NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1790, 1 July 1913, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) « FIVE FIRES IN 48 HOURS. INCLUDING THE GAS WORKS. Gis&orne, June 30, Tlicro has been an "epidcmic" of fires duripg tho week-end, no fower than fiva being reimrted in the district since Sattirday. On Sunday a small house at Matawhero, occupied by Mr. Mathioson, was destroyed, and at l'atutahi, Mr. Clias. M'Gaunigan's hous?, was burned- to tho ground, liter, at Orraond, a cottage occupied by Mr. W. 11. Jones caught.firo, and a bedroom was burned. This afternoon a house in Lytton Road, occupied by Mr. Thomas Bnrtlclt, was destioyed. All these minor fires were tclipsed this evening by an outbreak at tho gas works, as the result uf a hitc'h ill tho system between tho retorts and the Tefiner, a huge jet of gas ignited, and set fire to tho surrounding buiilding. Tho enginehouse, and engine and bo.iler were badly damaged, and the men's change room and baithr.oom were destroyed, together with the men's clothing ana what effects they had in their pockets. Tho insurances oil tho gas works aro spread over a number of offices, and aro not available tx)-night. Though tho damage was severe, the efficiency of tho works is not impaired. During the fire one of tho Gas Company's employees, named J. Beattio, was somewhat severely burned. SOUTHERN BAND CONTEST. A SPLIT. Invercargill, Juno 30, A meeting of tho Band Contest Committee to-night decided to notify tho executive of tho South Island Bands' Association that tlie committoo would with- : 'draw from further negotiations with tho association. Tho meeting also decided to circularise competing bonds asking!, them if they would give an assurance of support if tho contest wero gono on with, •under Sir. Percy Jonos (Gcelong) as adjudicator. Invercargill, Juno 30. The open seasons for taking seals, tho first for nineteen years, will commence tomorrow, and several parties aro leaving for the grounds from Bluff and Colac Bay, ■ ' ROTO ROA MALCONtENTS. Auckland, June 30. Georgo Blythe, George l'ope, and James Dunlop were sentenced to seven days*: imprisonment with hard labour for weubordinato conduct at Roto Roa Island, this being a sequel to the recent trouble! in consequence of which tho . Salvation Army kau to invoko police assistance. FEUDING FIRES. Feilding, June 80. The fire brigade received three cal'fs yesterday, the first two for blazing chimneys, but the third was more serious. A dwelling-house in Derby Street, occupied by Mrs. W. Mends, caught fire at mid' night. With a good pressure of water the brigade managed to save tho adjoining dwellings, which wero in danger for some -time. Mrs. Mends' 6 house wascompletely destroyed. DEVONPORT FERRY COMPANY. j Auckland, Juno . In order to cope with future require ments, the directors of tho Devonport Steam Perry Company propose to increase: the capital of the company frfhi .£50,000: to w£150,000 by tho issue of 100,000 new ordinary shares of .£1 each. The proposition will bo submitted to shareholders on Monday. ' DWELLING BURNED. Taihape, June 80. A fire at midnight on Saturday d*. stroved a three-roomed cottage at iailiape, owned by A. Nathan, the tenant being J. Stewart. It was a total. loss. Insurances On the building, .£3O in thft Sun Office; furniture, JCOO in tho Conn mercial Union. WESTPORT HARBOUR STAFF. WMtport, Juno 29, On Saturday tho Westport H'arboutf . Board'dealt'with tho first aatch of applications under its reorganisation scheme, t The engineers and officers on the dredgt ing flotilla were reinstated. Mr. L. Larsen was appointed mechanica. supennteni dent, Mr. D. Darrach foreman carpenter, and Mr. J. Haines inspector of the ruarr--and in charge of the railway, lhe board decided to ask the Government to make, inquiries into tho past conduct of tuo- j board's affairs. NU"HAKA TOWN CUT UP. , Gisborne, Juno 28. The Native Land Court has-financed the cutting-up of the Native township at, Nuhaktt into 250 sections, assigning own-, ers for each. The Natives are very ]UMj lant, as the sections are bound to find their w&y into tho market, and it is expected that an eytensivo township, will bs established in tho centre of a rich dis-. trict.- ' ' HURUNUI IN A GALE. Auckland, June 28. The New Zealand Shipping Company steamer Hurunui arrived from London' this morning. On Juno 15 she encountered., a heavy gale. ■ Big seas swept the decks ■ and carried away a railing! also washed overboard portion of' tho deck car-- or naphtha and acids. Tho steamer ran before tho gale for several hours, avoiding , further damage. TOKO HOTEL BURNED. Stratford, Juno 28. . The Toko Hotel was totally destroyed, by fire at 1 o'clock this morning. Tho insurances are: —.£I2OO oil tho building, and .£7O? on the stock and furniture, chiefly in the Commercial and Union offices. BR|EF MENTION. Ashburton, Juno 30. Owing to continual severe frosts, th«. Domain ponds have a thick coating of ice, and skating was indulged in thig morning. Glsbornc, Juno 31). Harold Douglas Lockhart, who had ransacked a house'and stolen 15s. from S drawer, pleaded guilty, and was committed to the Supreme Court at AucHfiud. for sentence.