NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 478, 10 April 1909, Page 7

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

. (dv telegram—mess association.) » - THE DREADNOUGHT OFFER. Glsborne, April 9. A largely-attended meeting of women and girls, convened by tho Mayoress, passed a resolution appreciating tho action of the Government in offering a Dreadnought to Great Britain. Tho meeting decided to givo a freewill offering from tho women and girls in tho district towards the Dreadnought fund. AUCKLAND CEMETERY BRIDGE. Auckland, April 9. Messrs. George Wills and Co., the largest creditor of the Ferro-concrete Company, have offered to advance the company £3000 if the' City Council will advance a similar amount, to complete tho cemetery bridge. Tho council consented to do this, subject to Wills and Co. giving an indemnity under the Lien Act, and guaranteeing to completo the contract. ESCAPE OF A PRISONER. Wanganul, April 9. John Jones, a' 'prisoner undergoing sentence of six months, escaped from the local gaol on Thursday afternoon, by scaling the wall. He is still at largo. IN PRAISE OF THE POLE-SEEKERS. Christchurch, April 9. At o meeting of tho Kaiapoi Borough Council the following motion was carried:— "That the council,expresses its admiration of the splendid work done by the Antarctic Expedition under Lieutenant Shacldeton, more particularly with regard to its reaching the magnetic pole, its ascent of Mount Erebus, and the achievement of reaching a point within 97 miles of the South Pole, and that this council, as voicing tho feeling of the district, tenders its hearty congratulations to Lieutenant Shackleton and Ins comrades on their magnificent achievements." ROXBURCH RAILWAY. Dunedln, April 9. Replying to protests against the stoppage of construction, works on the Roxburgh Railway, Sir. Joseph Ward says the decision of the" Government was arrived at after the most careful consideration and tho fullest deliberation. "In common honesty to the country," he says, " we cannot proceed with the work any further in the meantime until Parliaments had an opportunity of reviewing the position." Tho City Council and the Dunedin Fruit Growers' Association are protesting against the Government's action in stopping the railway. .Tho Mayor was instructed by the council to call a public indignation meeting if necessary. ■ • . THE NIMROD. Christchurch, April 9. It is now definitely stated that the Nimrod will leave Lyttelton on Saturday for' Sydney direct. She will return to England from Australia via Capo Horn. Mr. Kinsey states that there is no intention to sell the Nimrod in Australia, and that, after her stay in Sydney, she will leave for England. . Mr. S. Richardson has. joined the Nimrod as second officer. He .was formerly an officer in the service of the P. and O. Company, but came out from Home in the service of the Union Steam Ship Company. Until a few weeks ,ago he was third officer of the Waihora, but resigned from the Union Company's service to return to England. DRAUGHTS CHAMPIONSHIP. , Gore, April 9. The draughts championship was opened today by the president (Mr. P. C. Gray). There are eighteen .competitors. The results up to 5 o'clock are:—Brodie, 1 point; Hilliker, 1; Gardiner, Boswell, Hutton, J. Duncan, Bullen, and Murdoch, \ ; Scott and Morris, 1 ; Campbell, Gillies, and Davis, 1}; Rea, \; Gough, M'Phee, Boreham; \; Matheson, \. .BURCLARS AT.WORK. r \.?.,'".". --.•..'Asnbur'ton.i-Aprii 8. - Last night a whare occupied by Hampton Bros., at Timvald, was burglariously entered while the occupants were asleep, and money totalling over seven pounds stolen. Mr. Gibbs's generaL store at Hinds was also broken into, and the till robbed of its contents, and tobacco and other goods also stolen. IMMIGRANTS. , Auokland, April 8. The steamer Langton Grange, which arrived from the Old Country last night, brought 53 immigrants for New Zealand. Of that number, 12 aro for Auckland, 31 for Wellington, 9 . for Lyttelton, and 2 for Dunedin. Tho immigrants are principally. of the farming class, and many of them aro fairly well-to-do, • Auckland, April 8. A City Council return shows that the rates collected in 1909 totalled £66,654, the arrears 'being only £210, compared with £28,585 collected in 1889, and arrears totalling £5078.