NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 502, 8 May 1909, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

(BY TIUMBAPH—FBESS ASSOCIATION.) THE,HALF-HOLIDAY. LAW. Dunedln, May 6. ' At the. Police Court Walter Ball pleaded not guilty to a charge of failing' to close his shop on the statutory half-holi-day, Defendant carries oa business as a oonfectionor, fruiterer, and florist, and under thcEO headings Sb exempt from dosing, but hb also Bolls seeds, flower pots, manim kits, ■ straw sleeve gauntlets, crashed bono for fowls, fosfogrit, cardon spades, and pruning shears or snips. Tho point the Oourt was asked to docido was whether those articles woro part of a florist's equipment. It was statoa that crushed bono for fowls and fosfogrit woro used as manure. ..,' Mr. Widdowson, S.M., in giving judgment, said the evidence for tho defence waa to tho offoct that tho articles complained of wore commonly stocked and sold by the florists of Now Zealand, and, in the absenca , of ovidonoo to the contrary, ho was bound to believe it true. In the circumstance,. h» must dismiss the present cose. LABOUR CONFERENCE. Duncdin, May 6. At a meeting of the;Otago Trades and Labour Council to-night, s tho following remits wore adopted for presentation to the annual conference in Wellington:—" That tho oonferenoe aflirms the need for the statutory limitation of working hours to 44 per week as a maximum, eight hours on fivo days of the week, and four hours on the day recognised as tho half-holiday; that all goods manufactured in Now Zealand shall be branded "made in New Zealand," and also bear the manufacturer's name: that the Government bo urged to establish State farms and flourmills for the purpose of .supplying the people of tho Dominion with toe staff , of life, at a, reasonable cost: that, in tho opinion of this conference, tho timo, has arrived when the State should subsidise . trades.unions or-other .organisations, which , insure, members against unemployment; that! the conforanoo affirms tho betterment principle in connection with railway construction with the object of putting it. on a more soien- , tific and equitable basis; in the hope that it. will act as a curb on political influence; that tho Government bo urged to introduce moro , stringont legislation to prohibit, tho publica* tion of indecent literature. ARBITRATION COURT. . Hamilton, May 6. ; Tho Arbitration Court , heard the carters' dispute to-day.'. It was_ stated that a oon-ferenco-between. the .union. and the Provin- . cial Employers' Association, had agreed on, certain'points. • Those for the Court to. settle woro: Wages, casual labour, and proferenoe. Mr. Davis,'Secretary of tho, union,;; asked , that tho tliroo local firms bo compelkd. to',givo. preference toiiunonists.whett employing • men.. After hearing . ovidonoo . from both --sides, tho Court-adjourned -t" Auckland. • ■ • '■<v': -v DEDICATED. Tlniaru, May 6. The dedication of the now portion of' St. MaryV Churchy' whioh has been completed by the ejection of a chancel transept, vestry, and tower, took place to-day. Bishop Julius,' of Christchurch, woe assisted by tho clergy of' the dicpoSo. Th© church waa filloa. : ' Hie oaromony was most impreasivo., , Archdeacon Avorill proaohedthe Benrran. A reception to tho visitors was hold this afternoon,- ■ - - " • • The visitors woro entertained at hmch by-' the Building Committee, and highly complimentary speeches-'were made-on the oompletion of ■ the very' handsome' st-ructxire. Archdeacon Harper was congratulated on the attainment of hopes entertained for many years 'to; see Timaru possessed of s really' handsome ; church,' both -externally and internally. Tie: architects were Messrs. Collins and. llaniian, of '-Christ-church. Tli# co [lections for tho' day-'arnoiinted' io £384. ■' A,MARINE DANCER.! -• . - • • • New Plymouth, May <5. • ''.Captarin' Post; of •the- Tutafiekai, • has confined the ' location ofa submerged rock near Moturoa.. which the' Corinna touched' some weeks' ago.The. rock'is 594 ft; outside the, island of Moturoa, and' is oovored at low water by 13ft. to Int. of wat^r. BETTINC WITH INFANTS. ; Folldlng, May 6. At FeOding S.M. Court today CBiarie« Mitchell, bookniaker, pleaded guilty to a oharge of betting with an infant. The facta as set out were that Mitchell mado a bet with a lad' named Hooker at the Feuding Eastoar' races, Hookor being only 18 year*; old. A fine of £10 'was inflicted, r NEWS IN BRIEF. * , Hokltlka, Ma* 5. S. Stowarfa bakery at Goldsborough wa*destroyed. by fire yesteiday. i v : Napier, May 5. ■ At a largely-attended publio mooting tonight it was docidod'to. start a, 00-opcratiyo bakery in;, Napier. ';' About 2013 persons ;enrollod thomselves as members. . Folldlng, May 6. At the Foilding S.M. Oourt to-day a num. ber of orchardists were fined sums varying from 10s. to £1 for failing to fight mussel scald and cbdhn: mot Hi.: i . - ' ■ : / ' Palmerston North, May 6. Representatives of tho . local drainage boards to-day appointed. a. deputation to wait on the Hon.' Mr .: Buddo, in order to point out necessary amendments in the ban? Drainage Act; ; : _ „ Duncdin, May 6. At tho Police Court to-day, ft m4n named James Stewart was charged with -drunkenness, and : with' procuring liquor'durrng tho currency' of a prohibition order. Station-. King explained that accosod hou. sv 'wife and five children, who had been praefcc-. ally supported by.tho BeTiovoicnt Trustees. It was ono.of tlio worst in Dunedrn, and the wife had'a terrible^ time. On tlio first charge accused was convicted- and discharged, and on tho second was fined p, two months' imprisonment. Application for, timo to pay the fine was refused.