NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 899, 19 August 1910, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

(By Telegraph-Praia Association,) ♦ ' — ' THE COUNCILLOR WHO CATERER AND WHAT FOLLOWED. Dargaville, August 17. ■. In. February last year, on the occa/i sion of a.Ministerial visit, a dinner wao given, and the catering was done by Councillor Carr, whose account amounted to : £8 odd. It not known at tho time that this was an infringement of Section 43 of tho Municipal Corporations Act, but tho amount was subsequently disallowed .by the AuditorGeneral. ; Since tho banquet referred to a fresh council election has taken place, at which Councillor Carr was re-elected, and the question arose (upon publication, of the balance-sheet, with the ; auditor's tag) as to. whether Councillor Carr would have to resign. The matter waa referred to the borough solicitors, who state that Councillor Cair should have resigned at the time of his contract in 1909, but did not owing to the fact he never knew that he had done an illegal act. He continued in office'till Ootober of that year, when he, with.other councillors, went out. He sought reelection in October, - and was returned. When he was re-elected he was eligibls to stand, for at that time he did nor come within any of the incapacities is Section 42. He was, • therefore, • validly re-elected. ANY PROGRESS? , 1 A WORD WITH MB. T.ATUCY. . - Christchurch, August 18. Asked, by a reporter if any progress had been . made, towards..a settlement' of the shearing. dispute, Mr. .Laracy (general secretary of the. Shearers' Union) replied that there was nothing to report By this morning's .mail . he. received a number of letters from , shearers at present in Australia who usually visit New Zealand, and the tenor of their communications .is to . the effect that it is unlikely that they themselves, or any Aus-, tralian shearers, will visit the -Dominion if things ; remain unsettled. . .. , QUARTER SESSIONS. .. Dunedin, August 18. At the Supreme Court criminal, sittings to-day Thomas MTfamara and Joseph Francis Donnelly were found guilty of assaulting and robbing James Black, the assault being accompanied with violence. Sentence was deferred. The hear-' ing of, the charge against Ernest Angustin Corley, .of receiving . property' knowing it to be stolen, was not finished when the Court, rose.

Christchurch, August 18. . At the Supreme Court John Isherwood was convicted of perjury and'fined ,£25. William Duncan Allen, a very old man, was convicted of criminal assault and sentenced to two years' imprisonment. .

A CHALLENGE. New Plymouth, August 18. Messrs. J. Heslop and J.' M'Cluggage, two Government nominees on the TaranaM Land. Board; in the "Daily News"' issue the following challenge to Mr. J. B.! Hine, M.P.:—"lf Mr. Hine, M.P.,.can prove hi? statement as published in. Hansard, No. 11, during his speech on the .Financial Statement, that Taranaici applicants have been refused admission! ro the land ballots because they were not in possession of 3500, we 'will forfeit J6IOO to. the funds of the .Stratford . Hospital,!' provided Mr. Hine will forfeit a similar amount to the same institution, if he. cannot... This, applies to the direct charge, and not to any side; issues!" ...-.' ' ■ .! personation: '.■'•/■ •; Christchurch, August. 17. ' In the Magistrate's Court to-day, Percy Perrin pleaded guilty-, to a charge of having obtained board and lodging in August last, year by falsely-representing, that he 1 , was- the jockey, engaged to ride the horse. Wairak'a in the Grand National Steeplechase. He also pleaded guilty to;'. a .charge of, having obtained .£l2. by a similar pretence. He was'committed-for .sentence on,both charges, , '■; ' •.. ■ ; WANGANUI HOSPJTAL. Wanganui, August 17.. The. Wanganui Hospital" Board decided to-day to erect an eighteen-bed ward at the hospital. '■'■■■