TELEGRAPHIC

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4315, 26 March 1901, Page 5

TELEGRAPHIC

PEEBS ASSOCIATION. GISBORNE, March 25. The shop occupied by Messrs MeMnsters and Shalders, of Auckland, drapers, was burglariously entered yesterday, and some drapery stolen. Two hundred natives from the Hawke’s Bay and southern districts are expected here this week to attend a festive gathering in connection with a churoh at Muriwai. AUCKLAND March 2c. ' Tire annual meeting of the Mitchelson Timber Company was held to-day. The profits for the year were £8047, which with the balance from last year, makes a total of £9061, which the meeting agreed to devote as follows : —Dividends for year - , £7253 ; honorarium. to directors, £160 ; reduction of flotation expenses, £250 ; leaving £1407. to be carried forward. Messrs Neill and Co., Limited, Dunedin, have been appointed agents in Otago for Messrs Spreokels’s new mail service, via San' Francisco. In the case cf William Evans, charged at the Police Court to-day with selling cider, the Magistrate said the burden of proof to show that the cider was not alcoholic lay on defendant. The percentage of alcohol in the sample was small, and as the defendant promised not to sell cider in future, he was dismissed with a caution. The Trades and Labour Council has passed a lesolution asking the Labour Conference to appoint a deputation to the Minister for Railways to urge preference of employment to unionists in view of the action by the Minister for Works of New South Wales. TnAMitS, March 25. The Borough Council declines to pay the interest demanded by the Sinking Fund Commissioners in connection with the conversion of loans. It has placed the facts before the Premier and asked him to decide. CHRISTCHURCH, March 25.

Tlie Board of Governors of Canterbury College, carried a motion proposed by Mr G. W. Russell, M.H.R., that'it is desirable that steps be taken to provide the boarding accommodation of. students from a distance, and the committee was authorised to make inanities in the matter. The Board adopted thie recommendations of the College Committee on the subject of university extension lectures. These were that a Council of seven members—two from the, Board, two from the Professorial Board, two from the graduates and the chairman ex officio —should be .appointed an Extension Council, and be empowered to draw up a constitution for itself. ■ The Midland Railway Commission aela its first sitting in Christchurch, this morning. Mr H. W. Young, Midland railway engineer, put in a. number of contracts between tha company, and its contractors asked for at Grey mouth. P. M. Stewart, a contractor, gave evidence as to the werk lie did for the company, and the prices he received. After hearing part of the evidence of D. Wallace, late traffic manager to the Midland Railway Company, the Commission adjourned fill Wednesday. Tomorrow the members .will inspect the line from Springfield to Jackson’s Creek. NEW PLYMOUTH, March 25. The Governor, accompanied by Captain Alexander, reached here from To Kuiti at 1 o’clock to-day. Thu party went up the Mokau river in a' launch, spent Sunday at Mrs Halcombo’s, Urcmii, and drove on here this morning. His Excellency was charmed with the country. .He had an enjoyable drive and fine weather, with the exception of one day. He will proceed by train to Hawera to-morrow morning, returning here on Thursday, than drived round 'lie mountain by way of Opunake, spend Sunday in Hawera., then proceed by train to -Wellington, returning to Hawera after .Easter. , ■ . - ■ :!'

Mr E. M.v Smith, M.H.R.; gave an address this evening to a lia-ge audience at the Theatre Royal, previous to his departure for England, with, Mr Cadman, to..float.a company to develop the. ironsand, coal) timber and lime resources. . A vote , of ..thanks,- was- accorded Mr. Smith, and a vote of; confidence .passed in the Government. Mr Smith is to be entertained on Wednesday. ■ ,t .>•>, NAPIER/:•Maroh--i>o,.' At the Magistrate’s ; Court John Charles Mason, licensee of the Occidental Hotel, was fined £1 for selling liquor after hours, aiid his license was-ordered to be endorsed. Seven bakers were -fine £1 each for selling short-weight and unstamped bread. "One escaped the .penalty on the plea, that when the police made the raid! he had offered, to. make up the deficiency of a light-weight loaf, as provided in the Act. The police held that this section did not apply to purchases- made by them, j but ttf tions between dealer and customer. -The Magistrate, however, held that the Act did not discriminate, and dismissed the case. - ... DUNEDIN,. March 25. Mr Thomas Culling, the oldest printer in the South Island, and head of the Mataura Falls Paper Mills Company, died on Saturday afternoon. Ho was a passenger by the Ajax, which arrived m Otago in the first week of 1849.