NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1305, 7 December 1911, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Uil lelcgraph-Prcja AnsocUtlonj 4 —:— • ELECTION QUESTIONED. Waimatc, December 0. An inquiry wos eonimcuccd to-dav, bp- : '-nn, S.XI., into an alleged informality in tho recent election of mtiu.bors of tho Waimato Hospital Committer. There was a. tie botween Air.. John Bitchonii and Mr. Alfred Walker, and this .was decidcd by lot, and tho former declared elected. A petitioii was lodged that tho deputy-returning officer at the St. Andrew's booth, had not counted ono

....... llio voter hud scored out the candidate's namo instead of markiui; by a cross. On ono packet of voting papers being opened, this w;ui found to be the caso. and .Air. Walker therefore should linvo been declared elected. Other objections, however, have been raised, and tho inquiry has been adjourned to December I!).

CRIME SESSIONS. Nelson, December G. At the Supremo Court to-day, Pcrey Collio teas acquitted oil a charge of perjury arising out of ovidonco given at a firo inquiry. No bill was found in the caso of tho samo person, who was charged with arson. Alexander Mackay, who was found guilty on charges of assault on u little girl and a ccrtain offenco in respect of another, was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment on each charge, tho sentences to be cumulative.

LARGE FIJI CARGO. ' Auckland, December 5. A veryjargo cargo of fruit was brought by tho Navua from Fiji 10-night, including 5133 buncht's of bananas and 17,191 cases of tho same fruit. Some tiODO cases and bunches arc for Wellington, iifl eases lor Napier, and the balance for Lyttelton and Dunodin;

WHAT QUARRY HANDS WANT. Auckland, Dccembcr G. In pursuance of the general issue of the demands mado upon employers by the Auckland General Labourers' Union, a schedule has been issued to quarry owners in Auckland and suburbs demanding shorter hours and bigger wages. Preference to unionists is also stipulated. Tho demands will probably be considered in conference at an early dato.

THEY THREATEN. Auckland, December 6. ' A meeting of the tramway employees this morning dccitlcd to giro fourteea days' notice of tliair intention to strike unless their demands nro conceded. ' This is subject .to confirmation, by a meeting of the baianco of the employees to-night.

SUNDAY "SOFT" DRINKS, Gisborne, December 6. In tho case of tho Police v. Williams, cbnfectionor, for Sunday trading, the Magistrate held that the law did not allow tho selling of f?oft drinks 011 Sunday. Ho convicted and fined defendant a nominal amount.

ELECTORAL LAW. Eltham, December fi. At the Magistrate's Court to-day, D. F. Patterson, chargedi with sending in a claim for enrolment containing a false Statement 011 behalf of another person, was lined JC'2O and costs. Other electoral prosecutions are being heard.

WAIROA HARBOUR. Wairoa, December 0. Tho Wairoa Harbour Board to-day accepted the tender' of ,C. F. Pulley for river improvement work. Tho cost will bo t t:7!),OUO. Mr. Leslie H. Keytiolds is the engineer.' The work will be commenced in March nest.