NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1662, 31 January 1913, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

(By Telo([raph.-Preßß Association.) -+__: ■ COARSE SIDE OF "PEACE" MENi 60MB HOOLIGAN;- PRANKS. Chrlstchurch, January elf Tho local anti-militarists have appa.-t* ently been studying tho methods of thiM English suffragettes. A foolish trick was played on tho Chrlstchurch' firo brigade at about 2.15 this morning when an alarm was given from tho box at tho corner of Tuam and Antigua Streets.. Tho' brigade immediately went out, but instead of a fire, all they found was a piece of piper attached to the box bearing in largo red lettering: "Wo have nothing" to defend." "Wo did not ask for conscription." "Wo will not servo Godloy and his -— gang," and sundry other inscriptions of a *n\i-' lar nature The paper is now in the* hands of tho police,

AUCKLAND EXHIBITION. „ Chrlstchurch, January SO. The Mayor, in reply to,a deputation, said no had decided to oall a meeting of local associations to consider tho'erec- ™ °£ * Canterbury Court at the Auckland Exhibition.

LIFEBUOY AND WRECKAGE. /._ : ' Dargavllle,, January 80. On Tuesday, morning a lifebuoy was picked upattho ; mouth of tho Mahutu, branded fT.S.S. TJlimaroa, Melbourne,' 1 ' ™ on tho other side of tho buoy something like "Liara, Auckland." A few chains away was also found a • hntek' about Bft. long by 21in. wido, branded "V.H.U.D.H.L? Both tho.buoy and', hatch oto in good condition, and were evidently cast.up by tho 6amo tide, na thoy wore not there on tho previous evcn> ing. ' . ■ ■' . -

ERRING UTIKU RESIDENTS. ' Talhape, Janunry SO. At the S.M. Court, three Utiku rc<sl« '; donta were convicted of sly grog-selling. '.' Ono was fined .£lO with costs, ono Js2o> ' and tho other with costs.

MISSING ANGLERS-HAT FOUND. Ashburton, January 30. : ', A'greon felt hat has been found on tho / beach about a milo north of tho mouth of tho Rangitata River. It is thought'that it belonged to cdther Darby or Nicholas, tho anglers who wcro recently" washed out to sea in a boat,. ."•■,.

CHARGE OF STEALING A MAIL BAG. ■>"-' v Blenheim, January SO.' At the S.M. Court to-day, John Francis":.; ; . O'Keefo, a young man with several aliases,", '.■ was chargod wjth stealing a mail. bag V ; from the coach at Blairich while the i>as«'.".'..'' sengers were at luncheon. v Accuse'd was ,\ seen to go into the scrub with something under his coat. When tho bag was missed't . tho scrub was searched, and tho bag found cut open and the mail torn. Accused was .' committed for trial.

;WANGANU!\HARBOUR. ; ; , Wanganui, January SO. . , An event of some Importance in th* ; history of Wanganui was tho arrival to- ; day of tho Union Steam Ship Company's , Kittawa, of 1246 tons, tho largest steamer which has yet entered tho port. Tho , steamer arrived hero with half a cargo';, of coal from New Plymouth and drew about cloven feet. At spring : tides th«' steamer could havo negotiated tho. river , channel-drawing a couplo of :feet The excellent condition- of the • riveri is i due to the works being carried out bytho ■■ •■ Harbour Board.' There is now a depth of ■; x 25 feet at the place where the bar, with ;'■ a depth of. 11 feet, was a few years'.ago.i i The Government steamer Tutanekai is i ; also.a visitor to the port..■;.'. ' ' ..

BLUFF FIGURES. , 'j .;- Invercargill, January SO. Tho receipts at the port of Bluff for the V,] year ending December 31 \vcro »C2G,348. 1 of',' which' JE2G,24C ja classed as ordinary' re-'' venue.' For 1911 tho ordinary- rovenuo amounted, tb. ,£24,29B.'\The 'receipts for'''' 1912 show an nearly 'X2oooi'-' and is easily the largest |yearly.,reyonu«', that has hitherto The ex- / .pDndituro ? staiidS'''' ! at 'iG20,C35, i 'fa against.-'. ■ ,£25,547, or about J2IOBB more' than'' for^' 1911. The sinking fund of tho board Mis '•'■ .shown at .£41,333, an, increaso, of-JE2217'.-. The shipping returns at tho port for; 1012 <V . ,show. that'4o3. vessels of 612,520 net.tona - entcrod, being an increase of. 96 vessels ". ■ and 64,426 ton 9 as compared with: the rey '>. turns.for the preceding twelve months, r. but tho increase in the-number of vessels",. !. lias been principally in ; 6m all traders.',"' The trade of the port as computed in tons ..'■.' has 'increased to 144,418 tons.-whioh 'is., v 8787 tons in advanco of tho figures for 1911. .-.,•.

POLICE INVERCARGILL ' • RETURNS.

•'■'■■ I'nvercarpill, January 30." , Tho returns of police business in the In*, vorcargill district dealt with in 1912 6how' that the total number of cases reported was 713, against C 97 in 1911; convictions . for drunkenness, 255, against 297; assault; ■; 35, against 30; burglary, 39, against 12 J • sly grog-selling, 7, against 27; theft, $2+against 74. . :'■

CHARGE AGAINST A BANKRUPT.- . Auckland, January "30v , A bankrupt named. Robert Ambrose '. Miles waa'cWged to-day ' with , having ' contracted debts without having reason- ; ablo and probable expectations of being ' able to pay them, as well as other debts ' ogainst, him; also with failing to keep', proper nocount books,- Accused'reserved ' his defence, and was committed to: the'"• Supremo Court for trial. ', •"■"•■ ■" .