TELEGRAPHIC.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1523, 28 February 1901, Page 47

TELEGRAPHIC.

AUCKLAND, February 21. At the Police Court this morning Geo. Graham was charged with aiding to conceal deserters from the Imperial Representative Corps. The defendant was evidently unaware that this is a very serious offence. The Magistrate proposed to impose a nominal line ox five shillings. Counsel pointed cut that the Bench must either imprison or discharge. The Magistrate then entered a conviction and discharged the defendant. AUCKLAND, February 22. In connection with the Maori Girls’ School, a sympathiser has made a donation of £IOO to start a new fund.

At the New Zealand University Senate to-day, a resolution was passed expressing appreciation of Dr Milner’s past services, and regretting the illness which compelled him to retire from the Senate. The dead body of a man about thirtyfive years of age- was picked up in the harbour this afternoon. It has not yet been identified. AUCKLAND, February 23. A fire occurred on Constitution Hill to-day, one House being completely destroyed and another gutted. The fire started in a dwelling occupied by Mrs Elizabeth Cooper, and spread so rapidly that practically nothing was saved. The inmates had just time to escape. The flames spread to an adjoining house owned and occupied by Archibald Grandison. This building was gutted before the fire was suppressed. Mrs Cooper’s furniture was insured for £l5O in the National and Mr Grandison had a policy of £175 on his house in the same office. The Waihi Company has dismissed, without reason being given, Molloy (secretary of the Miners’ Union), Drum and Morgan (representatives of the union at the Conciliation Board), and Lamb and Gelder (members of the union’s executive). The Tailoresses’ Union has decided to write to the Defence Minister pointing out the injustice to employers and workers in the clothing trade in this colony of allowing Volunteer corps to import uniforms duty free. GISBORNE, February 22. A deputation from the Liberal Association waited on the Postmaster-Gener-al last evening and asked that as commemorative of the visit of Mrs and Miss Seddon to Gisborne, the Government should supply a town clock to the new Post Office tower. 'Mr 'Ward replied that if to commemorate their visit they had to provide A clock for every town they visited it would become a? rather expensive order. He was prepared to treat Gisborne the same as other places, and if the townspeople would raise half the cost the Government would provide the other half. NAPIER, February 21. The Patangata Hotel and store, about ten miles from Waipawa, were burned down at three o’clock this morning. There is nothing to show the origin of the fire, which started in the store. The proprietor, Mr J. A. Young, was away at Ahe time. , His .wife and two other inmates barely had time to escape in their pight clothes. Very little was saved. The hotel was owned by Air F. W. Robjohns, of Napier. The totdl of the insurances on building and stock is £1465. NAPIER, February 22. A deputation from the Napier Harbour Board waited on the Premier at the Masonic Hotel this afternoon with reference to the Government vota in aid of protecting the beach at the Av estern Spit. Mr Seddon explained that, the vote was a moiety one, which meant that the Government would grant. £1 for every £1 expended by the Machour Board. When he arrived in Wellington, Mr Seddon said, a Cabinet meeting would be held, and the £3509 promised by the Government would be passed, but the Audit Department might step in and say it could only authorise it on the basis of a subsidy. Mr F. W. Williams, chairman -of the Harbour Board, pointed nnt that the money had been spent in anticipation of the Government grant, to which Air Seddon replied that unless the Audit Department objected, the Board would receive its moiety subsidy on all money expended since the 31st March last. WAIROA, February 22. Robert Clifford, gardener to Mr Q._Gl_

at the Wairoa races, and left Wairoa on the 7th, and stopped, at Mrs Irwin’s, at Morere. He left there on the Bth or 9th, and had not taken his horse and saddle. The police have left to makvS inquiries.

Waharvui Na Romi, Ngawaka Nepata and Tewai, three natives, charged yesterday with killing one sheep on the 18th, the property of Harry Hamilton Smith, of Waikaremoana, were each fined £lO, or three months’ imprisonment in the Napier Gaol. NEW PLYMOUTH, February 20. The Supreme Court sittings opened this morning. There: were only two criminal cases. Johns, who pleaded guilty in the Lower Court, was admitted to probation on a charge of .horse-steal-ing. In the other case no bill was found.

