NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1085, 25 March 1911, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

(By Telegraph-Press Association.) ♦ W.C.T.U. CONVENTION. THE PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. Now Plymouth, March 24: The. W.C.T.U. Convention opened this morning, 81 officers and delegates being present. The president's address noted tlis year's progress, expressed gratitude at tho repeal of the C.D. Act, tho abolition of barmaids, the prohibition of tho salo of alcohol to youths under 21, and also that this year was the first mi which a vote lor Dominion option would lie cast. She urged temperance voters not to vote for any member who would not support somo reduction.of the threefifths majority. It was disappointing that, while- bookmakers had been abol« ishod, the totalisator was still licensed, and it was dcsirablo that tho question of the continuance of the. totalisator should be submitted to a referendum. It was noted with pleasure that an Indecent Literature Act had been passed, and it was urged that military camps should be put under, proper control. Justieo had been granted to illegitimate children, who were to bear the father's name when paternity had been proved. Tho president combated tho statement that woihen got tho vote in New Zealand without an effort. The women had worked hard, and had circulated manj petitions in favour of tho franchise be. fore they got it. Tho corresponding .secretary's report stated that thero wero 88 branches as against 81 '.last year, 'flic membership was 2668. There was a splendid record of work dona among tho Maoris.

HON. R. M'KENZIE'S TOUR. EAST COAST MATTERS. VValroa, March 24. Tho Minister for Public Works was waited upon by a deputation with reference to tho inland railway route, and promised that a survey should bs made, and reports obtained as to tho possibilities of tho district through which tho line would pass. This had reference to the Ruakituri route. A report will bo made on the. possibility of bringing tho line as close to tho port of Wairoa as possible. ;■ Replying to a request by tho Borough' Council for a concession for hydr'o-elce-tric light and power from 'Whikareinoana, the Minister said that tho whole scheme under the Act would cost tliroa quarters of a million, and was not feasible at present. Probably power would 1)0 provided next session to allow tho council to get a special concession, bus it would not be allowed to sell. Tho Minister was favourably impressed witli a request for tho completion of the road to connect Waikaremoana with Rotorua. Instructions, ho said, would bo given to mako a report on the road. Mr. M'Kcnzie, who was at Waikaremoana to-day for the first time, was much impressed with the district, anil tho lake. _ Tho Minister will leave to-morrow, morning for Napier.

LONC COUNCIL SITTINC. INTO THE "SMALL HOURS." Cisborno, March 24. Tho Borough Council sitting last night extended until 2.30 a.m. Tho question of adopting Edison's storago battery cars for a tramway was further postponed. It was decided to call for tenders for sleepers >for tho tramline. Tho "Mayor said ho expected tho electrical plant to bo shipped at England in about a month or six weeks. There' was discussi<sirfbHfour hoitl'S'to-' *' gai'diiig the sowerago works. At 2.15 a.m., when tho recreation reserves wero being considered, tho Mayor vacated the chair, but another chairman was appointed, and a motion to which tho Mayor had objected was passed, rescinding n resolution that the laying out and draining work be dono by contract.

Y.M.C.A. NEW BUILDING AT DUNEDIN. Duncdin, Marcli 24. The foundation stone of the new Y.M.C.A. building in Moray Place was laid by the Hon. G. Fowlds this afternoon. Speeches were delivered by Messrs. H. Webb (president of the association), E. P. R. Sargood, G. M. Thomson, and the Hon. G. Fowlds, all of whom referred to tho valuablo work being done by the local and kindred associations. PUBLIC MEN AND CONTRACTS. Ashburtan, March '24. Judgment was delivered this morning in tho case of Henry Davis (Mayor) v. Hugo Friedlauder (ex-chairman of tho Hospital Board), when Mv. Day, S.M., said ho could not dismiss tho charge on account of tho triviality of tho amount involved, and ho would therefore convict Friedlauder and order him to pay costs amounting to £2.135. CONTINGENT MEMORIALS. Cisborno, March 24. After years of agitation it has been decided to remove tho South African troopers' names from the Cook memorial and place them on tho band rotunda. RUSSIAN AND A QUARREL. Auckland, March 24. Gus. Vacklin, a liussian, was charged at the Policc Court with stabbing Frank Smith. The affair was evidently tho result of a quarrel. Smith was taken to the hospital, but his wounds wero not serious enough to prevent him appearing in Court. The caso was ad journed till the afternoon.

TAIHAPE TOWN HALL. TalhapOi March '24. Tho Borough Council last night do. cidod to take a poll of ratepayers on tho proposal to borrow an additional £2000 for the Town Hall, making a total of £6000. RESIDENCE BURNT. Pahlatua, March 24. A five-roomed residence at Marima, owned and occupied by C. Downard, was destroyed by tire, together with tho contents, only an organ being saved. The, house was insured for £180 and tho furniture for £90 in tho New Zealand Office. DOG TRIAL CLUB. Palmcrstoti, March 24. A meeting of delegates of thc-newly-formcd North Island Dog Trial Club was held hero to-night, when arrangements wero made for a championship _ meeting to lie. held in June at Oringi, near Dannevirke. IMPERIAL FEDERATION. Napier, March 24. There was a small attendance at Mr. Malcolm's address on "Imperial K\lcration" hero to-night. Tho icoUirw urged the formation of an Imperial Parliament as a means of consolidating tho Empire and tho ideals of its component parts. Votes of thanks to the lecturer and tile chairman were carried. TIMARU THEATRE. Tlmaru, March 21. Mr. White, theatrical architect and builder, has been engaged by Mr. Gunn, proprietor of the Theatre Royal, to remodel and enlarge it. Tho new building is csDccted to be ready by Christinas.