NEAR AND FAR.

Evening Star, Issue 14574, 24 May 1911, Page 10

NEAR AND FAR.

Mr W. H. Homes, M.P.. addressed a well-attended meeting .at Palmerston North tost night, and outlined tho Opposition policy. Ho advocated clecti\o appointment to the Upper House, a Civil Service Board to deal with applications and promotions, and the appointment of a llailwav Commissioner. On the Laud Question 'he said tho Opposition’s policy was one of small freehold holdings. He thought the pastoral runs ami back-blocks lands would have to remain. On the Native Land Question he advocated the placing of these on an individual instead of a communistic basis, and he also advocated giving tho educated Maoris equal rights and privileges with Europeans. A vote of thanks and confidence was accorded to Mr 1 lorries. At the Supreme Court, Christchurch, yesterday, Mr Justice Denniston gave his reserved judgment in the cate of Robert Havidson v." Philip Walter Soanes, in i which plaintiff claimed damages for injuries sustained through being struck by a falling scaffold polo negligently left standing by the defendant's servant. The [ ease was hoard before, a jury, after whose ’verdict an application was made for a new i trial. His Honor reviewed the facts of j tho case, and said that the pole had fallen while tho scaffolding was being dismantled, j but tho case was complicated by the fact : that plaintiff had been employed by dc- ; Pendant in the work. The jury had found ' that the injury was caused by the personal negligence of the defendant in allowing I the corner pole to be left in surh a- danger- ' mis position, and that defendant knew . that tho position was dangerous. He did 1 not think that there wore any grounds i for a new tidal. Judgment was given for j tho plaintiff for £750. j Alarming rumors are abroad concerning a fresh revolutionary outbreak which it is feared is about to take ! place in Canton. The trouble, it is | said, is being instigated by the relatives of j high officials educated in Japan, who arc credited with having funds to the amount j of £200,000 at their disposal, and enough j dynamite to blow up the city, Tho dcj capitation of rebels and suspects is proceeding daily, but the relatives of the condemned are not daring to remove the bodies from the streets in which the executions take place. The situation is one of the greatest horror, and multitudes axe fleeing from the city. Political unrest is I general throughout .Southern China, and tho upshot of it all is awaited with apprehension. British, German, French, American, and Italian gunboats are concentrating in Canton.