N EW PLfM Q OTH, Fehruary 23. Three slight outbreaks of fire occurred in Devon street last night, apparently the work of an. incendiary. The police arrested a young man, named Thomas Payne, who was tried in the Supreme Court a year ago on a- similar charge, but discharged on account of the jury disagreeing. Payne was brought up in the Magistrate’s Court this morning on a charge of incendiarism, and remanded for seven days, prohibitive bail being fixed. The body of a man named J. S. Hart, who was drowned at Moturoa on Sunday was recovered this morning about fifty yards from the scene of the accident. Hart, who came from the Thames, was fishing efr the Flat Rock, when he was washed into the sea b*y an exceptionally heavy wave. His companion made desperate attempts to save him, but it is assumed that his head was dashed against a rock as he sank. At the inquest a verdict of accidental death was returned, with a rider suggesting the erection of a warning board at the spot. There was a large attendance ai the funeral, which was a. military one. NEW PLYMOUTH," February 24. A heavy sea made a breach in one railway reclamation wall, doing considerable damage. WANGANUI, February 21. At the Amateur Athletic Meeting today the 440yds Championship was won by S, Davison in 62sec. L. P. Webster ran 100 yards in lOsec. At the Magistrate’s Court this morning, James Shore, who about three years ago was wrongfully charged with the Petone murder, was sent to gaol for nine months for being drunk and disorderly. Shore has been a great nuisance to the police for a long time past, and had previously been dealt with leniently by the Magistrates. The Supreme Court sittings will open on Monday before Mr Justice Edwards. There are thirteen charges against thirteen persons, including attempted murder, causing grievous' bodily harm, attempt to cause grievous bodily harm, and several cases of indecent assault. MANGAWEKA, February 21. A robbery of £250 from O’Driscoll’s boardinghouse has been reported here. O’Driscoll died a few weeks ago. He had takings which -were never banked. It was known that there was money in a locked drawer. Last night the drawer was opened, but no money was found. WOODVILLE, February 23. A meeting of ratepayers last night unanimously resolved to ask the Borough Council to take steps to raise a loan of £10.,500 for a water supply for the borough. MASTERTON, February 22. A committee meeting of, the Masterton and Pongaroa light line decided last evening to ask the Government to bring in legislation to establish a light line of railway in the district, with borrowing powers, the ratepayers to elect the Board. NELSON,/February 21. The election of the first Harbour Board for Nelson took place yesterday. There were thirteen candidates for the city, and the following three have been elected : —Messrs E. Finney, F- Trask and O. W. Hanby. For Motueka borough there were two candidates, and Mr R. Hurstho.us© was. elected. . Mr George Talbot was elected unopposed for Richmond borough- There were nine candidates for , Waimea county, and Major Franklyn and Mr Philip Best (both County Councillors) were elected. The Midland Railway Commission began its sittings here ttvday, taking evidence with reference, to the Belgrovee Motupiko section. NELSON, February 22. On Friday last at Takak.a, in the Golden Bay district, a man named William Bayford, aged about seventy, fell over a cliff into the water,* breaking his thigh. He dragged himself out ;of the water, and remained from noon on Friday till 9 o’clock on Monday night in web clothes and without food. His rescuers conveyed him to port, and he has been brought to Nelson Hospital. He is an old age pensioner. HOKITIKA, February 21. The Hon. J. A. Bonar, M.L.CL, has been re-elected chairman of the Harbour Board. GREYMGUTH, February 22. The Trades and Labour Council Conference decided to take measures to present a petition to Parliament next session to have an Eight Hours Bill passed in accordance with the promise of the Government. It wasi resolved that the Government should be urged to still further reduce the duties on the necessaries of life, and correspondingly increase the land tax. Strong exception was taken to Clause 99 of the Conciliation and Arbitration Act, such clause coming into conflict with Clause 98 of the same Act. Under Clause 99 great hardship is inflicted on uTii'misa fr

