INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10042, 9 January 1909, Page 1

INTERPROVINCIAL NEWS.

(PXR PSESS ASSOCIATIOH.) WELLINGTON. January 8. In connection with the sum of £7OO raised in New Zealand, and now held here aa a soldiers' grave fund, it has been decided by the Committee to use the moneys taken from it for the upkeep of soldiers' graves in the Dominion, and to Tefuse -to hand it over to the Loyal Women's Guildl of South Africa as requested. Already some firms have been " asked to furnish diesigns for a'distinguishing mark which, it has been agreed shall be .placed on eveTy soldier's grave dis- , covered iii New Zealand. It is found, - 1 however, that it is very difficult to obtain information regarding the location of graves, and though the officers commanding districts have been and f asked to obtain a return, if iiossible, it , has been so far without ctt'ect. It is thought that the mayors of boroughs, '. heads of local bodies, old settlers, old ' soldiers, and the public -generally, having I any knowledge of the locality of,soldiers' '. graves might assist by sending definite information the whereabouts of [ those, unmarked." It will much simplify the work of the Guild if aaiy person interested will send all the information in his power iii this connection to Mr Rockstrow, secretary Of the Soldiers' Grave Guild', Wellington. The Prime Minister has replied tci a protest against cinematograph representations of the. Burns-Johnson fight, that- the Government has no power to interfere. DUNEDIN. <-. January 8. William Jenkins, 19 yeans- old, was the victim of a. serious accident at the Crown Terrace, near Arrowtown, this morning.' While he was oiling a cbaffouMer his slcoVe caught in the cogs, and his arm from above the elbow to the- shoulder w.is stripped of llesh. The arm will probably ■be amputated at the shoulder. Mr Sidey, M.P., has been in communication with the Minister of Railways on the subject of. employees who have been retired on superannuation, but who were unaware at the time "of their retirement that they weTe entitled to leave of absence on full pay. The matter was brought under the Premier's" notice recently, when Sir Joseph- Ward was requested to allow the men the amount to which they would hav« been entitled had they given the reotiirSd notice, less contributions to and allowances received under the superannuation fund. Tihe' matter has been considered by the Cabinet and the request declined. AUCKLAND. January 8. The longest motor launch raoe ever held in New Zealand will take place on January 30th next, when Mr J. Reid's Seahird and Mi- A. H. Adams' Eliza will race frpm, Auckland to Russell and back to Auckland, S distance of 240 knots, for a stake of £so' aside. The Seabird put- up the fastest time in the recent raoe for the Rodder Cap, in which the Eliza also took'' part. After the race Mr Adams challenged to race his boat against any other competitor, and the challenge was ■accepted: by Mr Reid. The race will' be run under Rudder Cup rules. The Primitive- Methodist Conference entered upon its second season at the Eden Ten-ace Church -this morning. A resolution of sympathy : with' the sufferers in the Italian disaster was passed. The Iter. George Clement, of the Franklin Road Church, Auckland, was granted permission to visit England. The. question of opening up new territory was inferred to the General Purposes Committee. The Rev. J. Dawson was released from circuit work for twelve months to engage in the New Zealand -Alliance work. The annual conference report was presented! by the retiring President (the Rev. J. Olphert), who was accorded; a hearty vote of thanks. The conference passed a. resolution rejoicing at the progress of the no-license movement.. Routine reports were presented, and the foilbwk&g probationers were notified as passed: Fourth year—Rev. A. A. Sims, B. Metson, and A. Armstrong; third year—Revs. A. Armstrong, H. Daniel, and A. White; second year— • Revs. D. B. Carlisle and F. Thompson; first year—Rev. A. Davie. Mr Massey, interviewed this afternoon with regard to the Cabinet changes, remarked': "I am very strongly of opinion thai the wrong thing is 'being 'done in increasing the number of Ministers, and in support of that opinion I may say that since the end of last session- Ministers have been able to give most of their time to electioneering instead of looking after the business- of their departments. Besides, in proportion to the number of members in the House of Representatives, there are too many of what may be called official votes. Now nine Ministers and two whips (eleven voters altogether) to 6tart with on every question, whether right or wrong, is too much of an advantage. . He ridiculed' the suggestion that (Mr Carroll was so overworked as to require Mr Ngata's assistance." PALMERSTON NORTH. . January 8. There were sawmilling representatives present at the conference held at' Palmerston yesterday from Auckland to the West Coast (South Island), Rangitikei, Wairarapa, Taranaki, Hawkes Bay. The meeting was not open to the press and lasted for six hours. Interviewed at- the close of the proceedings, a prominent miller said they would close the mills down indefinitely as a result of the meeting, which was the most representative gathering of Sfcwmillers ever held in New Zealand. There -were fully iOO mills represented, averaging 20 men each. The conference was held to consider the advisability of reopening some closed mills, but as a result of the discussion, fully fifty mills will be closed indefinitely, affecting at a modest estimate fully 1000 men. The output at the other mills will be restricted. The main factors in affecting the decision were the wholesale importation of Oregon puis and the general stringency of the money market. It was suggested that the Government should fix a dimension tariff as one solution of the difficulty, and also make the import duty on Oregon pine the same as the export duty on white pine. INVERCARGILL. January 8. In view of the statements! that have been made in regard) to the possibility of Mr M'Nab going back to the Cabinet Dy way of the vacant Thames seat, that gentleman was interviewed here on arrival of the late express-to-night, and wa6 asked point blank how much was in the rumor. Mr M'Nab said: "I have never been approached to contest the Thames seat. Of course, it is so far from my home that I would not think of putting myself forward unless it was the desire of leading people of the Thames that I should' do so. There may be local men who desire to succeed Mr M'Gowan, but 1 am not awaTe of the conditions." Mr M'Nab further ■ stated that the rumor that he proposed to sell out of Knapdale and purchase land .in the North Island was untrue. The reason for , his , present. visit to Knapdale was that he desired to make arrangements • for carrying on the estate during hie absence in where he wouM have to Bpend four months in connection . with the publication of his book.