NEW ZEALAND NEWS (BY TELEGRAPH-PRESS ASSOCIATION)

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 304, 17 September 1908, Page 8

NEW ZEALAND NEWS (BY TELEGRAPH-PRESS ASSOCIATION)

THE LIQUOR LAW. Ounedin, September 16. At Balelutha to-day, before Mr. Kenrick, S.M., George Fisher, of the Farmers' Arms Hotel, Balelutha, was charged with unlawfully keeping liquor for sale on certain days between July 8 and August 8, and also with selling liquor on August 3. Evidenco was given that defendant purchased thirty-eight bottles of whisky within a mouth, and that at tlio time of the raid only one full bottle was found. The defence was that seventeen bottles had been overlooked on the occasion of a previous . raid. Defendant was con- \ icted. It was then found there was no minute of a previous conviction, and no entry of it in the record book, so che case was dealt with as a first conviction, and defendant was "lined £50 and costs. In No-License districts a second conviction carries imprisonmenti David Rcddic, junr., charged with procuring two bottles of whisky from the Stirling Hotel without giving the name and . address in writing of the person for whom the liquor was intended, • was fined £3 and costs. SEARCH FOR MISSING FISHERMEN. Gisborro, September 16. A No-License meeting last night resolved ' to ask the Government to institute a search for the two missing fishermen, and received a prompt reply'from the Minister for Marine, saying that if a suitable boat was.available lie would make arrangements for chartering it for the search. It is probable the steamei 1 Tuatea will be sent'out to-morrow. SCHOOL BOOKS.. ' Bun&diti| September 16. The Otago Education Board unanimously resolved:—"This board heartily'approves tha action of the Minister for- Education 'in""resisting any. amendment of the Bill ill tha. direction of insisting on uniform school books, and trusts that members of Parliament ro- ' presenting Otago will :iot jeopardise the passage of the Bill by supporting siich an un- ■ necessary and undesirable alteration of the law." , Auckland, September 16. Tho Board of Education, after. considering the inspectors' report in reference to the do-' ficioncy ( of pupils as regards history, resolved that the inspectors bo requested to. suggest some_ more suitable. text-book than the one now in use. • REMARKABLE MAGNETIC STORM. " Chrlstchurch, September 16. ' In connection with tho abnormal earth currents that were noticed on Saturday by the Telegraph Department, the director of tho Christchurch magnetic observatory points out that on Saturday's rccords of the magnotographs at the observatory there is recognised a remarkable magnetic storm. 'Largo perturbations of the earth's magnetic field are ■ shown from 9.24 d.m. until 6.30 p.m. After that time, the disturbances were, much smaller, the storm gradually dying away, in the course of the next six hours. In general. character the storm' was similar to the great magnetic storm, of November 1, 1903, and' though tho range of disturbance was smaller the storm has no doubt beeii recorded at tho other, magnetic observatories dotted over the surface, of the. globe. .The, storm, was prob- . ably accompanied by remarkable auroral dis- ; plays in. somo'parts of the circumpolar regioiis. ' PRODUCE IMPORTATION BILL. Gftristcliurch, September 16. A meeting of grain and seed merchant! was held this morning to discuss the provisjons of,tho Agricultural Produce. Importation Bill. It was decided that Messrs. D. B. M'Laren and C. H. Hewlett proceed to Wellington and 'represent' tlio. views of the Christchurch merchants on the measure to the Minister for .Agriculture. THE-FRUIT, FLY. : Auckland, September 16. A representative meeting of tho ' fruit> ' 'growors of Waikumeto and neighbourhood was . held in the local hall last evening ,to consider tho danger to' be feared from the' possible introduction of tho fruit fly. It was thought that, tho business interests of the" ' importers and the ignorance of the publio as to tho true position might be the cause of a severe blow to an, industry of vital importance to this country. The following resolution was passed That this meeting; of . fruitgrowers strongly protest against any relaxation of the regulations with regard to importation of fly-infected fruit, and would urge upon tho Department to,use every possible) means to prevent the introduction of the pest, and further it is considered that the terrible nature of the scourge and tho importance of the industry is sufficient to justify the total prohibition of the importation of fruit from fly-infected countries'." To . remove the present ignorance on the matter it was decided to request the Argicultural Department to publish a full statement of tho danger to be feared from the. introduction of tlio fly. REPRESENTATIVE HOCKEY MATCH. Masterton, September 16. Tho ladies' representative hockey match, Mastorton v. Wanganui, played this after-: noon in a downpour of rain, was a brilliant game, and very exciting. It ended in a draw with two goals e'acli; Misses 0. Dagg : and O'Leary scored for Masterton, and : Misses M. Jones and G. Jones for Wanganui. Mr.. B. Iveson was referee. MUNICIPAL LIBRARY. Napier, September 16. . A municipal. subscription library and free reading room at Port Ahuriri was formally declared open thio afternoon by .the Mayor of Napier (Mr. J. Vigor Brown), who expressed tho hopo that it would bo a successful institution, and .ere long require to be" enlarged. THE NEW STRIKE CLAUSE. ' Auckland, September 16. The new clause inserted, by the ArbitrationCourt in a Southern award providing that' in tlio event of a strike the award should' < cease simultaneously,, came in for some strong condemnation at 'to-night's meeting-of the Trades and Labour Council. •The following motion was carried amid applause:—"That this council enters its emphatic protest against the strike clauso recently inserted in a Southern award ,by the Arbitration Court as a deliberate and invidious attempt to destroy Trades Unionism." ' NEWS IN BRIEF. Napier, September. 16. Richard John Cowles, alias James Smith, was sentoncod at the Magistrate's Court to six months' imprisonment on three charges ot larceny. Cisborno, September lGj' In Court this morning, Patrick Morris Was charged with burglary at Hcnnessy's shop. He was remanded for a week. Bail was allowed. Napier, September 16. There was a wclcomo change in tho weather during tho night, useful showers succeeding a lengthy dry spell. - Dunedin, September 16. Mr. Justice Williams to-da.v announced tho decision of the Compensation Court in Kirk v. Minister for Public Works, hoard .yesterday. The claim was for £335 for land taker, in connection with the construction of tha Catlins railway. The Court awarded plaintifj £155; each party to pay its own costs', Auckland, September 16. The first - strawberries of tho season came to town from Birkenhead to-day. Pahlatua, September 16. ' A meeting of dairy farmers was held at Mangatainoka last night for the purpose of protesting against tho'. proposed' new dairy regulations which ha,ve linen ■ . referred by Government to the Stock Committee' lor consideration. It was'decided to_ outer a vigaroo# protest against tho regulations,