NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 401, 9 January 1909, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

CUT- TELEGEAPn —rUESS ASSOCIATION.! THE JUDICIAL BENCH. ■ .Is 7' .' ■'.' I '' ;''-'•-. 7; •/.-'•'■y ; .'7-'7 LYTTELTON CASUALTY WARD. Lyttoiton, ■ January. 8. ■It will be remembered that there was considerable! ■ Agitation : recently in connection, with th<> Lyttelt-on- Casualty Ward; which, partly, . in-' consequence, or a sensational fatality,;: was found to. be in a'' Highly. unaatis- ' factory'and inefficient : state. ' Th© Christ- . church Hospital Board • voted £200 for re- ! pairs, .and: improvements,; and .these are. now being carried out.' The .operating room has , been, considerably enlarged, a. better" light 7 K.fe' fitted/with better, appliances, and '.: baths and'other sanitary conveniences to a put in. . „• ! LOST OVERBOARD. imi t, V• : ■ Auckland, January 8. :• . ' ■Lne _rakeha, which has' arrived from.Livep pool direct, ; had a rough, trip - across '■'■ tha Indian. Ocean,' and on Wednesday last, prior '■ ■ to . making Cape Maria - Van Diemeri, accidentally lost a deck boy named ;Kenneth w. rherson, who fell overboard. ' : TWO CAPTAINS HEAVILY FINED. . Ai 'ii. -n r- «'• Auckland, January 8. ■ Au the Police Court to-day tho captains of -• tho steamers Ngapuhi and ■ Daphne ; 1 ware charged. with' ■' carrying j on' Boting - Day,' a ' number of passengers 'greater"• than that ; ' allowed- by. the;certificates.;- A fino of £13 with-, costs was imposed, in eacli case. >. LONG MOTOR-LAUNCH RACE. 7" . Auckland, January 8. < The longest motor-launch,race ever held in ' New, Zealand will eventuate on January 80 < next, when Mr. J. .Reid's Seabird and Mr, l A. H. Adams's Eliza will race from Auckland to Russell and back ']t6, Auckland,. a distance; '• 7. of'about 240' knots, for'"a stake of £50 aside.'',' The .Seabird:put .up the fastest. time in .the 7. recent race; for, .the Rudder ■ Cap, in which, tho ■ i Eliza •alsoi'took part.-;' After, tho. race,. Mr. . Adams challenged to race his boat against any pther competitor in the race, and tho .'■ challenge was accepted by Mr. Reid. -• raoo will be run under Rudder: Cup rules. . A MAGISTRACY DECLINED. . . -. • Cisborne, January 8. • Mr. J. B. -Kirk, who was offered the appointment', as; Stipendiary Magistrate, has'' notified the Prime Minister that, ho-cannot _• ■see his. .'way .to. accept;it.. -Interviewed,"he ', said he thoroughly appreciated- the honour, but .considered it would -be unwise, -in his dwn : interests,: to;accept",it.!'; In-.the ordinary co . urso of events, there was a life before him 7-i :#ith many; , whereas ;it was necessary for. occupants of the; Bench, to' a : large extent -to-'sWt themselves off* from • many interests. ' •-■'■777" .OF; INTEREST TO RAILWAY SERVANTS.

, Dunedin, January 8. Mr. Sidey, M.P. ( has been in. communication with the Minister for' Railways on the ■ subject' of • employees' who,have' been■ retired. ■•' oil. superannuation, but who were unaware at ; _the time .'of retirement. that they were -' ,entitled;to' leave of. absence on full pay. The • matter was' brought under the Primo ; Minister's notice recently, when Sir Joseph Ward -was requested to allow the men tne amount- to which-they would have been en- 1 titled .had they given the required, notice, ' less contributions to and allowances received . under--the superannuation; furid.c The matter has been considered - by; the Cabinet and the request declined. ;''77-• -^;7"7 V : •'"•■'■•■•' •;■

WEATHER IN THE SOUTH. , i ' : Chrlstchuroh, January 8. . Rain set in again at 5 o'clock last', evening, , . and'fell heavily for some hours. - The gutters were .flooded in the: city, 'and many people ; who had been, holiday-making during' 'the ' afternoon returned 1 home'*. thoroughly.' ;wet. .The '.raih;\continueiJ. l :;at intervals 'during' the. "7 • night,' and v the ,: £OTperatur6 ;fell- in unexpected .'. fashion. To-day the weather is beautiful, and? * hopes aro higher for harvest work.

