TELEGRAMS.

Feilding Star, Volume II, Issue 513, 26 March 1908, Page 3

TELEGRAMS.

\PEB FBESS ASSOCIATION 1 THE SPORTING NEWS. Christchuroh, March 26. Owing to the operation of the Gaming Act, the telegraph office on tho lticcarton racecourse was run at a loss at the midsummer meeting of the C.J.C. In consequence of this, the office will probably be discontinued in future. The closing of the office will necessitate the use of carrier pigeons by -the Press Association and the local papers, the messages being sent by pigeons to Christchurch, thence by wire to other parts of tho dominion. ViW THE MEN WITH THE BAG. Dunedin, March 26. Messrs Dugald McPherson and C. S. Owen will represent the dominion at the Commercial' Travellers' Association Conference to be held at .Brisbane during the Easter season. SHEEP-DOG TRIALS. Hawera, March 26. In the sheep-dog trials, the following were the results:— Driving and yarding, H. K. Scott's Boss 1. R. C. Morton's Jed 2, Fletcher's Chum 3. Twenty-one othere competed. I>r£ine and yarding (two dogß).--W. U. Grinds D y arkie fnd Floss I, J^her 's Chum and Teddy. 2, M. M. Scott s Lie and Pie 3. Five other pairs competed. Heading, driving, yarding and brineine back.— Grant's Darkio 1, J. SutnSnd's Bonnie 2, A. H Greaves' May 3. Twenty-seven other com--I>etit ° rS - THE WEATHER. Waipawa, March 26. During the last six days over four inches of rain fell, thoroughly soaking the ground. Heavy ram fell throughout the night, and it still continues The creeks and rivers are rising SteadUy ON BONED BEEF. Auckland, March 26. i Replying to a deputation from the Auckland Farmers' Freezing Co, on the subject of the restrictions likely , to be imposed by the British Govern- j ment on the importations of bone d beef, the Premier stated that ifce Government had sent Home two t racers to help the High Commissioner to ascertain what difficulties ths.o were in the importation of Now Zealand produce into Great Britain, i he Board of Trade was aware of the system Of tae inspection of meat out here and was familiar with our methods ; but it should not be expected that the inspection made here would be accepted by the British Government. All representations possible would, however, be made on the suhject. CLOSER SETTLEMENT. Gisborne, March 26. There are 230 applicants for the sections of the Te Arai Estate, lately acquired by the Government. The ballofc takes place to-morrow. THE OTEKAIKE ESTATE. Dunedin, March 25. Tho sections in the Otekaike settlement, comprising 6280 acres, advertised by the Government as open for public application on April 7, have been withdrawn from selection peuding the decision of the Court of Appeal on an application by Messrs McKollar and Mitchell for a mandamus and injunction in respect to certain sections which, it is alleged, have already been allotted in terms of the Act by the Land Board and sanctioned by the Minister to t^e P aU THE MAIN TRUNK LINE. Wellington, March 25. The Public Works department is not alarmed at tho reported subsidence in the Main Trunk railway, as it has been advised that tho gap ran be bridged or filled in at a comparatively small cost. TWO BROTHERS DROWNED. Auckland. March 25. The O'Dowd brothers were drowned whilst riding across the river. A PAINFUL ACCIDENT. Invercargill, March 25. John Wohlers, working at a circular saw this afternoon, had two fingers cut off the left hand, and. had two other fingers badly damaged. OUR MILK SUPPLY. < Auckland, March 25. A conference of members of the A. and P. Association, the Milk Suppliers' Association, and the Milk Vendors' Association was held this afternoon to protest against the milk standard requiring a 3.25 test set by the new .Health regulations. 'Mr John Massey referred to the difficulties which would confront the dairy farmers under the new regulations. He said that it would be impossible to obtain such a standard pll tho year round. Resolved: "That the Government, before finally fixing the standard for milk, be requested to make inquiries of the scientists, dairymen, milk and factory managers, and, if necessary, arrange for a series of experiments to ascertain if 3.25 was a fair average test." Mr Towsley, representing the milk ; Vendors' Association, agreed that the standard was altogether too high. Mr Pilkington said tho Department seemed bent on increasing the "unholy ! revenue" of the Police Court by im- ; posing an impossible standard. j EARTHQUAKE, CARNIVAL, AND ' RAIN. ! Napier, March 26. j A sharp shock of earthquake was j experienced at 12.40 o'clock this morning. The rain, which has been falling oif and on during the past week, developed into a perfect deluge last i night, and so unpromising was the I outlook to-day that the Carnival Committee declared the field events of the military tournament oif. Reports from the country concerning the state of the rivers indicate that 'heavy rain has fallen inland, and iho rivers are rising fast. RAIN AND RACES. Masterton, March 26. Tho total rainfall since the drougbt broke is 6.30 inches; for the last twenty-four hours 1J inches fell. There were some heavy showers this morning. The Opaki Races are taking place, although, until the weather cleared slightly this forenoon, their postponement seemed inevitable. DEAR BEER. Timaru, March 26. In the Magistrate's Court this morning three prohibited men were fined in the aggregate £11 for having procured liquor. A fourth man, who aided them was fined £3. The magistrate said that if such fines proved ineffectual in preventing prohibited persons from obtaining drink, he would impose the maximum fine NO APPEARANCE. Only two objections have been filed against the borough valuations, but when the Court sat this morning to hear these neither party appeared, and the magistrate signed the roll, which now stands at £80,704, without alteration. THE PREMIER ON DEFENCE. Auckland, March 26. Replying to a deputation from the National Defence League, the Premier said it was obvious that tne real danger of countries in these southern seas was the Yellow Peril. It was of the first importance to our country that we should have a trained body of men, ready to take the field at a moment's notice. The Premier referred to the difference between a force of militia and of men coming forward voluntarily to prepare themselves for the defence or their homes. He added that there was a difference of opinion as to which system was the most desirable, and a calm, dispassionate discussion of the question was required. NARROW ESCAPE FROM FIRE. Dunedin, March 2b. A five-roomed house on Maori Hill, owned and occupied by Mr J. R. Ronald, a motorman, was burned down at 4 o'clock this morning. Mr Ronald c wife and three children were rescued with difficulty, but nothing else was saved. The house was insured for £300 in the South British. The furniture and effects, valued at £80, were uninsured.