impossible to bring in matters in cuspule for consideration owing to an absolute majority of all the members of the tinions being required to vote. It waa resolved, respecting the railway haulage of coal, to call upon the Government to reduce the haulage rates to one common rate for the district, irrespective of distance. In respect to the Mining Act, it was resolved to urge the Government that Clause 69 of the Coal Mines Act should be inserted in the Min-, mg Act, so as to provide for the relief of miners and their families in case of sickness or accident, by means of a! small royalty on every, ounce of gold. Regarding the ventilation of mines, the Council condemned the use ,of. furnaces for ventilation, and. urged,'the substitution of fans for ventilation purposes. It was resolved to urge ther Government to reduce the pension age for miners, to sixty years, provided such. : miners had. been working underground fox* not less than ten years, and also to make vfe.e pension universal. It was resolved to urge the Government to pass; a Referent dum Bill, with the initiative in the hands of the people. The Council expressed its satisfaction with the Government for passing the Workers’ Compensation for Accident Bill 1 , and expressed the hope that it would shortly be brought into force. The conference urged that the provisions of the Land for Settlements Act should bo extended so as to procure more land for homes in the vicinity of large centres. CHRISTCHURCH,. February 21. ; John Scott Myers, treasurer of tbd Independent Liberal Labour Association, sued the Right Hon.. R. J. Seddon, President of the Liberal Federation of New Zealand for 19s 6cl, cost of an advertisement, and Mr Beetham, S.M., gave judgment to—daw ior the defendant.- “ CHRISTCHURCH,- February 23.,

A ten-roomed house .in Manchester street, owuled by Mrs Love; has. been burned down. It was insured in the Alliance for £4OO. Heavy rain fell ail last night and again to-day, and ptsx- a stop to asl amusements. Numerous firemen have arrived for the annual conference and tion, which will take pia.ee next week. February 24.

At a church parade this morning xn connection with the Fire Brigade demonstration, close Upon 500 firemen, with fire police and mehibefs ! of. ibb City Council, marched' to the Cathedral, accompanied by the Garrison and Stanmore Bands. An appropriate service was held. The Rev A-. W: Campbell was the c-reach er, . ' '',//(

TIM ABU, February 22. About a dozen citizens attended. a meeting this afternoon, which had been convened by the Mayor to discuss federation. Only two out of nine speakers spoke in favour of federation. The majority confessed their inability to form an opinion. A motion was .carried that the meeting was not in favour of federation until better informed on the subject. No one present had read the Commonwealth Bill except Mr, M. Gracie, who lately arrived from Queensland, where he was an Active member of the Federation League. • > DUNEDIN, February 21. At the annual meeting of the Hibernian Australian Catholic Benefit Society, to-day, a discussion took place on a motion that the district board office be removed from Auckland to Wellington. The debate was not concluded. The funeral fund showed £4436 8s 9d, an increase during the twelve months of £IBB 18s 7d, although fuperal claims amounting to £BO were paid. The sick fund: of the various branches in the New Zealand district amounts to £8559 16s. The sum in the management funds is £936 3s Bd, and that in the benevolent fund £IOO 5s 2d. The total membership as IQBI benefit members and 66 honorary members. The city valuation for 1901-2 is £259;622, as against £245,463 for the previous year. ■ : N The Otago Education Board, after fully considering the departmental scale of additions to salaries for tehchers, resolved that the proposed scale is inequitable, and that the Board' decline to make any recommendation.' Claiming to be in possession of information not at the command of tfc,e department, the Board will be prepared to distribute the money equitably among the teachers, or it will submit for Ministers’ approval an allocation of the money apportioned to the Otago teachers if Ministers so desire. The Dental Board has just concluded the examinations of eleven- candidates who presented themselves. Six were ■successful, their names being as follows : —Howard Henry Baker, Auckland ; Fred. Robert De Yeaux, Christchurch: Cecil John Paul Howard, Christchurch ; Wm. Purdie, Christchurch, Chas. Percy Stone, Auckland; and Gavin Wm. Wardrop, Dunedin. In the Magistrate’s Court : to-day, William Stanton, describing himself as Doctor Stanton, wae fined 1 £SO, ■ the maximum penalty, for using the title “doctor,” thereby falsely implying that he was recognised fey law as. a medical practitioner. . A-; ■ L,"' . .

At a representative gathering of citizens and 'business mem, Mr W. Orombie, railway stationmaster, who -has been promoted to be , traffic, manager . of the West Coast section, was presented with a purse of 180 sovereigns and a gold pendant suitably inscribed.' / • Dr Hall, assistant hpffsCF Surgeon in the Christchurch Hospital/ been ap-