LATE TELEGRAMS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume VX, Issue 7101, 25 January 1901, Page 2

LATE TELEGRAMS.

fPBR PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

Wellington, January 24. Lieut.-Col. Collins, who went to Aus* tralia in charge of the New Zealand team whioh competed at the Commonwealth Rifle Meeting, returned this morning. Col. Collins ascribes the nonsuccess of our men partly to heat, but more particularly to want of praotice under altered conditions. The workmen in the Petone workshops are taking up a proposal to make a presentation to the Hon J. G. Ward in acknowledgment of the recent increase in wages, and a Boheme is being prepared by whioh each railway employee throughout New Zealand will be given an opportunity of making a sixpenny contribution towards the presentation fund. Apart from this, it is the intention of the Petone men to organise a banquet to Mr Ward, at wbioh the presentation will probably be made. Messrs Fisher and Wilford, M.'sH.B., are also to be presented with tokens of esteem on that occasion.

The award of the Conciliation Board in the sawmillers 1 dispute was announced to day. The principal recommendations are as follows :—": — " That the week shall consist of 45 hours; that for men working planing machines the minimum wage be £2 15s per week ; men working ciroular saws, £2 8s; engine-drivers, driving engines over 5 h.p., £8; under 6 h.p., £2 10a j yardßmen solely employed delivering timber, £8. The minimum wage of unskilled workers in other capacities, £2 Ba. Casual labour, 8s 6d per day. The Board makes the usual recommendations for payment of overtime and holidays, and, on the question of apprentices, decides that each machinists be allowed one boy, whose wages shall commence at 12s 6d per week, with such gradual increase aB Bhall be agreed upon.

Wellington, January 25. The Premier is expected to reach the Bluff at the end of next week.

All the railways' workshop men throughout the colony are to receive pay during the three days the shopß are closed. All other railway men now at work will receive three days' holiday when they can be spared.

Messrs Skerrett and Wylie, solicitors for Lillywhite, who is in custody on suspicion of' being Blatch, the man charged with the Colchester murder, have received letters from the Chief of Police at Tacoma, Washington, U.S., enclosing statements from reputable citizens identifying the por* trait of the prisoner sent to him as that of Lillywhite, who they assert was. resident at Tacoma from 1888 to sometime in 1894, when he left for New Zealand.