TELEGRAPHIC NEWS

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXV, Issue 10019, 9 December 1908, Page 4

TELEGRAPHIC NEWS

(Pep. Press Association.) WKLLINin'oN. OeLvuibi-r The Uev. l)r • abb has b*-*.-n t-'iecied Moderator of th»- Wellington Presbytery. The Cabinet ha* authorised an »:\pen diture of £2ZOO on th»: Au< kiand railway vards. [ eiider;> lor the erection of the Auckland Post Otii-.e have Uen considered by th- Cabinet. Th» y varied from jJ124.000 to £133 .COO. and ;i» thev_ wet>all \erv rnuch the otiieial estimates thrv v.er*- all de liti'd. Th»* plans aiv t-» l<> he modified arid fi*-h tender.-, called.

It has heel! deeided that ti.« Shaw. Savtll and Albion Cuinpany s steamer Arawa, i.- to i_*o into the Auckland dry dock to have her new propeller and spare tail shaft fitted. The Arawa is to get awav from Wellington about Iritlay nextfor * Lyttelton with the balance of lier ear 1:0 from London. Ihe Arawa will return to Wellington af'out the end of next week to re-.-hip her spare tail shaft and to pick up her new propeller, which will then t>* taken on to Auckland to be titted thero. She is expected to dock before ( hriMmas. ;iml v.iil be despatched for London early i" the new year. 'trie Waiwera. which is being dry-docked at Lvttelton. for cleaning and painting, is to take Up the Arawa's loading engagements, arid will leave Wellington on the 3lst inst. for London v. lefi the mails and dairy produce to have been taken by the Arawa. A petition has been lodged against the UVHiru'ton Suburbs local option poll. It is ur.'ed that the l>oumlaries of the district were not "properly gazetted : that no for an increase or li< rnses (the i.-opu-laii'Ti having in'i-ased by 25 per cent.) v..is in : hided in the ballot paper: and that a number of irregularities took place. The petitioners against the Mnsterton local option poll are t" be heard on December I6th by I>r A. MArihru, >.. M. (of Wellington). Mr W. L*. James. S.M. |o: Masterton). and Mr A. I). Thomson, S.M. (of I'aimerston North). A gazette was issr.ed to-night formally proroguing Parliament to February 11th. The annual report of the dear Meat Company states that im hiding the amount brought "forward, and after making allowances for depreciation and payment ot the interim dividend, there remains a balance of £14.253 12s. which the directors recommend for appropriation as follows: in pivment of a dividend of 10 per cent, for the vear ended cOth lilt., less interim dividend of 5 per cent, paid in June, £4660; to be carried forward to next year's account, £9c35 12s. Owing to the continued success which has attended the operations of the Company"s insurance department the directors recommend the payment of a bonus of 2j per cent, on the paid un capital out- of the insurance reserve. As the manager of the London office is retiring, the Hoard has arranged with the managing director to visit Great Britain durinsr"the coming year with the view of settling matters and general Iv studving the markets in which the Com-p.-mv is interested. The gross proceeds ot the nar's working amounted to ioo.Joo 5> 5cL to which had to be added the balance from 1907 of £9554 14s 3d. _ 1 hiring "the vear an interim dividend <>f o ptr cent/was declared, absorbing £4600. and £SOOO was added to the reserve fund.

CHiUSTCHUKCH. December 8. In Wellington last week Mr Ell interviewed the "Hon. J. M'Gowan in regard to the iiiflus of imported labor, and turned that some check should be placed upon it. Mr MGowan, who is in charge of the Immigration Department, said that he realised that something should be done I in. connection with the heavy stream of 1 labor v.'hi'h had set in, and that the country should absorb the present labor before bringing immigrants in greatei numbers. AUCKLAND. December 8. The Rev. Grav Dixon, of St. David s Church, made a strong speech at the combined meetinc of the clergy of Auckland, held this morning to consider the desirabilitv of brinsing about a greater unity among the churches. After expressing the pleasure it afforded him to be present, he went on to refer to the evident need ot unity in face of the trend of events of to-day. Dealing with wliat had come to be known as "the religion of humanity, the Rev Gray Dixon said lie had just read Father Benson's powerful work, "The Lord of the "World. " The author in a book of great power represented the antiChrist as arising out of the atheistic socialistic movement of the present day. He said that he believed Father Benson was right, and that the greatest enemy of true religion was this so-called religion of humanitv. which made man the only god. The forces of the anti-Christ were, he said, marshalling at their very doors, and lie believed they should present a united front against them. This movement was felt- more upon the Continent of Kurope than here, and they found the Protestants and the Roman Catholics were uniting to combat it in their loyalty to one Lord and King. Jesns Christ, and one banner, the Cross. "We mnst present a united front." added the Rev. Gray Dixon, "if we would save the nation, and in order to save the nation we must first save the Church and overcome this apathy which is strongly growing."

WIIAXGAUKI. December 8. Edward Rolev. acced 25. employed by Mr Hedle-r Wrierht.~w.as drowned in the Waiotu P.iver. Tapuhi. while rafting logs. The police and deceased's mates are searching for the body. XAPLER. December 8. The Xapier TSoion-h Council, at a meetins to-night, again discussed the question ot town improvements. At the previous meeting it- was decided to submit to the ratepavers loan proposals totalling £50,500, made "up of £55.000 for tramways and £15.500 for road works. At to-night-s meetmtr additional loan proposals totalling £79.750 were agreed to for submission to the ratepayers as follows: Destructor and duplication of waterworks, £15,000: drainace, £55,000; park improvements, £5750: fire brigade station. £1000: grand total of proposals. £150.003. The Council were not unanimous in some items in the proposals. XELSOX. December 8. The Colonist to-dav warmly advocates the claims of Mr R." M'Kenzie, member for Motueka. to the portfolio of Public Works. After alluding to Mr M'Kenzie's qualifications as an experienced contractor and a successful and "popular representative for a very long period, the article points out that neither Nelson. \\ est land. nor Marlborough has a representative in the Cabinet, though formerly they had one each, and that Mr M'Kenzie's appointment, while it would gratify these provinces. would be acceptable to the Dominion as a whole. A sharp shock of earthquake was felt here at- 11.55. and accompanied by a light rain and hail squall.

TIMARU. December 8. A faint shock of earthquake was felt here at 11.55 this morning. INVERCARGILL. December 8. The Southland Summer Show opened to-day in splendid weather, when sheep and cattle were judged. In both sections the qualitv was an improvement on that of last- year's exhibits, though the numbers were smaller. There were very few outside entries in cattle, and the prizes mostlv staved at home. In. sheep .ocal flock "masters held their own. the exceplion beinc Corriedal«?s. in which class Mr John Stringfellow, of 'Canterbury, secured ail the honors. The show of fat sheep and lamb was particularly fine. The weather promises well for Peoples Day (to-morrow), and the prospects are that the show will be the most successful yet held.