NEW ZEALAND NEWS

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1335, 12 January 1912, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND NEWS

(By Telesraph—Press Association.) —t A SEAMAN DROWNED. u , . „ Christchurch, January 11. About 4.35 a.m. to-<lay Mr. Harry BowT € Zti. a i t officer on the wharves at •Uvttelton, noticed the body of a man floating iu the water about 20 feet inside ot the east side of No. G wharf. He communicated with the police, and the body was recovered. The body appeared to have been m the water about a week, it appeared to be that of a middle-aged man of medium build, about sft. Gin. in height, with brown hair. The bodv was clothed m a green jersey, blue trousers, and elastic-sided boots. In the pockcts were found two ,£1 notes, ss. Gd. iu silver, and a pocket-knife. Acting-Detec-tive Cainey identified the body as that of a seaman named Campbell, belonging to th' 3 steamer Wakatu, who was missing last Thursday, the 4th inst. Detective Carney was speaking to him that night, and ho appeared to bo all woll. Ha was then wearing a coat, which had since been found in a right-of-way off Norwich Quay. There were no marks .of vinlenco about the body, and it appeared as if the man had fallen into,tho water from one of tho wharves, and drowned. VERY AMICABLE. Invercargill, January 11. A very amicable sitting of tho Conciliation Council was held to-day before Mr. J. R. Triggs, Commissioner, to consider the demands of the Sawmill Workers' Union. Tho principal points in dispute were wages and preference. These differences were compromised, tho wages being increased Gd. per day all round, and preference to unionists was granted. New clauses were inserted providing for proper hut accommodation for all workers at mills, and for equipping mills with an ambulance chest and cards of instruction for dealing with tho more common accidents. Tho award will have three years' operation, as from February 1. Mr. Triggs goes to Christchurch tliis morning. MORNINGSIDE FIRE. Auckland, January 11. 1 A five-roomod house at Morningsido was burned to the ground this oveninr;.The building was owned by Mrs. Patterson and occupied by Mr. Willis and family. The children, sleeping in a bedroom, woro got out safely. The cause of tho fire is a mystery. BUILDING TRADE BRISK. Auckland, January 11. In building and allied trades, the past year ranks as the busiest that has yet been experienced in Auckland. This is accounted for by the fact that while construction of many big buildings costing upwards of .£420,000 was continued, and in some cases completed during tho year, new construction involving the record outlay of fully ■ a million sterling was ■ undertaken during the same period.' , Tho prosperous times experienced by the builders ond contractors ■ and their employees have been fully shared by the timber, hardware, and other trades, all having been kept exceedingly busy throughout tho year in coping with the record number of orders received. FACTORY HANDS WANTED. Auckland, January 11. Thero is still a great scarcity of factory hands in Auckland, girls being especially scarce; for the past twelvo months "the demand for girls has continued to bo greater than the supply, ami in a uuniber of clothing factories machines arc idle and the output from factories lias consequently decreased. There is also as usual an unsatisfied demand for domestic servants. AIR-GUN SOLD TO BOY. Dunedin, January 11. At the Police Court, a man employed by a hardware firm was fined J!2 for soiling au air-gun to a boy under sixteen vears of age. Mr. Widdowson, S.M., said it was a most dangerous, roprehensible practice to sell such a weapon to a boy of tender years. AUCKLAND VALUATION. Auckland, Janucrv 11. Tho report presented by the City Valuer 6ho\rs that the capital value of the city (comprising land and improvements) for ttie year will bo advanced by .£1.101,500, giving an increaso iu rateable value of ,£70,228.