himself at the door, saw his wife, and asked her to return to him, which she. refused to do. He then said if she did not ho would shoot her, and produced a revolver which Dqwnes and Mrs. Downes tried to take from him. Failing in the attempt Jioy went for the police. In the meantime Hubbard who is Mrs. Downes's brother, had followed Webster up and overtook him at the corner of Cumberland and Frederick Streets Hubbard asked Webster what lie was doing with the revolver, whereupon Webster fired a shot at him, "the bullet passing between Hubbard's legs. Hubbard.then grabbed Webster, who is a small man, and he held 1 him until ttie police arrived,when he was taken into custody, on a charge of discharging a firearm at Hubbard, with intent to do him grievious bodily harm.

PILLAGING OF. CARGO. Auckland, August 20. The losses occasioned to importers through the pillaging of cargo wore referred to by Messrs. Ellis and Go. in a letter to the Chamber of _ Commerce read at this afternoon's meeting.- _ The firm complained of persistent petty pillaging of goods arriving from oversea, and as a remedy suggested that subscriptions should bo invited from importers in Auckland, and a fund established, so that a reward of up to £25 might be ottered for information leading to the conviction of the pilferers. Mr. J. B. M'farlane, the Chamber's representative on the Harbour Board; said that when. tho. licw wharves were finished they would be properly controlled. It was decided to reply that the Chamber understood tho Harbour Board and the Justice Department were taking special steps in connection with the matter, and tho question of a fund might be left in abeyauce in tho meantime. .

ASSAULTED AND BEATEN. Chrlstchurch, August 20. Early yesterday morning a young man named Denis Boclc was taken to the Hospital suffering from several severe wounds, on the head. It is stated that Bock had been boarding with, some friends near tho Adding, ton salcyards, and at about 12.30 a.m.' crawled to tho house and said that ho had been assaulted and beaten on-, the head with a stick. He was in a dazed and faint condition, and was removed to the Hospital. Bock said that lie. had been followed from Tuam' Street by his assailant, but' had no clear recollection of what had happened. His head was considerably injured. \

THE COMING ELECTIONS. '

Chrlstchurch, August 20. At a meeting of the Christchurch. branch of the Political Labour League last night it was resolved to announce Mr... James Thorn as a Socialist candidate 'for Christchurch South. A resolution was passed asking Mr. D. G. Sullivan to stand for Avon in the same interests. Tho Secretary was instructed to mako inquiries as to the cost of maintaining a Labour newspaper during tho election period to report at . the meetings. . .

BURGLARS AT'WORK. Christchurch, August 20. ' It is reported that ; the store of Mr. Col. lins, of Templeton, was entered on Tuesday night by burglars, and a number of articles of valuo stolen, amongst them-being about a dozen watches and a quantity.of wearing apparel. 1 ' '

RAILWAY DEPARTMENT SUPERANNUATION.

Wanganu!, August 20. It was telegraphed from Christchurch on August 17 that at a meeting of the Canterbury branch of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants strong feeling was shown at the action of the executive in refusing tho Premier's oifer to allow the Society to buy in for £1500 .tho back time of strikers of 1890 for tho purpose of superannuation. Seen by a Wanganui "Herald" reporter, Mr. W. A. Veitah, Colonial President 'of the 1 Society, states that apparently there baa ' been some misunderstanding, and the Canterbury men acted on wrong information. As a matter of fact the - ' executive has not refused Sir Joseph Ward's offer, and nego tiations are still in progress.

A DUNEDIN SCANDAL. , ' Dunedin, August 20. Arising out of tho charges for which' Frank Melhop received a seutenco o£ two years' , imprisonment for indecently assaulting pupils at Mornington School, the Educatiou Board held an inquiry into tho control and management of tho school.. The report was discussed in committeo this morning, after which a resolution was 'unanimously passed exonerating the headmaster from ail blame m connection with tho occurrence and recognising that l tho control and manage-, mcnt of tho school maintain the high standard of' efficiency which tho school has ever bomo under the said headmaster.

ALLEGED SMUGGLING OP TOBACCO. . Westport, August 20. At the Magistrate's Court, Haakon Haakonson (informant in the : perjury charge against Connelly) was charged by tho Collector of Customs with unlawfully dealing with 451b. of uncustomed tobacco on May 1, Counsel for defendant asked for an adjournment until after tho hearing of tho perjurj charge at the Hokitika Supremo Court on Septembor 17. Counsel for tho prosecution asked that bail bo fixed. Mr. Hawson, S.M., adjourned tho case till October 8/ and ord. ored defendant to enter into his own rccog. uisanco to appear.'

OVERDUE STEAMER AEON. . Auckland, August 20. No news has yet boon received regarding tho much! overdue steamer Aeon, bound from San Francisco to Auckland. The Yeddo is out searching for her, , and it is understood that tliroo other steamers are on the lookout, but the local ofßco seems to have little information on tho subject. CATLINS RAILWAY. Dunedin, August 20. At tho annual meeting of the CatlinsTahahopa Railway Leaguo to-day a motion was carried requesting tho Government to placa at least double the number of men now employed on tho Catlins lino at the earliest opportunity, with a view to the more vigorous prosecution of tho work.

LABOUR AND LIQUOR, Dunedin, August 20. ; The Operative Butchers' Association and the Grocers' Assistants' Association decided that they could not adopt tho motion remitted by the Trades and Labour Conference regarding No-License as tho question was one for individual action. NEWS IN BRIEF. Auckland, August 20. Counterfeit half sovereigns have been circulated in Auckland. , They aro a perfect imitation of the genuine article, though easily detected if tested by ringing. Gore, August 20. An old man named William Poison died suddenly at the residence of James Cooper, Waikaia, last night. Deceased was an old identity .in Central Otago, and was for 2Q years at Waikaia.

The attention of our readers is directed to an announcement from .Mv-rs. Murray Bros., wholesale and retail basketivare manufacturers, who havo just removed into more central and commodious promises in the " Beehive " Chambers, Courtcnay Place, opposite tho Gaswoiki ' ! offices. Inspection of Messrs. Murray Bros.' . i stock, which includes all manner of rattan »nd sea-grass furniture, is invited, !