N.Z. TELEGRAMS.

Hastings Standard, Volume XI, Issue 5680, 9 December 1907, Page 3

N.Z. TELEGRAMS.

PER PRESS ASSOCIATION. A SEXTON'S SUICIDE. „ New Plymouth, Dec. 9 F William Joseph Gamblin, a middle h age man and sexton at the Te Henui ® cemetery, committed suicide by cut- b ting his throat last night. r AN INFANT DROWNED. „ Pahiatua. Dec. 9. ' s The twenty months old infant ® daughter of Alfred Mace was drown- " ed on Saturday morning through falling down a well. WELCOME RAINS. Christchurch, Dec. 9 The heavy thunderstorm yesterday will have a beneficial effect. Country reports are that for about an hour and a half rain fell heavily. It will greatly help in the salvation of crops anc 1 feed and relieve the situation which was becoming alarming. AN AUCKLAND DEN. RAIDED BY THE POLICE._ Auckland, Dec 9. The police raided a boarding house u in Grey street early on Sunday morning and unearthed a considerable quantity of liquet. Whisky and beer was found in several rooms and in a cupboard in n the occupier's apartment. A coloured man and the wife of the occupier was discovered on the top t floor, the former very much inebria- s ud. Two men were found in another room with bottles of whisky. c Other details of a:, unsavoury nature r were disclosed as a result of the visit. ' SHOPS AND OFFICES ACT. Wellington, Dec. 9. j The new legislation affecting hotel- I keepers contained in the shops and ' offices Amendment Act of last session is being brought into operation. The Labour Oepartraent is issuing circu- j lars to all hotelkeepers drawing their j attention to the tact that each of their • employees mutt now receive a half I holiday on one d<ty of the week. Another section orovioes that shopkeepers who sell tobacco £pd cigarettes, etc., must observe th* fame 1 closing hours as ordinary tobacconists. J and they are being furnished with a , printed notice to that effect, to be < hung up in shops for general informatiun. THE DOMINION'S REVENUE. Christchurch, Dec. 9The Premier, interviewed by a '* Lyttelton Times" reporter, said the total rtvenue of the Dominion continu«d to swell in a verv satisfactory manner. The total revenue for the eight months end-.d November 3°''h had been £4,959-546, compared with £4,5(35,61:: for the- same period last year, the increase for ihe eight months "being t>3-«34. The following are the principal figures (the corresponding eight nion lis ot th-' previous year given in parenthese>) ; Customs £2.0-4.384 (£1,872.200): Stamps £794gjS 1 £704.091': Railways £1,615,851 (1.523.430. PJSr OFFI'- E SERVICE. Auckland, Dec. 0. At the re-union of the letter carriers', held on Saturd y, IN r Dryden. assistant-postmaster, statements had been made thai the service was being starved. His experience was ail to the contrary, no never had any difficulty in securing additions to the staff, and in six vear. the staff of the Auckland Post Office h3d increased from 87 to 163. and the tetter carriers from 28 t > 54- The whole of the public service had recently been treated vvith extreme consideration. and ihey ought for a number Oi years 10 be content and settle down to their work. Referring to the progress of Auckland, Mr Hoidsworth, chief postmaster. said that since January Ist last he had opened 68 new post officts in the district, a it cord for any posfal

WAIR ARAP\ DROUGHT. ; Masterton Dec. 9. Th- long continued absence of rain is be'ng acutely felt by farmers. The ' grain crops are stunted and growth ■ has almost ceased. Unless the drought ;is relieved before long the consei quences will be serious. i | WELLINGTON NEWS. j Wellington, December Q. j Mr Amelius Smith has been appointed Secretary of the Public ! Service Superannuation Board, which is to be set up to administer the superannuation fund. A young man named Fredk. Cooper has been arrested at Auckland on a charge of being connected in the recent bbrglaries here. The information leading to arrest was sent from Wellington. The Gear Coy.'s balance-sheet proposes to pay a dividend at the rate of 10 pf-r cent and carry forward £9654. So far as can be ascertained all the immigrants who arrived by the lonic last week, over 600, have obtained employment. and there is still a gocd demand for farm hands. TRAM SENSATION. Auckland, Dec. 9. As an electric tram was ascending Wellesley street to-day, flames suddenly burst out inside the car. The motorman had one arm badly siorched, and was thrown off the car. Also some half-dozen passengers jumped off. The car was running back on the down gradelat a good speed, when an ex-motorman jumped aboard and stopped the car. The shock to the passengers was considerable, as seats suddenly b3came alive The cir was lit up with flashing blue lights, emitted from the iron work controller which blew out and the fel-box caught fire. AN AUCKLAND TRAGEDY. Aucland Dec. 9. Florence Farndale, a married woman aged 30, appeared at the Police Court to-:lay, charged with havng murdered her infant child Marion Farndale, whos* headless body was found in the harbour recently, and was remanded. Accused has stated she is the wife of a medical man in the Congo. Her father is said to be a resident of the Waikato She has lately been staving at a boarding house with her two children.