TELEGRAMS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVII, Issue 100, 29 April 1909, Page 4

TELEGRAMS.

BOXING TOURNAMENT. [Bt Telegbaph. — Sfeciai to ThjJ Post.] PALMERSTON N., This Day. The Manawatii Boxing Association's tourney to-night was attended by a large audience. Nine bouts were got off. Leckie, the New Zealand middleweight champion was matched against Clifton, late of the Seventh Dragoon Guards, but . the latter was knocked down twice in the first round, and the referee stopped the fight. Watchorn, the local lightweight had decidedly the best of six rounds with Metctvlf, of Auckland, who is the New Zealand champion. Epbbss association.l MORMONS IN NEW ZEALAND. AT NGATARAWA. NAPIEE, 28th April. Elder George Bowles, of Utah, U.S.A., has arrived to take over the charge of Mormon work at Ngatarawa, where that body has purchased 130 acres of land for the piu-pose of erecting schools and workshops for instructing the natives in agriculture and useful trades. Elder Bufus K. Hardy, who has relinquished the control to his successor, .leaves by the next boat for Utah. As soon as the plans are approved by the higher authorities there 3 and appropriations made for the erection of the buildings, the work of building school dormitories, workshops, and workrooms, together with the purchase of necessary implements, will be proceeded with immediately. "Elder Hardy says that the work will be given out locally, and the institution will be opened as soon as the contractors can get through — probably in twelve months from the start of the mission. In order to test the ground for use in connection with the establishment, he planted 60 acres in potatoes, carrots, parsnips, turnips, maize, hops, corn, water, and rock melons, pumpkins, marrows, onions, etc., with most excellent results, not a single failure being reported. A sample of five potatoes taken weighed 9£lb. GENERAL LABOURERS' DISPUTE. CHPvISTCHURCH, 28th April. The Conciliation Council met to-day to hear the general labourers' dispute. A large number of employers were cited, and many applications for exemption made. The following were granted :—: — Harbour Board and Tramway Board (on account of an agreement being arrived at), county councils, road boards, town boards, river boards, and the Waimaka-riri-Ashley Water Supply Board. The following applications for exemption were refused : — Quarry-owners, plasterers, brickrnakers, gasworks (provided the exceptions are allowed as at present), the other councils, and the Drainage The council then adjourned, pending a conference between the parties with a view to settlement regarding wages and conditions. CYCLE ROAD RECORD. CHRISTCHUKCH, 28th April. J. Arnst has made a record ride from Christchurch t(, Timaru, 112 miles, paced by two motor-cycles, in 4 hours 50 minutes. In his record ride from Christchurch to Dunedin, he reduced the previous- record to Timaru (Humm's) by 44 •minutes. To-day he reduced his own by 21 minutes. The conditions generally were favourable, except that Arnst had had a bad sea trip from Akaroa the night before. WESTERN MAORI ELECTION PETITION. METHOD OF VOTING. AUCKLAND, 28th April. Mr. Henare Kaihau, M.P., is preparing to put up a keen fight at the heai'ing of Mr. Pepene Ekefcone's petition against his election as representative of the Western Maori District. Speaking to a press representative to-day, Mr. Kaihau, who has represented the Western Maori District in Parliament for the last eleven years, said that Mr. Pepene Eketone's chief objection was that the system employed at the ballot last election was not in accordance with the law. . Since 1864, Mr. Kaihau says, it has been the custom at native elections for the returning officer to ask each native on entering the booth his name, his tribe, and the name of the candidate for whom he desires to vote. The custom has been for the returning officer to enter up these particulars, and in many cases to dispense with the need for ballot papers. The petition to upset the last election is based on the ground that ballot papers " should have been used, and that the course of procedure employed had been irregular. "If this is so, 'it is no fault of mine," added the member for Western Maori. "As far as 1 can understand the election was carried out in accordance with the custom which has prevailed for years. If there has been any improper procedure making the election invalid, then all the other candidates will be in the same position as myself. Personally, I have no fear of the outcome of a second election if it is necessary." AN ACCIDENT. DUNEDIN, 28th April. J. Gallic, employed in Brinsley's foundry, fell down -into the furnace to-day, being overcome by the fumes of coke. He sustained a few bruises, and was got out unconscious, and is now at the hospital. He had not yet recovered consciousness, but it is thought that he will recover. Three others who rescued him were also overcome by the fumes, but soon recovered. NAPIER BOROUGH -IMPROVEMENTS. ' NAPIER, 26 th April. Napier burgesses to-day voted on loan proposals totalling £134,250. It is proposed to expend the money as follows : Forming and metalling borough boundary roads, £2750 ; permanent road formation, £15,000 ; duplicating watervrorks.plant and installing destructor and water meters, £15,000 ; erection of municipal theatre, £25,000 ; borough park in Napier South, £5000 ; installing electric tramways and electric lighting, £35,000; new fire station, £1000; drainage coilstruution, £35,000.