NEWS IN BRIEF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13701, 18 March 1908, Page 8

NEWS IN BRIEF.

Manuka left for the South. Talune leaves for Fiji to-day. Manapouri sailed for Rarotouga and Tahiti. Prime Minister at Ngaruawahia regatta yesterday. At a sale of horses at Tamworth (N.S.W.), 1206 averaged £15 lis 9d per head. A proclamation appears in last week's Gazette altering the name of Western Spit, Napier, to "Westshore." The Christchurch city surveyor issued 56 building permits during February, representing buildings valued at £53,435. Little Barrier Island (6960 acres) and Resolution Island (47,500 acres) are two of the latest reserves to be placed under the control of the Tourist Department. The Palmerston Anti-Asiatic League is circulating a petition, urging the Government to raise the Chinese poll-tax from £100 to £500. It is being largely signed. , ' Several blocks of land on the Main Trunk railway line, and situated within the Wellington Land District, have been ■temporarily reserved for scenery preservation purposes. The Belfast (Canterbury) Freezing Works have just completed their first quarter of a century's work. Up to -January 1 there had been put through these works 9,049,752 sheep and lambs, 15,994' cattle, and 52.248 pigs. ' ' " The Queensland Methodist Conference has inaugurated a 50,000 shilling fund in connection -with the celebration of the centenary of Methodism in Australia, and 3866 shillings were promised by members of the Conference". The Arbitration Court is gradually Blipping out of existence (scys the Oamaru Times) and even the inclusion of Mr. MeCullough as the representative of the workers has not checked the inclination to defy the law, and for each union to "go on its own. . . ° Firms interested in the wholesale importation of boots to the Dominion are not altogether satisfied with some of the features of the new tariff as it affects their business, and intend taking combined steps to lay their views on the matter before the Minister for Customs. The accident insurance companies have Host about £600 a year, for the last two or three years through accidents to employees of the Napier Harbour Board As a result they have raised their premium from £2 per cent, to £6 and £7 per cent, per annum, on the ground that the business is unprofitable. The Board intends to approach the companies to reduce their tenders substantially, failing which it will form its own insurance tuna. ■ •-■ ;.-