• THE OKARITO WHALE SKELETON, - i - " : Christchurchj,r January 8. , Mr.. E.-,lt. "Wa;te, ; curator.-,of the; Center*, f • bury . Museum;. expects "that the Okanto -: * whal,e.' skeleton, will be~ ready-for exhibition , 'at' tHe.,begirining-:of.. Aprili .' There: is a 'great - deal of work to bo idone with- regardsto the ■-.< artieulation' of' the ■ skeleton. r 'Several , parta :: Vof ' tfie."skeleton : are still missing. V V.'.-. LIQUOR IN A "DRY" AREA. Oamaru, January 8. . Informations'- are'. to .bo laid against: Lewis. ; .Grant and [ Johh _ (Jurran. for bringing liquor into Oainani'.without;>first itifoimmg tho -vendor that " it was intended for a No-License - area, -and for. keeping liqior fpr, sale ..in a - ,: - area.': The charge .has arisen out [the late liquor'at' the railway; sta.t-ion by the'pblic&.' . • . v" ■-^, DR. FINDLAY'S VIEWS. Dunedin,' January 8. ' -In.-the course' of an' interYiew.t-o-da'y the ' Hon.- Dr.- Findla'y "informed' a.'Star'!, r&-' porter that tho whole ■ question of the appointment of junior magistrates 'would come . 'v Cabinet at one of the-earliest me4t- ... ings. The'- system of having: a junior magie- . trate who' 'also : carried - out • the: Hutics of Official Assignee and Coroner should bo r&. tained if: on' no. other, ground than that ,of economy.' As to tho judicial bench, he point- , .. !ed out; that during 'the" past' twelve inostha the Chief- Justice had been almost entirely.. . - > withdrawn;' from 'judicial. work ' owing -to the .' demands made on his time by - ( tho Native Land- Commission,and '.'as : tho remaining ... . judges had been able to discharge tie work ' i:' satisfactorily it'-'was not'.considered, necessary ! '' at prfisentrto'- appqint'va. .temporary judge;': ..'..'v NEWS IN BRIEF. Hastings, January 8. A fire destroyed-a cottago occupied by-Mr. i -Pratt" at Havelcek North at. oneyo'clock this-. morning.- The : .occupants escaped in their - -. night: clothes.. The ouilding. was insured in '.'■■■ the New'/Zealand office;/ but-the .amount is :=' unknown. The Atlns.office had, a risk of £90 on the furniture. - New Plymouth, Janjiary 8. ' "When the ; .steamer Raraiva reached tha .wharf this morning, from Onehunga, Mrs. Hallett was found dead in her cabin. She was coming to visit her 'daughter here—Mrs. ' MacEnan. -■ V H.M.S. Cambrian recovered her anchor this • morning, and will-leave at seven o'clock this ' ' evening for Wellington. - - .v.: -,:-i -

i.-.... ■ ■ - : Nelson, January 8. .; The City .Council teaight decided that the,, weekly half-holiday ;%;;'otservcd on. Wednesday. Considerable, interest was taken: in' the inatterj feeling hafihg\run high between the. Chrisichurch,,Januarj' B.' The Christchurch Cycling and Motor Club'sExecutive, has decided, to ■ commemorate:: Arnst's victory in. the sculling championship, • by ...a preseritation . from members jof , the ■ 61ub.' ; ?Arrist':was for, many .years a: member, and prominent on tho racing track. r Ashburton, January 8. Mr. William .Nosworthy, who successfully ' contested- the Ashburton seat, has filed election expenses as follow:—First ballot,. £169. 6s. sd.second ballot, £49 9s. Bd.; 'total, £218 16s. Id. Timaru, January 8. ;; The Mayor, sent a cable to Capt. Fyler... of the Encount-er,extendirigtho sympathy of: ' the! citizens in the recent fatal; collision. - A reply ' has been received from the captain, ; officers, and ship's-company, thanking Timaru for. its sympathy..' v ' •;V . Dunedln,-January. 8.-- . . The .police returns for Duncdin for 1003' show that arrests for drunkenness numbered • eighty-sis more than m' : 1907.- ;